After selling Minis for two years prior to starting at PHHQ, it was good to be back in a familiar environment with the PopBangColoured Clubvan. It felt like being reunited with an old friend. I was able to drive the whole Mini range during my time as a 'Sales Consultant' and the Clubman/Clubvan was always my favourite. I'm not sure if it's the utilitarian look or the fact it seems to handle better than the hatch due to its longer wheelbase but, either way, I was more than happy to drive it.
You should have seen it before the clean...
We've done a few miles together over the past month or so including a trip to Goodwood for the December Sunday Service and a journeying to the NEC twice for the Performance Car Show.
The van certainly attracts attention and on my trips I regularly get waves and beeps from other drivers. I'd like to think this is because I'm incredibly attractive but in reality it's probably more to do with the car. Maybe.
The Clubvan copes perfectly with motorway miles and is very quiet cruising along at 70mph. In fact, you could almost forget you're in a van until you look in the rear view mirror and see the grille behind the seats.
It won't stay this shiny for long
The navigation system has been used regularly and I have seen a couple of strange directions being given already. Garlick and I were heading back from the first NEC trip about two miles from home but the nav was suggesting we still had eight miles to go. On a roundabout where the third exit would have been suitable, we were being directed to the second exit adding six miles to the route. We dared to ignore the nav and take the third exit and the distance to destination reduced to a 0.1 miles. Odd.
There's nothing much to say about its reliability with 8,538 miles covered. That's as it should be really, but it certainly faces plenty of tasks whether that's leaving for a Sunday Service at 6am in freezing temperatures or commuting into the office or trekking to the DIY store. Wonder how it would fare on track?
Fact sheet:
Car: Mini Cooper D Clubvan
Run by: Everyone!
On fleet since: June 2013
Mileage: 8,538
List price new: £19,575.50 (Basic list of £14,275 +VAT plus £400 for Midnight Black paint, £1,700 for Media Pack, £55 for Storage Pack, £50 for space saver spare, £105 for leather two-spoke steering wheel, £60 for velour floor mats, £45 for warning triangle and first aid kit and £30 for front passenger airbag deactivation switch. All options prices inclusive of VAT.)
Last month at a glance: Ex-Mini man Nathan gets back in a familiar driving seat