Three-Pedal Fun In The Tri-Cities: 2006 Mini Cooper S vs 1996 Dodge Neon ACR

Good morning! I feel like I need to make up for yesterday’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad Nissans, so today, we’re taking a look at a pair of cosmetically-challenged but incredibly fun stickshifts from eastern Washington. But first, I guess we’d better see which SUV you disliked less:

CVT bad! Ugly V8… not good, but less bad! Noted.

Now then: There is a certain breed of small car that isn’t meant for everyone. They’re usually based on economy cars, and they do still tend to get decent mileage, but they sacrifice some economy and comfort to the horsepower and handling gods.  These special examples tend to get driven hard, because they’re purchased by the sort of folks who like to drive small cars hard. They come in various degrees of seriousness, from a tame poseur like a Hyundai Accent GT all the way up to a fire-breathing Peugeot 205 T16 Group B homologation special. In the middle, you have cars like the two we’re going to look at today, cars you can drive every day, but every pothole in the road will remind you you’re not in a Tercel, and the stiff clutch can get tiresome in traffic. Still, if you can snag one for cheap, it’s a great way to get some driving jollies on a budget. Let’s see if either of these two does anything for you.

2006 Mini Cooper S – $2,900

Engine/drivetrain: Supercharged 1.6 liter dual overhead cam inline 4, six-speed manual, FWD

Location: West Richland, WA

Odometer reading: 140,000 miles

Runs/drives? Great, according to the ad

Who doesn’t love a good Mini? Sir Alec’s original took Paddy Hopkirk to a Monte Carlo win, and helped Michael Caine bring home the gold in a different way. BMW’s re-imagining of the little car made a lot of money for Mark Wahlberg, and for thousands of mechanics all around the world. Fragile, but brilliant to drive, the Mini has been a small-car icon for decades.

The S model of the new Mini (as it’s still thought of, even after twenty years) is powered by a supercharged 1.6 liter four, sending 168 horsepower to the front wheels throuh a Getrag six-speed manual. This gearbox is more durable than the Rover-sourced five-speed in lesser Minis. I’ve never driven a non-S Mini, but the six-speed is a delight to flick through the gears. The seller says this one runs and drives great.

This Mini’s low price, therefore, is due to cosmetic and minor legal issues. This car’s patchwork exterior is made up of bits from other Minis, stitched together like some frenetic little British/German version of Frankenstein’s monster. This work is presumably the result of some collision, enough to total the little car. The seller has done the repair work (such as it is), but hasn’t had the car inspected by the state in order to receive a rebuilt title. Really, I think they’re supposed to do that before selling it, but out in the sticks the rules get a little fuzzy. Use it as a bargaining point.

Early new Minis are going to end up as collector’s items, I predict. The mechanical and build quality issues have been documented now, and while the stigma of unreliability is likely to stick (it’s still there for earlier British cars, that’s for sure), the fun-to-drive reputation is here to stay as well. If you want one cheap, snag one now, and be willing to compromise on looks.

1996 Dodge Neon ACR – $4,500

Engine/drivetrain: 2.0 liter dual-overhead-cam inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD

Location: Richland, WA

Odometer reading: 150,000 miles

Runs/drives? Oh yeah

First up, before anyone says anything about this car’s provenance: I cannot verify whether this is an actual Neon ACR or not. I can only go by what the seller says. The VIN isn’t listed in the ad, so I can’t check it. And this car has been modified quite a bit, so it’s hard to tell what’s original and what’s not. And since the ACR package mainly consisted of taking things out of the car, it’s hard to say what was there when it left the Belvidere assembly plant and what wasn’t. For what it’s worth, I’m inclined to believe it’s genuine; there’s no profit to be made from claiming an economy car was an obscure racing variant when it wasn’t.

I can say that it has the 150 horsepower twin-cam engine that made the Neon such a darling among enthusiasts. With this engine and a stick, any Neon is an eager little puppy of a car, quick and sharp, and rather shocking from a company that was peddling Omni 024s a decade and a half earlier. This Neon comes with a laundry list of modifications, including suspension and drivetrain upgrades… and a roll bar.

It also has that wonderful 1990s “Funfetti” upholstery, and the less-wonderful 1990s peeling paint. But at least it has always been a West Coast car, according to the seller, so worries about rust are likely unfounded.

Personally, I’d prefer it if this car were still stock, or at least stock ride height, but I do still love the first-generation Neon. Seeing this one makes me miss my red ’99 coupe that was rear-ended by a careless WRX driver a few years ago. It was a lot of fun to drive too, even with the single-cam engine and – don’t judge – an automatic.

I know a lot of you chose “none of the above” yesterday, and I know both of these cars have their detractors as well, but if you’ve never driven either of these, don’t judge. They’re both a hoot. Yeah, they’re rough around the edges, and won’t impress anyone who isn’t a like-minded car nerd, but fling one down a twisty road on a nice day, and I guarantee you’ll come back with a smile on your face. Which one will it be?

(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)