Topic: Picked up my wife's new car and took it for an 850 km drive

[Railton]

Boss!
Railton

[JohnnyMac]

Not too surprised with what you decided on.  I knew you and your wife had a very specific set of things that you wanted.  It's too bad the headlights aren't the best, but like you said maybe there's a way to improve them without any major expenditure or fiddling. 

When I was doing my test drives a few years ago I found the Mini Cooper to be the most surprising of all the vehicles I drove.  I was at the BMW dealer in Moncton and thought why not right.  I'm with you in thinking the Cooper S might not be worth the extra money as I felt the regular Cooper had enough power to be fun.  Plus now you might have a bit more money in the budget for your next ride...speaking of which your GTI must be nearing the end of its lease.

I think the only way to own a Mini is if you lease and keep it within warranty.  I probably would have gotten a bit more playful color like the Orange you speak of (isn't that the free color option also) if I was leasing, don't have to worry about resale value due to the polarizing color.

Overall I think it's the perfect choice for your wife and I'm sure she'll enjoy driving it for the next few years.  Congrats.

[OliverD]

Thanks man. I think Volcano orange used to be free but it isn't anymore.

I did a bit of research and ordered a set of Sylvania bulbs: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B005KDO9C2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Supposedly they are a big improvement.

In the US the normal Cooper can be ordered with dynamic damper control but that's only available on the S and JCW here. I feel like MINI should offer a sport package for the base model. They have one in the US but it's mostly cosmetic. Suspension, performance tires, maybe the sport seats... Would be a nice way to spec it.

I've really come around on leasing. Not that I was against it before but if you're getting a new car and you don't plan to keep it for the long term it makes a lot of sense in some cases, especially if you have a good combination of purchase price, residual value, and interest rate.

[quadzilla]

Congrats!  The car looks great in black on black on black.  They are a lot of fun to drive so enjoy!

[JohnnyMac]

I'm pretty sure when the current generation came out you could order it with the adjustable suspension.  I remember adding that to the Cooper I was building on their website.  It must not have had a big take rate so they axed it for our market.

Yeah the orange and white were the two no cost colours at that time. 

I hope those new bulbs help with the headlight performance, good headlights are important when you live outside the city limits.

[OliverD]

Can you upload some more interior pics that shows that gear shifter and the seats?

Here you go.

[OliverD]

Got it registered and plated today, now just need to do the provincial inspection.

One thing that's annoying that I didn't realize: There's a well in the trunk floor that has a reasonable amount of space. But unless you opt for the "cargo package" there's nothing covering this well. Kind of dumb. I expected the removable floor to be standard.

The cargo package also includes an odd feature that lets you keep the rear seats in a more upright position for more cargo space so that the seats are theoretically still usable.

One oddity is that the rear seats, despite holding only two people, are split 60/40. In the old Coopers they were 50/50.

[Ex-airbalancer]

Got it registered and plated today, now just need to do the provincial inspection.

Doesn't the dealer do that before you pick it up

[Brig]

Doesn't the dealer do that before you pick it up

He bought it in Quebec and drove it to New Brunswick, dingus. 

[dirtyjeffer]

I've really come around on leasing. Not that I was against it before but if you're getting a new car and you don't plan to keep it for the long term it makes a lot of sense in some cases, especially if you have a good combination of purchase price, residual value, and interest rate.

if you're the kind of person who likes to get a new car every few years anyway, leasing makes a lot of sense.

[Scaerio]

Doesn't the dealer do that before you pick it up

He bought it in Quebec and drove it to New Brunswick, dingus. 

   I love the if-ya-can't-stand-the-heat-get-outta-da-kitchen nature of this place.

My Mom wants a Mini really badly.  My Dad keeps looking at 2nd hand ones, but he's scared to death of reliability issues.  I have also been told that my mother has first dibs on the C30.

[OliverD]

If she really wants one she should consider leasing. Still may be some reliability issue but at least there won't be out of pocket expenses.

True story: Three years ago I bought a seven year old Cooper S for what I thought was a "great deal" at $8500. I would have come out ahead if I had just leased a new one.

[Barton]

Can you upload some more interior pics that shows that gear shifter and the seats?

Here you go.

Great, thanks!  Proper parking brake which is awesome to see.

Are the seats comfortable over extended drives?

[OliverD]

Are the seats comfortable over extended drives?

Yeah, I find them very comfortable. They're relatively snug but very supportive. I like them a lot.

[Arthur Dent]

Congrats. Nice looking colour scheme.

[tortoise]

Agreed. It's the Mini that Darth Vader would drive.

[SearhardBurger]

Super cool!  Congrats!

[2JDM]

Sweet ride!

[Barton]

I noticed you commented about the parking brake in your mustang thread as well and that you didn't like it in the Camaro. I'm just wondering why it's as issue for you? I hated the electric parking brake in concept (probably because I'm a Luddite) and now that I own a car with one I find it so much better. There's really no need for an manual brake and it saves so much space.

I'm sure that electronic parking brakes are more expensive and obviously a space saver, but my problem is that it's either on or off.  I love mechanical linkage and the ability to precisely control stuff.  Maybe I'm old-fashioned.

Few other issues:
What if you're on a hill? 
What if the battery is dead?
The electronic parking brake takes a good second or two to engage or disengage.  I don't mind the waiting per se because that's how long it'll take me to do it manually anyways, but it's like you're doing nothing while you wait.

For me, the biggest issue: manual car looks naked without a proper handbrake.  Surely I'm not the only one who feels this way.   

Do you disagree? 

[JohnnyMac]

I noticed you commented about the parking brake in your mustang thread as well and that you didn't like it in the Camaro. I'm just wondering why it's as issue for you? I hated the electric parking brake in concept (probably because I'm a Luddite) and now that I own a car with one I find it so much better. There's really no need for an manual brake and it saves so much space.

I'm sure that electronic parking brakes are more expensive and obviously a space saver, but my problem is that it's either on or off.  I love mechanical linkage and the ability to precisely control stuff.  Maybe I'm old-fashioned.

Few other issues:
What if you're on a hill? 
What if the battery is dead?
The electronic parking brake takes a good second or two to engage or disengage.  I don't mind the waiting per se because that's how long it'll take me to do it manually anyways, but it's like you're doing nothing while you wait.

For me, the biggest issue: manual car looks naked without a proper handbrake.  Surely I'm not the only one who feels this way.   

Do you disagree?

I've been living with a electronic parking brake on my Golf R for the past 2+ years and couldn't be happier. 

Most manual vehicles now have some kind of hill hold feature where the brakes are engaged for a second or two to allow you to get your foot from the brake to the gas.  The one on my Golf R will hold the parking brake until I apply gas, so it'll hold indefinitely.  Thanfully it can be turned off.

So if you're parked and the battery dies the parking brake will stay engaged, some vehicles have a way to release the parking brake with a dead battary and some others need the power hooked back up before it can be disengaged.

Engaging and disengaging the parking brake doesn't take any longer time than the level action parking brake.  Something that I also noticed is my Golf R will automatically put the parking brake on if the car is shut off (I think you have to have hill hold selected), so if you forget to put your parking brake on when you park the car has you covered.

The only downfall I see is getting the parking brake disengaged when if the battery is dead...and of course no real good hand brake turns/crazy drifting.