Why don't more men drive Minis?

[Cheddar George]

We bought a Cooper when they first came out, a great little car. There were not many second hand Minis on the market when we sold it 3 - 4 years later so depreciation was minimal and it came with 5 years servicing.
In the context of buying a new car it was inexpensive and fun.

 

[Dan B]

She quoted that the manufacturing site of 200 acres was "approximately equal to the size of Wales".

I'm sure you could cover 200 acres with a whale if you spread it thinly enough

 

[Salar]

I understood it as a joke reference to the fact that Wales is the default unit for describing a large area.

Belgium also seems to be used as a unit of measurement.

 

[Dan B]

Belgium also seems to be used as a unit of measurement.

Yes, but that's as a unit of tedium not of size

 

[MrGrumpy]

Humble's turn to make a c*ck up and a fool of themselves.

She quoted that the manufacturing site of 200 acres was "approximately equal to the size of Wales".

What an idiot, my better half was so infuriated she banged off an email to put her right.
Should pigs fly and we get a response I'll post it here.

roflol a bit sensitive

 

[MrGrumpy]

We had a Cooper S a few years ago, was the wife's dream car and she still misses it now. Had to sell when the kids came along...

The fact that we also need a bigger car than our recently purchased Mini Cooper ( wifes car ) I would be all over a Cooper S otherwise and have two Mini`s. They are really nice to drive and quit nippy, the Cooper S I test drove was one quick car, 184 horses! Just rekindling my hot hatch years from 20 odd yeear ago lol. However back to the program, found it interesting on how they ( car industry ) work now. My own employer has taken on alot of the ideas for lean manufacturing from the car industry even though we have heehaw to do with car building or building anything for that matter!

 

[swee'pea99]

I understood it as a joke reference to the fact that Wales is the default unit for describing a large area.

I didn't see it, but that seems far more likely than her actually believing it literally. I mean, I know she's a pretty face tv presenter, but I bet she can tie her own shoelaces 'n that.

 

[Paulus]

My daughter has a Mini Cooper, whilst it is a really good fun car to drive, comfortable and reliable, she needed a new clutch a few months back and the work needed to get to the clutch is phenomenal. more or less the front of the car has to come off, then the air con unit and the radiator. I went to four different garages and got the same answer from them all. It is nearly a two day job and the costs are considerable. The clutch unit only cost £136. The Labour costs came to a further £350 and then with VAT on top it cost her just over £600. Minis are expensive when mechanical stuff need doing, ask any garage, it is even more expensive if you go to a BMW/Mini main dealer.

 

[gaz]

[QUOTE 3963890, member: 45"]Girl to old man. Overnight...[/QUOTE]
well you get there eventually so I thought I would get ahead of the game. Also started to play golf :O

 

[MrGrumpy]

My daughter has a Mini Cooper, whilst it is a really good fun car to drive, comfortable and reliable, she needed a new clutch a few months back and the work needed to get to the clutch is phenomenal. more or less the front of the car has to come off, then the air con unit and the radiator. I went to four different garages and got the same answer from them all. It is nearly a two day job and the costs are considerable. The clutch unit only cost £136. The Labour costs came to a further £350 and then with VAT on top it cost her just over £600. Minis are expensive when mechanical stuff need doing, ask any garage, it is even more expensive if you go to a BMW/Mini main dealer.

hmm try a timing belt change on a Land Rover Discovery, whole body of job !! $$$$$$$$

 

[mustang1]

I checked out a few Minis. Need a new family car (well, want rather than need) for short trips, a runabout.

Checked a cooper 5 door first. Nice cabin quality, lovely steering wheel. The cabin is quite different looking to normal cars. I thought they had frameless doors but looks like only 3 door model does. The framed doors have the front edge very vertical which looks... odd. Kinda van like.

Into the back seat I went and while I wasn't expecting a bunch of space, the front seat has grooves at the back of it for rear seat passenger's knees. The only thing is if you want to move your legs around and move away from a dead ahead position, well, there's not as much space.

I went to the three door model, just for fun, and I didn't even bother sitting in the back. That car has similar leg space to a 911.

So I checked the Countryman. This has more rear space, can move around so things looked much better. But when I got out the car, it looks huge. Idk if this is an illusion or it really is big. Looked a bit oddly big rather than just big. Kinda bulbous-stylish rather than svelte-stylish.

Boot space was a tad small but I expected that too. It's just that for the size of the exterior, I was hoping for a larger interior.

Conclusion: nice interior styling and build quality. Bit big on the outside and abit small on the inside. Stick shift seemed snickety-good and I loved the steering wheel. Havent driven one yet. One model I sat in was an auto and the gear shift seemed a bit ordinary for such a stylish car.

 

[mustang1]

Will be picking up the wifes newish Mini today, a Cooper, I quite like the look of the 3 doors not keen on the bigger 5 doors etc. Test drove a Cooper S last week and boy does that shift!! Fastest thing I`ve driven for a while. They are expensive compared to all the other small cars you can buy but they do hold value better.Newer ones 2010 onwards seem more reliable from what i read.

What did you get stick or auto?

 

[MrGrumpy]

Manual, tested drove the Cooper S in an auto and it was not bad to be fair, had paddle shift as well, was rapid when booted.

 

[mustang1]

This weeks hire car was a Mercedes A-Class, prices starting from 22k. They must be joking!

I hired one if these and rather liked it. Saw a review of it compared to other cars and the outcome was its not as good, but I think it would still be high on my lost if I was in the market for such a car.

 

[screenman]

hmm try a timing belt change on a Land Rover Discovery, whole body of job !! $$$$$$$$

Is that right, just that I do work for two dealers and have never seen a body off, maybe I missed it.