[MartinL]

Picked up out March '03 Cooper (built Feb '03). Basic spec is Cooper + Pepper, half leather sports seats, visibility pack, boost CD, DSC, 7-hole wheels, Chilli Red + White Roof.

Initial impressions;

+ Car looks fabulous.
+ After 100 mile run, no rattles, squeeks, etc.. Overall a very refined drive.
+ Very happy with Anthracite interior.
+ Sports seat initially uncomfortable with lumbar etc... Takes a lot of adjustment but I think I found a setting that suits me.
+ Sports suspension + 15" wheels are fine for me. I'd test driven a Cooper with SS+, 17" and One with standad suspension. The One wallowed, Cooper SS+ seemed unnecessarily harsh. SS to me seems perfectly balanced, wonderfully taut but compliant, very capable on undulating B-roads. I didn't manage to test SS and agonised over whether to go SS+. No worries, SS is fine for me. Grip is also more than ample.
+ Pleasant enough purchase (William Jacks, Sunningdale).

- Brake pedal; my feet aren't that big, but on several occasions I managed to snag my foot in the upper pedal mechanism. Potentially dangerous - anyone else think the same? If so how do you live with it?
- Radio volume control ridiculously small.
- Heater fan noisy even on setting 1.

One minor question - should the doors have rubber bumps where the rear edge meets the main bodywork? There are features in the sheet metal pressings that might accomodate these but none are fitted. Just curious.

[AidenL]

Hi, welcome and congrats !

[dr remulac]

welcome martininly time i've had a lil trouble with the pedals was when I first got mine and was driving in some heavy work boots. Beendriving her with lighter shoes and everything ok. You'll get used to it in time...
At 1st, I thought the seat was a lil uncomfortable. But amazingly,after getting it adjusted properly, it seemed to mold to my frame after 3-4 hundred miles and now I love it.
Love everything about the car. I am rather tall and the 1st couple times I got out of car, I kicked the lower speaker in door. I have since learned to pivot a lil before exiting. I hope your wife lets you drive it!

[DeekosRSV]

Well i picked up my 03 BRG/W Cooper on Saturday also.

My impressions:

Makes me smile whenever i....
a) look at it
b) drive it

I bought it with the Chili pack, 17" rims (not ss+) anthracite interior (i like) and Harman Kardon with CD Boost (I REALLY like)
The car handles soooo well. I love going round roundabouts (almost as much fun as doing it on my bike with my knee down) she just grips. I like the little kick and slide you can get by lifting off mid (hard) corner.
So glad i didn't get TCS (even though there is a blank) as i like to feel EXACTLY what the front is doing.

What more can i say, the Mini is an awesome little? car.
Thankyou

Green roof checks, window tints and photo's to follow.

[Martin L]

Quote:

Originally posted by MartinL
- Brake pedal; my feet aren't that big, but on several occasions I managed to snag my foot in the upper pedal mechanism. Potentially dangerous - anyone else think the same? If so how do you live with it?
- Radio volume control ridiculously small.

Welcome to MINI2

You seem to have nicked my username though

I've had the same problem with the pedals and I only have size 8 feet. It's when I press the brake pedal down hard and don't depress the clutch my toes touch the top of the clutch lever. Sometimes my toes even touch the steering column
The solution - adjust the seat to drive with a more upright position so the angle of attack on the pedals is more ideal for the set-up

Volume control is way too small, why do you think I opted for MFSW when I upgraded from my Cooper

[MartinL]

Thanks for the welcome everyone..

Quote:

You seem to have nicked my username though

Oops Sorry.

I do intend to keep a very low profile - if not we may have to kill off MartinL - just like Corrie

Regarding the brake pedal, it's early days, I need to try other shoes / seating position. Mind you I won't get that opportunity for some time though as the lady of the house has commandeered the motor for the next week - MX5 not good enough for her now!

[AndySav]

Whats msfw????

[mike58]

I too picked up my new Cooper on Sat 01/03.
I had one of the first build Sept 01 models and this new one is way more refined.
I've gone fowr the full Monty spec of Chilli Red , Chili pack, Half Leather Sp seats,ASC+T ( easily sw. off) MFSW, Heated washers/mirrors, Visibility Pack,17.S Spokes, Elec Roof,Alloy Patina trim,Harman Kardon, Col Sideskirts and rear mudflaps.
The SS+ and the 17s is firm but I suspect the tyres as runflats are mainly to blame. it certainly understeers less than my prev SS and 15s, but then again the tyres were crap economy jobs from Michelin/Pirelli.
The H/K sound system is superb but the DSP options are a waste of time as the standard stereo image is good and realistic and the digital trickery sounds fairly tedious after a while, the system is a bit bass heavy but soon tamed with some subtle eq adjustments.
The steering is much lighter than my 01 Cooper , I'm not sure why and the gear change a tad notchy, but the overall feeling of solidity and junior BMWness is great and was missing in my old car.
The Col sideskirts look tremendous and give the visual of a lower car and the fake brake scoop looks v. sporty.
I can't wait to extend the revs a bit after 1000 miles or so, the only big downside is that I have the new car parking paranoia wondering when the first door ding will occur!!

Mike

[CurtP]

Multi-function steering wheel. The controls for the radio are on the backside of the steering wheel. Very handy.

[HarryHBMCC]

It took a bit of getting used to but now I can wear my size 12 winter hiking boots or my size 12 green tab construction boots no problem. The pedals are close but after at most a week or two I bet you'll wonder why you ever had trouble.

The volume knob is small but with practice it is turnable, even through gloves.

Harry

[sjbartnik]

I recall some trouble when I first picked up my S with hitting more than one pedal at once (a couple times I stabbed the brake at the same time as the clutch with my left foot when downshifting, that was interesting) and also with my feet hitting the steering column when using the brake or clutch pedals.

But after becoming accustomed to the car you stop doing this. Train yourself to use the balls of your feet to push the pedals and once you get a better feel for how wide the pedals are and how close together they are it will all come together and as HarryIndiBlue said, you'll wonder why you ever had a problem.

I use the radio volume controls on the back of the steering wheel so I can't share your complaint about the volume knob being too small

Haven't found the fan to be especially noisy, it seems in line with my last car, a late-model VW Passat.

[Dom]

Quote:

Originally posted by MartinL

I do intend to keep a very low profile - if not we may have to kill off MartinL - just like Corrie

Can we not kill off "Martin L" - do us all a favour