Cooper or Cooper S Question

[TJC1]

Although I can appreciate the obvious I have a question for those who have driven both a Cooper and a Cooper S, 2005 or later models.

We're looking for a car for my wife who has given up her '95 318i 5-speed to our daughter. She has a 20 mile round trip commute to work that is mostly highway driving. She likes to drive "sportingly" and prefers a manual transmission. Fuel economy is a concern, but not the highest priority. Reliability and maintenance costs are a high priority.

Given those basic parameters I'm wondering if she may be satisfied with a standard Cooper or if the S is a better choice, although it may be a bit more costly to maintain. I'd like to test drive both, but that's going to requre a trip to Phoenix or Las Vegas sometime in the near future as these cars are not around this area!

So, do any of you folks have any opinion or advice?

[GreenBMW325is]

I would stick with a cooper for fuel ecomony and cheaper to repair.

[UKCoopeR]

I have owned both and found the base Cooper plenty fast enough to be fun. Might depend what you are used to though.

[TJC1]

Thanks for the replies.

I was looking at some of the specs on the standard Cooper and they are not too different than the 318i that my wife was using as her daily driver so that may work for her.

[UKCoopeR]

One more thought, the part I find the most fun is the grip, turn-in and steering feel these things generate. In that respect the base and S are equivalent. I will warn you of a potential slippery slope in that my gf never cared much about cars or driving till she got her first fun car (a mini) and now is asking if she can use my spare star specs on hers :eyecrazy I tell everyone to give 0 toe front and rear a shot on their mini as turns an already fun car into a real blast :evil2!