| Bit the bullet ....... and loving it!
Well after initially being a bit apprehensive about trading the X5 on a Countryman I finally did it last week. Since then I've put 500kms on the clock and loving every second of it.
The CM is a S All4 with Chilli pack and comes with H/K stereo (fantastic), 18" Turbo fan wheels (to be powder coated black this week), Bi Xenon headlights etc etc Interestingly, the Chilli pack in Australia is listed as having chrome line exterior, but mine doesn't. In addition, has chrome line interior, sports suspension, 4 seat option in black gravity leather and full centre rail. It's also got the visual boost, which is great, but for the life of me can't get album artwork to display using the Y cable. I can get video though. Maybe that's something that comes with MINI Connected which is not available in Australia, or later build MINIs? (If anyone can help it would be appreciated).
Driving it has been excellent. It's actually nice to go and change gears again, after driving autos for the last 6 years. I've seen and read a lot of complaints about the sports suspension and run flat tyres (especially the car reviews on youtube etc) but hasn't worried me at all. Maybe in Perth we are lucky in having relatively well sealed roads, or the fact that the X5 also had sports suspension, so was used to the ride, but certainly no complaints from me. I drove a normal suspended CM and thought that it felt "soft" and a bit "sloppy", so maybe it's just me?
This week, as well as the wheels being painted black, the windows will be tinted, so might post some photos. In the mean time, think that it's time to hit the road!  | 
