[retailandtrade]

Hi Guys

Another newbie wishing to discuss Cooper D!! Sorry!!

Read a lot of the topics on here and sound a great new motor, love the tax, love the power for a D, love the benefits for self employed and am really loving the MPG!! Lots of loving going on.

However, what i need to know is what am i going to feel like driving 150 miles every day to and from work, 3 hours in a car driving on coast roads. Whats the mini really like to drive on a distance, bearing in mind i have to drive this amount, 3/4 times a week.

I have to drive 150 miles every day to work, obviously costing me a fortune, we have 2 cars to share, Pug 20ccQuicksilver 1.6 petrol (very slow, 30mpg) costs a fortune to run, A3 1.9tdi got a little speed, 50MPG and love taking this motor but we have to share cars, so it means taking that nightmare pug!! and it is really starting to get to me!!

Love the sound of this new cooper D, just rad a few reviews, missus really loves this car, as all women do.

Rang our local dealer, asked them if i could have the Cooper D for a day, so i could do my usual run to see how comfortable/uncomfortable it would really be. Sales guy says couldn't possibly let you have it for a day, the demand to test drive this far outweighs giving it to a customer for a day' Thats me told!! thought, ok i will try 3/4 hours then, that will cover my usual daily run. Still no chance, Sales guy says 'You can have the normal test drive, 30-45 mins'

All my other test drives i have had for other cars have been longer than that. I thought this is handy, looking to spend 17-18k on a car and can only run around for half hour!! Nice bloke!!

So need to pick your Forum brains.

Whats it really going to be like driving this machine for 3 hours a day. Will it be uncomfortable?? Will i ache?? will i get bored easily??

I'm driving on Coast roads so this time of year lots of caravans, lots of villages and lots of speed cameras!! Why? heaven knows as they dont catch anyone cos of the caravans.

Some would say get another job, but its my business, so working for myself. Again, love the tax relief on this machine!! Bring it on, i think that on its own is a enough to buy one!!

Many thanks for your help, hope i havent sent you asleep with the long post.

[pantheon]

You could try test driving the other minis too so that total time in Minis would be 2 to 3 hours - ie One, Cooper, Cooper D and Cooper S 30 to 45 mins each !

[Vitesse]

I personally don't think the Mini is a good car to drive on a motorway. I drive an MCS Works and I hate driving it on a motorway, it's designed for B or twisty A roads. The sort of miles you are doing everyday I would stick to the sensible choice of an A3 diesel or Golf. Or if you were really sensible and forgot about snobbery a diesel Skoda!

[Vitesse]

Oh yeah plus the dealer is hardly bending over backwards to persuade you. Which would put me of straight away or even a Fiesta!!!!!

[retailandtrade]

See what your saying about the snobbery of cars. Doesnt really bother me, after all i have been using the Pug 206CC for a few months now, Since i have, i haven't another bloke drive one!!!

Missus really wants to replace the CC (Thank God, think she's fed up of me moaning everytime i have to drive it!!) with another fun motor. So prob be the same circumstances that we will share the motors, thats why we were thinking of a mini, then when we saw a review of the Cooper D, thought this was the answer to our prayers, she'd always wanted a mini.

Just worried on spending this sort of money and being no further forward.

Sounds like a good idea with test driving different models. Couldnt believe the attitude of the Sales guy, its like if you dont buy it, someone else will!!

[minisoopercooper]

try a different dealer - there have certainly been people on here who have had 24 hour or even weekend test drives.

[burns863]

Quote: Originally Posted by retailandtrade (original)

See what your saying about the snobbery of cars. Doesnt really bother me, after all i have been using the Pug 206CC for a few months now, Since i have, i haven't another bloke drive one!!!

Missus really wants to replace the CC (Thank God, think she's fed up of me moaning everytime i have to drive it!!) with another fun motor. So prob be the same circumstances that we will share the motors, thats why we were thinking of a mini, then when we saw a review of the Cooper D, thought this was the answer to our prayers, she'd always wanted a mini.

Just worried on spending this sort of money and being no further forward.

Sounds like a good idea with test driving different models. Couldnt believe the attitude of the Sales guy, its like if you dont buy it, someone else will!!

