before and after the break in period

[Sausagefingers]

I think the only dissapointment I had test driving the Cooper S was the lack of acceleration that seemed so much more noticable in the GTi 1.8 Turbo. I was wondering if that was just because the demo S I was driving had only a couple a hundred miles. I have heard many of you comment on the engine loosening up after the break in period and also the amazing performance of the car after the break in. Was the car simply sluggish because it was a demo car that was not being properly broken in. I also have read rumors that the car calibrates itself after 1200 miles and its full potential comes alive. Any thoughts?? Do any of you agree that the GTi seems faster??? The stats claim the S is faster but I am not sure.

[chiph]

There was a thread on this subject this past spring, but I can't find it now.

But basically, your "butt-o-meter" is lying to you. Because the torque curve on the MCS is so flat compared to a turbo motor's (they have a huge spike when the turbo comes on-boost), you don't feel like you're accelerating as fast as you are. Get a friend to drive your MCS, and pay attention to the speedometer over a known-distance course (try and ignore what your inner-ear is telling you) along with a stopwatch. Drive the same course again in the car with the turbo. The numbers won't lie.

Chip H.

[mini-is-4-me]

As I remember, all of the reviews I've read has that car (stock) about a half a second slower on 0-60. It could also be your "regular ears" messing with your mind. A lot of the VW's I've driven seem to have a lot more cabin noise on acceleration making you feel like you are going faster than you are compared to the relative insignificant noise you hear when in a VW on the highway. The MCS is not the quitest car in the cabin but the noise differential on acceleration seems to be a lot less....even from the outside.

[James Haigh]

With 800 miles on the clock I took my S out for it's first real blast ignoring the 1200 mile run in. (i was careful up to this point but gave the revs a quick blast on the odd occasion to around the 6K mark)
I went out with a few guys I met on the Clio Sport forum who own fully run in Clio 172's.
We went out and they were pretty confident that they would have the legs on me but they were proven wrong. Over the bends like I thought the Cooper S had the edge and out of bends onto straights the 172's extra few horses did not pull away at all. It was good fun and we covered about 10 miles really driving hard over some country roads and I think if I would have been the lead car then I could have made a gap between us. Instead I was following and stayed with him all the way without giving him an inch.
Then we had them on a long straight from a standing start side by side and it was quite funny as there was nothing in it untill we bottled it at around 115 mph.
The guy with the 172 was very impressed with the Cooper S. I have never had mine timed to 1/4 mile or 0-60 but this guy with the 172 has taken his to santa pod a few timed and was running 0-60's in the high 6's and 1/4 miles of 14.95-15.2
My S now has 1150 miles on it and is loosening up all the time as is the gear box. This weekend I am driving down to Portsmouth so there and back will put me another 450-500 miles on the clock.
One thing where I think the long gearing of the S can come in handy is being able to drop her into 1st out of some tight hairpins which definatley was advantageous over the cliosport.

[Cooperesque]

I'm finding the running in process a slow process. And frustrating keeping it below 4500 revs. It's difficult to run up any decent mileage in the centre of London, so I've had the Cooper a week and done 250 miles (most of that done at the weekend), but we're off to Wales this weekend so I hope to clock up some miles and drive on Britain's flatest beach, Pendine Sands.

I seem to be in a minority of opting for Electric Blue/Black roof. But thought you might want to see it as it looks really quite cool.

[Sausagefingers]

Regarding your color choice I think its beautiful. In fact its the color I really liked the best. However I was bothered with people constantly refering to it as hairdresser blue. That and sometimes it looks more baby blue than electric. I don't know really, I think I regret not going with it. We will have to see though, I still have not taken delivery on my car. I also liked the idea of the lapis interior with the indi exterior. I dont think that interior would go as well with the electric. Regardless your car looks fantastic

[Cooperesque]

Thanks for the compliment Sfingers. I nearly went for Lapis Blue (smooth talking salesman) after seeing it on a showroom car, but after owning a Mercedes with a light leather interior I decided that a dark interior was the best option for me (especially with two children) and went for half leather/panther cloth instead.

[RickB]

Sports Car International clocked the GTI 1.8T .1 sec quicker to 60, and dead even through the quarter mile. I have to admit, the S doesn't feel very quick to me, either. My last "fun" car was a Sentra SE-R (2400#, 140hp), and that car seemed very quick; I think the flat power delivery of the S, versus the peaky, on-cam effect of most high-performance four cylinder cars, makes the S seem less quick. Of course, with only 2200 miles on the clock, and my current, self-imposed 5500rpm redline, I'm missing some of the available power.

[Mugami]

Few thing on the acceleration of the MCS vs the other cars. To many first gear seems a bit tall. In fact it is compared to many of the other cars. example MCS first gear can take you to 40-45 mph while the Hondas and many others take you to only 20-23 mph. Thats a big difference when your taking off from a standing start. I own a 98 civic that can do 13.5 in the quarter and 14.2 if you dont use the NOS. I've gotten the MCS to do 14.9-15.2 in stock trim Off the drag strip and 15.2-15.6 on the strip. Difference being off the track I could get the tire spinning easy and keep the car in the power range with out feathering the clutch. At the track I could hardly get it to scratch the tires before they catch and slam the revs back down to almost 1G. Me and my brother took both cars out on the road and at a 20 mile roll me in first him in second, after several runs best he or I could do is have the civic beat the MCS by just under a wheel length after hitting 110. Since then ive put some lighter wheels and smaller diameter tires on the MCS. Havent taken it out to the strip yet but off track im down in the 14.7 range or better. Did another Side by Side with the honda. And now it depends on the shifting whether or not the MCS wins.