Yes I am (R52 owner since 2005). Can't believe people took my statement seriously! I was just making fun of the inter-generation factions.
Man Jeff, I just looked in the mirror & there was grey bearded old man. :eek6: I don't feel that old. Hey MCS02 Get off my lawn! :lol:
Sorry. I guess touchiness arises when non-R53 owners start taking potshots meant in fun. Unfortunately, however, some comments on here are meant to ridicule one's personal choice and I WILL take issue. I am loyal to the cars that I own. I bought the R50, an early '03, used in early '04. My two R53s are '06es. The R50 was the first MINI I had owned since my teenage years ['59 Morris Mini Minor]. I was smitten by the fact that BMW would buy Rover and breathe new life into an old name. I am now a Silverback, and, that said, am a "bit" larger than I was at 17 years old...so I fit well into my "new" MINIs, as they are larger, too.
Is it me or is BMW trying to slowly get us to buy a MINI branded 318 ti ? Remember that BMW failure? Anyhow R53 owner and proud of it.
I was thinking if they gave the gen3 a "little blue pill" it might harden it up a bit...folks ARE complaining it has been softened too much....:wink::cornut:
Yes I remember that BMW failure! A 1996 is sitting in my driveway. It's My daughters I got it for her when she was 16, 5 years ago. :lol:
Is there anything that you liked better about it than the R53? Would you buy an 8+ year old R53 over a new F56 if you still had to do the amount of daily driving that you use to? It would be interesting to see your pros/cons of the F56 against the R53/R56 and even thoughts about how it stacks up against the R58 and R60 (not that these are exactly apple to apple in purpose).
Good thoughts B.A.D. I would like to hear some pros and cons too, rather then just cons. I am on the road a lot, so I need a newer car. Otherwise I would be driving a Healey 3000.
The F56 Crashton drove was a Cooper and not an S. It was also an automatic and not a stick. For a Cooper, it had great acceleration, but it cannot be compared to an F56 S. However, as with my own R50, as compared to my own R53, the F56 Cooper is VERY nimble and I daresay probably more nimble than the F56 S, too, because of the weight difference. Stopping distance seemed very good [and you KNOW Crashton beat the hell out of it just to see how it stopped]. The auto-stop-start engine, when stopped at first was a tad unnerving, but will save on fuel in the long runs. I wonder how much the battery will drain and how fast replacement will occur. I also think that starter must be huge! So, there ya are, Jim. See, even I CAN offer some positives.....
Thank you Jeff. Is the auto-start-stop an option or standard? Did you get a chance to hit the highway. My R56 Justa, turns 75 mph around three grand where the R56 S does it much lower. Can you comment of the low end torque?
Good questions Brian. I like the interior, especially the seats, better than the R53. Not having the opportunity to spend days in the F56, I can't comment on much more than that although I will say that the R53 is a more grassroots, raw and driver focused car than either the 2nd or 3rd gen MINI's. The F56 exterior is very different but not as butt ugly as I anticipated it to be. It has lost its bulldog look and looks much more hipster to me, but I can live with that. If I drove as much as I used to (50 to 60 grand a year) I would probably go back to driving BMW's but I don't so owning an 8 year old GP1 is where I'm eventually going. I like my R58 and will keep it as long as I can still get in and out of it. The absense of a rear seat and interior storage is a drawback but hey, the Coupe wasn't designed to be a grocery getter. Our Countryman is being replaced with a Land Rover Evoque. Its the 3 year replacement cycle that I have Penny's car on so that I don't have to worry about breakdowns or repair costs. A good lead-in to let everyone know that I have an 11 Countryman S for sale before I trade it in to MAG.
Jim I believe the start-stop is standard, but I'm not positive. It can be turned off. It is pretty seamless in its operation. Just a bit of engine shudder when restarting. I got used to it in 10 minutes behind the wheel. As far as power & torque go, it is much faster than our R55 Cooper, much faster. I attribute that to a couple of things. The automagic in the F56 shifted much better than the one in our R55 & the engine has more power plus a turbo. I felt the engine was tuned for low end mid range real world driving rather than top end. Sorry I didn't take it out on the highway, just back roads. I enjoyed the drive of the Cooper. If it was only about the drive I'd buy the Cooper. As you know there are other aspects of the MINI that will keep me from buying one.
Interior is nicer and the power band is crisp. Again, it's the different look of the front bumper and rear taillights that would keep me from buying one. That being said, I think the 3rd Gen MINI will outsell all other generations to date. Enthusiasts like us won't be buying them but the mainstream public will like it. GP1 for me!
I didn't drive it. I was the passenger, but I never needed to grab the "oh crap" handle because both Chuck and I were pretty much wedged into the cabin like sardines in a can! I think the auto-start-stop is standard. Chuck drove it and we traveled on cityand country roadways. For a 3 cylinder Cooper, it has some pep at the start and even after the first auto gear changes. Chuck commented that if he were ever to sell his R53, that he would bet a Cooper, so, I guess he was impressed with the acceleration and torque.