I love my R50/51/53
Discussion
Ohh hell I don't know what it was called it's a 2002 Cooper S but everywhere I look there's a different name for it.
Bought it, loved the supercharger whine but felt crashy, lights were crap and the clutch was heavy.
Fitted new front top mounts and suddenly the ride felt infinitely better,
Fitted spotlight, looks amazing and now has the best night time visibility of any car I can remember driving. (I now believe every car needs spotlights)
Replaced the clutch, did the lower bushes and fitted R56 front brakes with Mintex 1144 pads..
Now everyone I know is getting sick of me telling them how much I love this car, but I just find myself grinning the whole time I'm driving it. It's not very fast, but somehow it always feels like it's in it's element. It's got enough grunt for whatever road or situation you find yourself in and the responses for turning/stopping are so immediate and confidence inspiring that you feel encouraged to make the most of any bend or gap or roundabout. It handles like a FWD Lotus Elise. Even parking is fun. I haven't felt the desire or need to handbrake park a car for years.. but in the mini it almost feels inappropriate if you don't.
Great great car. Got to be up there as one of the best FWD experiences money can buy.
Bought it, loved the supercharger whine but felt crashy, lights were crap and the clutch was heavy.
Fitted new front top mounts and suddenly the ride felt infinitely better,
Fitted spotlight, looks amazing and now has the best night time visibility of any car I can remember driving. (I now believe every car needs spotlights)
Replaced the clutch, did the lower bushes and fitted R56 front brakes with Mintex 1144 pads..
Now everyone I know is getting sick of me telling them how much I love this car, but I just find myself grinning the whole time I'm driving it. It's not very fast, but somehow it always feels like it's in it's element. It's got enough grunt for whatever road or situation you find yourself in and the responses for turning/stopping are so immediate and confidence inspiring that you feel encouraged to make the most of any bend or gap or roundabout. It handles like a FWD Lotus Elise. Even parking is fun. I haven't felt the desire or need to handbrake park a car for years.. but in the mini it almost feels inappropriate if you don't.
Great great car. Got to be up there as one of the best FWD experiences money can buy.
Gandoolie said:
I thoroughly enjoy my R53, too mounts are on the list of things I need to fix as one has a split in it.
Great cars even with the brakes made of butter!
Yikes! A split top mount isn't one I have heard of much, I would be fixing that quickly.Great cars even with the brakes made of butter!
Brakes are quite a simple & well documented change, r56 fronts improve things massively, even on track they are good enough.
I adore my Mini and wish I had got into one many years earlier.
It came via buying an Alpina B5 and realising that it was too big for local duties. Also I wanted something which added an experience that I didn't get with the Alpina - ie that interaction with steering with feel and a manual gearbox. It's quick enough without being 'fast'.
Given we have snow here from about November until May the obvious choice seemed to be something AWD. My best mate has an A1 Quattro and I was mulling getting one of them or a GR Yaris, then he mentioned that his R53 (bought new, now with about 40,000km) was probably better in the snow than the AWD Audi. I found what looked like the best one available in Switzerland, test drove it with the Mrs and bought it immediately. Realistically the purchase price was probably what any new small car would have lost in the first 12 months (it was the same as 3 months lease cost on the Alpina)
The best complement that I can give it is that I will often take the Mini instead of the Alpina because in its own way it is as enjoyable to drive.
Since getting it I will admit to have spoilt it. Though the interior was in perfect condition (it's a Park Lane so has the nicer leather) the exterior had a few small stone chips and parking dents. It's been to the local paint shop who've brought the exterior back to 'as new'. It's going to get whatever it needs to keep it in immaculate condition, regardless of cost.
The boy learns to drive in it next year. I think it's a great car in which to set young expectations on what driving is all about.
Personally I find the R50/53 one of the best looking cars of the last 20 years. Mostly though, it just makes me smile.
It came via buying an Alpina B5 and realising that it was too big for local duties. Also I wanted something which added an experience that I didn't get with the Alpina - ie that interaction with steering with feel and a manual gearbox. It's quick enough without being 'fast'.
Given we have snow here from about November until May the obvious choice seemed to be something AWD. My best mate has an A1 Quattro and I was mulling getting one of them or a GR Yaris, then he mentioned that his R53 (bought new, now with about 40,000km) was probably better in the snow than the AWD Audi. I found what looked like the best one available in Switzerland, test drove it with the Mrs and bought it immediately. Realistically the purchase price was probably what any new small car would have lost in the first 12 months (it was the same as 3 months lease cost on the Alpina)
The best complement that I can give it is that I will often take the Mini instead of the Alpina because in its own way it is as enjoyable to drive.
Since getting it I will admit to have spoilt it. Though the interior was in perfect condition (it's a Park Lane so has the nicer leather) the exterior had a few small stone chips and parking dents. It's been to the local paint shop who've brought the exterior back to 'as new'. It's going to get whatever it needs to keep it in immaculate condition, regardless of cost.
The boy learns to drive in it next year. I think it's a great car in which to set young expectations on what driving is all about.
Personally I find the R50/53 one of the best looking cars of the last 20 years. Mostly though, it just makes me smile.
chandrew said:
He mentioned that his R53 (bought new, now with about 40,000km) was probably better in the snow than the AWD Audi. I found what looked like the best one available in Switzerland, test drove it with the Mrs and bought it immediately.
