MDifficult’s E82 1M Coupe & Ariel Atom 3
Discussion
marky911 said:
Cracking thread MD,
A brilliant rise through the ranks car wise. Great pics too. That M5 is a beast.
I'm like you in that I'd love another bike, but don't trust myself. I keep looking at little cafe racers to pootle to work on, but it's not long before I'm looking at R1s again.
Anyway, enjoy those cars. The Mini looks great fun, The wife had an earlier cooper years ago which we didn't gel with but those GP models seem a world away. Good stuff!
Cheers, really appreciate it! Still loving them although they're both giving me a little pain at the moment (for different reasons) - I'll write an update soon to explain all but here's a clue...A brilliant rise through the ranks car wise. Great pics too. That M5 is a beast.
I'm like you in that I'd love another bike, but don't trust myself. I keep looking at little cafe racers to pootle to work on, but it's not long before I'm looking at R1s again.
Anyway, enjoy those cars. The Mini looks great fun, The wife had an earlier cooper years ago which we didn't gel with but those GP models seem a world away. Good stuff!
Somewhere in Munich, circa 2011…
Hans: “Gutten tag Frank. I am vorking on ze suspension for ze new BMW F10 M5. Vot should ve do about it, and vot should ve spend?”
Frank: “Ah Hans, come in! Ze new M5 ah? Bespoke all-aluminium suspension ov course! Bespoke castings for ze sub-frames, unique springs, dampers, arms, roll bars, everyzing. Spend millions of Euros, votever it costs to make it ze best of course."
Hans: “Das is zerr gut Frank, danke! Und ze vheelbearings?"
Frank: “Votever. Use derr cheapest scheisse you can find in ze varehouse. Just use ze ones off ze 520d”
marky911 said:
I get the idea. As ever though, it's always worth all the hassle.
First world problems an' all that.
Yeah, I suppose I should be celebrating them lasting for 50k miles rather than moaning that they didn't last 150k. They're a known weak spot for the F10, especially the M5 because they're not really up to the job. So the 'big blue one' has been struck down with the curse of many an F10 5 series - failing front wheel bearings.
In their wisdom, BMW decided to use the same wheel bearings (or wheel hub really, it's all a single unit) on every 5 series from 520d to M5. From what I've read, they're a bit of a weak spot on the whole range but the M5 with it's big heavy 20" wheels, grippier tyres and more 'enthusiastic' drivers tends to be even harder on them. Only 50k miles is still a bit of a kick in the guts but that's life - once they're done it's going for a full geo to see if I can extend the life of the new ones.
The tell-tale signs were a cracking/splintering noise that I only really started noticing when manoeuvring in multi-story car parks. The combination of good acoustics, window down and music off combined with extreme steering angles meant that was the first place I started to be able to hear that something was wrong. As with all these things I decided to leave it a little while to make sure it was definitely the bearings as they were whisper quiet when no steering lock was applied. Sure enough, they got worse and BMW also agreed that was the issue. Time for them to be replaced.
A happy coincidence is that the local BMW dealer was able to offer me a curtesy car I've been dying to try for ages, an i3! I'd have preferred black but otherwise it's ace!
I've been really keen to try an i3 for a while, I love the quirky styling inside and out and was looking forward to finding out what the 'real world' drive was like by putting it through a standard commute. No hyper-mileing for me.. I want to see what it's like being booted out of junctions and at 80-odd on the motorway. So far I'm pretty impressed!
I guess the styling is pretty marmite but I love it, especially the unusual composite materials (both structural in the exposed chassis and the non-structural in the doors etc). It's my first proper drive in a fully electric car although this one has got the little 647cc 2 cyclinder 37bhp range extender with it's 7ltr fuel tank. So far, so impressive.
So, here's a summary so far. Things I like:
- The looks & build quality (entertaining & rock solid feel)
- The performance (it'll blatt along at 90 no problem and goes from 10-40 like a bloody rocket
)
- The tech (makes my version of iDrive look about 50 years old sadly)
- The range (normal everyday driving seems to show about 100 miles from a full charge. That would work really easily for me)
- The regenerative braking (it's weird getting used to never really using the brakes, you have to focus on easing off the power rather than jumping off the power and covering the brake. Strangely satisfying to get it right.)
- The sound (in town it's silent which really helps concentration, on the motorway it pretty much sounds like any other car, in car-parks with the windows down it sounds like the future)
Things I don't like:
- The price (DAMN these things are expensive)
- The seats (they're the least laterally supportive seats I've ever sat in. I think I need to slow down in the corners)
- The rear seats (come on BMW, couldn't you squeeze three proper seats in there? It's not a bloody coupe)
- The weight (most of the time you don't notice it but hit a speed bump and you realise it's 1.5 tons pretty quickly)
- The driving position (it's like an MPV, ie far too high up)
- The suicide doors (super practical sometimes, irritating as hell sometimes)
So would I buy one? Well.. aaaaalmost. It's pretty much just the price that puts me off. I know there are good leasing deals out there but it still feels juuuust that little bit too expensive for what it is. Mighty fine thing though, and the drivetrain is outstanding.
In their wisdom, BMW decided to use the same wheel bearings (or wheel hub really, it's all a single unit) on every 5 series from 520d to M5. From what I've read, they're a bit of a weak spot on the whole range but the M5 with it's big heavy 20" wheels, grippier tyres and more 'enthusiastic' drivers tends to be even harder on them. Only 50k miles is still a bit of a kick in the guts but that's life - once they're done it's going for a full geo to see if I can extend the life of the new ones.
The tell-tale signs were a cracking/splintering noise that I only really started noticing when manoeuvring in multi-story car parks. The combination of good acoustics, window down and music off combined with extreme steering angles meant that was the first place I started to be able to hear that something was wrong. As with all these things I decided to leave it a little while to make sure it was definitely the bearings as they were whisper quiet when no steering lock was applied. Sure enough, they got worse and BMW also agreed that was the issue. Time for them to be replaced.
A happy coincidence is that the local BMW dealer was able to offer me a curtesy car I've been dying to try for ages, an i3! I'd have preferred black but otherwise it's ace!
