Mini Clubman F54 Cooper SD
Discussion
So having had a Golf Mk7 GTD as a company car for 3 years and with me now getting a car allowance instead I needed a car.
I have a very specific set of requirements as my car can’t be older than 4 years old , will cover 28k miles a year , needs to have at least 4 doors , needs to be big enough to carry teenage kids , but small enough to park on a street where there is no allocated parking , have a hatch so I can fit my bike in the boot , have a few creature comforts yet still be fun to drive.
Having made the decision to buy rather than lease I set a budget and decided I needed a low mileage car with the balance of manufacturer’s warranty that I could keep for 2-3 years.
My Golf GTD was a brilliant combination of performance/low running costs/comfort/ practicality and I did briefly consider simply getting another but low mileage mk 7.5s were a bit out of my price range.
I did also consider an Octavia VRS and test drive Seat Leon FRs.
At this point I read a few reviews of the Clibman JCW and that made me look at Cooper S Clubmans.
The one thing I wasn’t sure of was whether it’s be as practical as a Golf so I had a Clubman Cooper 1.5 petrol on 48hour test to check if it would fit into my life.
Really liked it but the petrol 1.5 was neither torquey nor economical enough after the GTD so then set about tracking down an SD. The only problem is that as they stopped making them in March so at mini dealers they are quite rare especially if like me you wanted a specific colour and spec .
In the end I found a few that were new enough and with the right options but ended up travelling to Cotswold Mini in Hereford from my home near Luton to buy this one.
The team there were excellent to deal with and a deal done. This is first car I’ve owned for about 8 years and I’vv only bought sheds with my own money before so glad to say it was a good experience.
Anyway this is what I have ended up with. A 2018 Clubman Cooper SD in Moonwalk grey with black roof and mirror caps, 18” wheels, 8 speed auto box, Chilli pack , half leather sports seats and it arrived with 8,500 miles on the clock.
I’ve owned it for a month now so will add a little about my initial impressions in due course.
I have a very specific set of requirements as my car can’t be older than 4 years old , will cover 28k miles a year , needs to have at least 4 doors , needs to be big enough to carry teenage kids , but small enough to park on a street where there is no allocated parking , have a hatch so I can fit my bike in the boot , have a few creature comforts yet still be fun to drive.
Having made the decision to buy rather than lease I set a budget and decided I needed a low mileage car with the balance of manufacturer’s warranty that I could keep for 2-3 years.
My Golf GTD was a brilliant combination of performance/low running costs/comfort/ practicality and I did briefly consider simply getting another but low mileage mk 7.5s were a bit out of my price range.
I did also consider an Octavia VRS and test drive Seat Leon FRs.
At this point I read a few reviews of the Clibman JCW and that made me look at Cooper S Clubmans.
The one thing I wasn’t sure of was whether it’s be as practical as a Golf so I had a Clubman Cooper 1.5 petrol on 48hour test to check if it would fit into my life.
Really liked it but the petrol 1.5 was neither torquey nor economical enough after the GTD so then set about tracking down an SD. The only problem is that as they stopped making them in March so at mini dealers they are quite rare especially if like me you wanted a specific colour and spec .
In the end I found a few that were new enough and with the right options but ended up travelling to Cotswold Mini in Hereford from my home near Luton to buy this one.
The team there were excellent to deal with and a deal done. This is first car I’ve owned for about 8 years and I’vv only bought sheds with my own money before so glad to say it was a good experience.
Anyway this is what I have ended up with. A 2018 Clubman Cooper SD in Moonwalk grey with black roof and mirror caps, 18” wheels, 8 speed auto box, Chilli pack , half leather sports seats and it arrived with 8,500 miles on the clock.
I’ve owned it for a month now so will add a little about my initial impressions in due course.
Edited by Alfa Pete on Sunday 15th December 16:08
Looks nice that does. Guessing it’s sport Pack? Can’t remember what the newer version specs are, classic exclusive and sport?
We just changed the wife’s R56 Cooper d for an F54 clubman Cooper s with the Jcw chilli pack and I love it. Great to drive, spacious enough for our minions and it pops in sport mode so I can giggle like a 17 year old.
It sits alongside our Mk7 gtd and we have a great pair of stablemates now.
We just changed the wife’s R56 Cooper d for an F54 clubman Cooper s with the Jcw chilli pack and I love it. Great to drive, spacious enough for our minions and it pops in sport mode so I can giggle like a 17 year old.
It sits alongside our Mk7 gtd and we have a great pair of stablemates now.
