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Mini Cooper v. Hyundai Tiburon v. Acura RSX v. Subaru WRX

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Comments

  • himilerhimiler Member Posts: 1,209
    beo--I'll bet you wish that you could've bought your RSX-S without the B(l)ose gear. Thanks so much for the "luxury content," Acura.
  • WarpDriveWarpDrive Member Posts: 506
    I hate Bose
  • himilerhimiler Member Posts: 1,209
    Roger that, Warp.
  • beowulf7beowulf7 Member Posts: 290
    himiler, you're correct. I mean, I like the look and conveninece of the 6-disc (in-dash) CD changer. But I could do w/o the tape player and the lack of power of the head unit, not to mention its lack of track time. :(

    And that "woofer" they threw in the trunk is an embarrassment. Thank God for the convenient and potent Infinity BassLink I bought and installed. :)
  • himilerhimiler Member Posts: 1,209
    That BassLink is a sweet setup. No easier way to get some thump.
  • beowulf7beowulf7 Member Posts: 290
    Thanks ... you got that right! But it gets trashed whenever I go to an audio forum of the car club I belong to. Too many purists out there who demand a separate amp/box/woofer set up. I'm perfectly happy w/ the BassLink. It's got more than enough boom to give me a slammin' headache.

    Do you also have a BassLink?
  • himilerhimiler Member Posts: 1,209
    No, I went the "purist" route, but I was very impresed with the BassLink when I was shopping. Naturally, I bought a sub first, and then decided I really didn't need it once I upgraded the head unit and stock speakers. Pulling the the sub gave me back a big chunk of trunk room (at a premium in the Prelude) and saved me a few pounds.

    It seemed that no matter how securely I thought I had mounted (and re-mounted) the sub, it would eventually let go and start slamming around the trunk when I got to the twisty parts.
  • beowulf7beowulf7 Member Posts: 290
    Really? The sub would roll around even if you screwed it in? I haven't done any autocrossing or really hard turns, but have had my share of big potholes, speedbumps, and some fast turns. Throughout it all, my BassLink has kept its grip in my hatch. I mounted it horizontally and used inustrial strength velcro strips to secure the 4 legs to the hatch's carpet. :)

    I still have the stock HU and speakers (even have the puny Bose Woofer still powered). Even w/ that stock stuff, I'm impressed w/ the BassLink. I'm glad I didn't get a Bazooka.
  • revkarevka Member Posts: 1,750
    Any more thoughts on this subject? If there's nothing more to say on this subject, this discussion will soon be closed.

    Interestingly, the only two vehicles in this discussion that are considered to be competing vehicles (according to Edmunds) are the Acura RSX and Hyundai Tiburon.

    Revka
    Host of Hatchbacks & Wagons
  • jhpmichealjhpmicheal Member Posts: 14
    although it has some weight and less hp than other competitors. customizing the car is actually less expensive than others, b/c of the low price. get a twin turbo, suitup with all the gadgets and change the body with fiberglasses. i've got about 302hp 310torque on tiburon gt v6 and it was less than 30k!!! The tiburon gt v6 goes 0-60mph for 7 sec (not 8) with this upgrade i had i went like about 6 sec(not precise b/c mah stopwatch sucks!)
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    For $29 grand I'd go with an STi, we're talking 0-60 in the high 4s.

    It's very hard to reach that level of performance with customization.

    -juice
  • kevin111kevin111 Member Posts: 991
    Or an Evo. But now we are splitting hairs.
  • tnisace86tnisace86 Member Posts: 25
    Who drives a WRX? I'm thinkin of one, except: How does it drive in everyday commutes? I definetely know it's sporty, but is the ride practical enough?
  • kevin111kevin111 Member Posts: 991
    Plenty of WRX owners there.

    Me being one of them, they are fine for commutes. The ride is compliant enough for long drives, and the front seat is great. I occasionally commute over 45 miles to work and no problems.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    It's a Dr. Jeckyll/Mr. Hide ride. Off boost, it's a civil and efficient commuter. On boost, it's a street legal rally car.

    Definite split personality to it, IMO. I like that, your driving mood changes and the car adapts to you.

    -juice
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    All rally cars are street legal. They couldn't drive the transit sections if they weren't! Ever watched them pay road tolls? The lowest Impreza model is rallied in stock form, not just the WRX and STI. While Subaru's statement about the WRX being a street legal rally car is correct it would be just as correct to say it has doors and wheels... And while there are time-speed-distance rallies you can enter without cages and fuel tank firewalls, most true performance events require you to do so which means a stock WRX isn't quite a turn-key high-speed rally entrant.
  • tnisace86tnisace86 Member Posts: 25
    hpulley4, What are you babbling about?? I think the term "street legal rally car" is a simple description of the car's performance. The WRX fits this term perfectly, as no other car in this section or class has the hp/liter output, nor can keep up with it on the roads or tracks.
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    Just pointing out some truths and untruths about that tagline. The Tiburon is also rallied and by definition is as much a street legal rally car as the WRX.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yeah, but don't they run in an inferior class? ;-)

    -juice
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    This is taking my comment off on a tangent but no, they ran in the same class, Open. Search for SCCA Prorally 2002 where Mark Higgins in a Hyundai came in second in the championship to David Higgins in a Subaru. Hyundai won the manufacturers championships 5 years in a row from 1996-2000, and in 2002 as well. I'd post a link to an outside site but the admin would remove the message so you'll have to search on your own.