I've been really keen to try an i3 for a while, I love the quirky styling inside and out and was looking forward to finding out what the 'real world' drive was like by putting it through a standard commute. No hyper-mileing for me.. I want to see what it's like being booted out of junctions and at 80-odd on the motorway. So far I'm pretty impressed!
I guess the styling is pretty marmite but I love it, especially the unusual composite materials (both structural in the exposed chassis and the non-structural in the doors etc). It's my first proper drive in a fully electric car although this one has got the little 647cc 2 cyclinder 37bhp range extender with it's 7ltr fuel tank. So far, so impressive.
So, here's a summary so far. Things I like:
- The looks & build quality (entertaining & rock solid feel)
- The performance (it'll blatt along at 90 no problem and goes from 10-40 like a bloody rocket
)- The tech (makes my version of iDrive look about 50 years old sadly)
- The range (normal everyday driving seems to show about 100 miles from a full charge. That would work really easily for me)
- The regenerative braking (it's weird getting used to never really using the brakes, you have to focus on easing off the power rather than jumping off the power and covering the brake. Strangely satisfying to get it right.)
- The sound (in town it's silent which really helps concentration, on the motorway it pretty much sounds like any other car, in car-parks with the windows down it sounds like the future
)Things I don't like:
- The price (DAMN these things are expensive)
- The seats (they're the least laterally supportive seats I've ever sat in. I think I need to slow down in the corners)
- The rear seats (come on BMW, couldn't you squeeze three proper seats in there? It's not a bloody coupe)
- The weight (most of the time you don't notice it but hit a speed bump and you realise it's 1.5 tons pretty quickly)
- The driving position (it's like an MPV, ie far too high up)
- The suicide doors (super practical sometimes, irritating as hell sometimes)
So would I buy one? Well.. aaaaalmost. It's pretty much just the price that puts me off. I know there are good leasing deals out there but it still feels juuuust that little bit too expensive for what it is. Mighty fine thing though, and the drivetrain is outstanding.
Lynch91 said:
I've got to say now the prices of these on the approved site is coming down, it makes one very tempting.
You should certainly factor in the saving in pads and discs... I'm pretty sure they'd last the life of the car and then some. In circa 90 miles I think I touched the brakes twice! Some small updates to both the cars recently, nothing mind-blowing but each another small step to having both the cars exactly as I want them.
First up ‘the big blue one’ has been doing a quite a few mundane duties including a bunch of tip-runs (see below) so as well as the new front wheel bearings it’s also now had a full four wheel alignment at BlackBoots. I’d heard about these guys quite a few times on the forums and I was looking for someone I could really trust to do the job well but also to my preferred level of pedantry and without scratching anything! They did a cracking job, including asking me to get into the car while it was on the ramps to make sure I was 100% happy with the dead-centre for the steering wheel - exactly the kind of little touch I was looking for.
Now the car’s back to mechanical perfection again (touches wood) it was also an opportunity for a little treat. The previous owner had removed the standard fit first aid kit from the car completely and the gap nagged at me every time I got the locking wheel nut out, not to mention being a proper ‘miss’ when my wife cut her finger on holiday recently. Thankfully, they’re a generic BMW item so there was loads of new/sealed options on eBay. First Aid kit reinstated and my OCD can take a break:
Now onto ‘the little grey angry one’. The GPs also been into the dealers, for a brake fluid change - I bought the car with some of the TLC pack remaining so this cost me nothing and included a useful report of the status of most of the consumables on the car. I took the option of extending the TLC pack (with the TLC XL) which gives another three years of servicing for about £250. With rumours that MINI were about to axe the TLC XL option it seemed like good value and should help if I decide to sell at any point, plus I've found that having a service pack in place really helps with 'goodwill' gestures
With the dealer work done, a few little jobs for me to do. Firstly, a big parcel arrived from BMW which looked really exciting (big parcels from BMW normal signify something good!)…
Although sadly it was just some very oddly packaged wipers I’d ordered for the GP weeks before. What a let down! For what it’s worth, I’ve always found that the genuine BMW wiper blades are a million times better than any other options including Bosch ones. Someone told me it’s because they’re graphite coated, don’t know if that’s true but for whatever reason they’re the best of all those I’ve tried.
Next job was to find a proper home for the connector for my battery maintainer. Originally I connected it to the battery and then accessed it via the battery hatch which is under the bonnet just in front of the windscreen. However, this hatch has very brittle plastic clips holding it in place and it was obvious that keep opening and closing it was going to result in broken catches. Now, I’ve run the connector through to just above the suspension turret - should keen nice and dry, out of the way of moving parts and easy to reach. Ideally, I’d like to find a place to get to it that didn’t require opening the bonnet so open to any good suggestions!
I’ve also resorted to Post It notes as I’m paranoid about forgetting to disconnect before driving off.. I’ve come very close before.
I’ve also had my first go at fixing the buzzing that comes from the dome light in the middle of the roof. First attempt is to remove friction so I added some ultra-low friction patches under the light fitting where it touches the roof beam. Seems to be working so far but if it comes back I’ll go the other way and add friction/damping with some foam padding tape instead.
Lastly, the trip to MINI gave me a proper opportunity for genuine envy. It doesn’t matter what car you own, you’ll always find something at the dealers that catches your eye I wonder if they’d let me take THIS for a test drive...
First up ‘the big blue one’ has been doing a quite a few mundane duties including a bunch of tip-runs (see below) so as well as the new front wheel bearings it’s also now had a full four wheel alignment at BlackBoots. I’d heard about these guys quite a few times on the forums and I was looking for someone I could really trust to do the job well but also to my preferred level of pedantry and without scratching anything! They did a cracking job, including asking me to get into the car while it was on the ramps to make sure I was 100% happy with the dead-centre for the steering wheel - exactly the kind of little touch I was looking for.