That's very interesting, makes sense, very little weight over the rear wheels, thin tyres and low overall weight. Mine came with snow tyres on so I'm dying to use them.You're living the dream, I'd love to contract from my laptop in the mountains. The driving, the walking, the stars, air and skiing in winter. Pretty perfect.
Very brave decision to lend him the mini, maybe you can get him a second in much worse condition? I rolled my classic rover mini 6 months into my driving career.. it's an explorative time of life. Pushing the boundaries, finding your own limitations. "Can you take this bend 5mph faster.. ohh no you can't"
Niffty951 said:
chandrew said:
He mentioned that his R53 (bought new, now with about 40,000km) was probably better in the snow than the AWD Audi. I found what looked like the best one available in Switzerland, test drove it with the Mrs and bought it immediately.
There was a particular year, I think around Christmas 2009, when we took our R53 on summer tyres from Essex to Cornwall and even the M25 was closed in places due to heavy snow, a full on white out. So was forced to peel off early and head down through Sussex and Hampshire on barely/ungritted B roads and the Mini coped incredibly well, apart from the front spoiler acting as a snow plough on the snow that had build up in the middle of the road between tyre tracks. Various Mercedes and BMWs were just left abandoned on the side of the road, and almost no cars other than 4x4s were actually driving anywhere in the worst hit areas.
It was pretty much like this
They are great cars but a little demanding on maintenance (well, ours is).
Interesting note on the top mounts. Ours need doing as well, you can see that the rubber has split when you look at them under the bonnet. Not badly but needs doing. Good to hear that it improved the ride. I had the clutch and flywheel done this year as well. Our clutch was so stiff it caused a split in the slave cylinder. New one is so light.
I did also take the opportunity to pop a reduced pulley on it. So much more go particularly at the top end. Totally recommended.
Next task......................sorting that (hopefully last) oil leak
Interesting note on the top mounts. Ours need doing as well, you can see that the rubber has split when you look at them under the bonnet. Not badly but needs doing. Good to hear that it improved the ride. I had the clutch and flywheel done this year as well. Our clutch was so stiff it caused a split in the slave cylinder. New one is so light.
I did also take the opportunity to pop a reduced pulley on it. So much more go particularly at the top end. Totally recommended.
Next task......................sorting that (hopefully last) oil leak
WayOutWest said:
In my mind that's exactly what I'm thinking when driving it in the snow. It's on winter tyres at the moment and the traction is good (the traction light flickers even up to 70 or 80 kmh but it stays straight). The only time I've been concerned when it was on too deep snow and it was raising the car off the tarmac. It does snowplough like you say.The Park Lane had traction and stability control as standard and unlike my last few BMWs it seems better to leave it on in the snow. I'm considering adding the LSD which I don't believe mine has when it next goes in for some TLC (it'll probably get a supercharger service next year as a precaution). At the moment though it does very well without one.
It suffers a lot less understeer on the snow than my old 340 xDrive did, and when it happens a bit of use of the handbrake (hallelujah, not an electronic one!) will straighten it up. When it does slide it's just so controllable. I do wish the handbrake was a bit stronger but I suspect I can get that adjusted.
My mate with the A1 Quattro & Mini (and many other things) does the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, but unfortunately in a Volvo.
Maxus said:
They are great cars but a little demanding on maintenance (well, ours is).
Interesting note on the top mounts. Ours need doing as well, you can see that the rubber has split when you look at them under the bonnet. Not badly but needs doing. Good to hear that it improved the ride. I had the clutch and flywheel done this year as well. Our clutch was so stiff it caused a split in the slave cylinder. New one is so light.
I did also take the opportunity to pop a reduced pulley on it. So much more go particularly at the top end. Totally recommended.
Next task......................sorting that (hopefully last) oil leak
I got mine 5 or 6 years ago, spent a fair chunk on it at the time getting everything sorted, (chain, tensioner, guides, sprockets, all the bushes and ball joints, coilovers, lighter wheels, r56 brakes, thicker rear anti roll bar, pulley, etc, oh and the oil leaks.... All of the oil leaks!) and I've hardly spent a penny on it since, other than oil changes and consumables.Interesting note on the top mounts. Ours need doing as well, you can see that the rubber has split when you look at them under the bonnet. Not badly but needs doing. Good to hear that it improved the ride. I had the clutch and flywheel done this year as well. Our clutch was so stiff it caused a split in the slave cylinder. New one is so light.
I did also take the opportunity to pop a reduced pulley on it. So much more go particularly at the top end. Totally recommended.
Next task......................sorting that (hopefully last) oil leak
I've done over 30k miles in it since, most of which were in the first 2 or 3 years, It's hardly moved in the past 2 years sadly.
Still puts a massive grin on my face when I do drive it though.
Niffty951 said:
Very brave decision to lend him the mini, maybe you can get him a second in much worse condition? I rolled my classic rover mini 6 months into my driving career.. it's an explorative time of life. Pushing the boundaries, finding your own limitations. "Can you take this bend 5mph faster.. ohh no you can't"
... A lot less brave than letting him learn in the Alpina!I got the purchase past the Mrs on the grounds he could learn to drive in it so I'm not sure getting another would fly. He's a good lad, much more responsible than I was. Anyway, he goes down the Cresta for the first time next week & hopefully he'll want to get his speed kicks there rather than on the road (driving feels rather tame after that).
Edited by chandrew on Friday 17th December 08:43
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