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Are New Minis Still Frowned Upon?


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#31 Dusky

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Posted 14 February 2018 - 03:34 PM

Im a member of a classic and new mini club, the amount of issues the members with new minis have is unreal, especially those requiring garage bills....

How many miles a year are the modern ones doing compared to the classics though? How many modern minis are in use across the globe compared to classic minis?

We had our Clubman for a few years as a daily driver, had nothing but regular servicing on it.
Yes the modern ones do more miles, however a clutch after 4k miles, gearbox at 30k miles then an engine at 95k.
better than my (ex) classic then 😂

#32 psmini

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Posted 14 February 2018 - 03:48 PM

I've got a 1293 Mayfair spi, an Audi S3 and a 2015 Cooper S which I absolutely love.  Drive it more than the S3.  No need to ask which car would stay if I had to sell 2 of them though!



#33 govig

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Posted 14 February 2018 - 06:44 PM

Firstly as Cooperman says, comparing a classic Mini which we all love (if not what are you doing here?) to a BMW MINI is comparing apples and oranges.

 

Mrs govig bought a 1.4 Mini One in 2010 and I wasn't the slightest bit interested having driven proper Minis for 40 years. However, once I had driven it, I had to agree it was as much fun as the classic only obviously very different. A few years later we now have one R58 each. She has a Cooper SD JCW Coupé and I have a non-S Cooper Coupé with more extras than the JCW. 

 

The diesel is by far the most fun to drive with its huge and flat torque 'curve' and 145 bhp on tap but it looks like the eco-warriors (not the first term to mind) will have it scrapped before long on very spurious science, yet it's only done 3,000 miles from new. 

 

If you want one, go for it. The unreliability issues are mostly down to BMW's idea to make out they don't need servicing that often. 18,000 for a first oil change is plain mad as is never having to change the gearbox oil etc etc. 

 

The old Mini will always be the one kept in the warm garage though.....

 

PS This old vs new pseudo-feud seems very childish and pointless. The IMM in Portugal this year features both old and new on their promotion video so I trust going in a new one is better than not going at all. If not, well, we are still going : )

I hope the Croker & Bridger dealer sticker in the back window indicates where the heart is.



#34 se7enmvu

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Posted 14 February 2018 - 07:03 PM

Im a member of a classic and new mini club, the amount of issues the members with new minis have is unreal, especially those requiring garage bills....


Since 2007 we've had 5 new MINI's and currently run two. Not one has given us a bill for anything but routine servicing.

They are fun, reliable, mostly British made and fairly practical. I really don't get the hate put on them by certain classic owners.

#35 the.stroker

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Posted 14 February 2018 - 07:09 PM

Im a member of a classic and new mini club, the amount of issues the members with new minis have is unreal, especially those requiring garage bills....


Since 2007 we've had 5 new MINI's and currently run two. Not one has given us a bill for anything but routine servicing.
They are fun, reliable, mostly British made and fairly practical. I really don't get the hate put on them by certain classic owners.

I have to disagree on the reliability, we have a 2012 R56 JCW, the N14 engine is an utter dog, just google timing chain death rattle, some cars after as little as 5K miles upwards. It has also chewed through 3 thermostat housings ( google again , is a well know fault )

On the other hand the wife has a 2013 JCW coupe with the N18 engine which has been fault free.....

#36 govig

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Posted 14 February 2018 - 07:29 PM

Largely agree about the N14 motor which I haven't had and of course accept your first hand experience unquestioned.  However the same google search will reveal there are owners that have eg changed the oil at 5,000 intervals from new that don't seem to have had as many problems with their N14 motors. That said, nobody should have had such issues with the manufacturers approved maintenance schedule.

 

I dropped the oil at 250 miles from new in our N16 motor and it came out like black ***s  .... Imagine that 17,750 miles later!

 

I'll leave it there, otherwise this will become a BINI forum which none of us want. :huh:



#37 se7enmvu

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Posted 14 February 2018 - 07:44 PM

We've had two with the Prince engine neither were any bother.

All cars have faults and flaws. We as classic owners should be aware of that more than most.

I love my classics and during the warmer months I drive them more than the new MINI.

But my new Clubman is effortless to own, is instantly recognisable as a MINI and shares some traits.

For that reason I have no problem taking it to a mini show. For me it's a successor to the Mini and so should be welcome.

#38 CityEPete

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Posted 14 February 2018 - 08:30 PM

I guess the answer to the original question "are new minis still frowned upon" has to be yes as clearly there are people frowning upon them within the classic mini scene, my question back to the OP is do you care what any of those people think, do, or say about anything? I don't.

