[KenL]

Just been to Tesco and had a quick look at June issue of What Car . It had a test of the Cooper S against a Renault & a Vauxhall.

The MINI won the test but it said the MINI has too many poor quaility plastics!

I have not seen these plastics myself, what are they on about. No mention of poor quality interiors in either the Renault or the Vauxhall!

Anyone like me and thing they are talking nonsense, either that or had to make up a negative about the MINI for the sake of it!

Their online review says this:

"The cabin has some rather plasticky switchgear, but the overall feel is solid and classy, there are some appealing design details and it shows every sign of having been built to usual high BMW standards."

So, I guess I should conclude they don't have a clue

[medilloni]

Quote: Originally Posted by KenL (original)

Just been to Tesco and had a quick look at June issue of What Car . It had a test of the Cooper S against a Renault & a Vauxhall.

The MINI won the test but it said the MINI has too many poor quaility plastics!

I have not seen these plastics myself, what are they on about. No mention of poor quality interiors in either the Renault or the Vauxhall!

Anyone like me and thing they are talking nonsense, either that or had to make up a negative about the MINI for the sake of it!

Their online review says this:

"The cabin has some rather plasticky switchgear, but the overall feel is solid and classy, there are some appealing design details and it shows every sign of having been built to usual high BMW standards."

So, I guess I should conclude they don't have a clue

I agree with your conclusion KenL , and being the owner of a MCS makes me completely unbiased!

Anyway, the MINI is a Heiniken. It has something the other cars can't reach.

I couldn't drive a Vauxhall for personal reasons (they made the Viva )

And the only good thing about the Renault are the rather attractive and endearing bottoms used in their adverts - that say the bum of the car is its best attribute

Plastics. Spec the leather then

[Paul]

I think they mean the centre console and speedo (non Nav), as everywhere else (even the sides of the centre console) have improved or seem just as good as the previous generation, and better than competitors. Trouble is, the centre console is in full view and you have to touch it a lot. Although now I think of it, the standard rough plastic trim you get on the One/Cooper door ellipses isn't nice either.

[jonnywhite]

Well in my Cooper there are poor quality plastics around the aircon controls....and I suppose some of the door plastics aren't the best. Not sure how different the R56 is...maybe that's what they mean?

[jez_MCSc]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

I think they mean the centre console and speedo (non Nav), as everywhere else (even the sides of the centre console) have improved or seem just as good as the previous generation, and better than competitors. Trouble is, the centre console is in full view and you have to touch it a lot. Although now I think of it, the standard rough plastic trim you get on the One/Cooper door ellipses isn't nice either.

I agree with Paul, I think they are talking about the centre console. I thought that the silver plastic here looked really cheap, in fact its one of the main reasons I don't like the R56 - stupid I know but I really hope they change it at some point.

[KenL]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

I think they mean the centre console and speedo (non Nav),

I just don't see this at all. I like the centre console and the speedo.

I would say the new speedo looks a lot better than in the R50, not just the speedo itself, but how it is integrated into the design.

[jonnywhite]

Quote: Originally Posted by KenL (original)

I just don't see this at all. I like the centre console and the speedo.

I would say the new speedo looks a lot better than in the R50, not just the speedo itself, but how it is integrated into the design.

no, no, no, no ,no each to their own opinions obviously but come on!! There's just no comparrison........

I'd better stop before it turns into another one of those 'mine better than yours' posts

[envy]

I bought this magazine yesterday to read the full review.

Seemed very biased toward the MINI Cooper S since the reviewer began typing! Yes poor quality plastics were their complaint, but nothing else was!

In fact they loved the engine and it beat off the Corsa VXR and of course the Clio. I think they liked the Corsa VXR with the Recaro seats, but it had poor visibility due to pillars by the windscreen.

Clio they moaned about the 5000RPM mark before you really get the kick, and interior was the same as the standard clio.

Anyway in R53 Advert Stylee:

Three Hot Hatches Reviewed, MINI Wins, Goes Home......

