Hate to go against the forum, but I'd personally get the mini as much as I like the 99-00 Si in Electron blue. Power wise and suspension wise the Cooper S owns the SI in stock form.

Also illusioncivic commented on how if you turboed or SC'ed the SI which comes in N/A form that it will last longer or will be better in the long run. I personally dont have any experience with the Mini's but logic brings me to the conclusion that the SI will NOT last longer in the long run. For example, most engines that come SC'ed or Turbo'ed from factory generally tend to be better reinforced, built ALOT stronger, and are able to handle more power than the N/A. Take the eclipses and supras as an example. No one in their right mind would try to boost a GS when you can easily get a GST... as well as a trying to boost a regular Supra. On another note, Honda engines were never meant to be boosted as they blow up under low boost--i.e. try boosting a stock B16A with upgraded fuel management. You wont get very far with boost safely. You could probably boost up to 10-12psi safely. Even then its pushing the limits of that engine, and also it wont last that long. (And yes, some people have pushed there engines up to 15psi and more in stock form, but I considered those engines "FREAKS" and most of them wont be reliable daily drivers!)

I hope I made some sense as I am going on very little sleep at the moment.

Besides that technical shiet... I think the Cooper S is more of a "babe" magnet than the SI (as there are one too many ricers with the SI). =)

 

stock for stock, Cooper S>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Si

It would take both a fair amount of suspension modification and engine modification to make the Si on par w/ the Cooper in terms of performance.

 

IF were talking EP3 then i say get the Cooper....I am really not to big of a fan of the new si. If your talking an EM1 then i say get the si. The cooper will be faster but this is a honda-site and im sure most are going to recommend getting either of the si's, new or old.

 

i kinda like the coopers

 

Do some searching on google. There are a lot of them. I've seen everything from a ZC to a b16 in em...

 

My opinion is the SI is going to sound better because its DOHC and the mini cooper is sohc supercharged. And the only real way you can sport out your mini is with John Cooper Works stuff which is 5K for 37 more hp and 22 more lb/ft torque - via bigger Eaton supercharger/exhaust/ high flow cylinder heads - but do you like supercharger whine? And the SI weighs 200 lbs more. SI's are more upgradeable but coopers are trendy. Just stuff to think about.

 

coopers are ugly, looks like it could be a normal car until someone todecided to ass ram them during production to give it an ugly ass design, it looks liek a small mini-van

 

Where in the world did you get the idea that BMW's were more reliable than hondas?

 

yeah the b16 is a very popular transplant into the old mini....my buddy that moved over here from england had a mini cooper pickup truck lookin mini with a b16 swap...said teh fvcker flew.

 

Yeah they are fukin awsome but hondas are ****in more awsome and sound better and more parts HONDA RULES CAN BEAT HONDA