New (to me) car, f56

New (to me) car, f56

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Discussion

biggbn

Original Poster:

24,949 posts

227 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
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OK, so not the most exciting car on here but picking up our first mini today, a 14 plate mini one d with the BMW blown triple. Engine really impressed me on test drive, really quiet, and these cars seem a much higher quality, if less overall 'character' than older models. Am used to running old cars, last two being a 2.8 turbo Saab 9-3 convertible and a lovely e39 BMW 525i se, so am expecting to see big fuel savings, probably not enough to offset payments, but at almost 20k miles a year, it certainly helps!!

biggbn

Original Poster:

24,949 posts

227 months

Friday 25th January 2019
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First decent trip, computer showing 75mpg, now, even if that's optimistic I was only expecting 50mpg or so. Good wee car.

64Blue

15 posts

71 months

Friday 25th January 2019
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Picked up a 2015 Mini Cooper myself over Christmas. Lovely car and yes great engine and nice interior.

Wish my MPG was half yours, currently sitting at about 33 MPG though do spend a hell of a lot of time in traffic.
Tried Green Mode for a few days and it told me I would get an extra 4.5 miles out of the remaining three quarters of a tank of fuel, needless to say that won't be used again.


biggbn

Original Poster:

24,949 posts

227 months

Friday 1st February 2019
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Week in, wee car covered 400 miles on trip computer, average mpg down to 55mpg due to cold starts and many short journeys, still more than acceptable though. Filled up last Friday, still have two lights lit on fuel gauge. Really fallen for this wee car, feels old fashioned inside with its retro vents and upright windscreen, yet is as modern as can be. A car you can love. Do I get strange looks? Yup, 50year old bearded 22stone weightlifter with scars all over my head. Hell, I'd rather be an anomaly than a cliche!!

Rob_F

4,133 posts

271 months

Friday 1st February 2019
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biggbn said:
Week in, wee car covered 400 miles on trip computer, average mpg down to 55mpg due to cold starts and many short journeys, still more than acceptable though. Filled up last Friday, still have two lights lit on fuel gauge. Really fallen for this wee car, feels old fashioned inside with its retro vents and upright windscreen, yet is as modern as can be. A car you can love. Do I get strange looks? Yup, 50year old bearded 22stone weightlifter with scars all over my head. Hell, I'd rather be an anomaly than a cliche!!
Love it!

I swapped a Golf R for a 2011 Cooper D and really enjoy it, just such good basic driving controls and feel coupled with a chassis that makes you feel involved. Makes it fun regardless of speed. Be interested to know what you can get the MPG up to - my best efforts are about 65mpg at 70mph on a run. Drops to 55mpg if there's some mixed roads and 80mph+, and about 45-50MPG for town driving. All of which is totally acceptable to me!

biggbn

Original Poster:

24,949 posts

227 months

Saturday 2nd February 2019
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Similar experiences. Driving with care about 60/65mph seems to return over 70mpg no problem, a mix of above driving and cold start short trips has seen average fall to 55mpg, looking at around 500miles since last fill up with little effort. An efficient little engine for sure

biggbn

Original Poster:

24,949 posts

227 months

Sunday 10th February 2019
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Covered about 1000 miles in car now, love it. Characterful, comfy, very economical, surprisingly practical, can't see us being without a mini now!!

biggbn

Original Poster:

24,949 posts

227 months

Tuesday 19th February 2019
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Even got my mountain bike in with front wheel off and seats down the other day.

biggbn

Original Poster:

24,949 posts

227 months

Tuesday 12th March 2019
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Covered 3500 miles now, virtually saving enough money in fuel each month to pay monthly payments on car!! Really like the wee bus.

Skyedriver

18,893 posts

289 months

Tuesday 12th March 2019
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If this was closer I'd go and give it a look over but as a Cat S (Structural) I couldn't bid unseen. Also a worry that the Insurance might be difficult to arrange.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2017-mini-cooper-conver...

biggbn

Original Poster:

24,949 posts

227 months

Wednesday 13th March 2019
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Nice car!!

Here's mine

biggbn

Original Poster:

24,949 posts

227 months

Wednesday 27th March 2019
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OK so 5000 miles in and eml has lit up. Car runs perfectly, still getting great mpg, code reader showed a few faults, sensors and pressure in exhaust which may point to egr valve...is this a big job, expensive? Is there an egr delete option like with many other diesels. I had factored for this when I bought a modern Diesel, just didn't expect it so soon, only owned car a few months.


CarsOrBikes

1,142 posts

191 months

Saturday 30th March 2019
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I expect that might be due to such light use, things maybe not getting hot enough to keep clean, late diesels are designed to deliver performance as well as economy so maybe 30 miles of Italian decoke will help haha, low road speed, high load, higher engine speed, harder acceleration, and repeat. Shame but sounds a great car, Mrs had the R56 Cooper D which was 50+ mpg which was good. These cars are getting lighter which is helping some claim the higher numbers.

