[MarkW19]

Has anyone else experienced this:-

The MINI kind of half makes you forget about speed limits? It's such a confident car, and very sure-footed, and it just makes me think "I can go quite a bit faster than these other cars because my car handles a lot better and is in fact safer at higher speeds". Because it so gracefully picks up speed, and is so solid at high speeds, after setting off the next time you look at the speedo it's at 70mph.....in a *cough* lower speed-limit zone. It just DOESN'T seem like 70! It holds itself so well.

Obviously, the power comes in quite high up the rev-range too, and of course the faster you go the faster it gets faster, the acceleration curve gets steeper as the revs build up - so it just beckons you to put your foot down, to hear that lovely engine/exhaust tone, and to marvel and grin at it's handling round sweeping corners. This car is MEANT to go fast! My foot is so at home pressing the big accelerator pedal down and feeling it spring back up swiftly and gently.

Is everyone else the same, or should I be a bit more conservative??

:-)

[Z1GZAG N]

With my Escort, I had to pedal as fast as I could just to keep up with traffic. Now with the MCS, it seems everyone else is out on the road to hold me up. Let's face it, we didn't buy our Minis to follow. Anything less than wide open is boring.

[Paul]

I've done it a few times, last night leaving London I got to 95 before I realised it down the M1. It was quiet and I was just 'driving', no cars in sight to measure my speed against! Whoops!

[Lorri]

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul Mullett
I've done it a few times, last night leaving London I got to 95 before I realised it down the M1. It was quiet and I was just 'driving', no cars in sight to measure my speed against! Whoops!

I agree it's very easily done, but why not when there's nothing else on the road.
I shot past Steve (in his Mondeo diesel lol) on the M1 the other evening, doing 90 - oops! - once I managed to get past the slow queue in the outside lane

[MarkW19]

I notice everyone who's replied drives a Cooper S though - I'm probably being stupid but I've driven 4 Coopers before, each with different suspension/wheel/tyres setups, and mine seems quite a bit faster than the rest! It doesn't seem underpowered IN THE SLIGHTEST, and low-down pull is also very good if you learn the revs etc.

I'm very happy with the performance indeed! :-)

And I know what you mean about people holding you up - because we get so much fun when there's a twisty open road ahead, I think it makes you more aggressive to get passed the person in front and have your fun!

[jnzmini]

Guess what? I sold my MCS just because of the problem of being unable to drive it slowly - I was driving everywhere like a lunatic, and I knew I'd either get nicked or end up having an accident (because of other people's inability to drive well enough, not mine!!!!) The car just wanted to go faster and I swear it took over and drove me, rather than the other way round! The thing I miss most is the wonderful feeling of whipping round roundabouts, having absolutely no body roll and feeling extremely smug as I left everyone else standing!! I do miss the car but knew that I was too susceptible to the thrill of fast driving - I now drive a Peugeot 206 coupe cabriolet which has definitely calmed me down!! Maybe it's the wind rushing through my hair slowing me down.........!

[GazzaK]

well I have a ONE which keeps me going a bit too quick, granted I do not have as much power as you Cooper and Cooper S boys, but it is still miles better than my old Escort...

[MarkW19]

Don't be fooled! On paper, and in the real world, the ONE is still a very capable car, especially when compared to "similar" Fiestas, Corsa, etc. etc.

Just got back from a 3-hour drive, part on motorway with cruise on (anyone noticed if you accelerate while it's on to overtake, then lift off to drift back to 70mph or whatever, the cruise control takes over again at the speed you left it?? That's if you don't press the brake or change gear though!), and part twisties - I love the feeling when you're on a bumpy road then get onto a really smooth fast one - I just get a big grin on my face as I look at the open road ahead (and overtake all the idiots in front that are stopping me having my fun of course . Although I haven't quite done the roundabout thing yet - maybe 'cos my old Fiesta used to roll like hell if I put my foot down - must try it in the Cooper before long!!

[kidcharlemagne59]

When I'm in my Mondeo (great car BTW Paul!), I'll find myself cruising around a corner in 3rd at 35, whilst in the Mini I find myself dropping down into 2nd & booting it for the sheer fun.

And then I question why I only get around 30 to the gallon!