Now the car’s back to mechanical perfection again (touches wood) it was also an opportunity for a little treat. The previous owner had removed the standard fit first aid kit from the car completely and the gap nagged at me every time I got the locking wheel nut out, not to mention being a proper ‘miss’ when my wife cut her finger on holiday recently. Thankfully, they’re a generic BMW item so there was loads of new/sealed options on eBay. First Aid kit reinstated and my OCD can take a break:
Now onto ‘the little grey angry one’. The GPs also been into the dealers, for a brake fluid change - I bought the car with some of the TLC pack remaining so this cost me nothing and included a useful report of the status of most of the consumables on the car. I took the option of extending the TLC pack (with the TLC XL) which gives another three years of servicing for about £250. With rumours that MINI were about to axe the TLC XL option it seemed like good value and should help if I decide to sell at any point, plus I've found that having a service pack in place really helps with 'goodwill' gestures
With the dealer work done, a few little jobs for me to do. Firstly, a big parcel arrived from BMW which looked really exciting (big parcels from BMW normal signify something good!)…
Although sadly it was just some very oddly packaged wipers I’d ordered for the GP weeks before. What a let down! For what it’s worth, I’ve always found that the genuine BMW wiper blades are a million times better than any other options including Bosch ones. Someone told me it’s because they’re graphite coated, don’t know if that’s true but for whatever reason they’re the best of all those I’ve tried.
Next job was to find a proper home for the connector for my battery maintainer. Originally I connected it to the battery and then accessed it via the battery hatch which is under the bonnet just in front of the windscreen. However, this hatch has very brittle plastic clips holding it in place and it was obvious that keep opening and closing it was going to result in broken catches. Now, I’ve run the connector through to just above the suspension turret - should keen nice and dry, out of the way of moving parts and easy to reach. Ideally, I’d like to find a place to get to it that didn’t require opening the bonnet so open to any good suggestions!
I’ve also resorted to Post It notes as I’m paranoid about forgetting to disconnect before driving off.. I’ve come very close before.
I’ve also had my first go at fixing the buzzing that comes from the dome light in the middle of the roof. First attempt is to remove friction so I added some ultra-low friction patches under the light fitting where it touches the roof beam. Seems to be working so far but if it comes back I’ll go the other way and add friction/damping with some foam padding tape instead.
Lastly, the trip to MINI gave me a proper opportunity for genuine envy. It doesn’t matter what car you own, you’ll always find something at the dealers that catches your eye
I wonder if they’d let me take THIS for a test drive...lestiq said:
I've just ordered a full set of Kumhos for mine for £360, I'm pretty sure they won't be a brand new batch but I'm not that bothered about how long they'll last, I'll send you the link if you want to get some too.
I've also gone for the XL extension which will last for another 3 years or 70k miles which is pretty good imo.
That would be great, please do! I'm a big fan of the MPSS on the car but a chance to try out the original rubber for that price might well be worth it, especially with some track days on the cards. I've also gone for the XL extension which will last for another 3 years or 70k miles which is pretty good imo.
I guess time will tell on the TLC XL, but if they're scrapping it it must be good
Been a while since I've updated this thread, but for anyone who's interested there's been a number of developments (both big and small!).
A few months ago the GP developed a rather worrying clonk from the front suspension, one of those ones that hard to hear but you can feel because you know what it normally feels like. MINI gave the car a thorough look over but couldn't recreate but confirmed wasn't any of the obvious bushes, drop links etc.
SIDENOTE: While visiting the dealership I spotted probably the first 'F-Series' Mini that turned my eye... no idea what this thing is but it's totally 'murdered-out' inside and out (apart from the blue obvs) and the front brakes are HUUGE. EDIT: Turns out it's this: https://mulgari.com/mini-f56-sv
Anyway, back to the clonk. As ever with mysterious problems, I decided to just keep driving it in the hope it would get worse and therefore easier to recreate and diagnose! Which is exactly what happened. What was a slight clonking on sharp turns after long enthusiastic drives eventually became a loud and constant clonking - so back to MINI who delivered the bad news... the front shocks and top-mounts had had it. Talking to other owners, it seems like quite a few other GPs had had the same problem at about 30-35k miles.
As you can imagine, the bespoke GP parts are not cheap and readily available but MINI, just like BMW are bloody brilliant in situations like this. The parts arrived in the two weeks as promised and they made a very significant goodwill gesture on the cost. Even offered to let me keep the curtesy car for the whole two weeks. The work's all done, the clonk is gone and the car drives and steers better than ever - a series of morning runs with no apparent after-effects.
As the pic above shows, and as I mentioned in an earlier post - I previously changed the sidelights from the standard dull orange bulbs to LEDs but have always hated the 'bluish' nature of the 6000k LEDs versus the very white headlights. I've been hunting for some quality 5000k LEDs in the hope they'll look a lot less 'chav'. After one of the LEDs failed there was the perfect opportunity to swap out.
After a few false starts (lots of LEDs advertised as 5000k are not, they're the same 6000k 'bluish' ones) I found some quality ones on eBay. See below for the difference (cheapo bluish on the left, quality white on the right).
All swapped over (a < 2minute job on a Mini) and all is looking much better at the front - they match the headlights perfectly. Time for my OCD to rest easy!
That's it for this update - hopefully I can just keep driving it before the weather turns for good. It seems there's talk of an F-series-based GP3 'concept' for the German motorshow. I hope the renewed interest doesn't bump prices up even higher or I might start thinking about selling
A few months ago the GP developed a rather worrying clonk from the front suspension, one of those ones that hard to hear but you can feel because you know what it normally feels like. MINI gave the car a thorough look over but couldn't recreate but confirmed wasn't any of the obvious bushes, drop links etc.
SIDENOTE: While visiting the dealership I spotted probably the first 'F-Series' Mini that turned my eye... no idea what this thing is but it's totally 'murdered-out' inside and out (apart from the blue obvs) and the front brakes are HUUGE. EDIT: Turns out it's this: https://mulgari.com/mini-f56-sv
Anyway, back to the clonk. As ever with mysterious problems, I decided to just keep driving it in the hope it would get worse and therefore easier to recreate and diagnose! Which is exactly what happened. What was a slight clonking on sharp turns after long enthusiastic drives eventually became a loud and constant clonking - so back to MINI who delivered the bad news... the front shocks and top-mounts had had it. Talking to other owners, it seems like quite a few other GPs had had the same problem at about 30-35k miles.
