7 Day Review

[doug_999]

Picked our Laser Blue Clubman S (sorry MCCS) last Saturday. Random observations...
1. This car is so much fun to drive!
2. The kids have a lot of space in the back seat
3. There is no way for the kids to get out of the car by themselves (this makes that third door basically worthless and since at our school the kids must get out of the car themselves, the Clubman can not be used for the drop off line). A pro if they are very young, a serious con if they are older.
4. Door stops? Can we get some door stops? Wife and I both had our legs crushed by the doors on day #1. We now know to push the door open all the way cause otherwise, it is coming back at you.
5. While I like the iPod integration feature, the location sucks. The cables come straight out and then you need to bend everything back in order to locate the ipod in a safe spot.
6. The armrest still sucks. Sorry, but I hate that damn thing still.
7. No cable for charging the 3GS iPhone still. Come on BMW get with the program (please no debates about the power issue because the USB cable that comes with the phone seems to work - just that I can't play music off it then).
8. Even 16" run-flats are brutal. I can't imagine how bad 17" run-flats are. But I can imagine what 17" non-run flats will be like
9. I really REALLY miss the limited slip - so wish I could have found a car with it.
10. The engine spins so freely - if you drop down a gear and clutch out, there is none of the lurching forward - very very smooth clutch/shifter/engine combo. Love it.
11. HK stereo sounds nice - glad I just read that there is an adjustment for treble/bass PER input cause I thought my car was haunted. The iPod Integration is brutal. I'm going to need to make a car playlist.
12. Speaking of my car -I forgot it is my wife's car too - I forgot this on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday - the days she took the car.
13. 270 miles and we are at half a tank. Can't do that kind of stuff in the M5 or MDX!!!
14. Car is so narrow it is great to sneak into smaller spots.
15. Love the sunroof. I know everyone here hates it, but here in Chicago it is so nice to have some light in the car.
16. In spite of reminding the wife that with Comfort Access she has to be careful not to put her purse/key in the boot, she did it and locked the keys in the car. Good thing the rear door immediately opened up (took her 5 minutes to figure out why the door would not stay closed). Nice touch.
17. Speaking of CA, why can't the front doors open just by squeezing the door handle? Why do you have to push the button? The button is fine for locking, but why should I have to push it for opening?
18. Headlights suck. Xenons would have been a nice option to have. Time to change the bulbs.
19. Love the seats - have the leatherette and they are the perfect shape and feel - and at $0, how can you go wrong?
20. Trim - had to have a piece of trim replaced during pickup (was all chewed up). Other pieces look so so as well. How does this kind of stuff occur in a modern day car today? WHO let the car out of the factory like that?

Did I mention how much I love driving this car?

[ggonzale]

You cant go wrong with a clubman! Plenty of space in the backseat for the kids and a lot fun to drive (3 months and I still look forward to be driving)

Agree 100% about the sunroof in Chicago, light is always welcome!

[jgohlke]

Had to laugh at #4. I actually stopped by the dealer one day and asked if there was a bulletin on the doors. The service rep said no bulletin, and yes, they all work like that. He said the guy that trained him at the dealership, told him to meet the cars as they come in and catch the door when the customer opens it, holding it open while the customer gets out.

Some of us have had good luck at using the genre field in iTunes as a navigational aid for the Mini radio. In iTunes, you can set the genre of the song to the letter that corresponds to the artist ("B" for Beatles, etc)...You can get to the genre list from the Mini radio. It's not as good as the iPod interface, but it works.

Nice choice on the color!

[rexicon]

Originally Posted by doug_999

3. There is no way for the kids to get out of the car by themselves (this makes that third door basically worthless and since at our school the kids must get out of the car themselves, the Clubman can not be used for the drop off line). A pro if they are very young, a serious con if they are older.

If your kids' schools have "car-line patrols" they can open the front door then the kids can get the club door. If not either you reach across and open the passenger door (at which point they can open the club door) or your kids will have to flip the passenger seat forward then slide it and open the passenger door themselves. My 7 and 5 yr olds have become quite adept at this and even the car-line patrols now know to reach inside the club door to open.

