Coming from a near lifetime of VW-Audi cars here is my review of the first 1000 miles in our 2013 Clubman S

Pros -
Awesome to drive, far better than I had read about. With 16" tires and a sport suspension my wife has said nothing negative about the ride. Handling is superb, brakes are tight, shifting (6 speed) is easy. I've been in bad traffic and my left foot never said boo. Hearing about run flats you would have thought the world was ending.. It's fine so far.

Seats - the Recaros are great. One cool morning I had a chance to use the heater in them. Very nice. So far I've had to clean up a small drip from my kids drink in the back.. Easy to clean the center alcantara - I'm also happy to see it does not get overly hot in the sun. I did not expect the rear seats to share the same pattern/look/materials as the front Recaros, very nice.

Getting in and out of the back is easy for my big 5 year old. Getting to the buckle on his side is easy to belt him in with his Recaro Young Sport seat. (Yea I got a thing for Recaros.)

Visibility is very good in the car, it's tight out of the back, but side checks are great. Front visibility is excellent.

Cargo space is better than expected. Folding down just one seat gives me more space than my Audi A4 did.

Speed is great, car has great pickup. Broken traction in 3rd (DSC warning light on dash flash).. The tires beg for grip but manage. I can understand why GP owners burn through tires in 10k.

I love the pop-open rear barn door. That is very handy.

Headlights have fantastic coverage and are bright without blinding other drivers.

Love the mood lighting inside. It's fun. Mine is purple.

Fuel Econ.. For a turbo car is great. Chipped my Audi would get 24-26 on the highway. I've nailed 40 in the Mini. Very happy with that. Right now average is 28.6.

Sport mode pop from downshifts and throttle lifts make me smile.

Family likes it.

Love my color/options picked.

Cravenspeed/Scangauge are good people. Very nice to talk to. Quality products with top shelf support.

Love the checkered sun roof. Popping that open with the windows down is nice. It REALLY cools the car off fast if its been sitting in the sun.

Sales of the car was decent, smooth, and uncomplicated.

Cons-

I hate frameless doors. I feel like I have nothing to grab. Touchless car wash left spray in my face.. Lol.. Fearful of regulator breakage given my time with VW.. Lol. The doors are much longer and weigh more than I expected. Opening the door next to a parked car is a mindful operation. I feel like the door checks need to be stronger, it seems to want to close on me as soon as I open it.

The key/puck/fob - should be bi-directional. I feel like I fight with it getting in the car. Wished I had gotten comfort access.

Trip computer/ should show clock and inst mpg. Why is this left out? There are clearly two open "slots" on the display the could be used. I miss a timer function found in Audi/VW cars, as well as the "you have been driving for two hours, pull over and take a break warning..". Not that I followed it, but it was a nice time keeper.

I wish the fuel remaining was in 5-10 mile increments not odd numbers.. Lol. Yea that's just me.

BC menu function could be better. I wish I had the option for horn honk while locking One touch up/down windows, roof.. Etc.. I know this can be coded.. GIMMIE!

Seatbelt access can be tricky with the Recaros since there is no belt guide on the headrest.

Fog lights are useless.. Can't even tell they are on. Rear fog is ok.. Used a few times in fog.. Lol.

People tailgate me/try to push the car. Annoying. I'm not going slow at all. This could be my OCD from owning a new car.

Dipstick stinks, fixed that.

No coolant gauge... Fixed that. Thank you scan gauge.. Added oil temp.. Happy!

Getting used to the displays. I don't like the color or font used on the gauges. I get it.. BMW red.. Old school font.. I prefer white clean lettering.. (Google "vag rounded" font.. If your an Apple user or VW owner..)

Radio sounds weak. Plan to do the channel swap deal.

Radio volume is too slow and gradual to change, I feel like I either have to turn the **** or press the wheel buttons way too many times to get a decent volume change.

Steering wheel switches could be a little better in the way they feel. I feel like I'm going to break them at the angle they move into the wheel.

Why do I have a "voice" button on my wheel when it does not do anything? I guess this only works with MINI connect?

Bluetooth Audio would be nice, its 2013.

I wish I could just keep the cruse on at all times, having to turn it on each time I get in the car is annoying.

Sport mode should just be on as default, ECON should be the optional selection.. (Yes, I know I can fix this..)

Why am I left with an open 3" gap on the left side of my sun visor?

Overall, love the car.. Hope Piper is a good one.. Read horror stores here.. Hoping 2013 has bugs worked out.. Timing chains.. Oil leaks.. Etc..

Just putting this out there...

 

welcome welcome welcome

I'm on my third MINi and mechanicals were never a deterrent. All things wear, all things are imperfect, some more than others, trade-offs etc. But hopefully the love for the car will outweigh the occasional dissatisfaction. And whenever you think another would have been a better, happier, less issue prone choice, go visit that car's forums...

