2007 Mini Cooper S: Now with 98% Fewer Rattles!!!

Why why why do car manufacturers put gauges in the center these days? Why? Why? Why? Do you have to make sure your passengers will b1tch about how fast you are driving? Or do you have to turn your head just to make sure you are driving within the speed limit? Who is the furping genius behind this scheme? If being an idiot makes you different then obviously being different in itself has no merit. I hope consumers will speak out and stop buying cars with retarded gauge positioning. I like my speedometer right in front of me damn it!

Before anyone else rants about the centre console, you should realize there is a digital speedometer DIRECTLY infront of the driver. No Mini driver I have ever talked to actually uses the centre display for speed. Its entirely for show! There are a few small indicators on it - gas, fog lights on/off, abs fail...but thats it!
 
And if you don't like the large speedo's looks, there are other quirky things that you won't like either so that's the least of your worries.

I hate the fact this car is growing on me.
 
And as much as I dont care about gas prices, being a numbers guy.
 
I could get a standard mini clubman, that will cost me 5grand more, vs a mspd3(car i'd LOVE to own), and since the milage from real reports is almost double, after 5 years, the difference will be the same.
 
Now If I go for a sport, hmmm. I donna. Getting close to 40mpg on the freeway crusiing is so tempting (using a normal mini, not sport) seems like a perfect road trip car for me and the wife to be.

"Why why why do car manufacturers put gauges in the center these days? Why? Why? Why?"
 
I can't speak for all cars but the Mini has it there because that's where it was on the original. It's part of the look.
 
Why it's so big is more of a mystery.

"Cars rattle, in my experience, pretty much within the first month or two of ownership."
 
Most but not all. My 91 Legacy still has no rattles that I can hear. My 95 Grand Cherokee on the other hand is a chorus of rattle, creaks, squeaks, groans etc.
 
Both are reliable but the sound track of the Jeep gives the impression of cheapness.
 
I'm glad to hear the new Mini has no squeaks, I want one more everyday.

firstwagon: As a very new Mini Cooper owner, I highly recommend one.

Why why why do car manufacturers put gauges in the center these days?
 
Purely appearance.
 
Do you have to make sure your passengers will b1tch about how fast you are driving? Or do you have to turn your head just to make sure you are driving within the speed limit?
 
The center speed is for show. It is not used by drivers. It's to entertain passengers. In fact the center speedo is wrong about the speed most of the time. Again, the center speed is NOT used by the driver.
 
Is that clear enough?

This lack of rattling is a significant bit of information that I haven't heard elsewhere. Rattles drive me crazy. My new Mazda3 is tight as a drum so far, approaching 6,000 miles.

My brand new Honda Fit rattles already. Lots of other Fit owners have the same problem. It's just not put together very well, although I have little doubt the mechanicals will last a long, long time.
 
My dad's '99 Toyota Solara has 115k and never a single rattle. It seems like in the mid- to late-90's Toyota was really on top of its game, quality wise.

We have two 02 Toyotas. Neither rattles. I drove an 89 Nissan Sentra for from 95 to 01, and I don't recall any rattling from that car either.
 
We're about to re-enter the car market, and I will be very disappointed if things are as blueguy proposes.

Don't worry, it's not.

My S2000 doesn't rattle a bit (surprisingly). My truck doesn't rattle much at all.
 
But that infernal dashboard on my '06 Toyota Matrix XRS rattles like a rattlesnake trapped inside a child's maraca during an earthquake. The worst part is there is nothing I can bang, slap, push, hold, or curse that'll stop it.

Thanks Bluballz. But I still don't know what kind of idiot passenger will find staring at broken speedo entertaining.

most every car i owned did not rattle ('95 altima,'98 maxima, '99 acura cl, '00 protege, '07 honda fit - with 16k miles now, wife's '01 honda odyssey with 75k miles now)EXCEPT '86 pontiac grand am, '91 chevy blazer...notice a trend there?

My 08 Clubman S was in to have the armrest installed, and I was given an 05 Cooper S Conv as a loaner for this past weekend. WOW! As fun as it was to have the top down in 75 degree weather, that sucker was a rattle trap. And the interior pieces felt extremely cheap. (ie the turn signal & windsheild wiper stalks) And then there was the long clutch travel, poor radio, & non stop cowl shake.....and it only had 24000 miles on it. Anyway, I know comparing the converitble with the new Clubman is an apples/oranges thing, but I'm still very impressed with what Mini has done with their interiors and overall fit and finish.

Ditto - my '08 Cooper is much tighter than I expected, given past comments I've seen about the Mini's overall integrity.
 
Clearly I'm in the minority of Mini drivers who don't use the digital speedo. I prefer using the tach display to contantly show trip computer data and the centre speedo works just fine for watching my speed.