Well, Friday night I parked the S for the last time in the buyer's garage, he'll be very happy - I'm glad it went to a person who seems to appreciate it for what it is.
I've had 5 weeks to get ready for this, and it wasn't so bad, I had the S for nearly 9 yrs and 68K, all w/o an accident, speeding tickets, or parking ticket (two photo reds however). It's hard not to make direct comparisons, even though the cars are not in the same category. W/ my new job requiring a practical 4 season high mileage commuter, my criteria for a small displacement fun well made car that wasn't too mainstream left me w/ few choices. I'm praying that reliability will not be an issue, having been spoiled by the S2k (other than fluids, filters, and serpentine belt, only replaced the gas cap).
My new Mini S HT came off the boat from Oxford, England a week ago and I picked it up sat am, just as a deluge came. Well, the wipers weren't intuitive, but I managed to figure it out.
Some initial observations after 180 miles, no particular order:
- Solid, well made, probably 'over' engineered
- Not ergo/ intuitive, need to learn everything, like new software...familiar but different, some things you'd never figure out.
- Nervous about all the computers that are doing way more than I could imagine
- Dead pedal set on a wide block, the edge of my shoe hits it depressing clutch if I don't turn my toes slightly inward. Annoying.
- The chrome bezel (chrome line option) reflects off the driver's side glass and is a visual distraction
- Little turbo pretty quick. Responsive, hint of lag in first coming off line.
- Even w/ base 16" wheels and tires, corner and handles well. Steering 'feel' right
- Long throw shifter at limit of my reach in 5th, I'm only 5'-7 so if you have shorter arms and long legs this could be an issue. Spoiled from the S2K's near perfect tranny.
- Shift knob tactile and comfortable
- Reverse is way too easy to get into, no downward or enough detent to distinguish it from first...makes me very nervous, especially when I need to accelerate into traffic from stop...I need to learn this intuitively.
- Teutonic ride, firm/ solid but not jarring.
- Fairly quiet, but good audible exhaust note. In the S2k awareness of speed was constant w/ wind, engine, and exhaust. Nearly any mph felt 'fast'. Was doing 80 in the MCS before I realized it. Ticket streak is in serious jeopardy
- Redline 6,500, sport boost mode adds another 1K briefly. Haven't gone over 5k yet, but pulls well. Turbo is tourqy enough, makes up for the small displacement
- Got my first 'only a Mini could park here' spot in the City. Still nervous that a big SUV would back into the front, though not as bad as the S2K's sloping low hood.
- Tall 6th gear, @ 3K 78mph secret to great gas mileage.
- Big as it is, center speedo is still hard to read exact speed since the needle is raised slightly above the face of the dial. Like being late to the movies and having to sit off to the side. Never thought I'd miss the big digital display in the AP1
- Good seating position, lots of glass makes for great visiblity
- Radio is a pain to use
- Interior is a design statement, you love it or hate it. I like it, it'll probably grow on me.
- Harmon Kardon stereo upgrade is well worth it. W/o sun and wind, might as well have great audio. Tilt/ slide sunroof is fine conceptually, but I need to get over the drop top. Air flow/ turbulence seems harder to control than w/ a convert?
Anyway, more observations to follow.

 

I presume you are talking about a Mini Cooper S. HT = Hard Top? A picture would be nice.

Totally different car from the S2000, that's for sure. I would have if the roads in MI didn't suck. I enjoyed test driving one in FL but I had the opposite reaction when I returned to MI to test one.

Thanks for the lengthy report; interesting.

 

Hope you enjoy your Mini!!

 

Wow, sorry to hear about the S! I am often tempted by the Mini - especially after I saw the video with the Camden package "mission control"

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmX6Ns-we3M [/media]

I am in with "Engine"

 

[QUOTE=dlq04,May 10 2010, 11:19 PM]I presume you are talking about a Mini Cooper S.

 

Nice.

I hope it doesn't have 'mission control', I'd blow it up if it did!

 

Me too...Mission Control waaaay over the top - the car does have a techy-nerd side that I don't prefer.
One of many things I miss w/ the AP1 is the lack of gadgets and stuff...just a radio.

 

O, yes, maybe it's the short wheelbase or tight suspension - whatever - the car will hop/ skip ever so slightly on curves when hitting bumps. So far, no sense of out of control but I'll find a large empty lot to get to know the limits of the car better.

 

Dex, I see you went with "Silverstone" with the preferred red/black interior.

Congrats on the new ride. Say hi to the on-line mini community for us. We owe them a debt for mapping out a fantastic group-drive route we followed at Dragon Ball Run 2009...One of the best group drives I've ever participated in. I can picture a swarm of minis whipping around the curves along the creeks near the foothills parkway.

 

I still haven't crossed over obviously as I'm still posting here....I suppose at some point I'll join up, but it's a whole other demographic.
Yes, silverstone it is.