Countryman: have you? would you?

[JonnyVTEC]

Had mine for 5 years.

Brilliant car for the missus no idea why people think they are massive. It’s 4.1m. Long!and only really now getting too small for the kids as they approach teenage years. Engine has character and does return reasonable mpg.




New one was temptin and it’s better and bigger for sure, it’s kinda reflected in the price though as it’s just a badged X1.

[Mr Peel]

^^ Looks good. Not seen many in that colour. How do you find it to drive?

[Davel]

Really like that colour...

[JonnyVTEC]

Wife’s car but I like driving it, feels light and compact and that engine is abit of a peach. Good visibility with the upright pillars and mirrors on the door and the headlamps are like portable suns aslong as you get the chilli pack or light upgrade for Xenon.

N18 so revised over the n14 with the timing chain issues. Can cover ground at decent pace and on the motorway the 6th grunt is pretty impressive for a 1.6 and then can return nearly 40mpg. Only main critism is road noise can roar a bit and on a B road it’s happy at 8/10ths, start pushing it more and can get a bit unsettled and starts to lose confidence pressing on - but then we are happy enough with run flats for that just in case moment.

Colour was discontinued in 2015 so its pretty rare - Brilliant Copper. Need to get it waxed up as it really pops.

Edited by JonnyVTEC on Monday 10th December 21:56

[Mr Peel]

The idea of these wouldn't go away, so I'm picking up this one on Saturday.

LY12 KBN 2 by Simon Steele, on Flickr

Tidy 2012 Cooper S with the right spec for me (FWD, solid paint, Turbo Fans). There's some money left for a visit to Lohen for a stage 1 map and some lowering. It's not too sluggish but could do with livening up. It's better in the corners than I expected, but again it could do better. Plus check out the huge gaps in the arches.

Countryman Auto Trader 1 by Simon Steele, on Flickr

I'm a Mini man from the old days. The plan here is a modern daily with a nod to all that, not some sort of retro pastiche. I shall try to rein myself in...

LY12 KBN 4 by Simon Steele, on Flickr

Readers' Cars thread to follow.

[HorneyMX5]

You'll love it! Looks like a good spec as well.

[StonetheCrows]

Had ours for five years now, Cooper S ALL4 just coming up to 90k. Its relatively quick and munchies miles, it heads abroad several times a year,

|https://thumbsnap.com/QucLfWHL[/url]

although its a heavy car 150-200KG heavier than a normal mini, so at higher speeds can take a lot of stopping.



We had the usual fuel pump pressure problem, which was £600 to change and its really due a clutch so that's up to £1500.

Rides much nicer and quieter without the 18 inch run flats - we seasonally put 16 inch winter tyres on which look horrible

|https://thumbsnap.com/8kjmm1CW[/url]

Other than that, good little workhorse and fits in with all types of social scenery

[Mr Peel]

This one is on runflats. I'll see how we go with them. I actually like the look of the steels on yours. They might look decent on mine once it's lowered.

[Prolex-UK]

Had ours since 4th December.

Cooper S had done 2700 when I picked it up

Dec 16 and in white.

Dislike the run flats with a passion and will change ASAP.

Mine is an auto as SHMBO prefers them

Quite happy with it. Moves smartly when requested

[StonetheCrows]

Mr Peel said:

This one is on runflats. I'll see how we go with them. I actually like the look of the steels on yours. They might look decent on mine once it's lowered.

The steels are really cheap to buy, especially with winter times at this time of year.

[anonymous-user]

I'm collecting my R60 Countryman JCW this Friday. I wasn't sure about it until I test drove it; the remit was something practical, interesting and fun. Coming from a diesel Audi TT as a daily, the Countryman is both shorter and narrower, with probably double the usable space inside (great for hauling race car parts and being a fun daily driver). It was just more useful than the 3 door hatch JCW I'd tried (head vs heart and all that).

I don't doubt the F60 is better (and it might be something I migrate to in the future), but this one came up at the right time; I remember first seeing it in WRC trim and thought it looked cool but a bit odd. I still think it looks odd, but in a good way

[BIRMA]

Davel said:

Think I’ve found an old’ish 2013 Mini Countryvan which should be great for the commute in ste weather and as Bear’s taxi.