As you can imagine, the bespoke GP parts are not cheap and readily available but MINI, just like BMW are bloody brilliant in situations like this. The parts arrived in the two weeks as promised and they made a very significant goodwill gesture on the cost. Even offered to let me keep the curtesy car for the whole two weeks. The work's all done, the clonk is gone and the car drives and steers better than ever - a series of morning runs with no apparent after-effects.
As the pic above shows, and as I mentioned in an earlier post - I previously changed the sidelights from the standard dull orange bulbs to LEDs but have always hated the 'bluish' nature of the 6000k LEDs versus the very white headlights. I've been hunting for some quality 5000k LEDs in the hope they'll look a lot less 'chav'. After one of the LEDs failed there was the perfect opportunity to swap out.
After a few false starts (lots of LEDs advertised as 5000k are not, they're the same 6000k 'bluish' ones) I found some quality ones on eBay. See below for the difference (cheapo bluish on the left, quality white on the right).
All swapped over (a < 2minute job on a Mini) and all is looking much better at the front - they match the headlights perfectly. Time for my OCD to rest easy!
That's it for this update - hopefully I can just keep driving it before the weather turns for good. It seems there's talk of an F-series-based GP3 'concept' for the German motorshow. I hope the renewed interest doesn't bump prices up even higher or I might start thinking about selling
Edited by MDifficult on Wednesday 6th September 10:41
Edited by MDifficult on Wednesday 6th September 13:45
Aftershox said:
Was your car under warranty? I own a GP2 and have just noticed the same problem but looking to go to Lohen for the Damper refurbishment service which i've heard good things about?
Nope, been out of warranty for a couple of years. As mentioned earlier in the thread about my M5, I find BMW are excellent with goodwill gestures on cars where they've been main-dealer serviced, particularly if they have service packs on them - was delighted that MINI follow the same policy. How many miles have you done?Worth checking all the other stuff before leaping to shocks - there's lots of noise bits in Mini front ends
Good luck with it!
Aftershox said:
It's on 20k at the moment. I think it's the shocks, happens when it's warmer but low speed turning you can feel knocks through the steering. Very low speed over bumpy road when it's hot seems to be much worse.
That sounds exactly like mine was. Started at very low speed, over a speedbump or something but only after about 30 minutes of driving (at least) to warm everything up. Made recreating it for the technicians a right sod. Originally thought it might be the lower engine mount rubber softening with heat-soak or one of the ARB bushes going wonky.
Loving mine too - absolutely hilarious!
Trustmeimadoctor said:
I mean chances of any of that other than paint making production 0.00001%
I quite like the front splitter but the union flag rear lights argh
Yeah, the rear lights are just 'the worst'. Although, something weird about the exhaust tips too - they look smaller and narrower than on the original Cooper S, let alone the more recents performance variants. Sorry for being childish but with exhausts, bigger = better. One of my favourite features of the GP2 is the honking great big pipes I quite like the front splitter but the union flag rear lights argh
I agree that most of it won't make production, but I like the fact they're really going for it with the concept.. should mean the production car is a real Marmite car - just as GPs should be.
ECG1000 said:
What a great thread! Thoroughly enjoyed reading that - well written.
Cheers! Got another update on the go so hope to keep the quality up if I can. Hard to know what folk want to know so just share the stuff I find interesting. ECG1000 said:
I've just added a little pocket rocket to my fleet, in the shape of a MK7 Fiesta ST. I know it's no GP2 but it's still hilarious fun!
Having dismissed FWD some time ago, it's very refreshing to be back reliving my yobbish late teens/early twenties.
Awesome and couldn't agree more. The simplicity and (let's be honest) safety of less power and FWD mean you can have more fun, more often, in many more places. Not yet ripped a huge handbrake turn in Tesco's carpark but it's coming... it's coming... Having dismissed FWD some time ago, it's very refreshing to be back reliving my yobbish late teens/early twenties.
Aftershox said:
Whatever speed, if it's 10mph through a town center or out on the twisties the GP2 it "on it" and glued to the road wanting to go for it. Absolutely love it, it's only a Mini to some people but the amount of looks it get's from car enthusiasts is much more than I expected!
Couldn't agree more 
After comparing the mechanical side in a post a while back, thought it might be interesting to compare the more subjective bits!...
INTERIOR
M5
Silverstone leather with gloss black inserts, Multi-function sports seats, split-fold rear seat, black headlining (youngest child not included!)
GP
Alcantara black & red everything, gloss black inserts, Recaro sports seats with GP stitching
When I was car hunting for the M5 I had a couple of 'must have' requirements and one of those was the Silverstone (white) interior - I think it sets off the blue exterior so much better than black and lifts the otherwise dark interior of BMWs. The Multi-Function seats are outstanding, infinitely adjustable and incredibly comfortable. They also look SO much better than the standard seats to my eyes. Split-fold rear seats weren't a standard option on the M5 bizarrely, but come in incredibly useful for hauling bikes, spare tyres or the inevitable trips to the tip. The leather's standing up very well with only the drivers seat bolster showing any sign of wear even at 50k+ miles. Keeping it clean is the only challenge!
The interior of the GP is just as entertaining and an acquired taste as the outside - certainly unrecognisable to the lesser models despite really just being a change in colour and materials. The Recaro seats are very good and the alcantara is really effective at stopping you from sliding about. Although I think some other models in the Mini range have them, the grey dials are another great touch. The only thing I'm not a fan of is that this generation of Mini is what can only be described as 'disco lighting'. The interior lighting can be adjusted through a range of a dozen different colours and when you open the drivers' door it shows them all off with a little light show. My youngest daughter loves it but it seems totally at odds with the GP ethos! Everything seems very hardwearing with not a single sign of wear after 30k miles. Of course, it was beset by rattles but if you’ve been reading the thread you know I’m well on the way to stamping those out
The GP2 also comes with bespoke special GP2 floor-mats which look… exactly like the cheap-ass ones you can get on eBay. Doh!
EXTERIOR / LOOKS
M5
Monte Carlo Blue Metallic, purposeful.
GP
Grey, black and red with LOTS of stickers, significant rake.
