[olires]

Hello

I've been lurking in this forum for many weeks, but thought it was time I broke cover and said hello!

I've owned an R50 Mini One from new in January 2003, with just over 170,000 miles on the clock

I'd been looking for a new car to buy and keep for another ten years, and considered and test drove an Audi A1 and VW Golf. I'd heard a new Mini model was due, and having decided on a Golf, I thought I'd put my name down at the Mini dealership for them to let me know when they had a demonstrator in. I was invited to their launch party (which I missed) but popped in one lunchtime the following week and had a look round the car. I was surprised to be offered a drive there and then of the petrol Cooper.

The thing that drew me to the Golf was the build quality of the interior. I discovered that it only really looked nice is you drop £22k+ on the GT trim. Having had R56 loan cars and driven the A1, I was always glad to get back in my R50.

Anyway, I waited until near the end of March and did the deal! Here's my spec:

B71 Moonwalk Grey
2F0 15" Heli Spoke alloy wheels in silver
383 Roof and mirrors caps in black
YE1 Cloth/leather Diamond Carbon Black/Carbon Black
481 Sport seats for driver and front passenger
4BD Interior trim - Piano Black
4C1 Colour Line - Carbon Black

MEDIA PACK

320 Model badge deletion
314 Heated mirrors and windscreen washer jets
494 Seat heating for driver and front passenger
450 Passenger seat height adjustment
473 Front centre armrest
493 Storage compartment pack
530 Air conditioning, manual
345 Chrome Line interior
423 Floor mats
507 Park Distance Control, rear
521 Rain sensor with auto. headlight activation
359 Heated front windscreen
6AD MINI Head-up Display
544 Cruise control with brake function

I don't think I'd be able to deal with the excitement, so I didn't opt for the Excitement Pack .

Really looking forward to taking delivery, although I've been given a date in June if memory serves me correctly. I'll know more when the oder goes to build.

Oli

 

[GoKart7]

Breaking cover was just the beginning...



G'day!

 

[MJCW]

Welcome to the forum, glad to have a loyal Mini fan here! How did you R50 treat you?

 

[olires]

Hi both, thanks for the welcome.

MJCW, the R50 has on the whole been a great car. My enjoyment driving it was refreshed after spending eight weeks touring in my other vehicle, a 1978 VW camper van. That makes you realise just how good a car the Mini is, even though the camper van is bags of fun to drive.

Loyal Mini fan? Not so sure, as I dislike so much about the R56, without even mentioning some other models that stray so far from what a Mini is.

The F56 gets so much right, especially inside, and I like that the chrome hexagon at the front of the car is now continuous like on the classic Mini.

Still, the F56 really didn't need to grow but at least the proportions are good, and it drives so nicely. Compared to my current car - more tech, more upmarket inside, more power, more m.p.g., and simply more car. All for less than the Golf I was looking at.

I still think the R50 is a better looking car than the F56, but that car's not going to last forever and it'll be nice to have all the toys and to drive around sat on some dead cow with an incredibly warm bum in the winter.

Oli