Its a MINI adventure

[svendekoster]

Quote: Originally Posted by medilloni (original)

Anyway, the MINI is a Heiniken. It has something the other cars can't reach.

Ok, as a belgian, I HAVE to react to this one!
Please, let's keep it real: Heineken (a dutch beer) has NOTHING to do with real beer, brewed in Belgium.
Everyone knows that Belgium (and even Germany) is the country of beer, and that Holland has nothing to do with brewing beer. Indeed, they make good cheese, but beer?

In Belgium, Heineken is called '****'...just because it tastes like '****'.

So please, you all, stop drinking that Heinekes and try, just once, a STELLA!

No worries of having all the Dutch-people against me on this one.

This is a 'war' that's been going on for years; we live with is.
They play better soccer, we brew better beer.

Just being belgian I guess

[3rdpillar]

Quote: Originally Posted by svendekoster (original)

In Belgium, Heineken is called '****'...just because it tastes like '****'.

So please, you all, stop drinking that Heinekes and try, just once, a STELLA!

Believe me, alot of so called Stella is brewed in England under licence. Its Horrid in comparison to Heineken.

Our local shop sells English Stella, Greek Stella and Belgian Stella. Completely different drinks...

English Stella 1:20 440ml
Greek Stella 1:00 500ml
Brlgian Stella 1:20 330ml

[svendekoster]

OK, you want to drink Stella, brewed by Stella Artois in Leuven!

[medilloni]

Quote: Originally Posted by svendekoster (original)

Ok, as a belgian, I HAVE to react to this one!
Please, let's keep it real: Heineken (a dutch beer) has NOTHING to do with real beer, brewed in Belgium.
Everyone knows that Belgium (and even Germany) is the country of beer, and that Holland has nothing to do with brewing beer. Indeed, they make good cheese, but beer?

In Belgium, Heineken is called '****'...just because it tastes like '****'.

So please, you all, stop drinking that Heinekes and try, just once, a STELLA!

No worries of having all the Dutch-people against me on this one.

This is a 'war' that's been going on for years; we live with is.
They play better soccer, we brew better beer.

Just being belgian I guess

Oops. Raw nerve hit, so I did.

Anyone for chocolates?

[svendekoster]

Quote: Originally Posted by medilloni (original)

Oops. Raw nerve hit, so I did.

Anyone for chocolates?

[*Vikki*]

thats a shame, but i am not surprised they seam to have cheaper carpet feel as well and headlining compared to the r50.

[pimbeche]

if this is for the new mcs interior, what would they have said about the old r53 then

[KenL]

Quote: Originally Posted by pimbeche (original)

if this is for the new mcs interior, what would they have said about the old r53 then

Yes, it is for the new R56 MINI.

[Mini Moo]

Sorry Ken me old chum but I do have to agree with them on this one too.

I really do feel that the plastics on the centre console (especially the auto aircon controls) feel like something from a Smart Car/Citroen C1. It's the one area that (IMHO) really lets the car down. . .

Just my 2p though. . .

MM

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

I've seen What Car make this comment before. That was when they were comparing the quality of the interior with a 207 soon after the R56 was launched.

Not overlooking the fact that it did win this test but, as far as the plastics go, I agree with Mini Moo. I'm very sorry to say that I think they may have a point The design of the interior is quite nice, but some of the plastics are flimsy and cheap looking and are able to move around too freely. That's without mentioning the quality of the roof lining

Maybe MINI will address this in time but, if a lot of customers accept and/or defend it, then there's no reason for BMW to improve on it.

Tigger.

[Avalon]

If all they found wrong was the quality of the plastic centre consol then most people would consider that minor, I myself see nothing wrong with it and like the interior expecially as we had the colour line, piano black and contrasting leather / cloth seats. With the mood lighting the interior is spot on.

[aubrey]

I would also agree with their conclusion, the new centre console looks more 'Fisher Price' than BMW to me..