[MarkW19]

After a near 9 week wait, I finally picked up my Indi Blue Cooper on Monday. And I've had such a blast since

Done 500 miles, and it seems to be loosening up now and getting a bit faster. A couple of minor rattles (on the right-hand console down-tube [it stops rattling if you put pressure on it from the side] - anyone know how to tighten the screws up without taking it to the dealer?) and the harmon-kardon vibrates a bit on certain tracks at quite high levels [which is kind of to be expected in a confined space], but apart from that, I'm very happy :-)

Love the H/K - the bass is amazing! Really brings your music to life, and I like the other quirks as well - like the fading lights, fog-light toggle switches with the lights in them, auto-locking doors, etc. etc.

Also got to test out the rain-sensing wipers today as it's the first time it's rained since the <30 degree temperates when I got it on monday!

It feels so solid and sticks to the road like anything - I got SS, not SS+, and on the 17's it's superb on good to perfect roads, but on bumpy roads it does take a bit of getting used to. Glad I went for the SS and not the SS+, 'cos I had to have the 17's 'cos they look so cool But I'm certainly not complaining, I didn't want a sofa to drive around in after all...

Anyway, new pics if anyone's interested are in my gallery. Thanks for all the help over the past couple of months with questions/spec help etc - not that I'm going anywhere, this place is far too addictive

Mark

[nickworld]

Well done laddie! Cracking looking car (but then I would say that!).

Glad you're enjoying it. I have had the same issue with my HK (which I also love) took it to the dealer yesterday and they said two of the speakers were defective, so they've ordered two more to be fitted on Monday. Apparently its a while you wait job. Maybe go get it checked out...

You've gotta love those rain sensitive wipers eh? I was driving a One courtesy car without yesterday and its SUCH a chore keeping having to touch the switch all the time!

[nickworld]

PS - what interior did you go with in the end?

[HarryHBMCC]

Congrats on the car! Love the colour... The side skirts and white lenses look sharp too. Enjoy!

Mine was still opening up 3000-4000 miles in. Heck, I swear it is still opening up more now at over 17000 miles. Warning, though, it is a difficult car to drive slowly

Harry

[MarkW19]

Thanks for the comments!

Nick: I went for alloy patina, thought it was a bit more "interesting" and makes the car lighter inside with the exterior colours being dark. Also, it contrasts with the black upholstry and the H/K bits/tachometer etc are obviously in silver whichever you go for, so they tied in a bit more - in my opinion anyway! It was a tough one though, and I wasn't gonna go for AP until I drove an S with it in, but then I really liked it.

The pattern's a bit weird on the drivers door and on the passenger airbag bit, but obviously the pattern is different from car-to-car, so I guess it's another thing that personalises the car for you!

I added the wipers/alloy patina just before it went into build (3 weeks ago), and the side-skirts just 10 days ago 'cos I really like em!

Love the car to bits! I kerbed the back alloy you can see in the pic (back right) the evening I got it - but not major. You can't really see it unless you look VERY close, and it's made me more cautious since. So it's not a virgin anymore If I wanted to though, could I touch the s-spoke up with something? If so, what?

:-)

Nick - thanks for your pics btw. Since IB/B is quite rare, your pics kind of made me decide to go with the colours. And I'm so glad I did!

PS. I now know what people mean about the bugs splatting on the windscreen - they just fly straight at you and squish and die. Quite sad really... Also had a chance to test out my ABS yesterday when a cat ran out in the middle of the road. Good job it's got good brakes!

PPS. There seems to be a kind of low "knocking" coming from the back somewhere, not sure quite where, everytime I go over a bump. Anyone else noticed this?

[Speedd]

Congrats Mark

SS+ is nice, as we don’t have any problems with it but its personal preference I suppose.

So let the mods begin

[MarkW19]

Anand - only planned one at the minute is the magnex if I like the sound of it

Although, apparently the exhaust sound gets louder/more throatier after about 4k miles anyway so, I may just see how it goes . Would still like to hear it though! :-)

[nickworld]

Glad to have helped - I like to think IB/B is a bit more exclusive

I 'tried out' the EBD CBC combo yesterday - which is VERY cool. I flew round a blind bend and nearly hit an Audi Quattro (just reversing up to the apex - nobb head) so jumped on the anchors, heard and felt them do their stuff as the weight got shunted around the car and just sailed past steering all the way in what would have been a massive lurid oversteer skid in my Spitfire or the girlfriend's old Clio. Cracking stuff!

No ideas on the knocking I'm afraid though...

[HarryHBMCC]

Rear end knocks are usually the hatch tailgate not latching properly or the bumpers not set properly. You can try unscrewing the rubber bumpers slightly to see if it helps. If not, check the rear seatbelts next to make sure they aren't bumping into the sides of the interior. If all else fails you dealer may need to adjust or replace the rear latch. It's been a noise problem on Coopers since day 1 and it seems that they still don't have them fixed from the factory.

I put black electrical tape on my hatch's D ring and unscrewed the bumpers slightly and the noise is gone. At the time there were no latch replacement available but if it reoccurs I may bring it in for one.

Harry

[nickworld]

Oh yeah - good call. Definitely check the seatbelts! I was about to call the dealer until I had a moment of inspiration and found the rear right buckle was tapping the trim. Would have felt a proper turd!