Discussion
Well not brand new, but 2014ish. What do I need to know? Petrol as Mrs FB only does about 10 miles a day, and manual.
One seems to be a 1.2, is this a 3 cylinder? Cooper is a 1.5 so 4 cylinder? What's the score with the packs? Any issues to watch out for? Is a Cooper worth the extra over a One?
One seems to be a 1.2, is this a 3 cylinder? Cooper is a 1.5 so 4 cylinder? What's the score with the packs? Any issues to watch out for? Is a Cooper worth the extra over a One?
Every Mini is different. I bet there is hardly two around with same spec. I have a Mini 1 baker street it looks like a "cooper"......only it does not have a cooper badge....
Service history of course, it may even have some of a "TLC" service pack left with the car which is worth using if all the services/brake fluid changes have not been used....but owing to it's age check out with Mini if there is some left before the "5" years of the plan are used up seeing that we are into 2019 now
The front end is low, so might be worth checking that front end has not been roughed up by going a little fast over speed humps/front into high kerbs
I myself wouldn't worry about how many miles it's done as long as it's been serviced when it should have. Mine has done a 141k still on it's first clutch as a learner car so they are robust
Can't confirm engine sizes, I thought they were all 1.6cc petrol or diesel until the new shape came in. If she is doing 5 miles each way to work I will imagine fuel consumption will be high as it is almost a full journey on a cold engine, and the start/stop may not kick in owing to the load on the battery being high with it not charging up fully (if it has start stop)
good luck
Service history of course, it may even have some of a "TLC" service pack left with the car which is worth using if all the services/brake fluid changes have not been used....but owing to it's age check out with Mini if there is some left before the "5" years of the plan are used up seeing that we are into 2019 now
The front end is low, so might be worth checking that front end has not been roughed up by going a little fast over speed humps/front into high kerbs
I myself wouldn't worry about how many miles it's done as long as it's been serviced when it should have. Mine has done a 141k still on it's first clutch as a learner car so they are robust
Can't confirm engine sizes, I thought they were all 1.6cc petrol or diesel until the new shape came in. If she is doing 5 miles each way to work I will imagine fuel consumption will be high as it is almost a full journey on a cold engine, and the start/stop may not kick in owing to the load on the battery being high with it not charging up fully (if it has start stop)
good luck
New shape arrived in 2014 - the F56, so depending on budget and personal preference that might or might not be your go to variant.
The Cooper in the F56 is a 1.5 litre 3 cylinder. Great little engine that suits the Cooper well.
I'd personally go for that as its a good balance of power versus price.
Whats your budget?
The Cooper in the F56 is a 1.5 litre 3 cylinder. Great little engine that suits the Cooper well.
I'd personally go for that as its a good balance of power versus price.
Whats your budget?
Fast Bug said:
Looking at spending around £10k or so which looks to be a 2015ish car. We need the slightly gawky looking 5 door as there doesn't seem to be any room in the 3 door for the kids unless we remove their legs.
Funnily we might need a 5 door smallish car soon and a 5 door MINI is on the radar. Again, i think its a bit gawky looking but theres little to surpass them in terms of fun factor at that size. I'd be looking at something like this car - has LEDs, Media XL, leather, one owner, full MINI history....
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Fast Bug said:
Looking at spending around £10k or so which looks to be a 2015ish car. We need the slightly gawky looking 5 door as there doesn't seem to be any room in the 3 door for the kids unless we remove their legs.
I will admit that I have fun getting my 2 year old into my 3dr Mini, the seat doesn't move forward much and it always rolls back when its tilted. The 4dr would make things far easier for sure. Fast Bug said:
Looking at spending around £10k or so which looks to be a 2015ish car. We need the slightly gawky looking 5 door as there doesn't seem to be any room in the 3 door for the kids unless we remove their legs.
My wife’s 3 door F56 JCW has been our “sensible family” car for the last 3 years. Even been on UK holiday a few times 4 up with our 13 and 18 year old, the latter being 6 foot. I wouldn’t want baby seats in a 3 door generally, but if the kids are out of seats you’d be surprised how much room there is in the back, I’ve even spent some time back there myself. Really think carefully before buying a Mini if you are a tall driver, I am only a short arsed 5 foot 8". If I have the seat back to drive correctly, the rear seat leg room is dreadful. It is not comfortable for anyone sat behind you for any length of time
I use my Mini for teaching, If I have one of my 6 foot pupils in the car driving , you can NOT sit behind them unless you have your legs amputated.
Even the newer shaped Mini does not offer much more space, even with the ease of being a 4 door car.
I really like my Mini, but it is only realistically a 2 person car.
I am looking to buy a BMW 1 series as my next learner car as the seating design is so much better for rear seat passengers ( ibelieve but would be willing to stand corrected that the 1 series and Mini share the same chassis, but the bmw offers more space in the back and a better designed boot
Get the family to try the car with all 4 of you in it, then stress to the kids that if you buy it don't complain how little leg room they will have. that worked for me when they were 14 and 12, but now they are 19 and 17 they are not so keen
I use my Mini for teaching, If I have one of my 6 foot pupils in the car driving , you can NOT sit behind them unless you have your legs amputated.