STEVE

[misscbaby]

i have 33 yrs of driving an 80,000 lb tractor trailer rig (yes floks i am a woman truck driver lol) now i stay home and drive my mini-- as fast as i can get away with it! had it up to 110 on I-40 (spank my hand -- bad girl) loved it! i wonder if i could take it to bonneville???

[alfaman]

I know exactly what you mean Mark. My Cooper just wants to scoot around, plenty low down power from 2500rpm upwards. I'm still running my car in and already it seems quick. Nobody infront of me is travelling quick enough which becomes very frustrating!

[minimac]

I would say it depends on the situation.

I had such an experience last Saturday when my wife and I took a drive on one of the many, curvy, Colorado canyon roads. Taking 35mph curves at 50mph and was not pushing the limit of what the MC will do. However, the look on my wife's face was a bit queezy, and she remarked: "What's the point of taking a leisurly drive if you're going to take the corners so fast". Obviously she had forgotten that I just sold my BMW R100RS touring bike and purchased the MC so that we could both experience and share the thrill of taking the corners.

So my point is. It depends on your situation. Have major fun when you can and enjoy the rest. And be considerate of others. I've discoverd that my cruising in the canyons is so effortless in the MC that it makes a leisurely drive even more enjoyable, especially if you can share it with someone.

[MarkW19]

minimac: I agree. One problem I've found with the cruise control though:-

was doing 70 on a combination on motorways in the uk today, with the cruise on, and, imagine this:-

You're in the middle lane, and see the traffic is slowing down in front of you. But you can't quite overtake because there's a guy coming right up behind you in the right hand lane - in this situation, I've found myself keeping cruise on for too long, being lazy, and kind of panicking because it feels a bit out of control! When you touch the brake, it kind of jarrs the car as cruise is knocked off, which isn't nice, so I like to keep it on as long as poss - accelerating/slowing down using just one finger on the +/- buttons - quite dangerous really; I've found out though, after a close miss, that pressing the "on/off" button on the cruise control is good instead of breaking, as you start to break immediately - then press + to keep it at the speed it's dropped to that you want.

Anyone else found this???

[minimac]

Sorry MarkW19. I might have confussed the topic with my term "cruising in the canyons". Didn't mean using the cruise control. Although you've brought up a good point, but I haven't even turned mine on yet to see how it handles.

We Yanks use the term cruising for just a leisurely drive, sometimes with other cruisers. Ever seen the movie Grease, with John Travolta and Olivia Newton John? Now those were the days of real cruisin. Almost as much fun as cruisin in your MINI, except the lack of a bench seat makes it a little difficult to slide your girl over to your side. I quess I need to start using the term "motoring" from now on.

Cheers

[MarkW19]

I didn't confuse the terms, I know what you mean by cruising

I just started another completely unrelated point.

Hehe, sorry

[FREEZE BOX]

i like putting the old foot down, every now and then, i just get the urge... know mean .. I know u do

[jimskater]

Week by week, I find my "average" cruising speed inching up. By the end of the year, I'll either have to mount rocket assists, or upgrade to a JCW/MCS.

And whoever mentioned 35mph curves taken at 50... You're a man after my own heart! The MINI begs to be driven like that!

BTW, this should be my 100th post. Hooray.

[KlausR]

My situation is slightly different. I have always been driving quite fast, espcially on country roads. But in my BMW 316i I had to rely on occasions with less traffic to do so. Overtaking was possible, but you had to estimate the situation very well and wait for huge gaps to leave the slow fellows behind you safely. With the Cooper S I don´t drive any faster as that is what I can account for. But the car gains speed so much quicker has gear ranges that allow overtaking action without shifting (30-65 mph in 2nd). So I don´t drive faster, but I drive fast more often.

But I also don´t have problems cruising through residential
areas doing 20 mph in 3rd and watching out for children. Many wave back even at the sight of my car.

Klaus

[spanky]

The speed urge is here, too. I have two vehicles - the Cooper S and an old pickup truck. For some time, I couldn't understand why everyone else on the road had slowed down so much. What was wrong? Why were they always in my way?

Then I took the pickup out and found my pace to match traffic. I quickly realized that MINI just wants to go fast. It's very comfortable at speed.

[MarkW19]

Yep, it's incredibly comfortable/confident at speed. A Cooper, an S, whichever MINI you've got, they're very special cars indeed.

Not that anyone needed telling that of course