Another Mini GP

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Discussion

The1Driver

Original Poster:

728 posts

158 months

Tuesday 16th December 2014
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Way back in March of this year I decided 2014 was the year I was going to get another car. I had been off of the road for a little over two years and just couldn't wait any longer. I needed to get back behind the wheel of a car (a fast car). Back then I only had one requirement. It had to be fast. That was it!

Fast forward a few weeks to the start of May and I'm heading back to Hertfordshire in my brand spanking new M135i. I remember it like it was yesterday. I had been out the previous night for my other half's birthday. Didnt get home till around midnight then was up at the crack of dawn to begin my journey (via public transport) to Tunbridge Wells. I remember my girl asking where I was off to. You see I hadn't told her I was getting a car lol... I wont go into that now!

Anyway after almost 2.5 hours I finally arrived at the dealer to collect my car -



Was everything I thought I wanted from a car and then some. Fast, comfortable and "fairly" good looking.

Fast forward to October (This is after test driving a C63 a month or two before. Decided that car can wait till next year or the year after). I'm now sitting at a Mini dealership in Oxford reviewing a Mini. -



To me the BMW was fast. And for a short while I loved it for that alone. After a while though it became a little boring. Simply going fast in a straight line wasn't doing it for me. I wanted something fun, agile and little less porky. The first and only car that came to mind was the Mini GP. After reading and watching countless reviews I decided to start calling around. It dint take me long to find this '14 plate example with 2100 miles on the clock.

A few days after I decided to pull the trigger and go for it!







Have had it for almost 2 months now. This is going to be a keeper!


ArsE92

21,054 posts

193 months

Tuesday 16th December 2014
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I do like these. We used to have an R53 Cooper S and I thought it was fantastic, a GP must be even better.

CTO

2,679 posts

216 months

Tuesday 16th December 2014
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^
We still have your old one and the tall and small blonde ones still love it smile


Cheers,

Jon

ArsE92

21,054 posts

193 months

Tuesday 16th December 2014
quotequote all
CTO said:
^
We still have your old one and the tall and small blonde ones still love it smile


Cheers,

Jon
Hurrah! Good to hear it. Any pictures?

Sorry OP.


Tiger Tim

1,811 posts

228 months

Tuesday 16th December 2014
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I'm really close to getting one of these, Please keep updating the thread with how you get on with it.

The1Driver

Original Poster:

728 posts

158 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
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Will do. Been nothing but smiles so far. Then again I only drive it during the weekends / days off.

Hoping to arrange some track days in the new year!

mini turbo

303 posts

200 months

Saturday 20th December 2014
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I like it OP really want to get out in a gp2 to see how far away mine is. I have a fairly heavily modified JCW r56 and at first it was just supposed to be a cheaper more sensible replacement for my porsche..... Things spiralled haha and like you it just has something that makes me want to keep this one.
Keep us updated on how you get in with the car.

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

202 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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Sunday morning is my iPad morning smile I trawl pistonheads and autotrader searching for what I'm going to buy next while the wife sleeps in!

The thing is though, come Monday morning when I drive it again, the little GP just never fails to put a smile on my face, they are that good!

Just don't forget to press sport and the traction control button every time you start it to keep it in GP mode and you can't go wrong driving

Must dash, I'm off to look at Astons in the classifieds.....

aussieinlondon

660 posts

225 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
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The1Driver

Original Poster:

728 posts

158 months

Monday 4th December 2017
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I sold the GP2 around 2 or three months after that Sunday Service..... Fast forward a few years. And I'm back in another Mini GP



The GP was over at Lohen on Friday to have the following done -

New front discs and pads
Stage 1 Manic remap
ITG panel filter
Oil change and
Airtec intercooler

It feels great!

Now waiting for a detail.

addz86

1,454 posts

192 months

Monday 4th December 2017
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Looks great, I’m tempted to get rid of my GP1 next year and go for a 2 instead scratchchin

MDifficult

2,169 posts

191 months

Monday 4th December 2017
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Welcome back to the fold - new car looks great! (they all do laugh). Notice the the new one's got the black rings for the front and rear lights. What's your view/preference on those?