Sounds stupid, but the M5 is an absolute pleasure to clean & detail. The paint is deep, luxurious and pretty hard, standing up incredibly well to the usual trials of bird s
t, trolley bumps, swirls etc. It seems to stone chip easily however, which is why I went for the bumper respray and PPF. Little things like double door & bonnet rubbers mean that all the door and engine bay shuts stay pristine and dry too. Only downside is that the sheer size means it takes forever to do a proper detail. By the time you get to the back it's time to start again at the front
Looks are clearly subjective but the design is standing the test of time and the lack of overly fussy features should help it age well. I've thought long and hard about a few visual mods (carbon front corner splitters, or the facelift front grills) but it's such a slippery slope and easy to end up with a total tat-wagon.
The Mini is almost the exact opposite. Tiny and quick to clean but the paint is so soft and easily marred and the overload of stickers makes detailing to a good standard a tricky and pretty unrewarding experience. The door, boot and bonnet shuts all fill up with dirty crap and the bonnet scoop serves no other purpose than to trap water which then pisses into the engine bay as soon as you open the bonnet, heading into the nooks and crannies where bolts live that then instantly rust. That said, the quality of the silver paint on the roof is something else.. absolutely outstanding and still like new - someone over-specced that paint at the factory!
Again, looks are subjective but my favourite features of the GP (the wing, diffuser, exhaust and crazy rake angle) really make it shine. I'm not a huge fan of the wheels but with the car being such a limited edition, dicking around with the way it looks seems pretty redundant.
TECH
M5
CIC iDrive, Reversing Camera, Comfort Access, Bluetooth + USB, Soft Close Doors, Professional Navigation, Head Up Display etc etc
GP
Mini Boost CD, Bluetooth Hands Free, DAB… and that’s about it.
My M5 is a ‘Pre-LCI’ car. For non-BMW folk, ‘Pre-LCI’ means it’s a car built before the mid-life facelift that BMW do to each of their cars. Thankfully, the changes between the Pre and Post LCI M5s are pretty limited (Post-LCI gets nicer kidney grills, nicer steering wheel, flashier headlights) but it’s quite hard to see the difference really. However, the one big difference is in the version of iDrive. My ‘Pre-LCI’ car was one of the last ones to be fitted with the older CIC iDrive which was on BMWs between about 2008 and 2013. The ‘Post-LCI’ cars get the 2013+ NBT iDrive which has a touch controller, much faster operation, sweeter graphics and a few more features. That’s not to say that the iDrive on ‘Pre-LCI’ cars is bad, but it’s just not quite as flash as the newer ones. If I’m honest, I’m much more envious of the ‘Post-LCI’ steering wheel than I am the iDrive - I’ve looked at retro-fitting but it’s about £1,100 all-in. Anyway, all the iDrive stuff (iPhone integration, Sat Nav, 40GB music system, DAB etc etc) works pretty damn well.
My car’s also fitted with a few other tech bits that were the bees knees in 2012 but pretty standard today. The reversing camera is pretty standard fare but my car did away with the ‘surround view’ which uses cameras in the front wings to give you a ‘top down’ view when manoeuvring. I’ve never felt like I was missing out until I drove the passes in the Lakes.. would have come in pretty bloody handy then!
The Comfort Access is basically the ability to keep your key in your pocket at all times and lock, unlock etc just by touching the door handles and start via the dash button. First car I’ve had with this system and it works brilliantly - becomes such second nature that I keep forgetting I need the fob for the GP! The only downside is that if you wash the car with the key in your pocket the water and wash-mit can trip the buttons and the doors keep locking and unlocking.
Soft-close doors is one of those features that seem totally pointless until you have it. FINALLY my family no longer slam the bloody car doors when they get out (especially as my drive is at an angle and I like to park rear-first). Now, it seems second nature just to gently close the door and then let the soft-close system finish the job.
Last (but by no means least) the Heads Up Display. This needs to be a standard feature on every car (I know, it’s crazy expensive because it requires a specially laminated windscreen). It makes the old world of dashboard dials seem totally ridiculous and horribly distracting. The M5 lets you see just what you need to (speed, gear, revs, shift-lights, speed limit and sat-nav directions) all on the windscreen in great clarity. It’s the same system as available on the standard 5-Series but with a special ‘M-Mode’ giving the revs and shift-lights. Sounds great, it’s even better in reality.
Thankfully, the previous owner didn’t bother with the myriad of horrible safety systems that were options on the F10. Guff like lane departure warning are totally absent from my car. I see the little row of button-blanks as badges of honour that proudly state “I prefer to pay attention than pay for that nonsense".
After the M5, the tech in the GP feels about 200 years old and completely unfathomable (and I’ve got a technology background). The Bluetooth is a phone prep only so I had to buy a Bluetooth widget to connect to the AUX-IN port to get Bluetooth audio connection to my iPhone 7 (£14 from Amazon and works AT LEAST as well as the system in the M5 - Bargain!). Operating the system is a bewildering mix of nobs, buttons, acronyms and gibberish that I’ve genuinely TRIED to figure out but given up… Now spends 100% of it’s time simply set to either DAB or AUX. That said, anything more would be a total waste of time because the GP also requires you to have total concentration and both hands on the wheel practically all the time - the fascination of a system like iDrive would simply distract you long enough to put the bloody thing in a ditch
One final thing… I know it’s a homage to the old Mini and I know it looks cool but the GIANT SPEEDO in the centre of the car is still totally redundant. In fact, all it does it alert your passenger (or any car behind you) to exactly how fast you’re going! Amazing to think that there’s this huge piece of real-estate used up for a giant dial I literally NEVER look at. Oh well, just another lovable Mini quirk I suppose
Side Note: One place where the direct family lineage of M5 and GP shows is in some of the subtle tech.. the time before the doors lock when you drive away is the same, as is the way the ‘3-flash or perm-flash’ indicators work. Those little things make driving two different cars back to back so much less stressful and lets me concentrate on the big stuff like only one of them having a damn clutch pedal
STEERING
M5
ZF M-Servotronic computer-controlled Varioserve hydraulic power assist. 2.6 turns lock-to-lock
GP
Electric power assist. 2.4 turns lock-to-lock
So the M5 steering is a bit of a mouthful! Basically the 'M-Servotronic' bit means it can vary the assistance to allow you to have Comfort, Sport or Sport+ options as well as varying levels of assist based on speed. In practice, this means that Comfort is extremely light at manoeuvring speeds and then quite-light (but natural) most of the rest of the time. Sport and Sport+ are then progressively heavier with Sport being quite a good compromise and Sport+ being rubbish. Sport+ doesn’t feel sporty, it feels broken.