I'd have bought that blue cat S considering the price was for two cars, seemed like a nice car regardless, insurance won't be difficult and they like to write stuff off easily, so for a bolt on repair with damage pics it would be ok, especially with almost a 6 month assurance, you don't see that often. Cat N looks better on history but some can be as bad in terms of damage as it is only a matter of engineers opinion.

Skyedriver

18,893 posts

289 months

Saturday 30th March 2019
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CarsOrBikes said:
I'd have bought that blue cat S considering the price was for two cars, seemed like a nice car regardless, insurance won't be difficult and they like to write stuff off easily, so for a bolt on repair with damage pics it would be ok, especially with almost a 6 month assurance, you don't see that often. Cat N looks better on history but some can be as bad in terms of damage as it is only a matter of engineers opinion.
Two cars?

biggbn

Original Poster:

24,949 posts

227 months

Tuesday 2nd April 2019
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CarsOrBikes said:
I expect that might be due to such light use, things maybe not getting hot enough to keep clean, late diesels are designed to deliver performance as well as economy so maybe 30 miles of Italian decoke will help haha, low road speed, high load, higher engine speed, harder acceleration, and repeat. Shame but sounds a great car, Mrs had the R56 Cooper D which was 50+ mpg which was good. These cars are getting lighter which is helping some claim the higher numbers.

I'd have bought that blue cat S considering the price was for two cars, seemed like a nice car regardless, insurance won't be difficult and they like to write stuff off easily, so for a bolt on repair with damage pics it would be ok, especially with almost a 6 month assurance, you don't see that often. Cat N looks better on history but some can be as bad in terms of damage as it is only a matter of engineers opinion.
Car is in 47k miles and since I bought it is regularly subjected to 800-1000 miles weeks

Skyedriver

18,893 posts

289 months

Thursday 4th April 2019
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CarsOrBikes said:
I expect that might be due to such light use, things maybe not getting hot enough to keep clean, late diesels are designed to deliver performance as well as economy so maybe 30 miles of Italian decoke will help haha, low road speed, high load, higher engine speed, harder acceleration, and repeat. Shame but sounds a great car, Mrs had the R56 Cooper D which was 50+ mpg which was good. These cars are getting lighter which is helping some claim the higher numbers.

I'd have bought that blue cat S considering the price was for two cars, seemed like a nice car regardless, insurance won't be difficult and they like to write stuff off easily, so for a bolt on repair with damage pics it would be ok, especially with almost a 6 month assurance, you don't see that often. Cat N looks better on history but some can be as bad in terms of damage as it is only a matter of engineers opinion.
Still for sale, price dropping, considering it, any PH experts near to Peterborough able to offer a viewing service?



biggbn

Original Poster:

24,949 posts

227 months

Friday 7th June 2019
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My mini continues to impress, past 50k miles now, rarely returns less than 60mpg, fun, practical, problem outlined earlier was fixed gratis by dealer.

undred orse

1,005 posts

203 months

Friday 7th June 2019
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biggbn said:
My mini continues to impress, past 50k miles now, rarely returns less than 60mpg, fun, practical, problem outlined earlier was fixed gratis by dealer.
Glad the Mini is going well - it looks a good one and they do have a character that is lacking in a lot of other stuff. Like you I don't fit the accepted stereotype as I'm a big old git and I came from a BMW X6 to mine and love it still after 2 years.

I'd just like to say in this backwater of PH how much your contributions add to the NPE threads you post in. I don't agree with the majority of your views but appreciate how you approach the issues and the manner in which you add to the debate and sometimes open our eyes to an alternative line of thought. It is refreshing and much appreciated by me at least. Thanks.

biggbn

Original Poster:

24,949 posts

227 months

Friday 7th June 2019
quotequote all
undred orse said:
Glad the Mini is going well - it looks a good one and they do have a character that is lacking in a lot of other stuff. Like you I don't fit the accepted stereotype as I'm a big old git and I came from a BMW X6 to mine and love it still after 2 years.

I'd just like to say in this backwater of PH how much your contributions add to the NPE threads you post in. I don't agree with the majority of your views but appreciate how you approach the issues and the manner in which you add to the debate and sometimes open our eyes to an alternative line of thought. It is refreshing and much appreciated by me at least. Thanks.
Thank you very much brother man, it would be a boring world if we were all the same as the oft used cliche goes. Hope your mini works out for you.

Big x6 fan too..but i have made a deal with myself that the mini stays until by hook, crook of gainful reliable employment I can afford a decent mileage 8-10 year old Lexus ls600h. Think that would see me out!!

Edited by biggbn on Friday 7th June 21:53

biggbn

Original Poster:

24,949 posts

227 months

Saturday 17th August 2019
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Mini continues to rack up the miles, another big miles week, almost 700 miles on a tank so far @ 73mpg, best week yet on average!! Car needs service, pondering whether to use BMW/mini or my local guy, keeping car so dealer service not as important as if I was planning on selling it?