loads of Minis around here, was doing some research to see what the ownership experience, fuel economy, moddability is like, what retrofits are still possible. I test drove r50&53 when new, and r56 when new. Also drove the originals back in the day. Don’t like the newer larger ones. What’s the point

Currently running an e46/3 with CWP, ZPP and ZSP, converted over to near EU spec.
I Retrofit factory tv, city lights, reverse camera, Bluetooth, aux, rear fogs, and did a bunch of coding to enable fun things like fogs with highs, comfort close from remote, follow me home with fogs and highs instead of lowbeams, splitscreen nav, BFD stages 2 and 3, etc. And of course all the fun things I physically added to the car in the VO.
Last mod left on my list is xenons with manual leveling, and I’m getting bored with it now that it is done.
Was hoping modern Minis would get exceptional mpg becasue of small size, but looks like they are about the same or even worse than my e46.

Still better than than our e83 though!

Anyway, cheers, and of you are near ELP and need coding or diagnostics, I don’t charge.
I remember what it was like to be a struggling college student /young adult /teen and try to pay forward the kindness I received when I was one of those learning carb syncing and the vagarities of Lucas, prince of darkness on British cars back in the days and keeping my car running on a ramen budget.

 

Welcome to the forum


Oh, and some of us went to the larger one, like I did. The wife has metal knees and need to extra room for comfort and entry and exit. So there is a reason for going bigger. And compared to other cars, our bigger isn't that much bigger.

 

Welcome to NAM!