Got a Mini as a courtesy car

Shoei said:
If the DVLA let me have my license back, a Mini is on my shortlist of cars, namely the Cooper, but in automatic guise(i know i know, but easier for me).

How the ride for bumpy roads?
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Which year ?

On the later cars, on 17" wheels with the runflats on standard suspension I would say it's firm, bordering on hard but not harsh or crashy.

If you went for 18's, runflats with the sports suspension upgrade then not so clever. Replacing the runflats with normal tyres is meant to help considerably although I've not tried it.
 
Yay!
730 requires a new mechatronics unit for it's gearbox so I have to keep the Mini for a couple of days.
 
Rilot said:
Yay!
730 requires a new mechatronics unit for it's gearbox so I have to keep the Mini for a couple of days.
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Oh dear, that sounds expensive. What warranty has the car got at the moment?

As for the Mini, I couldn't stop smiling after I drove the new Cooper S.
I gave the keys back to the dealer with the biggest grin ever :D
 
Car has BMW AUC warranty so all is covered. This is why I bought the car from a BMW main agent rather than an indy.
 
I really want to like the new Mini because there's a lot I like about it but there's so much I dislike about it that every time I get in one I'm reminded. I just find them so uncomfortable and the ride unacceptably rough. Even my Anglia which has rock hard suspension is a softer ride.
 
Sneaky Peaky said:
Which year ?

On the later cars, on 17" wheels with the runflats on standard suspension I would say it's firm, bordering on hard but not harsh or crashy.

If you went for 18's, runflats with the sports suspension upgrade then not so clever. Replacing the runflats with normal tyres is meant to help considerably although I've not tried it.
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Probably looking at 03/04 year wise. Auto is main requirement though.
Some one at work had a Cooper while waiting the 12months to get one of the first Cooper S and said it was great on A roads, not so good commuting up & down motorway.
Just looking for a fun nippy car.
 
sold our honda type r (cant afford the fuel) and spotted an 02 plate mini cooper in the forecourt, so we nabbed that the other week.

i was swiftly branded a homosexual by some friends for riding around in it (??) but my god this things fun!! it's spacious, it's comfy, it's good on fuel (for a change) and goes like stink for a 1.6. as OP said the switches for various things are awesome (and it sounds quite good also)

love it :D
 
scott212 said:
I managed to transport a 50"" Plasma from Newcastle to London in one, they're more spacious than people make out!!
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Yep there not to bad to be honest. The only thing I found a problem was when sat in the back and it was a bit cosy to say the least. But manageable for a short drive.

I do like the new Mini Cooper's and how they kept the same feeling when driving as the original but I feel that something raw is missing which the original has.

Wouldn't say no to a Cooper S or a JCW though! :D
 
My gf has an 09 plate Cooper S and its a lovely car to drive, but those runflats really do make the ride harsh. They can also cause you heart-stopping moments if you drive over potholes or sunken drain covers as the steering wheel can be literally ripped from your grasp as the wheel drops over the edge into the hole!
 
The ride really isn't as bad as some people make out and this is coming from someone who regularly drives a MINI with 18" wheels and runflat tyres.
 
Actually the bugbear for me is not so much the ride but the way it tramlines so badly and deals with potholes etc, on a couple of occasions I've nearly had the steering wheel wrenched from my hand and been thrown across the road !

All part of the fun though ;)

lol - just noticed I said the same as Scratch !
 
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"andy" said:
like every other quality small car then

yet whenever someone on here shows interest in one they are told that they dont want fun because surely they must want the ability to cruise on the motorway so smoothly that they could play jenga on their huge dash. zzzzzz

glad your enjoying it
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I like playing jenga on my huge dash! :mad:
 
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