The ‘Varioserve' bit means that the power steering pump uses an offset rotor and can therefore vary the amount of drag put on the engine depending on how much effort is needed to move the steering. Upshot - it allowed the M-cars to keep hydraulic steering (and associate steering ‘feel’) while still getting improved fuel efficiency.
In Comfort and Sport the steering is excellent and gives great feel for such a big car. If I had any complaint it’s that the wheel is a tad too big and the steering is a little bit too slow. I would prefer a quicker steering rack and getting that 2.6 turns lock-to-lock down a bit. The steering on the standard F10 must be pretty ponderous because that’s a full 3 turns.
The Mini is very much the opposite again. Electric not hydraulic with no variability that I can detect and what feels like a crazy quick steering rack. In the GP you can sneeze on the motorway and go across two lanes! In the M5 I’m pretty sure you could get Tasered and barely tickle a cat’s-eye
INTERIOR
M5
Silverstone leather with gloss black inserts, Multi-function sports seats, split-fold rear seat, black headlining (youngest child not included!)
GP
Alcantara black & red everything, gloss black inserts, Recaro sports seats with GP stitching
When I was car hunting for the M5 I had a couple of 'must have' requirements and one of those was the Silverstone (white) interior - I think it sets off the blue exterior so much better than black and lifts the otherwise dark interior of BMWs. The Multi-Function seats are outstanding, infinitely adjustable and incredibly comfortable. They also look SO much better than the standard seats to my eyes. Split-fold rear seats weren't a standard option on the M5 bizarrely, but come in incredibly useful for hauling bikes, spare tyres or the inevitable trips to the tip. The leather's standing up very well with only the drivers seat bolster showing any sign of wear even at 50k+ miles. Keeping it clean is the only challenge!
The interior of the GP is just as entertaining and an acquired taste as the outside - certainly unrecognisable to the lesser models despite really just being a change in colour and materials. The Recaro seats are very good and the alcantara is really effective at stopping you from sliding about. Although I think some other models in the Mini range have them, the grey dials are another great touch. The only thing I'm not a fan of is that this generation of Mini is what can only be described as 'disco lighting'. The interior lighting can be adjusted through a range of a dozen different colours and when you open the drivers' door it shows them all off with a little light show. My youngest daughter loves it but it seems totally at odds with the GP ethos! Everything seems very hardwearing with not a single sign of wear after 30k miles. Of course, it was beset by rattles but if you’ve been reading the thread you know I’m well on the way to stamping those out
The GP2 also comes with bespoke special GP2 floor-mats which look… exactly like the cheap-ass ones you can get on eBay. Doh!
EXTERIOR / LOOKS
M5
Monte Carlo Blue Metallic, purposeful.
GP
Grey, black and red with LOTS of stickers, significant rake.
Sounds stupid, but the M5 is an absolute pleasure to clean & detail. The paint is deep, luxurious and pretty hard, standing up incredibly well to the usual trials of bird s
t, trolley bumps, swirls etc. It seems to stone chip easily however, which is why I went for the bumper respray and PPF. Little things like double door & bonnet rubbers mean that all the door and engine bay shuts stay pristine and dry too. Only downside is that the sheer size means it takes forever to do a proper detail. By the time you get to the back it's time to start again at the front Looks are clearly subjective but the design is standing the test of time and the lack of overly fussy features should help it age well. I've thought long and hard about a few visual mods (carbon front corner splitters, or the facelift front grills) but it's such a slippery slope and easy to end up with a total tat-wagon.
The Mini is almost the exact opposite. Tiny and quick to clean but the paint is so soft and easily marred and the overload of stickers makes detailing to a good standard a tricky and pretty unrewarding experience. The door, boot and bonnet shuts all fill up with dirty crap and the bonnet scoop serves no other purpose than to trap water which then pisses into the engine bay as soon as you open the bonnet, heading into the nooks and crannies where bolts live that then instantly rust. That said, the quality of the silver paint on the roof is something else.. absolutely outstanding and still like new - someone over-specced that paint at the factory!
Again, looks are subjective but my favourite features of the GP (the wing, diffuser, exhaust and crazy rake angle) really make it shine. I'm not a huge fan of the wheels but with the car being such a limited edition, dicking around with the way it looks seems pretty redundant.
TECH
M5
CIC iDrive, Reversing Camera, Comfort Access, Bluetooth + USB, Soft Close Doors, Professional Navigation, Head Up Display etc etc
GP
Mini Boost CD, Bluetooth Hands Free, DAB… and that’s about it.
My M5 is a ‘Pre-LCI’ car. For non-BMW folk, ‘Pre-LCI’ means it’s a car built before the mid-life facelift that BMW do to each of their cars. Thankfully, the changes between the Pre and Post LCI M5s are pretty limited (Post-LCI gets nicer kidney grills, nicer steering wheel, flashier headlights) but it’s quite hard to see the difference really. However, the one big difference is in the version of iDrive. My ‘Pre-LCI’ car was one of the last ones to be fitted with the older CIC iDrive which was on BMWs between about 2008 and 2013. The ‘Post-LCI’ cars get the 2013+ NBT iDrive which has a touch controller, much faster operation, sweeter graphics and a few more features. That’s not to say that the iDrive on ‘Pre-LCI’ cars is bad, but it’s just not quite as flash as the newer ones. If I’m honest, I’m much more envious of the ‘Post-LCI’ steering wheel than I am the iDrive - I’ve looked at retro-fitting but it’s about £1,100 all-in. Anyway, all the iDrive stuff (iPhone integration, Sat Nav, 40GB music system, DAB etc etc) works pretty damn well.
