Cooper S - what a car!!
Discussion
Popped over from my usual haunt of Speed Plod and The Law to post this...
My Lotus is currently in having pretty much a full respray after an unfortunate incident whilst it was at the dealers (long story, don't ask..) The insurance side is being dealt with by a company on my behalf. As a courtesy car i've been given a Cooper S, grey in colour, '53 reg with 20k on the clock. I'm going to be in this for quite some time, probably a month or more whilst the claim is sorted out...
Well, what a car!!!! Mini's never really did anything for me before this, i saw them as a 'lifestyle' brand more concerned with image. I fully admit to having had more than a hint of prejudice towards them. Not any more though! I've been looking for excuses to drive the thing just for the hell of it. The sound of that supercharger is just so addictive. The handling is superb, been doing my best to get as much lift-off oversteer as i can. It's a real point-and-shoot type of car. I love it! So much so, i've been looking on Autotrader at them. Far too much though for me to justify spending on a second car though. The old battlewagon Omega will just have to do once the Cooper is gone....
Bad points? The steering wheel is far too thick and slightly too big, it doesn't communicate enough. The 'run flat' tyres are hideous and too noisy. Oh, and every bloody kid in his Saxo/Nova/106/Punto (delete as appropriate) wants a race at every set of lights! Apart from that, i can't praise it enough...
Just thought i'd share it all with you, cheers!
HW (a definate Mini convert...)
My Lotus is currently in having pretty much a full respray after an unfortunate incident whilst it was at the dealers (long story, don't ask..) The insurance side is being dealt with by a company on my behalf. As a courtesy car i've been given a Cooper S, grey in colour, '53 reg with 20k on the clock. I'm going to be in this for quite some time, probably a month or more whilst the claim is sorted out...
Well, what a car!!!! Mini's never really did anything for me before this, i saw them as a 'lifestyle' brand more concerned with image. I fully admit to having had more than a hint of prejudice towards them. Not any more though! I've been looking for excuses to drive the thing just for the hell of it. The sound of that supercharger is just so addictive. The handling is superb, been doing my best to get as much lift-off oversteer as i can. It's a real point-and-shoot type of car. I love it! So much so, i've been looking on Autotrader at them. Far too much though for me to justify spending on a second car though. The old battlewagon Omega will just have to do once the Cooper is gone....
Bad points? The steering wheel is far too thick and slightly too big, it doesn't communicate enough. The 'run flat' tyres are hideous and too noisy. Oh, and every bloody kid in his Saxo/Nova/106/Punto (delete as appropriate) wants a race at every set of lights! Apart from that, i can't praise it enough...
Just thought i'd share it all with you, cheers!
HW (a definate Mini convert...)
I've just sold mine after 40,000 lovely miles. Best car I've had (up until it's replacement).
People that slag it off have never been in one, everyone I had in mine was impressed, even on the track with them driving much more expensive cars.
Ditch the rubbish runflats and it handles, rides and sounds much better and quieter.
People that slag it off have never been in one, everyone I had in mine was impressed, even on the track with them driving much more expensive cars.
Ditch the rubbish runflats and it handles, rides and sounds much better and quieter.
rich-uk said:
I've just sold mine after 40,000 lovely miles. Best car I've had (up until it's replacement).
People that slag it off have never been in one, everyone I had in mine was impressed, even on the track with them driving much more expensive cars.
Ditch the rubbish runflats and it handles, rides and sounds much better and quieter.
Very Very True - Its a great handling car and every one of my mates has a changed opinion once they have been in the car.
The RunFlats are crap - agreed.
Looking at changing mine but not sure what for.
I have to turn the 'ASC' or whatever it is off as soon as i get in though, seems to cut power just as i'm predicting it coming in.... rich-uk said:
The RunFlats are crap - agreed.
Looking at changing mine but not sure what for.
Pirelli PZero's are rather good.
Not sure if you're aware, but Kwik Fit are doing a 'four for the price of three' deal on Pirellis until 29th April (I think), and ATS are doing a 'buy one, get one free' on Pirellis, but not sure when the offer ends (or how their original prices compare to KF). In my area there's also a National Tyres outlet which claims to beat any genuine quote (or something like that). BTW - I'm not a tyre deals geek - I'm currently shopping for a set of non-runflat Pirellis to replace the factory-fitted runflats on the S.
Does anyone have any opinions on the Pirelli P6000? (unfortunately they don't do my size in the PZero)
i have seen you post this before..(i think it was you 
) with the exception of some c0ck with a mobile clamped to his ear in a red bespotlighted mcs on the A1 i have genuinely never noticed this... they either seem to be driven slowly by middlemanaging middle aged women or driven swiftly and pretty well.
still i dare say there are people who have never seen 406/vectra tdis being driven aggressively..!
) with the exception of some c0ck with a mobile clamped to his ear in a red bespotlighted mcs on the A1 i have genuinely never noticed this... they either seem to be driven slowly by middlemanaging middle aged women or driven swiftly and pretty well. still i dare say there are people who have never seen 406/vectra tdis being driven aggressively..!
baSkey said:
i have seen you post this before..(i think it was you
still i dare say there are people who have never seen 406/vectra tdis being driven aggressively..!
You're right, I've never seen a MCS being driven with sprit, very odd considering
Having read this post, I took the plunge on the weekend and test drove a Works on A road twistys with the wife to be. Salesman handed us the keys and said see ya later! 40 mins later.......... I want one. Like now! It didn't have the punch of the Cupra R but awesomely fast and really planted on the road - GREAT handling. Loved it.
I am bothered however by a number of mates referring to the Mini (all models) as a birds car. What do you make of this ?
Regardless, the search begins..........................................
I am bothered however by a number of mates referring to the Mini (all models) as a birds car. What do you make of this ?
Regardless, the search begins..........................................
niikme said:
I am bothered however by a number of mates referring to the Mini (all models) as a birds car. What do you make of this ?
Regardless, the search begins..........................................
I did consider this but after driving one i had to have it , they are a hoot and as someone said the only people who knock them have probably never driven one
I really really wanted to like the Cooper S, but was really really dissapointed instead when i drove one - at the time my car was a 306 rallye and the S didn't handle as well, the ride wasn't in the same league as the pug, it was slower, i HATED the engine noise, the ratios were again inferior to the 306, and the steering was simply ghastly. Really the only thing better was that it was newer, and i wasn't going to pay £9k on top of the 306's value for that.
My girlfriend has since bought a new cooper (and myself an elise), even she hates and dosn't trust the steering, and the ride with sports suspension and 16's on runflats is still nothing short of terrible. The interior's also rattling in 6 months - she'd just got shot of her 3 year old 206 because it was starting to rattle as well
My girlfriend has since bought a new cooper (and myself an elise), even she hates and dosn't trust the steering, and the ride with sports suspension and 16's on runflats is still nothing short of terrible. The interior's also rattling in 6 months - she'd just got shot of her 3 year old 206 because it was starting to rattle as well
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