Retailandtrade,

I drive my 02 Cooper 100 miles per day 5 days a week, and then usually do another 100 or so at the weekend. 95% of these miles are motorway miles too! I have no problems with comfort and absolutely love driving my MINI I will also add that I have Sports Suspension Plus accompanied by my wheels rolling on Run Flats. You can feel every bump but it makes no difference, when im driving I tend to not notice the bumps at all!

Buy one, and you wont regret it

[twentysecondstogo]

I have a cooper D and drive from Carlisle to Knaresborough, 100 miles, every week. It has 17 inch wheels which at slow speed can be a firm ride but at motorway speed its great, i love it! I have had a Golf TDi 115 bhp, an Ibiza 130bhp which was horrendous and a Leon Cupra 150bhp, that was quick! But all in all i like the mini the best, much more fun! Residuals are better too and getting 54mpg even around town. Aparently its easier to attract the opposite sex in a mini too, which i totally agree with, the ladeees love minis! Get one!

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Not quite the same, I know, but I have an original Cooper S and a Volvo V70. I find the MINI every bit as comfortable on a long journey as the Volvo and I do about 25,000 miles a year in the Volvo and 14,000 miles a year in the MINI Although, when I tried the new model MINI, I did find the seats slightly less comfortable

When I recently bought my S I found just the same problem over test drives as you did. In the end I wound up having quite a few 30-45 minute test drives at different dealers until I could build up a proper picture of what the car was really like.

Tigger.

[retailandtrade]

Sounds quality, gonna pop along to the dealership today and have a word and take one out.

Funny really, one of the towns i drive through every day also has a mini dealership, so will pop in there monday on the way home and have a word with those as well.

What was the date for release on this Cooper D?

Anyone placed an oder recently for one and got an idea of build dates?

Many thanks for your help.

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

PS: Welcome to the site by the way

[minisoopercooper]

Quote: Originally Posted by retailandtrade (original)

What was the date for release on this Cooper D?

Anyone placed an oder recently for one and got an idea of build dates?

Many thanks for your help.

They only came out in mid April so very few around still. Demand is out stripping supply as MINI underestimated the popularity of this model - although I believe they are taking steps to redress this issue.

I would play both dealers off against each other for the earliest build slot

Paul

[Mini ClubMan]

I have had my Cooper D for 5 weeks now and done just over 3100 miles - I did put the Lounge leather upgrade on the seats and have to say its been very comfy. In terms of getting board... not a chance - the D is good fun to drive and is not shy of power for taking on those annoying slow caravans!

Having come from a Hyundai Santa FE with big pilot type seats i did wonder how comfy I would be - bt it really is a great car to drive and very comfy too.

[ben__allen]

The Cooper D has immense torque, which will be great for overtaking all those pesky caravans!! hehe

I have had mine a week now, and covered just over 500 miles - longest in one go was the first drive home: 110 miles, felt fine when I got out at the end! It is a really comfy car, and equally as well built as your Audi, but a lot more fun to drive, own and look at!!!

As for delivery - Startstone at Harrogate got me mine in just under 3 weeks from placing the order. Give them a ring and speak to Adam Pringle - top guy!

[Harpo]

I bought mine without even having clapped eyes on one (ordered pre-release).

Has my confidence been rewarded?

You bet!

[Triffid]

Also because the seat and steering are infinitely adjustable, you can/should try different combos for long trips to see how you feel at the end of it. I think the lumbar support is probably the most important thing for comfort/posture and also to make sure you feel the torque shove you in the back!

I got stuck on the M1 early Thursday morning after having travelled 3 and a half hours on a flight from Athens, so afterwards was in my car for over 2 hours after the flight and the only thing I think needed adjusting was the lumbar support....

The Dooper is more comfy than those orange and white cheap flight airliners.....

[pantheon]

You should try different dealers.

I had a good discussion over the phone yesterday and went in today and had a hour SOLO test drive and he is happy for me to repeat that with my wife next week!

Loved the test drive was able to drive on a good variety of roads including those very familiar to me, motorways and town traffic.

I really liked the car - think I will be ordering a Dooper this month in new spec for September delivery.

[mister.t]

We've only got the Cooper, but we have the 17'' wheels and sports seats, and comfort is top notch For one week, we had to do a 126 mile round trip every day, which I may well be doing after A level, and it did it with ease. No aches or pains at all. Highly recommended