Anyone driven a MINI?

The search for a new car continues. Parked outside today I have... an MG-TF "Code Blue", which is basically a silver MGTF 1.6 (nice engine, very much like my 8v GTI to drive actually) with a blue roof and blue suede seats (despite not being mine, it's already nicknamed 'Elvis').

Other options that have presented themselves today:

MINI Cooper S - supercharged one, no? Anyone driven one? Does it contort you into a horrid position? Is it hellish to be in for 8 hours?

VW Beetle, new shape, not the Cabrio.

Another MGF, this time a VVC with hardtop and tan leather seats.

Tried a Rover 75. I think the seats are designed for people with no thighs. The cushion is insanely tiny, like the rear seat in a Jeep.

Freelander - Top Gear put paid to that one.

Also considering an Octavia RS...

Richard

Reply to
Richard Kilpatrick
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Drove an ordinary cooper and loved every minute of it. Just ask Dan405, i didn't shut up the whole night about it!

Reply to
Chet

A mates mum has a Cooper S and she loves (and knows how to drive it hard). When she got a courtesy car (normal Cooper) my mate had it for a few days and was really impressed with it. Not quite as chuckable as the old mini (obviously), but the same sort of feel was there, which inspired a lot of confidence. BMW clearly put a lot of work into it. Just look at the modified Cooper S's - putting out almost 300 bhp and the FWD chassis can still cope with it (just). I know a lot of people slate them for ripping off the name, but i reckon its a worthy successor.

Reply to
Carl Gibbs

Have driven the standard Cooper, which surprised me how good it was. Big car ride- soaked up the bumps well and was very smooth and quiet. Controls have an upmarket feel about them, and although the engine tries, doesnt really feel like its performing. You do have to rev it hard.

Was only a 15mile run, so I cant comment upon long time comfort. It is quite close to the ground with a low seating position so if "being ontop" of the road is important, go with a Focus or similar with a much higher driving position.

Tim..

Reply to
Tim (Remove NOSPAM. Registry corupted, reformated HD and l

The original Mini was a small car that made good use of the limited space it occupies. It was cleverly packaged and started the transverse engined front wheel drive car revolution. It also had a fairly novel suspenion system too.

As well engineered as the new Mini is, it is overstyled (the centrally mounted instruments are not practical or safe in my opinion), and makes extremely bad use of space. There is nothing novel about it at all, it's just another car trying to use the heritage of another car to sell itself, as a marketing exercise it is a success, as a stylish car it is quite succesful but a worthy successor to Mr Issigonis's creation it is not.

-- James

Reply to
James

He's not kiddin.....

Drive a Mini One - very nice - smooth, lovely 'box...

Reply to
Dan405

Like i said, a lot of people slate them and there will always be arguements about them!

Reply to
Carl Gibbs

Well, I like them. 1.6 is not too quick but the chassis is responsive.

Briefly driven a One, seemed like a good piece of fun to me but underpowered - obviously the S puts paid to that. 8 hrs in that would be purgatory to me but then my last cars have been a 75, a S40 and a S60...

Noooooooooooo

If it's a TF or a trophy then yes, if it's an older softer F then maybe, it's a good cruiser but understeers a bit much for a midmotormobile.

Did 80k miles in 2 years in mine and never a complaint

Heh - yuck.

Reply to
Tim S Kemp

I agree it's a very nice car - I had one on loan recently - but a Mini it's not. It goes against the whole basic idea of the Mini - a small cheap car with maximum utilisation of the available space. The good handling of the original came about *because* of these constraints - it didn't have to be designed in.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

Two separate questions:

Is the Mini Cooper S a good car? Yes, and especially so when you turn off some of the traction control etc, toys.

Is the Mini Cooper S a "Mini" ? No, not the same thing in the slightest, just uses the name.

I would certain test drive a M C S and see how I got on with it.

Reply to
antispam

I didnt say it was the same, as it obviously isnt and never will be. I said it was a worthy successor.

Reply to
Carl Gibbs

Like i said in the other post, i didnt say it was a mini, just a worthy successor. Its a modern car that retains some of the charm and prowess of the out-dated original.

Reply to
Carl Gibbs

In article , snipped-for-privacy@timkemp.karoo.co.uk spouted forth into uk.rec.cars.modifications...

Don't get me started.

*Shakes Fist*
Reply to
MeatballTurbo

I'd call it a pastiche.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

in some ways yes, but i'm sure many successful successors could be called that.

Reply to
Carl Gibbs

Ok, let me get started. If I want a Golf, I'll buy a Golf. If I want a sporty Golf, I'll buy a Leon. If I want a luxo-golf, I'll buy an A4, if I want a pooftah's Golf, I'll buy a TT. For a practical Golf, there's the estate and the Bora. If I want a crap Golf, there's always the Beetle - so why does anyone need the skoda?

Reply to
Tim S Kemp

because it has a nice interior, and looks different.

Reply to
Theo

yeah, nothing at all like a mini-passat....

Reply to
Tim S Kemp

Indeed. I find it like an X1/9 - very similar power and handling, actually, but a stodgier car generally. Sides are too high for my gf, she can't see out. Or at least, claims not to be able to.

S40 - I've had a Carisma already :) I think you must be a different build, since I had /very/ high hopes for the 75 but found it strangely uncomfortable. The S60 is out of my budget for anything decent.

It's like a coal-hole inside.

I've driven a regular 1.8 F. Nothing wrong with it, IMO - I preferred the ride to the harsh TF. However, the build is a little worse, and the one I found with a hardtop has a beige/tan interior.

I think I have odd-shaped legs. I don't fit in some cars which other people seem to love, yet I'm entirely happy in cars that I've seen described as 'awkward driving position'.

Nothing wrong with an Octavia. If I want a Golf, I'll look past the badge and get something with more kit for less money ;) In the spirit of making sure I've checked everything, I'm even going to look at a V6 Kia Magentis, on the basis that it's the closest thing to a Scorpio I can think of ;)

Richard

Reply to
Richard Kilpatrick

"soaked up the bumps" You didn't have the Sports suspension plus option on that car, it's still quite comfortable with it but I wouldn't say it was quite that refined (but defiantly more fun with it). You do have to rev the Cooper engine quite a bit but it comes on to power smoothly so you can very quickly find yourself at speeds (erm approaching) the limit. Both the One and the Cooper S have better low down torque and I think the One "feels" faster than the Cooper because of it. As the question was about the Cooper S it's a fantastic car if you boot above 2500 revs it will show a good turn of speed but it's quite happy to roam around at tickover in a high gear. Unless you are under about 5'9 then it's at best a 3 seater but I did a 5 hour trip in a Cooper at the weekend with no ill effects (did stop a couple of times). I would say the new MINI is the second most fun FWD car I have driven (after the old one) it lacks a little of the rawness that I would like but makes up for it by being a comfortable drive.

Reply to
Depresion

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