Considering a ONE

[sad61t]

Well, the Panda's 30 (months) old and a few niggles (clutch judder when cold & damp for a couple of miles; immobiliser warning lamp came on for a journey last week (the manual says it may be resetting itself). So, having decided the 500 isn't my cup of tea, I turn to the Mini.

Anyhow, I've looked up the spec and am looking for handling over outright performance as I love throwing cars around corners (have to say, the Panda's great for that). I've come up with the following:
* Sport Suspension
* Sport Seats
* Colour line interior
* 15" Rotator alloys
* Dark rear windows

Also considering the JCW front strut brace - is this going to improve the handling? It looked a bit flimsy in the catalogue.

The Sport button is a possibility, though will it make any difference on the ONE? In some ways I'd rather learn a single, consistent, characteristic for the car.

Colour's tricky - possibly BRG with Cream colour inserts; flat red with red (bit common); flat white with red. Need something to brighten the cabin.

No decals and as little chrome as possible.

For resale, I'll probably fit air-con (665) - the alloys are mostly for this reason as I'm inclined to think at this price point the steel (sans trims) & alloy are similar unsprung weights.

[fergy]

For a better strut brace forge motor sport do one that I think would be a better bet. http://www.forgemotorsport.co.uk/content.asp?inc=p...

Sport button...I love it, though steering does get very heavy, I just prefer the throttle response with it on so end it always being switched on (though I have an S so might be completely different feeling on a one).

For less chrome you could get the JCW Aero kit (expensive though)...or just the black grill that is part of the kit..that way you delete even more of the chrome.

[mister.t]

You need the Sport Button on the std. One - The throttle response as standard is atrocious - Almost stopped me in the middle of a roundabout with no drive!!

[sad61t]

Sounds like the Sport button is on the list then - just leave it on all the time and I have my desire for a single handling characteristic too

Forge motorsport, way too tempting.

[Silent1]

Any reason you're not going for the cooper? The only reason i ask is that the One is a 1.4 so it's not as fun to drive

[sad61t]

Silent1 said:

Any reason you're not going for the cooper? The only reason I ask is that the One is a 1.4 so it's not as fun to drive

That's the £1400 question (or rather less by the time you factor in the alloys that are standard on the Cooper & not on the ONE). I gather the new 1.4 ONE is superior to the original ONE and closer to the Cooper.

Popped into the dealer at the weekend for a test-drive, and the handling was good (some kickback through the steering on 16" run-flats). Huge contrast to the Panda's total involvement body roll, engine noise and generally being thrown around. The dash is as gimmicky as suspected, I never looked at the dinner plate speedo as the speed came up on the digital display in the rev counter. I also found the round gear knob uncomfortable (can that be swapped out?).

Took it down an unclassified road with lots of uneven surfaces and the body control was superb. It was a fun drive only marred by needing to keep the revs above 2,500 to maintain progress - below that it was very flat, and care was needed to select the correct gear at junctions. I gather from other threads that the Cooper is similar in needing to be kept on the boil. It was obvious the chassis could cope with (and begs for) more power, the handling is so good I innately expected instantaneous and bottomless sportscar power to match. That said, I'm pretty sure that more power would lead me way past the legal limits all too quickly. Maybe I'll spend the £1400 on the handling package so I don't have to slow down for any corner, ever.

[fergy]

With the old mini one you could chip it and get same bhp etc as a copper. So easy and cheap to make up the difference.

Get a new "one" and you will be limited to what you could do as more products will be aimed at Cooper and above...and engine is obvioulsy smaller than the Cooper.

At end of day you have to set a budget, and try to stick with it.