[Leonora]

Hello Everyone

I do not own a Mini (yet!) but have test-driven and loved it. But - a problem. I have a very steep and strangely shaped drive which means that the front of the car is likely to hit the tarmac (ouch). So, before I go ahead and order could someone give me a measurement for the distance from the ground of the front of the car. Can't seem to find this measurement in the copious Mini literature the dealer gave me and would like an honest figure from owner.

Many thanks in anticipation.

[Root Ginger]

OK, can't help you with the measurement as my car is lowered but it will depend on what model and suspension you get to how high the car is.

You also want a measurement from a car that has done a fair few miles and not a brand new one as the suspension will settle.

The 3 supension options are standard suspension (MINI One), sports suspension (optional on One, standard on Cooper) and sports suspension plus (optional on Cooper, standard on Cooper S).

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Just one thing to add to Root Ginger's comments, as well as the clearance between the bottom of the bumpers and the ground, remember that the current new MINI has very short front and rear overhangs that make this sort of thing much less of a problem. It may be worth bearing in mind that the new new MINI, due later this year, has lost much of that advantage.

How far away from your dealer are you? Would you be able to arrange a test drive home to check it?

Like Root Ginger says, let us know which model you are intersted in and one of us can go out an take a measurement for you.

Tigger.

[Root Ginger]

Good point that T, E & R. Also worth noting is that the low point (the splitter) is actually quite far back under the front bumper.

[Leonora]

Hi - thank you for replying. It is a Mini One Seven I am looking at with the normal or standard suspension.

Fingers crossed ... as a guide to my driveway I had a two-day test drive of a Toyota Yaris (sorry if this offends anyone) and the front skirt of that managed to touch the ground rather horrendously. This was what alerted me to the problem.

Thanks again for responses.

[Root Ginger]

Chances are the MINI will then as my Dad used to have a Yaris and that appeared to have a fair bit of ground clearance. Mind you it was the D4D model so wouldn't of had any remotely sporty suspension on it.

I would suggest talking nicely to your dealer to let you take a car home to check the ground clearance, or even take a test drive to your home.

No offence taken talking about getting a Yaris. Everyone is entitled to buy an inferior car. Makes us MINI owners look even better

[sel]

Ive got a steep drive (my house is one storey at the front and two at the back!! its that steep) and i have no probs getting my mini down it-with care!! also i collect passengers at the top of the drive!!
problem solved!... laso cuz they are small... turning them around in minimal space is not a problem.

Enjoy x

[Leonora]

[font="Century Gothic"]Thanks for all this info. My house is a bit like yours Sel as it is split level but actually it is as much the shape as the actual steepness of the drive in that it suddenly flattens out in order for the car to go into the garage - one side of the drive is fine with a more gradual camber but the side consigned to me (drat) has this unfortunate quirk. Incidentally, we are going to have the drive resurfaced but it will be months before it is done I expect and will still be a ad problematic I imagine. Any actual measurements would be really welcome. Thanks./FONT]

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Sorry, can't help you, mine's a Cooper so it's lower than the One. I am sure someone can help you though....

Tigger.

[sel]

Give me til i can get home and get my ruler out!!!... may even be able to get some pics....

im pretty sure ul be fine as long as u dont add any skirts!! or lower it!

[JC Okie]

I discovered that my MINI would scrape when I turned as I was backing out of my driveway. But, if I back straight out, THEN turn, I don't have that problem. (Good thing the MINI is so short, I have plenty of room on my street to back all the way out first!)

[MINIAC]

Cooper with 175/65-15 tires = 113mm (4.5")

Cooper S with 195/55-16 tires = 120mm (4.8")

[Leonora]

Thanks Miniac. But is the Mini One higher off the ground? I think someone said it was - would be really grateful if anyone can let me have measurements for this - I have now had a man round to quote for a new drive but he can't do it until the end of October - oh woe!

[British SD]

Quote: Originally Posted by MINIAC (original)

Cooper with 175/65-15 tires = 113mm (4.5")

Cooper S with 195/55-16 tires = 120mm (4.8")

I know the cooper is exactly 4.5" as MINIAC says with the OEM tires he describes. Different tyre ranges will adjust that ever so slightly. As suggested here, I would take one home for a test drive but the frame/body overhangs from the wheelbase is usually what catches a incline driveway so the MINI is a big help there unless you take the incline at silly speeds.

[Zipperblues]

I thinks its really time for a new driveway, and a new MINI

[Leonora]

Thanks to you all. I don't think it is worth bringing a test drive car home at the moment as the drive should be comletely different (hope and pray) once it has been re-done - making any trial now irrelevant. So my quandary now is whether t order pepper white or astro black!

Any views on which is easier to keep clean/protect? I have heard that black is not a good colour for stone chips.

[Ferroequine]

Quote: Originally Posted by Leonora (original)

Any views on which is easier to keep clean/protect? I have heard that black is not a good colour for stone chips.

Astro Black will look stunning when clean, but you'll be cleaning it once a week, if not more often, to keep it looking that way. I would imagine Pepper White would be a lot more forgiving, especially with dust etc. Pepper White will also be easier to touch up, since it is not a metallic colour...