    Hyundai pulled manufacturer support after 2002 (like Mitsu pulled it after last year). There are no SCCA prorally manufacturer teams this year as Subaru thought it silly to play all by itself ;-)

    At the WRC level, the Impreza WRC and Accent WRC were in the same class as well.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Hmm, I was referring to Subaru's Group N cars since they're at least closer to stock.

    -juice
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    Just check the price tag! The Production classes are somewhat close to stock, aside from the safety and suspension modifications.

    Anyways, I wasn't trying to say one is better than another. Just pointing out the truth about the street legal rally car tagline. To repeat, if rally cars weren't allowed to drive on the street then they couldn't compete, as public road transits must be driven. There are rally classes for everything including old 60HP Justys and Swifts.
  • r464r464 Member Posts: 2
    We have a 2003 Acura RSX and a 2004 Mini Cooper.

    I am looking to get rid of the Acura and get a WRX wagon.

    The handling of the Mini is unbelievable. If you don't need to haul a lot of people or gear, the Cooper S (especially with the Works package) is tough to beat. Ours has been very reliable so far, but only time will tell.

    With AWD and the flexibility of 4 doors and a wagon rear end, the WRX offers more than the others can manage. If there were an STi wagon, I would be drooling over that. But I am sure that the WRX wagon is more than enough car for me.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    do you have the works package? If so, how much was the total cost of the car?

    The Mini has amazing handling. I can do without the tight spaces inside though - it makes my RSX seem roomy. And I have my doubts about the long-term durability of those windows that pop the rest of the way up and seal themselves after the doors close.

    Beyond that, if it were NA, the Mini Cooper S would have been my choice, probably. The WRX is a great ride but I may never get over my distrust of turbos, especially some of the icky turbos in Subaru's past. (yes, I am aware they are a whole different ballgame today than they were 20 years ago)

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • mugwompmugwomp Member Posts: 21
    I ended up getting a WRX and love it :) - over a year and only enjoy it more and more - went through the whole set of tires and close to another very very quick though. Simple but very mediocre interior - nice seats and has much more personality than the RSX but the interior not as much as the mini - but the mini's interior seemed even cheaper than the WRX, if thats possible. The RSX wasn't an option since I wasn't interested in getting a Honda as for a spanking new car, so little, FWD, etc, etc. - checked out a Mini - the interior seemed very cheap - was literally about to take it for a test drive but as a shy person was too embarassed and couldn't see myself having a little Beetle/PT Cruiser type of thing. Lately have been seeing them on the road with stuffed animals attached to the roof - realized I made the right choice.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    yes, the Mini is definitely the "kid's choice". Even if the driver is just a kid at heart. You have to get used to some extra attention, I think, if you pick that one.

    The WRX was way below what I would consider acceptable for an interior when I was looking, especially at that price. They have improved it a lot for '05, and as I understand it there will be some more sprucing up for '06. Even if I trusted the long-term durability of turbos, I would still hate turbo lag, which is fairly vicious in the WRX.

    One car not mentioned here is the GTI, in particular the new one that will be available here in about four months. The new 2.0T from VW has pretty much NO turbo lag at all, and that car has a VERY nice interior. The handling may be less than I would hope, even with the new IRS, just because of the weight. And I am cautiously wondering just where they will set the price. But if those couple of things come together in tghe right way, the GTI may set the new bar in the segment, even though the WRX has more raw horsepower.

    And of course, the new Civic SI, hitting dealerships this weekend, will have 200 hp and a 6-speed as well, and come in much cheaper than a Mini Cooper S Works, GTI, or a WRX, with a typically nice Honda interior, one would hope.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Keep in mind the WRX now has a 2.5T engine, not only is that 25% more displacement but also it has AVCS (variable valve timing) to help power off boost. This engine has almost no lag and produces an incredible amount of power.

    C&D took a Forester with this powertrain to 60mph in less than 5 seconds, so the lighter WRX (with shorter gearing due to smaller diameter tires) should be even quicker.

    WRXs are already here, too.

    Is the Civic really coming that soon? That should be fun...

    -juice
  • silversolarasilversolara Member Posts: 113
    ... and stayed the heck away from the GTI while I was making a decision for buying this year. I owned a 72-73 Fastback, and had 2 friends who later owned a Scirocco and a Golf. Of the 3 Volkswagens, the Fastback seemed to be the best car. The Scirocco and the Golf both developed electrical problems - the worst was when both cars' power windows got stuck during the winter time. I'll never buy any car made in Mexico - including any Audis that are built south of the border. (And I used to scoff at Consumer Reports - now I understand the value of a longevity report coupled with a user base of a quarter of a million people. And what about that JD Power initial quality study from 2004? Volks ranked just above Hummer - second to last.)

    the Mini is cute, and possibly the Cooper S with the Works package is something, but my hour-long commute into Philadelphia means playing tag with hulking SUV's . There are quite a few EXTREMELY bad drivers out here in Philly, and the Mini is just small enough to be 'ignored' while lane switching. There is no denying that parking a Mini in the city is much easier than parking practically any other car, but then again, surviving the commute in order to park would be my main concern. Otherwise, paying close to $30K (Works package and options) for a car with about 200 horses seems a little pricey, especially with a Mustang GT only costing about $25K. But cute sells...