[amusingdream]

there are three stop points on the doors. i never have a problem as long as i open the door to one of those three points.

it is impossible to lock the keys in the car with CA, even if you have one in your pocket and one in the trunk or the front seat.

i personally think that squeezing the handle to open the door is more of a PIA then pushing the button, and i wish that the button would acomplish said door opening.

[HTClubman]

Agree with rexicon and the school drop off. We do the same with our 9 year old who has been getting out of the backseat since she was 7. It's not complicated once you get used to it.

As for the iPOD, I keep it under the hand break and my husband tucks it in the mesh pocket on the passenger side or pops it in one of the cup holders.

[Headlands]

Funny you mention the trim. Yesterday I was washing my car myself and noticed that some of the bottom window trim moves around/is not glued in properly. And some of the chrome trim is actually plastic, I've found. Cheap, cheap, cheap.

Things like the iPod location: I wonder how this stuff gets approved? Aren't there layers of people that it has to go through before the car goes into production? Didn't ANYone say, "Ah! This is crappy!"?

The only reason why people hate the sunroof is because of all the mechanical/wind problems they seem to develop, and the mesh covers that make the car a literal oven in hot weather. But I couldn't live without them! The added weight ends up being only something like 25 pounds when you figure in what the regular steel roof/lining/etc. would have been in place of the sunroof. The sunroof makes the car so much more enjoyable for me, even when they aren't open.

Fun to drive, yes. Without a single doubt! I agree with most of your assessments, except the door stops -- I've never had it crush my legs.

[HTClubman]

I've had it crush my knee a number of times (left bruises) . But only in our steep driveway. I still love my MCCS and overlook that little quirk!

[KdF]

Call me completly confused.
Having dealt with the doors from a 67 Pontiac (1 ton)
68 Dodge Charger (1.2 tons)
75 Cordoba (1.1 tons) and the door of my 2006 Mustang (.9 tons)
I can't believe this little door is causing so much trouble. Maybe i'm just 'Ol Fashoned, but I use my arm first to open it.

Just sayin.......

[amusingdream]

the real thing you need to watch out for when getting out of the clubman is getting your pant leg caught on the seat height adjustment handle. that thing is a terror.

[rkw]

The front doors are the same as on the coupe and convertible. I'm surprised that there are more complaints here than elsewhere on the forum.

Originally Posted by Headlands

ALMOST ALL of the chrome trim is actually plastic, I've found. Cheap, cheap, cheap.

Fixed it for you.

[Headlands]

Originally Posted by rkw

"ALMOST ALL of the chrome trim is actually plastic, I've found. Cheap, cheap, cheap."

Fixed it for you.

Yeah, I guess you're right. It's very cheap in that regard. I would expect higher quality for the price I paid, but what can you do.

[klricks]

Originally Posted by amusingdream

there are three stop points on the doors. i never have a problem as long as i open the door to one of those three points.

it is impossible to lock the keys in the car with CA, even if you have one in your pocket and one in the trunk or the front seat.

i personally think that squeezing the handle to open the door is more of a PIA then pushing the button, and i wish that the button would acomplish said door opening.

Well there is one way to lock your CA key in. With passenger door open, lock the doors with the FOB button or push the door lock knob down. Throw your key in the seat and shut the door.

[doug_999]

It just might be that the door stops are weak - but the fact is, with the doors open, they can easily come back at you if the car is on any angle.

I'll add #21 to the list - damn the gas pedal and brake are close together. Perfect for heel toe shifting - whether you want to or not

[jbrowland]

I am at 3 months now and my 7 day review sounded a lot like the one above. And yet, I am still enjoying the car, quirks and all. It's a funny little beast of a car, lol. I am not sure how people with big feet drive a cooper though. Those pedals sure are close. I avoid wearing boots. I have also had the door come back on me. Windy day and slam. And yeah, I have caught my pants on the seat adjustment as well. I have also hit my head badly a few times (going in the boot) forgetting how small the car is but that's just because my last car was an SUV and had plenty of clearance Clarence. (RIP Peter Graves) I will also add that my enjoyment has increased since tinting the windows in this little heat box. 5% on the sun roof is a must IMHO.

My biggest complaint is the shocks on this thing SUCK! If I hit an ant I feel it like a pot hole. If I hit a pot hole, I cross my fingers.

[ALTA_Jarid]

#18 swap your bulbs out for a set of PIAA extreme whites!