95 replies to this topic

[Magneto]

Have to agree.....but I'm not keen on the F series cars....I have an '09 Clubman S that has been dead reliable and problem free to go with my Mini and my old Jag.

[Chris M]

My Mrs bought a new mini one 5 door last year so had it nearly a year now & got say a cracking car.
I enjoy driving it. Compared to other cars ie. Renault Clio, Costa , fiesta I personally think the mini knocks spots off them all & also better value for money!

[THE ANORAK]

Costa ???

[mab01uk]

Couple of TV clips I recorded back in 1997 may be of interest.....

"Video interviews with Nick Stephenson (Rover Group Design Director) and John Cooper at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show Preview of the New MINI. With BMW investment the MINI (R50) project was being designed and developed by Rover Engineers at Gaydon with production planned for the Longbridge factory........."

"Media preview of the new MINI on the eve of the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1997. Almost a hoax as it was a "skin prototype" based on the modified platform, engine and running gear of a Fiat Punto! It successfully diverted publicity from the arrival of the new Mercedes A-Class and Smart cars.This news clip includes an interview with the late John Cooper."

John Cooper with an R50 MINI Prototype at Gaydon August 1998

[Chris M]

Costa ???

Flaming iPad! I meant Corsa

[THE ANORAK]

 

Costa ???

Flaming iPad! I meant Corsa

 

 

oh yes, i have one of those, well the older one, the chav one. actually a rather boring but very good and stable car however sadly let down by a common major water leak around the brake servo on the bulkhead. just like the early minis you really do need Wellington boots 

[CityEPete]

I had a 58 reg Cooper Clubman Chili pack, it was lovely.

[62S]

I had a couple of petrol engined Cooper Clubmans as company cars and they were great; a useable boot area, easy 50+ mpg if you didn't drive it like a complete tool and the dealers treated you really nicely when you took it in for a service. Mini dealers could certainly teach Ford dealers a thing about customer service.

[DomCr250]

I had an early Mini One when they 1st came out, it was a a great little car but at the time I had a load of flack from the classic mini club I had joined ... So I left the club.

Nowadays people seem to accept the new Mini for what it is, the whole BMW brand protection thing is in the dim and distant past, Mini Coventry even have a reshelled mk3 in pride of place in the showroom.

I see one major difference between them, our classics were built to last or at least built to be repaired to last .... The Mini's after the R53's have so many problems they are essentially junk after about 90k miles.

Still, we don't have that many UK designed and built new cars to choose from anymore.

[cal844]

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....

[CityEPete]

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.

[nicklouse]

to me it is a car, just like any other car out there.

 

has as much right to be in a Mini event as my Suzuki in fact I would say any Metro has a greater right to be in an Mini show n shine event or similar.

 

have Zero interest in them.

[cal844]

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.

[paulrockliffe]

to me it is a car, just like any other car out there.

 

has as much right to be in a Mini event as my Suzuki in fact I would say any Metro has a greater right to be in an Mini show n shine event or similar.

 

have Zero interest in them.

 

I don't mind them, but I find the whole going to a Mini club in a BMW thing weird.  

[CityEPete]

to me it is a car, just like any other car out there.
 
has as much right to be in a Mini event as my Suzuki in fact I would say any Metro has a greater right to be in an Mini show n shine event or similar.
 
have Zero interest in them.

Is there a continuous lineage between the classic mini and the current Suzuki models then? Every day is a school day. ☺