    Couldn't easily get into a 2005 Tiburon. I'm 6 foot, with a 32 " inseam, and getting out of the car required a near limbo-like maneuver.

    The Acura RSX is a wonderful machine. I test drove a Type S, but the salesguy was hesitant to let me get the car to redline. I felt more safe in it at highway speeds than the Mini; it is bigger, and harder to ignore. Interior was very nice and relatively comfortable, and my wife liked it. Problem was, my previous car was a Toyota Solara, and being in a smaller coupe didn't make me feel like I had made much of a 'switch' in getting a new car.

    I also testdrove a Civic Si - neat car, but the clutch on both cars I tested engaged very high off the floor for me. I have a bad ankle, which made shifting gears a little difficult with such a high engage point. (I also test drove a Focus SVT - fun car, but I had to keep saying... it's a Ford.)

    So I bought a WRX. Car does well by most consumer and driving mags, and its hood scoop actually does keep SUV's off me. I have friends who own (seperately) a Forester, a Legacy wagon, and a WRX wagon - all are happy with their cars. The all-wheel drive means a lot to me when it rains on my commute, and I'll be happy for it come winter time. I don't see a problem with the turbo in the future; I'm an adult and my racing days are over. But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy my car.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    I think the Civic will be trickling in through the month of September, and won't be properly stocked until October at the earliest. There are still a lot of '05s to sell. But at least the '06 will be available to see and drive very soon now.

    Yes, the WRX becomes a MUCH more attractive option now that the engine has grown in displacement and off-boost power. I wonder how much the price will increase for '06? Among the group listed here, it is edging away to become the most expensive. The only one that might challenge it for price when it finally arrives is the new GTI. That car will have a more aggressive handling package standard than the WRX does. But of course, it will be FWD too. :-(

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'm not so sure, VW usually softens them up for the US, and they tend to have a high center of gravity. We'll see what they do in US tune.

    -juice
  • joeluc13joeluc13 Member Posts: 50
    Some of my friends told me that I should have bought the WRX. I bought my RSX Type S for about $25k and my friend bought his for almost the same price. I really considered the WRX since I wanted to get a sedan after owning a coupe for 8 years. I also liked the WRX's agressive styling, handling, and turbo boxer engine. The only thing that I didn't like was the gas mileage. I drive approximately 35miles+ one way to work and I believe having a turbocharged engine with premium fuel required would be too costly for me. Gas mileage is what I consinder a serious factor in owning a car and this led me to own an RSX Type S. Although I didn't get 4-doors and a turbo, I got the leather seats and other stuff that comes optional in a WRX (moonroof, spoiler, etc.). And with the Type S, I got better gas mileage that would be impossible to get in a WRX. Now the gas prices has gone up, I really felt that I made the right decision. Also, I heard that turbocharged engines are more costly to maintain (like quicker timing belt replacement and all). Is this true? Your opinion would be greatly appreciated.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Subaru's intervals are faily long, it's 105k miles on my Forester. 8 years later I still haven't had to do that.

    Your Type S takes premium fuel also, right?

    -juice
  • joeluc13joeluc13 Member Posts: 50
    Oh, then it's not bad then. I was under the impression that turbocharged engines are too costly to operate. Well I guess it all goes down to the gas mileage for me then. Yes, my Type S uses premium fuel with 26/31 mpg. I once thought of trying to feed it with regular fuel considering the hiking gas prices, but my friend told me that there's a huge possibility of damaging a premium-fuel-required engine due to the piston knocking caused by lower octane fuel. Have you actually tried this? Well, I am just willing to pay extra for gas rather than to pay for parts and labor later on a damaged engine because of improper fuel type. I did read an article about fuel grades don't make much of a difference. But in my understanding, this only works for engines that do not require premium fuel.
  • silversolarasilversolara Member Posts: 113
    .. congrats on your Type S. They really are a decent car. I also have a 35 + mile commute - one way. the gas price gauging in south/central jersey has stabilized due to a number of lawsuits, but i can't remember the last time i had to pay almost $3.50/ gallon for gas... and i remember the 70's...

    maybe i should get out of the rare book trade and get into the oil business... or better yet a more honourable profession like strongarming or graft... :mad:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yeah, stick with premium. The difference usually amounts to $100-150 per year, not all that much.

    -juice
  • joeluc13joeluc13 Member Posts: 50
    Yeah,that's what I'm doing now. Thanks for your feedback. $100 - $150, or even $200 per year is okay for me compared to paying labor and parts for repairs. Not to mention the possibility of the dealership voiding the warranty of the car for using the wrong fuel type.
This discussion has been closed.

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