Yes sports seats and 18” wheels. The options and specs are so confusing I still haven’t really worked out what mine is!
The new trim levels came in spring 2019 so mine was built just before the facelift.
How do you find your Cooper S compares to the GTD?
There was a month overlap between me getting this and my company GTD going back so i drove them back to back quite a few times.
Given that on paper they are similarly sized , fwd 2.O hatches they are quite different .
The GTD was a good all rounder but the Clubbie definitely has more character.
The new trim levels came in spring 2019 so mine was built just before the facelift.
How do you find your Cooper S compares to the GTD?
There was a month overlap between me getting this and my company GTD going back so i drove them back to back quite a few times.
Given that on paper they are similarly sized , fwd 2.O hatches they are quite different .
The GTD was a good all rounder but the Clubbie definitely has more character.
Edited by Alfa Pete on Sunday 15th December 18:37
My GTD is standard but running DCC and 19s so in sport mode it's great fun, but actually 'feels' faster when you're moving as you have a big lazy wave of torque but the Cooper S you have to make it sing. It rides quite nicely considering it's on Gripspoke 18" run flats and sport mode feeds my inner teenager! Whilst I don't do long journeys in the Clubman, its seats are wonderfully adjustable and the extendable base support helps a lot, still prefer my Golf seats though. I like the LED headlights, and i love the kick to open boot when you've got shopping.
Didn't know they'd changed the specs again, it changed in March 18 as I sat with Sytner Mini in Coventry and the salesman shared his cheat sheet showing the spec of the 15-18 ones and then 18 onwards. Pre 18 was Chili or JCW chili, and then mini yours / media xl / tech pack. Post 18 was Classic / Sport / Exclusive versions with a bunch of packs.Seemed to stack up with what I was looking through, and we ended up with a '17.
Overall, i've dealt with Mini dealers a bunch from the R56 and now the F54, and they're as incompetent as Volkswagen. Failing to do the most simple things, not clued up on half the cars features, too eager to sell you a new car etc. From my own research I knew that unless it was some sort of howler that we'd be coming home with our Clubman from 70 miles away. They serviced the car and yet forgot to enter it in the car's service history, despite telling us that's why they don't give paperwork......
Didn't know they'd changed the specs again, it changed in March 18 as I sat with Sytner Mini in Coventry and the salesman shared his cheat sheet showing the spec of the 15-18 ones and then 18 onwards. Pre 18 was Chili or JCW chili, and then mini yours / media xl / tech pack. Post 18 was Classic / Sport / Exclusive versions with a bunch of packs.Seemed to stack up with what I was looking through, and we ended up with a '17.
Overall, i've dealt with Mini dealers a bunch from the R56 and now the F54, and they're as incompetent as Volkswagen. Failing to do the most simple things, not clued up on half the cars features, too eager to sell you a new car etc. From my own research I knew that unless it was some sort of howler that we'd be coming home with our Clubman from 70 miles away. They serviced the car and yet forgot to enter it in the car's service history, despite telling us that's why they don't give paperwork......
Have done a few long journeys on this car now.
Finding the sports seats with the pull out thigh support really comfortable.
They seem to suit me much better than the seats in the GTD which I found uncomfortable on longer journeys as the lumbar support was in the wrong place for me leading to back ache.
In fact one of the biggest surprises about the Clubbie is the refinement and surprisingly good ride.
Current conditions are highlighting how poor the standard tyres are . They are Pirelli P7 run flats on 18” wheels. As mentioned the ride is Ok but traction is really poor and they also seem to be very susceptible to tramlining.
I’ll definitely be going for Michelin Pilot PS 4s in non run flat when the time comes to change .
I’d imagine these will make a discernible difference.
The current tyres definitely nibble away at my confidence when cornering which is a shame as the handling is actually very nice.
Finding the sports seats with the pull out thigh support really comfortable.
They seem to suit me much better than the seats in the GTD which I found uncomfortable on longer journeys as the lumbar support was in the wrong place for me leading to back ache.
In fact one of the biggest surprises about the Clubbie is the refinement and surprisingly good ride.
Current conditions are highlighting how poor the standard tyres are . They are Pirelli P7 run flats on 18” wheels. As mentioned the ride is Ok but traction is really poor and they also seem to be very susceptible to tramlining.
I’ll definitely be going for Michelin Pilot PS 4s in non run flat when the time comes to change .
I’d imagine these will make a discernible difference.
The current tyres definitely nibble away at my confidence when cornering which is a shame as the handling is actually very nice.
So I’m three months into ownership and still very much liking the Clubbie.