My car’s also fitted with a few other tech bits that were the bees knees in 2012 but pretty standard today. The reversing camera is pretty standard fare but my car did away with the ‘surround view’ which uses cameras in the front wings to give you a ‘top down’ view when manoeuvring. I’ve never felt like I was missing out until I drove the passes in the Lakes.. would have come in pretty bloody handy then!
The Comfort Access is basically the ability to keep your key in your pocket at all times and lock, unlock etc just by touching the door handles and start via the dash button. First car I’ve had with this system and it works brilliantly - becomes such second nature that I keep forgetting I need the fob for the GP! The only downside is that if you wash the car with the key in your pocket the water and wash-mit can trip the buttons and the doors keep locking and unlocking.
Soft-close doors is one of those features that seem totally pointless until you have it. FINALLY my family no longer slam the bloody car doors when they get out (especially as my drive is at an angle and I like to park rear-first). Now, it seems second nature just to gently close the door and then let the soft-close system finish the job.
Last (but by no means least) the Heads Up Display. This needs to be a standard feature on every car (I know, it’s crazy expensive because it requires a specially laminated windscreen). It makes the old world of dashboard dials seem totally ridiculous and horribly distracting. The M5 lets you see just what you need to (speed, gear, revs, shift-lights, speed limit and sat-nav directions) all on the windscreen in great clarity. It’s the same system as available on the standard 5-Series but with a special ‘M-Mode’ giving the revs and shift-lights. Sounds great, it’s even better in reality.
Thankfully, the previous owner didn’t bother with the myriad of horrible safety systems that were options on the F10. Guff like lane departure warning are totally absent from my car. I see the little row of button-blanks as badges of honour that proudly state “I prefer to pay attention than pay for that nonsense".
After the M5, the tech in the GP feels about 200 years old and completely unfathomable (and I’ve got a technology background). The Bluetooth is a phone prep only so I had to buy a Bluetooth widget to connect to the AUX-IN port to get Bluetooth audio connection to my iPhone 7 (£14 from Amazon and works AT LEAST as well as the system in the M5 - Bargain!). Operating the system is a bewildering mix of nobs, buttons, acronyms and gibberish that I’ve genuinely TRIED to figure out but given up… Now spends 100% of it’s time simply set to either DAB or AUX. That said, anything more would be a total waste of time because the GP also requires you to have total concentration and both hands on the wheel practically all the time - the fascination of a system like iDrive would simply distract you long enough to put the bloody thing in a ditch
One final thing… I know it’s a homage to the old Mini and I know it looks cool but the GIANT SPEEDO in the centre of the car is still totally redundant. In fact, all it does it alert your passenger (or any car behind you) to exactly how fast you’re going! Amazing to think that there’s this huge piece of real-estate used up for a giant dial I literally NEVER look at. Oh well, just another lovable Mini quirk I suppose
Side Note: One place where the direct family lineage of M5 and GP shows is in some of the subtle tech.. the time before the doors lock when you drive away is the same, as is the way the ‘3-flash or perm-flash’ indicators work. Those little things make driving two different cars back to back so much less stressful and lets me concentrate on the big stuff like only one of them having a damn clutch pedal
STEERING
M5
ZF M-Servotronic computer-controlled Varioserve hydraulic power assist. 2.6 turns lock-to-lock
GP
Electric power assist. 2.4 turns lock-to-lock
So the M5 steering is a bit of a mouthful! Basically the 'M-Servotronic' bit means it can vary the assistance to allow you to have Comfort, Sport or Sport+ options as well as varying levels of assist based on speed. In practice, this means that Comfort is extremely light at manoeuvring speeds and then quite-light (but natural) most of the rest of the time. Sport and Sport+ are then progressively heavier with Sport being quite a good compromise and Sport+ being rubbish. Sport+ doesn’t feel sporty, it feels broken.
The ‘Varioserve' bit means that the power steering pump uses an offset rotor and can therefore vary the amount of drag put on the engine depending on how much effort is needed to move the steering. Upshot - it allowed the M-cars to keep hydraulic steering (and associate steering ‘feel’) while still getting improved fuel efficiency.
In Comfort and Sport the steering is excellent and gives great feel for such a big car. If I had any complaint it’s that the wheel is a tad too big and the steering is a little bit too slow. I would prefer a quicker steering rack and getting that 2.6 turns lock-to-lock down a bit. The steering on the standard F10 must be pretty ponderous because that’s a full 3 turns.
The Mini is very much the opposite again. Electric not hydraulic with no variability that I can detect and what feels like a crazy quick steering rack. In the GP you can sneeze on the motorway and go across two lanes! In the M5 I’m pretty sure you could get Tasered and barely tickle a cat’s-eye
Edited by MDifficult on Thursday 7th September 16:52
Time for another update…
M5
Very little to say to be honest (touches wood) having recently passed it’s MOT with flying colours. The mileage keeps building with no issues to report but it's heading inexorably towards it’s next service (circa 7k miles to go) which I’m pretty certain will include new front discs and pads, plus rear pads and probably all-four tyres too. I’m planning to get a cat-scan to work out which of my kidneys I’m going to sacrifice
I’m continuing to be really impressed by the PPF that was fitted over 10k miles ago now. Still looks absolutely perfect, not a blemish despite countless bug & stone strikes. Absolutely worth the investment so far.
GP
Things have been a lot more interesting/frustrating on the GP side. Back in my early September update I mentioned having the front shocks replaced and all the front bushes etc were fully inspected as part of that diagnosis and were fine. Fast forward 2 months and the GP's MOT threw up that the lower wishbone rear bushes had started leaking
so MOT fail.
A couple of observations on this: Reading a lot of forums and posts from GP owners, it’s obvious that they’re very hard on their front suspension. The combination of all the weight being over the front (no rear seats), a forward rake, the GP shocks & springs plus typically being driven ‘with vigour’ means some of the weaker parts do tend to give up after 30/40k miles. I just wish the bushes had gone at the same time as the shocks, but such is life.