I loved our Clubman. It's the perfect compromise MINI between the hardtop and the CM.

 

Oh, trust me... I know about other forums!

As for the mechanical issues.. I know all cars have faults.. Nothing is perfect..

My gripes are pretty minimal... I'm very pleased with the car... its just way.. way.. too much fun to tool around in... and its very practical all around for my needs.

Plus, I've never had more people ask me about my car... other than my old Golf... before.. Its very fun and different.

 

After putzing with it on the test drive, that is why I got comfort access in my CM.
Really? Disappointing to hear.
I hear that a lot. I'll probably pick up a Cravenspeed when my CM arrives.
I got the JCW instruments ($500 I think?) that gives water temp, but I may still get a ScangaugeII for other things.

The voice button should be for your phone if you've paired it. See Mini's BT page. I did not get connected, so I'll rely on the BT package for phone calls. Yeah, I think you need connected for BT audio, but the iPhone cable is supposed to work too. I am a big talk radio listener when in town (most of the time) so this will only be an issue for me on long trips, which are pretty rare.

Never seen a car that does. My Audi a4 shuts it off when you turn off the key. So does our Nissan van and VW Jetta TDI.

Enjoy the ride. The clubman was my first choice, but I needed a bit more ground clearance for some roads I want to go on. My Audi A4 with sport suspension cannot make it, so figured no mini could except for the R60/61 series.

 

I really wished I had gotten CA. But Im getting better at the fob insert.

As for the dipstick, save your money, the fix is super easy..

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...stick-fix.html

I was going to get a Craven Speed one too... but I tried this and it works perfectly fine.. even with clear/new oil.

I didn't like the JCW gauges for the cost... who the hell needs a "G-meter"..? Craven speed is working on a super slick update that is OBDII plug and play and gauges... I might swap out the SGII if that comes out.. but for now the SG II works fine. I just wish it blended more.. Dealing with Linear Logic (the SG people..) was great they were really helpful.

I do have my phone paired... (And its an iPhone..).. I guess I'll have a look at that BT page.. thank you. That said, the phone usage in the car is fine.. (sound quality, etc..).

My old 01' A4, and our 2011 'TDI do shut off the last "set" from cruise.. but I dont have to "turn cruse back on" when I restart the car.. I just press "Set" and Its back on.. its funny my A4 (And my Golf) didn't even have a light telling you anything was on or set with the CCtrl active.

I think the problem with the fogs is the lights are just too weak for the housings given the share space with running lights. I'm used to a lifetime of Hella or Bosch power down there.. Where it really lights up the gutters on the highway at night.. However the headlights are phenomenal.

 

The thing about the phone system working differently is probably the detail i'm still adjusting to the most. I'm so used to hitting that and verbally calling out the numbers...
I haven't quite adapted to the new way it works (with MINI Connected, my first time having that as well)...

This was my first time having COmfort Access too. Non-issue on the 06, elected against it on the 09, but happy to have it now. My wife, less so. She feels vulnerable.

 

Ah, no dice... that Voice button does nothing for me... and my phone is set up right for sure.

 

When I picked up my Coupe on Saturday(no nav/connect) my MA told me that the button is useless, its how the steering wheel comes, and to just ignore it.

 

Yup, thats what mine said too...

There has to be some way to make it do "something"...

(fire missiles?)

 

Or eject passenger seat for roadsters.

 

Except BMW perhaps - the way they have it set up, you can flick the cruise lever to set speed without having to previously turn the system on. I didn't realize how nice it was until the MINI but it's not a huge deal.

 

WTH? Then how do you make a call?

 

There is the voice button and then the phone button below that.

 

ahhh.. Ok. Maybe the voice is only for Mini Connected. I only care about the call. I don't want to talk to Siri or anything when driving.

 

I think thats the case.

 

Sounds like much fun! Thanks for the write up.

Congrats on the new car! I've always liked the Clubman.

 

Siri can call for you, if you hold down her button to summon her. As long as you have synched your iPhone to the car's BT. It's terrifically handy. And it mutes the radio during the call.

 

Interesting findings, Dan.

My driving lights are great - of course, I don't have Xenons.

I get a lot of BroDozers and mudders by me, who always think they'll just push you out of the way. I just goose it, lol.

I'm enjoying the fuel economy. My work commute (when I have one) is, fortunately, at low cruising speed by the beach. So it just hums along.

I'm a former VW owner too (9 of them since 98) so I feel your pain on certain things. They just did a lot of surprise and delight things that no other manufacturer does. Ah well... At tleast I don't have to deal with VW service or random CEL's! (Or a timing belt, or a window reg - yet - or badly peeling interiors. But I digress!)


Guess you're the same guy on Vortex? I'm TDIBUGMAN over there. My screen name from 98!

 

Haha, yes...! thats me!