My Mercedes replacement - Mini content...

[jimmymidnight]

So i've been looking at getting rid of my CL500 as I need something bit smaller to get about in now my Mrs is living with me and can't get insurance on the CL because she's too young and i'm also spending far too much money on parts and fuel at the moment.

2 weeks ago I set my mind on the idea of a Mini Cooper S, but it needed to be fairly cheap but also well kitted and without stupid high miles - a bit of a tall order, but after taking the Benz on one last "hurrah" around Europe to bring my girlfriend back from Italy, I hit up the car websites and got hunting.

After calling a few dealers and testing a very suspicious "Hartge" Cooper S, I finally found the one I wanted - an early model ('02) but with only 53,000 legit documented miles and s fully stamped service book! - It's also fully loaded, Nav, heated leather, pano roof, cliamte, cruise control, the lot!

I rang up to secure it for a test at the weekend and me and my mate set off yesterday morning in his Cooper S to hopefully get sorted!

After a lot of faffing about over money and car tex etc... the deal was done we drove home in a little 2-car Cooper S convoy!

Here are a few pics of the Mini now i've picked it up:

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Overall i'm really pleased with it, it was great on the 100 or so mile back home, but just has a few little things I want to sort out.

firstly it needs a good detail inside and out, and could do with a wheel refurb. I'm also going to do a rear wiper delete as the wiper doesn't stop flat and I never use it anyway. I also want to change a few bulbs and things (it hasn't got Xenons like I first thought) and I want to put a JCW mesh grill on as i'm not a huge fan of the current one. I have a huge list of mods I want to do to it too, but they will all be done in good time.

[Dr G]

I like that, nice and subtle.

A lot of those look a bit too blingy for me.

[aspirated]

Looks nice, get a set of these fitted, I think it freshens up the rear considerably

[jimmymidnight]

Cheers guys!

I was looking at those lights the other day as the ones on it look a bit dated now! They are now on the list of things to want for this car!

[aspirated]

Great stuff, Mstyle also do a projector headlamp and HID setup for per-facelifts

ETA will this be getting stanced?

[mocca]

How was the cl? Did it go as wrong and cost you as much as the internet would have you believe? Mini looks tidy btw

[jimmymidnight]

Cheers guys! The mini won't be getting stanced as I want it for a bit of track fun as well as a daily so I'll only do a few performance and handling mods (but there'll obviously be a few aesthetic changes to!)

The CL was expensive to own, but it is 10 years old and I did do 30,000 miles in it. I personally loved it and really don't want to get rid of it.

[jimmymidnight]

I've now done about 2000 miles in this since I bought it including a great blast over to the Welsh coast last weekend and I still love it! It's nothing like my CL for motorway miles, but on the B-roads its such good fun. And it costs less than half what the CL did for the same journey last year! Result!

I gave it a good scrub today (before it rained again) so I thought i'd put a few pics up.









I've my private reg going on from the L this week and also got a load of new bulbs to replace the ugly fried egg ones that will all be fitted in the week.

Im really looking forward to the drive down to Wilton House next Sunday!

[Court_S]

I still really like these. I had an 04 plate in blue with leather etc and it was an ace car...and the one that I regret getting rid of the most. The noise the supercharger makes is really addictive too.

I much prefer these to the R56 which lost a lot of the things that I really liked about the supercharged ones.

[jimmymidnight]

I actually love it. I still miss a lot of things from my CL - mainly the sound from my custom exhaust set up and that V8, but the charger whine on these is addictive!

I need to do a few things to make it more "mine" but I'm in no rush at the moment.

[jimmymidnight]

This didn't last that long, I managed to get it to a couple of Sunday Services including the Wilton House one and the MB World meeting but then I didn't keep it much longer after that. I managed to get a bit of work done on it before it went but it never won me like I hoped it would. It was a great little runabout but I could only really have one if I had something bigger and comfier for work.

I ended up fitting a set of anthracite Speedline Turini wheels in 17x7 and also some FK coilovers to get it looking a bit better, along with my private reg and then a full LED upgrade to the number plate lights, all interior lights, side lights and indicators.

Here are the last pics I managed to get before it went.







Im back in a big barge now, nothing as nice as my old CL500, but I picked up a 2001 2.8 V6 Quattro Audi A8 Sport. The car is in really good condition, black and very comfortable!

[Max M4X WW]

Good to see this updated, I like the Mini de-wipered.

Time for an A8 thread now, or join in on the 1-5 large barge thread

[scotty_d]

The r56 is a hoot Mrs d has one as her daily ideal of town and b road blasts suits our needs well, I am going to run ours till death I like it that much to blast about in.

[jimmymidnight]

Max M4X WW said:

Good to see this updated, I like the Mini de-wipered.

Time for an A8 thread now, or join in on the 1-5 large barge thread

Cheers buddy, I was really pleased with how the Mini looked in the end, probably why it sold so quickly too!

I'll whack a thread up for the A8 now while I have a few spare minutes.