Even the newer shaped Mini does not offer much more space, even with the ease of being a 4 door car.
I really like my Mini, but it is only realistically a 2 person car.
I am looking to buy a BMW 1 series as my next learner car as the seating design is so much better for rear seat passengers ( ibelieve but would be willing to stand corrected that the 1 series and Mini share the same chassis, but the bmw offers more space in the back and a better designed boot
Get the family to try the car with all 4 of you in it, then stress to the kids that if you buy it don't complain how little leg room they will have. that worked for me when they were 14 and 12, but now they are 19 and 17 they are not so keen
Fast Bug said:
Looking at spending around £10k or so which looks to be a 2015ish car. We need the slightly gawky looking 5 door as there doesn't seem to be any room in the 3 door for the kids unless we remove their legs.
The gawky looks of the 5 door are one of the reasons we’ve got a Clubman; it’s also got a longer wheelbase so more interior room as well. But it looks like the current shape ones start at £12k not £10k, and the previous shape had a ‘suicide’ rear door on the wrong side for the UK!https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901023588885
watchnut said:
Really think carefully before buying a Mini if you are a tall driver, I am only a short arsed 5 foot 8". If I have the seat back to drive correctly, the rear seat leg room is dreadful. It is not comfortable for anyone sat behind you for any length of time
I use my Mini for teaching, If I have one of my 6 foot pupils in the car driving , you can NOT sit behind them unless you have your legs amputated.
Even the newer shaped Mini does not offer much more space, even with the ease of being a 4 door car.
I really like my Mini, but it is only realistically a 2 person car.
I am looking to buy a BMW 1 series as my next learner car as the seating design is so much better for rear seat passengers ( ibelieve but would be willing to stand corrected that the 1 series and Mini share the same chassis, but the bmw offers more space in the back and a better designed boot
Get the family to try the car with all 4 of you in it, then stress to the kids that if you buy it don't complain how little leg room they will have. that worked for me when they were 14 and 12, but now they are 19 and 17 they are not so keen
5 door MINI is a bigger car than the three door.I use my Mini for teaching, If I have one of my 6 foot pupils in the car driving , you can NOT sit behind them unless you have your legs amputated.
Even the newer shaped Mini does not offer much more space, even with the ease of being a 4 door car.
I really like my Mini, but it is only realistically a 2 person car.
I am looking to buy a BMW 1 series as my next learner car as the seating design is so much better for rear seat passengers ( ibelieve but would be willing to stand corrected that the 1 series and Mini share the same chassis, but the bmw offers more space in the back and a better designed boot
Get the family to try the car with all 4 of you in it, then stress to the kids that if you buy it don't complain how little leg room they will have. that worked for me when they were 14 and 12, but now they are 19 and 17 they are not so keen
PSRG said:
Fast Bug said:
Looking at spending around £10k or so which looks to be a 2015ish car. We need the slightly gawky looking 5 door as there doesn't seem to be any room in the 3 door for the kids unless we remove their legs.
The gawky looks of the 5 door are one of the reasons we’ve got a Clubman; it’s also got a longer wheelbase so more interior room as well. But it looks like the current shape ones start at £12k not £10k, and the previous shape had a ‘suicide’ rear door on the wrong side for the UK!https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901023588885
Deep Thought said:
You thought the 5 door MINI looked gawky so you bought a Clubman? OK.....
Yup, Funnily enough I did think that this...
Looked a lot better than this...
Though I’m not convinced our Clubman really needed the 19” wheels, and having got them it almost certainly needs lowering slightly!!
PSRG said:
Deep Thought said:
You thought the 5 door MINI looked gawky so you bought a Clubman? OK.....
Yup, Funnily enough I did think that this...
Looked a lot better than this...
Though I’m not convinced our Clubman really needed the 19” wheels, and having got them it almost certainly needs lowering slightly!!
A more comparable example perhaps?
In fairness your car does look well though.
I had a Clubby for a weekend and it looked like this...
... which did it no favours.
Cant get my head around the back end of it which just looks odd frankly
And the front end is strange...
BUT at the end of the day you do get more practicality with it, and you still get to drive a MINI rather than some bland eurobox.
Edited by Deep Thought on Thursday 3rd January 21:04
Edited by Deep Thought on Thursday 3rd January 21:06
cerb4.5lee said:
The bottom line is that the Mini is one hell of a dog rough car to look at...whichever variant you go for. If it was a Girl it would be a ten pinter for sure! 
They do drive pretty well thankfully though. 
I dont mind the F56, though its not as "pretty" as the earlier variants, but then i come from a BMW background, most of which are / werent terribly pretty cars (e60 - i'm looking at you!) They do drive pretty well thankfully though. I think they are very spec / colour dependent though. Some look less hideous than others.
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