Has anyone driven one

Edited by Davel on Saturday 8th December 18:12

That's a Clubvan, quite rare and a hoot to drive.
I've had mine re-mapped, active/GPS based Tein EDFC suspension system, big discs and callipers all round I had to buy enlarged wheel arches so as to fit the larger wheels etc and that gave it a more aggressive look I really enjoy driving it around the twisty roads where I live it. I can just about get my 1/6th scale Armortek tank in the back too.

Edited by BIRMA on Wednesday 10th April 10:12

[Mr Peel]

NFC 85 Vette said:

I'm collecting my R60 Countryman JCW this Friday. I wasn't sure about it until I test drove it; the remit was something practical, interesting and fun. Coming from a diesel Audi TT as a daily, the Countryman is both shorter and narrower, with probably double the usable space inside (great for hauling race car parts and being a fun daily driver). It was just more useful than the 3 door hatch JCW I'd tried (head vs heart and all that).

'Practical, interesting and fun' just about sums it up. Well done. Couldn't stretch to a JCW myself, so will be remapping and lowering my S to similar effect.

[anonymous-user]

So I collected it on Friday afternoon, and after a busy weekend, have put over 400 miles on it already. Absolute Black w/Chilli Pack, Leather lounge trim. I'd like a bit more power, but other than that - excellent daily driver that makes each drive quirky and fun.






A photo opportunity with the weekend toy. They're at polar opposite ends of the car spectrum, and they're both brilliant IMO

[HorneyMX5]

Mr Peel. Thought you might appreciate these:

16729329_10154026258811116_7723522639498019423_n by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

16939514_10154053001496116_1740290427604289905_n by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

18268664_10154245535856116_3061714513802322143_n by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

18342075_10154274880056116_835930171956694604_n by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

18402693_10154274880921116_581156073684913880_n by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

18403452_10154274880941116_5791915826939807619_n by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

18698237_10154317598711116_5221657127348366130_n by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

18671315_10154317598721116_8434602134493940670_n by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

18767541_10154333938791116_7914269820244712563_n by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

20431248_10154507535851116_741261554756725397_n by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

20264717_10154507535856116_3262425598341126720_n by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

20258252_10154507537231116_7175535539772984194_n by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

That was about 2 years ago now.

This was last summer on the grid at Goodwood with Clem's red Mini, Bud666's Clubman Turbo and Anton's Ginetta.

33038135_10155221353071116_3581696266062528512_o by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Edited by HorneyMX5 on Monday 15th April 14:12

[Mr Peel]

^^ One of my old Minis: a 1979 850 City. Happy memories indeed. I bought it from an old lady in Kent who was giving up driving. Completely original but was always going to need the sort of attention now lavished on it by Mr and Mrs HorneyMX5.

It's a long way from that to this:

DSC_0076 by Simon Steele, on Flickr

See you at Beaulieu

[Mr Peel]

Readers' cars thread: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Si 330]

My wife has countryman in cooper spec, it’s been with us coming up 3 years and 50k miles. As on old mini fan I was looking forward to driving it before it came, utterly dissapointing I hate driving it, feels so cramped in side. It does look nice in jungle green, black roof and wheels.

[Mr Peel]

Si 330 said:

My wife has countryman in cooper spec, it’s been with us coming up 3 years and 50k miles. As on old mini fan I was looking forward to driving it before it came, utterly dissapointing I hate driving it, feels so cramped in side. It does look nice in jungle green, black roof and wheels.

These must feel a bit dull without the turbo. Surprised to hear it called cramped, but then I am a serial owner of small cars. Loving mine three months in. Readers' Cars thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=47&t=1805053&i=999999

[Falconer]

Had a 2015 Countryman Cooper D All 4 for three years and 20000 miles . Very nice inside, part leather , good space for 4 although boot is small. Has 1.6 engine which is adequate rather than exciting , but you can carry good speed through the corners to compensate. Doesn’t feel like a high car .Good motorway cruiser and reasonably economical . Suspension is rock hard and can get unsettled on bumpy roads .
Two tyres and one service only expense so far.