In that time I’ve clocked up 3000 miles much of it motorway driving .
I bought this as I appreciate a car that you can enjoy on a B road but I’m still really surprised what a good motorway car this is.
I suppose the combination of 360nm torque and an 8 speed auto makes a good cruiser but refinements is really good and it’s impressively quiet.
The body structure feels very rigid and there are noticeably less creaks or rattles from this than my previous Golf.
The interior whilst not as well laid out as the Golf is a nice place to be. I’ve just about learnt where everything is and the satnav is heaps better than what I had in my Golf 7 .
Now I’ve got used to the wooden Pirelli P7 run flats I’m learning to trust the front end a bit more. Handling is actually very good, and the ride surprisingly good, certainly comparable to the Golf.
Dimensions wise a Clubbie is fractionally smaller than a Golf. Interior space is fine, perhaps slightly less leg room for rear seat passengers but lots more headroom. My teenage kids haven’t complained about rear space yet.
The boot is slightly smaller but counters with being a decent shape , a level load lip and the easy to use lift up floor which is great for hiding stuff out of sight.
Performance is ample. Official figures are 187 bhp. 360nm torque. For a diesel it’s decently refined and the way it gathers speed is really quite deceptive.
Performance is very similar to the Golf GTD but delivered with less fuss so it tends to disguise its pace.
I’d say if anything it’s slightly up on the GTD.
Very satisfying car so far and the distinctive looks inside and out give a bit of feel good factor every time I get in it.
Thinking about some subtle styling mods. There’s a lot of stuff available for Minis and it’s quite hard to decide what to go for.
Was originally thinking of going for the obligatory bonnet stripes but not so sure now, possibly will go for some de chroming and a few JCW bits.
In that time I’ve clocked up 3000 miles much of it motorway driving .
I bought this as I appreciate a car that you can enjoy on a B road but I’m still really surprised what a good motorway car this is.
I suppose the combination of 360nm torque and an 8 speed auto makes a good cruiser but refinements is really good and it’s impressively quiet.
The body structure feels very rigid and there are noticeably less creaks or rattles from this than my previous Golf.
The interior whilst not as well laid out as the Golf is a nice place to be. I’ve just about learnt where everything is and the satnav is heaps better than what I had in my Golf 7 .
Now I’ve got used to the wooden Pirelli P7 run flats I’m learning to trust the front end a bit more. Handling is actually very good, and the ride surprisingly good, certainly comparable to the Golf.
Dimensions wise a Clubbie is fractionally smaller than a Golf. Interior space is fine, perhaps slightly less leg room for rear seat passengers but lots more headroom. My teenage kids haven’t complained about rear space yet.
The boot is slightly smaller but counters with being a decent shape , a level load lip and the easy to use lift up floor which is great for hiding stuff out of sight.
Performance is ample. Official figures are 187 bhp. 360nm torque. For a diesel it’s decently refined and the way it gathers speed is really quite deceptive.
Performance is very similar to the Golf GTD but delivered with less fuss so it tends to disguise its pace.
I’d say if anything it’s slightly up on the GTD.
Very satisfying car so far and the distinctive looks inside and out give a bit of feel good factor every time I get in it.
Thinking about some subtle styling mods. There’s a lot of stuff available for Minis and it’s quite hard to decide what to go for.
Was originally thinking of going for the obligatory bonnet stripes but not so sure now, possibly will go for some de chroming and a few JCW bits.
Edited by Alfa Pete on Friday 10th January 21:49
Good looking car OP. What sort of MPG, or even miles to a tank/cost to fill tank are you getting?
We now have 2.0 Cooper S which looks to be getting over 40 MPG. The B48 is a great engine. We are trying to figure out miles per tank but I can’t stop driving it antisocially. It really is a 10/10 car. For the same driving conditions, and driven like a Volvo driver does, my V40 D4 is only getting an average of 45 MPG.
We now have 2.0 Cooper S which looks to be getting over 40 MPG. The B48 is a great engine. We are trying to figure out miles per tank but I can’t stop driving it antisocially. It really is a 10/10 car. For the same driving conditions, and driven like a Volvo driver does, my V40 D4 is only getting an average of 45 MPG.
tvrfan007 said:
Overall, i've dealt with Mini dealers a bunch from the R56 and now the F54, and they're as incompetent as Volkswagen. Failing to do the most simple things, not clued up on half the cars features, too eager to sell you a new car etc. From my own research I knew that unless it was some sort of howler that we'd be coming home with our Clubman from 70 miles away. They serviced the car and yet forgot to enter it in the car's service history, despite telling us that's why they don't give paperwork......
