Test drove another cooper on Saturday (Yellow/White combo) with Sports Suspension + and the 17" Alloy option in an attempt to descide on handling and ride quality on UK B roads.
Quite a hard ride compaired to my 306 GTI-6, but comparable with wifes 206 CC.
Obviously the 16" alloys will soften the ride a little, but anyone tried them back to back with 17". I love the look of the 17's but if they end up being to hard for the B road it will spoil the enjoyment.
What thoughts about 16" or 17" for the UK and mainly country / B roads which are main drive.
As for colour, I think I am there, BLACK!!!!, White roof, Wings and WHEELS!!!!!! No Sun roof.
and,
Wait for it,
Maybe even the Black and White Checkers on the roof
Ordered Sept 2001,
Sorry, Cancelled my order with 30 days to go. After multiple test drives and hammerings it is not the car I had hoped it would be or what I am looking for.
I might try to test them back to back next weekend.
I'll give my dealer a call and see if they have two coopers, one with 16's and one the 17's.
Ordered Sept 2001,
Sorry, Cancelled my order with 30 days to go. After multiple test drives and hammerings it is not the car I had hoped it would be or what I am looking for.
Now, although I can't comment specifically on the MINI, I do have experience of such comparisons on other cars...so here goes.
On balance I'll not be choosing the 17" wheels for my S. I hesitate only because they look so much better than the 16" ones. However, in all other respects I believe they'll be inferior to the smaller rims. IMHO they'll push the ride firmness into unacceptable bum-numbing territory. I test drove a Cooper with 16" and plain SS and that was comparable to my rock-hard Prelude - I don't think I could take anything harder
I'm not persuaded that the larger wheels will improve the drive either. One of the maxims of the great LJK Setright is that "what is good for the ride is good for the handling". I have never found this to be wrong. Lower profile tyres can compromise the handling too much. Sure, there's more grip in good, dry conditions but the reactions of the tyre at the limit will be snappier and less progressive than a higher profile tyre. Also don't forget that in the wet or on greasy tarmac the wider footprint means less less pressure and less overall grip. Fun perhaps - if you like that sort of thing, or if you think that a flashing ASC+T light makes for a club-like atmos in the car
All this for more initial cost and higher replacement prices too.
So, like I said, great to look at but...no thanks.
My first cooper (replaced due to opening windows problem) was a chilli spec with 16" alloys, when ordering my replacement i opted for 17". After expierience of both wheels i would say the 16" provide the best ride / roadholding combination, the 17" are also prone to chipping from potholes.Having said all that i will be ordering 17" for my cooper s purely for the looks!! at the end of the day would you put up with a firmer ride for those gorgeous wheels ??????
Testing back-to-back would be apples and oranges. The 16" wheel/tire package on the S has all-weather tires. I want an S with the Cooper's optional 16" wheel/tire package, with the performance rubber. Clearly, comparing the all-weather 16's with the hi-perf 17's isn't "fair".
Another point to consider is that the 17" wheels are 7lbs heavier the the x spoke standard wheel. This will probably stop me from getting the sports package. I am not that entralled by the 17" s-spoke wheels. Good thing there are aftermarket wheels.
DS\W 'S' cold weather pkg, Auto A\C, MFSW, 17" white wheels, fog lamps and DSC. Picked up 7/6/02. Added Works package 9/30/03
R U realy prepared to wait until the dealer has them on the road to confirm your order, and test drive them with every other tom, d*ck and harry?
In my experience, when a car is physically available at dealerships the waiting list goes out even longer on desirable cars. We ordered the 206CC and had it delivered within a week or so of it being available on the market. Within that week of its arrival delivery had gone out to 4 or 5 months. (BTW the roof works brilliantly and always has!)
Belive me, Lots and lots of people will be waiting to drive it before they order it and that first month or so is going to be mad at the dealers.
Ordered Sept 2001,
Sorry, Cancelled my order with 30 days to go. After multiple test drives and hammerings it is not the car I had hoped it would be or what I am looking for.
Does anyone know if this is true for ALL Cooper S's worldwide or is it going to be country specific?
Ordered Sept 2001,
Sorry, Cancelled my order with 30 days to go. After multiple test drives and hammerings it is not the car I had hoped it would be or what I am looking for.
Yes, I was worried about this, However, I am not as worried about the wheel choice, as the colour, I sent a letter to my dealer along the following lines,
"I received a letter from you today with the Cooper S brochure, which states that the test cars will be arriving late May, with the first cars being delivered early June, I dont want to order a car with a colour that I have never seen in the Flesh (Dark Silver) or indeed full leather seats that I have never bum tested"
My reply from the dealer was basically, that I would have time between seeing the test cars and changing the spec accordingly for colour and wheel options etc.
I assume that as I am third on the list, I will get a car on launch day, so I will be amongst the first invited to test drive the car.
Andy
DS Cooper S w/white bits, DSC, 1/2 Leather all black trim, CHILI Pack, TLC - ARRIVED 01/07/02
Sold 29th May 2004 to make way for house
Cool, because I am also third on the list for an S at my dealership. I am not sure to go with the colour of my Cooper which is BRG/White which I love and can't fault or the Dark Grey, just for the sake of going for a new colour. Would want to see it first.
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Ride, 17" vrs 16" Alloys 
to make way for house 
