Wednesday 22nd January 2014

Mini Cooper D Clubvan: PH Fleet

PH new boy and former Mini salesman Nathan gets reacquainted with an old friend

---

After selling Minis for two years prior to starting at PHHQ, it was good to be back in a familiar environment with the PopBangColoured Clubvan. It felt like being reunited with an old friend. I was able to drive the whole Mini range during my time as a 'Sales Consultant' and the Clubman/Clubvan was always my favourite. I'm not sure if it's the utilitarian look or the fact it seems to handle better than the hatch due to its longer wheelbase but, either way, I was more than happy to drive it.

You should have seen it before the clean...

We've done a few miles together over the past month or so including a trip to Goodwood for the December Sunday Service and a journeying to the NEC twice for the Performance Car Show.

The van certainly attracts attention and on my trips I regularly get waves and beeps from other drivers. I'd like to think this is because I'm incredibly attractive but in reality it's probably more to do with the car. Maybe.

The Clubvan copes perfectly with motorway miles and is very quiet cruising along at 70mph. In fact, you could almost forget you're in a van until you look in the rear view mirror and see the grille behind the seats.

It won't stay this shiny for long

The navigation system has been used regularly and I have seen a couple of strange directions being given already. Garlick and I were heading back from the first NEC trip about two miles from home but the nav was suggesting we still had eight miles to go. On a roundabout where the third exit would have been suitable, we were being directed to the second exit adding six miles to the route. We dared to ignore the nav and take the third exit and the distance to destination reduced to a 0.1 miles. Odd.

There's nothing much to say about its reliability with 8,538 miles covered. That's as it should be really, but it certainly faces plenty of tasks whether that's leaving for a Sunday Service at 6am in freezing temperatures or commuting into the office or trekking to the DIY store. Wonder how it would fare on track?

---

Fact sheet:
Car: Mini Cooper D Clubvan
Run by: Everyone!
On fleet since: June 2013
Mileage: 8,538
List price new: £19,575.50 (Basic list of £14,275 +VAT plus £400 for Midnight Black paint, £1,700 for Media Pack, £55 for Storage Pack, £50 for space saver spare, £105 for leather two-spoke steering wheel, £60 for velour floor mats, £45 for warning triangle and first aid kit and £30 for front passenger airbag deactivation switch. All options prices inclusive of VAT.)
Last month at a glance: Ex-Mini man Nathan gets back in a familiar driving seat

---

Previous reports:
Garlick tries his first diesel Mini and really rather likes it
It's a diesel van not a supercar but it has been hanging out with a few
Daily commuting duties reveal the Clubvan is still a Mini at heart
The PH Mini Clubvan is here and straight into the heart of our Le Mans field ops

[Ex Boy Racer]

I use those car washers. Always do a good job - recommended!

[dukebox9reg]

Still amazed you've not chucked a tuning box on this yet being a diesel. You think being Pistonheads and a diesel that it would be a default setting.

[HorneyMX5]

Aww I can just make out my civic in the top pic, that was a cracking day out.

[David87]

dukebox9reg said:

Still amazed you've not chucked a tuning box on this yet being a diesel. You think being Pistonheads and a diesel that it would be a default setting.

I don't think MINI would take very well to their car being modified!

[Jamesp24]

They cope pretty well on track : D

[j90gta]

Velour floor mats in a van!!!!!!

[dbanes]

I've been told my Clubvan will be delivered on Friday, hope so as it was ordered mid October. I fear a 3 month wait for a commercial vehicle for small businesses just won't/doesn't work. If I need another then I need it, now, within a few weeks, not three months out!

It better be good.

[iloveboost]

Quoter the fact it seems to handle better than the hatch due to its longer wheelbase

Probably due to a little less weight shift backwards under acceleration meaning you can accelerate a bit harder/earlier out of corners and it's more stable overall. I saw one the other day driven by an old lady and thought she's probably re-living the memories of her youth in that car, who am I to take the joy out of those warm feelings?! So no crap about how it looks from me today.

[Dion20vt]

We as a business were looking into getting a couple of these through contract hire. But they were much more expensive then the other "premium" vans around like the VW caddy, the new Merc van and so on. And as a business you have to watch the pennies!

But a nice drive I must admit

[dbanes]

Dion20vt said:

We as a business were looking into getting a couple of these through contract hire. But they were much more expensive then the other "premium" vans around like the VW caddy, the new Merc van and so on. And as a business you have to watch the pennies!

But a nice drive I must admit

I looked at several options as well and after comparing numbers it wasn't a lot more. BMW Mini finance was coming out about 20-30% cheaper than the usual finance routes. That and I only need a van to carry stuff very occasionally for a posh home management business so the Mini ticks the boxes.

The main issue is delivery time scales, I'm sure VW and Merc don't keep you hanging on for 12/14 weeks.

[eybic]

dbanes said:

I've been told my Clubvan will be delivered on Friday, hope so as it was ordered mid October. I fear a 3 month wait for a commercial vehicle for small businesses just won't/doesn't work. If I need another then I need it, now, within a few weeks, not three months out!

It better be good.

If you like Mini, you'll love the Clubvan. I think the slow build time could be due to them concentrating on the new Hatch which is due out in the next couple of months.

[dbanes]

eybic said:

If you like Mini, you'll love the Clubvan. I think the slow build time could be due to them concentrating on the new Hatch which is due out in the next couple of months.

Nice 205 @eybic , check out my web site for the red ST185 I ran in Australia, http://davidbanes.com/tagged/celica

[gripster]

Hi Nathan, nice intro piece, but long build time not BMW concentrating on new hatch. Clubvan can't run down the line at Clubman speed, van's trolley-jacked off line part way along then hand built in an old part of works. Suspect the marketing dept didn't invite production to that planning meeting. Clubvan Mk2 due late 2015 will be a slicker build. I have 2 for work, worth the wait. Oh, and Nathan, I'm sure you've spotted those black 16'ers on your press van are a £655 option...making it £20,230.50??