Then I will direct you to Sytner Sheffield. THE most impressive facility and the girl we dealt with was knowledgable with no hard sell. Gave us a great trade in on our R56 MCS, and a great price on the 3 year old F55 MCS. It’s a great car with the Chilli JCW pack. Prepped to a great standard and everything promised was delivered. Stratstone Derby however have proven to be disappointing. We live in Derby. It will be getting serviced in Sheffield. Edited by paultownsend on Wednesday 19th February 17:01
paultownsend said:
Then I will direct you to Sytner Sheffield. THE most impressive facility and the girl we dealt with was knowledgable with no hard sell. Gave us a great trade in on our R56 MCS, and a great price on the 3 year old F55 MCS. It’s a great car with the Chilli JCW pack. Prepped to a great standard and everything promised was delivered. Stratstone Derby however have proven to be disappointing. We live in Derby. It will be getting serviced in Sheffield.
This was very much the same with Cotswold Mini from whom I purchased my car.Edited by paultownsend on Wednesday 19th February 17:01
Just to bring this up to date. The Chubby Clubbie is coming up to its first year with me and has gone from 7,500 to just shy of 27000 miles now.
In that time it was serviced in March at 18k miles and has had front tyres replaced at 20k miles .
It did have to go for a warranty repair in July to remedy a water leak caused by the air con drain pipe. This is a pretty common issue on third generation cars . This was fixed efficiently by my local Mini dealer and without quibble .
In fact my dealings with 3 Mini dealers has been good and certainly much better than the experience I had with VW .
Still very much enjoying the car . You’d think that a Mini wouldn’t be a great car to clock up high miles in but the combination of , supportive seats,smooth , torquey diesel and the excellent 8 speed auto make this a good for motorway work but it also handles well when you find yourself on a decent driving road.
The only thing that I don’t like so much is the ride at low speeds.
The cabin is so much nicer and inviting than that on my previous Golf and the infotainment/apple car play/ I drive all works really well.
From my Fuelly app my average over the year is 47.3 mpg with a best of 56.5mpg . These are almost identical figures to those that I recorded for my Golf GTD .
I think I’ll be keeping it a while yet!
In that time it was serviced in March at 18k miles and has had front tyres replaced at 20k miles .
It did have to go for a warranty repair in July to remedy a water leak caused by the air con drain pipe. This is a pretty common issue on third generation cars . This was fixed efficiently by my local Mini dealer and without quibble .
In fact my dealings with 3 Mini dealers has been good and certainly much better than the experience I had with VW .
Still very much enjoying the car . You’d think that a Mini wouldn’t be a great car to clock up high miles in but the combination of , supportive seats,smooth , torquey diesel and the excellent 8 speed auto make this a good for motorway work but it also handles well when you find yourself on a decent driving road.
The only thing that I don’t like so much is the ride at low speeds.
The cabin is so much nicer and inviting than that on my previous Golf and the infotainment/apple car play/ I drive all works really well.
From my Fuelly app my average over the year is 47.3 mpg with a best of 56.5mpg . These are almost identical figures to those that I recorded for my Golf GTD .
I think I’ll be keeping it a while yet!
The Clubbie is still going strong. Have now clocked up 41000 miles.
Had 2 new tyres recently and a few months ago it went in for a warranty issue. The DPF sensor was replaced.
Once again the my local Mini dealership was excellent and the work done promptly and without quibble.
Average mpg has been 47mpg throughout my ownership.
Currently considering whether to keep it or look to change it soon. Originally I was intending to change it in October when it reaches 3 years and while it has some residual value but the higher costs of potential replacements might make me reconsider when I still enjoy it . If I keep it I’m considering some cosmetic additions, bonnet stripes , dechrome and perhaps a remap.
Currently the front is a little wandery following a pot hole incident so it’s booked in for a wheel alignment.
Had 2 new tyres recently and a few months ago it went in for a warranty issue. The DPF sensor was replaced.
Once again the my local Mini dealership was excellent and the work done promptly and without quibble.
Average mpg has been 47mpg throughout my ownership.
Currently considering whether to keep it or look to change it soon. Originally I was intending to change it in October when it reaches 3 years and while it has some residual value but the higher costs of potential replacements might make me reconsider when I still enjoy it . If I keep it I’m considering some cosmetic additions, bonnet stripes , dechrome and perhaps a remap.
Currently the front is a little wandery following a pot hole incident so it’s booked in for a wheel alignment.
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