MINI Cooper - READ ONLY

2671 messages, Last post on Mar 31, 2009 at 1:03 PM

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#2630 of 2671 Re: WTF is: 'That's adorable and very misinformed' ? [coupah] by blueguydotcom Aug 28, 2008 (12:28 pm)
Replying to: coupah (Aug 28, 2008 11:41 am) I love driving cars. Try a DSG-equipped VW/Audi if you really want to be wowed by an automated manual.
#2631 of 2671 Re: WTF is: 'That's adorable and very misinformed' ? [sabrinae] by bodble2 Aug 28, 2008 (12:35 pm)
Replying to: sabrinae (Aug 28, 2008 11:58 am) Is your commute on the highway? The Mini is actually very stable (like all European cars), and surprising quiet at highway speeds. At least for the automatic which is what we have. Replies to this message: sabrinae (Aug 28, 2008 1:25 pm) ltq (Oct 30, 2008 8:48 am) bodble2 (Oct 30, 2008 11:55 am) ltq (Nov 01, 2008 11:02 am) and 8 more...
#2632 of 2671 Re: WTF is: 'That's adorable and very misinformed' ? [bodble2] by sabrinae Aug 28, 2008 (1:25 pm)
Replying to: bodble2 (Aug 28, 2008 12:35 pm) Bit of both really and I would get an automatic, the quiet ride is important. I just spent 7 years driving a Saturn L300, not a very quiet car. Steering wheel whistles when turning to the left since the first year. Dealer fobbed me off until warranty up.
#2633 of 2671 Mini Cooper by versegere Oct 28, 2008 (6:52 am)
My mini Cooper experiences acceleration surges at low speeds. Does anyone else have this problem and what can one do to eliminate it ? Replies to this message: bodble2 (Oct 28, 2008 12:13 pm)
#2634 of 2671 Re: Mini Cooper [versegere] by bodble2 Oct 28, 2008 (12:13 pm)
Replying to: versegere (Oct 28, 2008 6:52 am) "acceleration surges" I wish mine was capable of that!
#2635 of 2671 Re: One thing that struck me.... [sabrinae] by ltq Oct 30, 2008 (8:18 am)
Replying to: sabrinae (Aug 27, 2008 10:20 am) See my reply to someone else in the "Wheel and Tire" thread.
#2636 of 2671 Re: WTF is: 'That's adorable and very misinformed' ? [coupah] by ltq Oct 30, 2008 (8:33 am)
Replying to: coupah (Aug 28, 2008 11:41 am) Blueguydotcom is right, the MINI 6sp auto is a conventional tranny with torque converter. It is NOT a dual clutch device. On the other hand, considering the mechanicals, for its type, it is indeed a very fast shifting, revs-matching (on downshift) auto trans in the Sport Mode, or the Steptronic+Sport mode (shift lever to the left of D, where use use the stick or paddles). Try it !! So the flipside is that Coupah is ALSO right, it can be great fun on very twisty roads, and some drivers (more tentative with manual) will undoubtedly do better (and safer !!) with the Aisin 6sp auto than using the otherwise very good Getrag. One advantage of torque converters - probably low on the list of MINI owners - is the relatively safer going on icy/snow conditions. Unless you are very good with a manual & know how to drive on ice/snow, the auto trans torque converter allows gentle power transitions to the road, while allowing you to keep both hands on the wheel where they belong under these conditions!!! From my limited experience with dual clutch shifters, this is NOT the situations where they shine.... Whatever you choose, have fun & stay alive !!!!
#2637 of 2671 Discussion back to 40mi commutes [bodble2] by ltq Oct 30, 2008 (8:48 am)
Replying to: bodble2 (Aug 28, 2008 12:35 pm) Regarding 40mi commutes: I have a Clubman S, and it is very smooth at high speed. Not too quiet by today's standards, but even that noise is "fun". I have 16" wheels with RFTs, and will probably get non-RFTs as replacements, since I bought an on-board spare (with reservations: see Wheel & Tire thread). Regarding never buying a Turbo - the MINI S is different, usually no turbo lag. Driven carefully, I get 33+ mpg mixed driving on the Clubman S automatic (the worst mpg combination for a MINI). But I can choose to mash the gas pedal and IT GOES!!!! Of course the mpg also goes (down) too!!! Still, with occassional blasts, I'm easily getting 31+ mpg per tankful in mixed driving. JUST GREAT!!! Replies to this message: bodble2 (Oct 30, 2008 11:55 am) ltq (Nov 01, 2008 11:02 am) bodble2 (Nov 01, 2008 4:09 pm) andys120 (Nov 03, 2008 8:46 am) and 6 more...
#2638 of 2671 Re: Discussion back to 40mi commutes [ltq] by bodble2 Oct 30, 2008 (11:55 am)
Replying to: ltq (Oct 30, 2008 8:48 am) How do you find the rear barn doors? Does the middle post create a blind spot. Despite my 18-year-old son proclaiming the Clubman to be ugly, I find it has a certain appeal --- sort of as an entry-level BMW with a modicum of practicality. The only "dilemma", so to speak, IMO, is that a moderately equipped Clubman S is within about $2K of a BMW 128, or a basic 323, either of which, one could argue, is "more car" than the Mini, and more refined. On the plus side, the Clubman likely performs as well, if not better than, the Bimmers, but offers significantly better mpg, more utility, and is more of an all-season car with the FWD. Replies to this message: ltq (Nov 01, 2008 11:02 am) bodble2 (Nov 01, 2008 4:09 pm) andys120 (Nov 03, 2008 8:46 am) ltq (Nov 05, 2008 12:08 pm) and 1 more... eashley (Nov 05, 2008 2:14 pm) and 3 more...
#2639 of 2671 Headrests block vision - Re: Discussion back to 40mi commutes [bodble2] by ltq Nov 01, 2008 (11:02 am)
Replying to: bodble2 (Oct 30, 2008 11:55 am) Hi bodble2, Many have written everything from horrible to just few minutes to get used to the center blind spot. For me, it was the latter, not as much a problem that I thought it would be. HOWEVER, this doesn't change my (and most others) opinions that a hatch would have been far better!! I tell you what IS a bigger visibility problem that I haven't seen mentioned: the right rear HEADREST. Yeah, the headrest!!! It blocks rear quarter vision a lot when positioned for an adult (the angle depending on the driver's seat position, of course..... I'm 5'8"). Since I put my booster seat there, I simply took off the headrest and put it in the underfloor cargo area. But this is poorly designed. More than a dozen annoying problems with the Clubman S, but ya gotta live with them if you want a "sports car" with utility, great gas mileage, and most "smiles per gallon". Re: Clubman S vs low-end Bimmer - See the Edmunds Inside Line bizzare comparison of BMW 128i vs Clubman S. Reviewer says MINI loses, but make sure you also read the Exec.Editor (Michael Jordan) Second Opinion that goes with it. For me, my next car was REQUIRED to get real-life 30mpg or better, so the Bimmers were never in the running. In fact, almost nothing except econo-boxes, hybrids (but I already have one), and diesels were in the running; and certainly nothing with the sporty attributes and power of the MINI "S" lineup. Replies to this message: bodble2 (Nov 01, 2008 4:09 pm) andys120 (Nov 03, 2008 8:46 am) ltq (Nov 05, 2008 12:08 pm) andys120 (Nov 05, 2008 12:54 pm) eashley (Nov 05, 2008 2:14 pm) ltq (Nov 10, 2008 1:31 pm) and 2 more...