#39 mab01uk

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Posted 14 February 2018 - 08:43 PM

The New Mini (R50)
Preparations to build it at Longbridge

Some interesting history and photos in link below on the Austin Memories website about the Rover development for production of the R50 MINI at Longbridge.......before the later move by BMW to the Cowley, Oxford factory:-

http://www.austinmem...d-30/index.html

 

dCD2WXM.jpg

 

2UhvOwg.jpg


Edited by mab01uk, 14 February 2018 - 08:49 PM.


#40 wile e coyote

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Posted 16 February 2018 - 06:34 PM

When are we going to stop calling them the "new mini" ? They've now been out there for 17 years at least and like the OP I'm starting to get slightly affectionate of the 1st gen, IMHO the latter abominations are bloated and increasingly horrendous but I guess I'm in the monority as they seem to sell like hot cakes - you have to hand it to BMW - the cow is continuously being milked and has yet to run dry - what next? Range Mini? ....

 

The MINI brand is firmly established worldwide in its own right  so there's a diminished need for citing heritage or adopting design cues from proper ones..

 

I'm glad this forum remains real mini devoted, not least that the issues of the two cars are so divergent...

 

i'd snap up an early up together and historied  MINI 'S if such a thing came my way.....



#41 Bungleaio

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Posted 16 February 2018 - 08:11 PM

I've owned several classics and a couple of the earlier supercharged MINI's (R52 & R53) I loved them all. 

 

The more recent MINI's leave me a bit cold, they are just too big and massively expensive, I'm still a bit fan of small cars so I'm now driving an Abarth 595 Turismo. It's great fun to drive, small and makes a fantastic noise.

 

To anyone thats considering a MINI I would highly recommend testing and Abarth.



#42 CityEPete

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Posted 16 February 2018 - 08:22 PM

When are we going to stop calling them the "new mini" ? They've now been out there for 17 years at least and like the OP I'm starting to get slightly affectionate of the 1st gen, IMHO the latter abominations are bloated and increasingly horrendous but I guess I'm in the monority as they seem to sell like hot cakes - you have to hand it to BMW - the cow is continuously being milked and has yet to run dry - what next? Range Mini? ....
 
The MINI brand is firmly established worldwide in its own right  so there's a diminished need for citing heritage or adopting design cues from proper ones..
 
I'm glad this forum remains real mini devoted, not least that the issues of the two cars are so divergent...
 
i'd snap up an early up together and historied  MINI 'S if such a thing came my way.....


Ronnie Wood has been in the Rolling Stones since around 1975, he's still the new guy :-D

#43 THE ANORAK

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Posted 17 February 2018 - 10:14 AM

new mini is just used to make it clear that people are talking about the "2nd generation" mini, i don't see any harm in it.

 

for a lot of people, me included, part of the attraction of the classic mini is the fact that it never really changed. unlike the ford escort or VW golf they really are pretty much the same car over the production run. that puts them in the same class as the VW beetle.

 

some people can't accept the clubman, how do you expect them to accept a completely new design.

 

and i still get people saying to me "ah, a proper mini !!!", so the whole thing really is engrained in the public perception.

 

However, having had a break from mini shows for around 8 years i was surprised at how many shows have shrunk. they are now having their numbers boosted by the metro and the "new mini" and to be honest, its no problem. if you want to look, look, if you don't, no one is forcing you.

 

i guess the big question is... would you flash your lights and wave at a new mini ??? (I wouldn't)


Edited by THE ANORAK, 17 February 2018 - 10:14 AM.


#44 Steve220

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Posted 17 February 2018 - 11:00 AM

I'm a fan of the BMW mini. My sister has just got herself a JCW R56 cabriolet, I really like it! Fun B road warrior but is comfy enough for the kids! Heavily supported modified scene and plenty of spares out there. They're slowly increasing presence in classic mini shows is beginning to bug me, but the owners are great people to talk to and share the enthusiasm.

#45 CityEPete

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Posted 17 February 2018 - 12:20 PM

new mini is just used to make it clear that people are talking about the "2nd generation" mini, i don't see any harm in it.
 
for a lot of people, me included, part of the attraction of the classic mini is the fact that it never really changed. unlike the ford escort or VW golf they really are pretty much the same car over the production run. that puts them in the same class as the VW beetle.
 
some people can't accept the clubman, how do you expect them to accept a completely new design.
 
and i still get people saying to me "ah, a proper mini !!!", so the whole thing really is engrained in the public perception.
 
However, having had a break from mini shows for around 8 years i was surprised at how many shows have shrunk. they are now having their numbers boosted by the metro and the "new mini" and to be honest, its no problem. if you want to look, look, if you don't, no one is forcing you.
 
i guess the big question is... would you flash your lights and wave at a new mini ??? (I wouldn't)


I've always said if they flash first then I'd flash back, chances are they are mini fans and might have a classic too. I wouldn't flash one first.




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