If you’re not familiar with the Mini R56, the lower wishbone bushes are a cheap part but a real pain to change with most specialists quoting around 4 hours with the subframe off (or at least significantly lowered) and a whole bunch of faff. All the people I spoke to recommended the PowerFlex replacements rather than OEM, both for the longevity but also improved feel. As luck would have it, I’d already got the Mini booked in at Mulgari to be treated to some Akropovic goodness:
On top of this, I’d also picked up a Poweflex lower engine mount insert which is one of the most recommended mods for the R56 that I planned to fit myself. But, with Mulgari about to get their grubby mits on the Mini it was the ideal opportunity to get everything done at once. Downpipe, Engine mount insert and wishbone bushes:
Net result is that the following weekend I picked up a thoroughly re-fettled GP, with the ‘must have’ mods that make it better-than-perfect. The down-pipe is a nice compromise and combines really well with the existing GP exhaust - deep, rumbly and with a great note at full chat. In sport mode it’s taken the crackles and pops to a whole new level
With new shocks, bushes and the engine mount everything feels tight as a drum, not crashy or noisy but just beautifully 'tight'. I would definitely recommend the mount most of all, it transforms the clutch action from pull away and even the gearbox feels tighter.
Thanks to the work (and the new MOT) it’s been a total pleasure to drive:
One last thing - while visiting Mulgari I got a much closer look at their Mini ICON02 project cars. My shots all came out looking like cack so I’ve borrowed this artful one from their website. It looks even better in the flesh and (finally) someone's made a F-seried Mini I actually fancy!
That’s all for now
M5
Very little to say to be honest (touches wood) having recently passed it’s MOT with flying colours. The mileage keeps building with no issues to report but it's heading inexorably towards it’s next service (circa 7k miles to go) which I’m pretty certain will include new front discs and pads, plus rear pads and probably all-four tyres too. I’m planning to get a cat-scan to work out which of my kidneys I’m going to sacrifice
I’m continuing to be really impressed by the PPF that was fitted over 10k miles ago now. Still looks absolutely perfect, not a blemish despite countless bug & stone strikes. Absolutely worth the investment so far.
GP
Things have been a lot more interesting/frustrating on the GP side. Back in my early September update I mentioned having the front shocks replaced and all the front bushes etc were fully inspected as part of that diagnosis and were fine. Fast forward 2 months and the GP's MOT threw up that the lower wishbone rear bushes had started leaking
so MOT fail. A couple of observations on this: Reading a lot of forums and posts from GP owners, it’s obvious that they’re very hard on their front suspension. The combination of all the weight being over the front (no rear seats), a forward rake, the GP shocks & springs plus typically being driven ‘with vigour’ means some of the weaker parts do tend to give up after 30/40k miles. I just wish the bushes had gone at the same time as the shocks, but such is life.
If you’re not familiar with the Mini R56, the lower wishbone bushes are a cheap part but a real pain to change with most specialists quoting around 4 hours with the subframe off (or at least significantly lowered) and a whole bunch of faff. All the people I spoke to recommended the PowerFlex replacements rather than OEM, both for the longevity but also improved feel. As luck would have it, I’d already got the Mini booked in at Mulgari to be treated to some Akropovic goodness:
On top of this, I’d also picked up a Poweflex lower engine mount insert which is one of the most recommended mods for the R56 that I planned to fit myself. But, with Mulgari about to get their grubby mits on the Mini it was the ideal opportunity to get everything done at once. Downpipe, Engine mount insert and wishbone bushes:
Net result is that the following weekend I picked up a thoroughly re-fettled GP, with the ‘must have’ mods that make it better-than-perfect. The down-pipe is a nice compromise and combines really well with the existing GP exhaust - deep, rumbly and with a great note at full chat. In sport mode it’s taken the crackles and pops to a whole new level
With new shocks, bushes and the engine mount everything feels tight as a drum, not crashy or noisy but just beautifully 'tight'. I would definitely recommend the mount most of all, it transforms the clutch action from pull away and even the gearbox feels tighter.
Thanks to the work (and the new MOT) it’s been a total pleasure to drive:
One last thing - while visiting Mulgari I got a much closer look at their Mini ICON02 project cars. My shots all came out looking like cack so I’ve borrowed this artful one from their website. It looks even better in the flesh and (finally) someone's made a F-seried Mini I actually fancy!
That’s all for now
mikeyb1987 said:
Fantastic updates as usual 
Please can you post a link to the 'decent' sidelights you bought from eBay? I've bought some but despite being advertised as white, they're more blue
Thanks! Please can you post a link to the 'decent' sidelights you bought from eBay? I've bought some but despite being advertised as white, they're more blue
These are the exact ones I bought. Silly price for LEDs but by the time you've bought umpteen sets of 'white' that turn out to be 'chav blue' they're worth every penny
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/501-W5W-17-Samsung-3623-...
BenLowden said:
Excellent stuff! Sorry to see you've had a few issues, but it's great to see the GP is in such good hands and you're doing things properly. Bet it sounds great with the downpipe too!
Hey Ben, don't worry... I don't hold you personally responsible TBH, all the issues are common GP stuff. Other than that, it's still a peach and seems to be holding it's value like a rock. Bad news for you when you inevitably buy it back
BenLowden said:
Haha tell me about it. I could have put 20k miles on it and still sold it for what I paid for it last year if I was selling now! You win some you lose some. I've put 10,000 miles on my Megane in the last six months and it has been an absolute blast, although I do still miss the GP.
Glad you're enjoying it! I doubt you'd have enjoyed those same miles as much in the GP because you can't help but think of it as an investment as well as fun car. I've done about 4k miles in it so far which keeps it in regular use but not so much that I worry about it. steve-5snwi said:
Anyway, yes the lower arm insert is worth it, the jerking from the transmission just disappears.
It’s made a big difference, amazing for such a tiny outlay.steve-5snwi said:
I’d never realised though, the GP knee roll is only on the passenger side and not to the left of the steering wheel. My OCD wouldn't cope with that.
Not sure I understood this? I’m really puzzled - been back to the car to have another look but can’t see what you’re referring to? EDIT: Ah, I’ve figured it out, you mean the leather and red stitching at the top of the glovebox! You’re right, it doesn’t follow on behind the steering wheel. Never noticed it before (probably always will now!). Guess it’s because it’s a moulded bit of the dash rather than the easy-swappable glovebox.
Edited by MDifficult on Saturday 25th November 10:14
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