Would love to know how it's taken to the Airtec and Manic Stage 1 too. Big difference? Tempted by a downpipe too?


The1Driver

Original Poster:

728 posts

158 months

Monday 4th December 2017
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addz86 said:
Looks great, I’m tempted to get rid of my GP1 next year and go for a 2 instead scratchchin
Well the engine may not sound as good.... However, of you want something a little more modern. Why not!

The1Driver

Original Poster:

728 posts

158 months

Monday 4th December 2017
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Forgot to mention. Lohen also confirmed they had previously worked on this car. Turns out the diff was never removed!

The1Driver

Original Poster:

728 posts

158 months

Monday 4th December 2017
quotequote all
MDifficult said:
Welcome back to the fold - new car looks great! (they all do laugh). Notice the the new one's got the black rings for the front and rear lights. What's your view/preference on those?

Would love to know how it's taken to the Airtec and Manic Stage 1 too. Big difference? Tempted by a downpipe too?
Good to be back!

I prefer the black/dark light surrounds. I think they look much better than the silver/chrome ones.

As for the recent upgrades. They've made a massive difference. The power delivery (in normal and sport mode). Feels very powerful and smooth. It gathers speed with very little effort. I'm very impressed!

MDifficult

2,169 posts

191 months

Monday 4th December 2017
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Damn! I was hoping you’d say it made little difference and it would put me off laugh

Did you go stock on the pads? Or Mintex? There’s zero options on discs other than OE but I hear good things about the Mintex pads.

How many miles on the new one?

The1Driver

Original Poster:

728 posts

158 months

Monday 4th December 2017
quotequote all
Lohen suggested I get the front pads changed. I originally wanted to go for yellow stuff pads. They didn't have them in stock. So suggested mintex. And they feel pretty good.

I went OE on the discs. Forgot how big they are 330mm.

They one came with a little over 8000 miles on the clock... Alot more than the previous Mini. I bags that with alot over 2000 miles.

MDifficult

2,169 posts

191 months

Monday 4th December 2017
quotequote all
The1Driver said:
Lohen suggested I get the front pads changed. I originally wanted to go for yellow stuff pads. They didn't have them in stock. So suggested mintex. And they feel pretty good.

I went OE on the discs. Forgot how big they are 330mm.
Sounds good - might give them a try next time around. I've not found any good alternatives to the OE discs - unless I want to get some built up which are about £800 laugh

To be honest, the brake performance is pretty outstanding but if there's more feel and less squeal to be had from the Mintex they're probably worth a go.

Saw your comment above about the diff? Is your new GP fitted with a mechanical one?

The1Driver

Original Poster:

728 posts

158 months

Monday 4th December 2017
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Yeahhhhhh..... Not ready to spend 800 on discs just yet. Want to get a set of pole positions first!

As standard the car comes with an electronic diff. It was whilst working on the car. Lohen spotted that a mechanical diff had been fitted. And that they were the ones who fitted it for the previous owner.

MDifficult

2,169 posts

191 months

Monday 4th December 2017
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The1Driver said:
Yeahhhhhh..... Not ready to spend 800 on discs just yet. Want to get a set of pole positions first!
I’ve been hunting for a pair of the correct Mini Works Recaro seats (the ones that are basically a Sportster CS with airbag etc, trimmed to match the GP2 interior) but they’re hen’s teeth rare / crazy expensive.

Even resorted to getting quotes to have Lohen’s Sportster CSs retrimmed to match the Mini Works ones but the cost is still crazy. That’s the problem with wanting it to look OE.

The1Driver said:
As standard the car comes with an electronic diff. It was whilst working on the car. Lohen spotted that a mechanical diff had been fitted. And that they were the ones who fitted it for the previous owner.
That’s an absolute result