[Sunster]

So, I had to wait just two more extra days, but my 'temporary' dark blue mini has arrived. Dark blue's not really my colour - I'm ordering up a Team VO next year, but I get to drive him for at least four months, and I absolutely love it!

Actually, dark blue is far far nicer than I expected it to be and the more I look at it the more I like it. I may change my mind yet, and there doesn't seem to be many on the road at the mo.

So, for those interested, I bought a demonstrator - for which I had to accept that it had been used for 1,000 miles in lieu of a substantial discount. The good news is that as well as being the car I test drove, it was used by one of the sales people who seems to have really looked after it.

It's got the chilli pack, visual boost, led and cornering headlights (wouldn't have been a choice I would have checked, but after having experienced them would not do without now!), black stripes/roof/mirrors and is an auto. I'm more a manual/stick shift person, but have had auto's in the past and this one is far more involving than I expected. I live near town, but the 3 miles to/from home is on a country road and switching it to sport mode is pure joy.

It's on winter steelies (15" - that's the only size they do) which was a slight compromise as I couldn't stretch to an additional £500 for alloys, with pirelli snow tyres which have been super firm in the cold frosty mornings of late. My non-winter wheels are 16" black spokes which are safely stored in wheel bags in the garage.

The only niggles I have are to do with the start stop function which I often just turn off if in a traffic queue, and reversing in the auto is a mite jumpy, but nothing major. Love the sound of the engine gurgle.

If there's anything you'd like to know, just ask!

Happy boy at the mo - desperately trying to find excuses to get back into the car!

 

[profiteroles]

is that lapisluxury blue then?

 

[Sunster]

Nope, it's just deep blue profiteroles. Lapis wasn't out at the time I don't think. It's a pretty nice colour though! Should've called the treat title 'deep blue' rather than 'dark blue' - won't let me change it now though.

 

[jeremybingham]

Looks great the mini covers on the steel wheels don't look bad at all.

 

[Sunster]

Looks great the mini covers on the steel wheels don't look bad at all.

Yep - I was quite surprised to be honest. Was expecting something less than smart, but actually from a distance they look like standard silver alloys. This was the only part that I would say was a compromise for me, but all in all not a big one.

I know I've mentioned it before, but I am a total LED headlight convert. My initial thoughts were, hey the standard lights are perfectly fine and I'm not going to be looking at them anyway, but seeing them in action makes a huge difference.

 

[vegbiker]

Very smart looking. I'm with you, blue is not my color of choice, but may make you unique on your local roads. And what a lovely shade of blue. Also, you get the advantage of trying out an auto tranny for an extended period to compare to the manual you'll be getting. And to see how the 15" wheels compare to the 16" ones. And you get to drive a new Mini while you're waiting for your new Mini. All in all, I'd say you got the best of both worlds.

Best of luck with the demo and an anticipatory welcome to Team VO!

 

[Sunster]

Hey veg biker, sorry for not responding earlier, but thanks for the kind words.

Yes, fully realise that I get something that many don't by effectively being able to have a three month extended 'test drive' before I take the plunge. This wasn't by design, just happened that way. I'm finding the car to be excellent but my head does tell me that we really should have a five door mini what with two kids and a dog (the latter who hasn't set foot/paws in it yet).

I'm still sitting on the fence whether to go for a cooper or a cooper s as I've done a great job in ramping up the specs list to eye watering figures. The cooper is quick and again, my head says probably quick enough.

In spite of myself I'm really liking the blue... It's not a typical dark blue, not overly metallic.

Anyway, the only downside is that I seem to have a somewhat flaky Bluetooth connection so need to book it in to be looked it.

 

[RafaMiniPT]

Me too me too!!!!

Yeahhhh!!
That's (almost) my car! Same color cooper 5doors auto.
Pretty much same options here. But White stripes and white roof. (The 16'' vic spoke dont need winter alternative, thanks to the levely potuguese weather). Apart from that that's it for the exterior. Inside went for a budget stretch and opted to have jcw and the connected xl, plus the hud. The only thing that i also wanted but missed it by a nickle was ddc. Whem at final decision, left it for the adaptative led headlights. Maybe next time...

Mine is to arrive this week (arghhhh it feels like a century)

I did consider to go for the MCSD with almost zero specs, so to have more hpower.
But i test drove both the D and the SD and found out that for the sheer fun of driving it is pretty enough to have the D.
Though, sure, if i had budget...no doubt I would go for the SD. Spiced and beefed up!
For the daily use, economicaly, still with lot of fun riding, the (kind-of-but-not-even-close!) long test drive the dealer allowed me to have helped me to not hesitate and go pretty cnfidently for the D.

(Hope it helps :/)

 

[jeremybingham]

It's a great way to buy a car sinister,as you say you can really sort the options down to the fripperies v the must haves. I have the petrol Cooper, came from a r56 cooper s, and have to say not missing the power. I agree with rafa,though I know he's talking squeezle!

 

[Sunster]

It's a great way to buy a car sinister,as you say you can really sort the options down to the fripperies v the must haves. I have the petrol Cooper, came from a r56 cooper s, and have to say not missing the power. I agree with rafa,though I know he's talking squeezle!

I'm really not that sinister Jeremy

But it's interesting what autocorrect does to my nickname(!). Clearly missed my vocation in life.

 

[jeremybingham]

Oops so sorry missed that one sunster I hate predictive text..

 

[Escho83]

How do you like the seats? I'm debating getting those and wonder what people think of them?!?

 

[Sunster]

Oops so sorry missed that one sunster I hate predictive text..

No offence taken Jeremy - thought it was funny!

 

[Sunster]

How do you like the seats? I'm debating getting those and wonder what people think of them?!?

Hi there Escho,
well, they wouldn't have been the ones that I would have specced myself... not because I don't like them, more to do with having a preference for the black pearl/cloth mix.

They are certainly noticeable and like the body colour have grown on me. My wife however, thinks they're a little boy-racer-y, and being in my 40's I can't really claim to be in that demographic... mind you, it's going to be my mum's eventually and she's in her 70's and she loves em!

My biggest criticism is of the quality of the seats, and this probably runs true with most of the seats mini provides. I find the cut a little baggy and wonder just how well they are going to wear in the long term.

 

[jeremybingham]

Yes I I have a couple of threads protruding on my diamond cloth. Monitoring those but the actual relatedness is wonderful.

 

[Escho83]

My biggest criticism is of the quality of the seats, and this probably runs true with most of the seats mini provides. I find the cut a little baggy and wonder just how well they are going to wear in the long term.

I have seen some pictures of other cars from dealerships with these seats and they look baggy already. Maybe going to have to stick with all leather or the simulated leather.

Thanks for the input!