So, I kinda bought the countryman on a whim (it FINALLY arrives tomorrow after a 2 month wait)! I only test drove it once for like 2 minutes! I haven't really seen many around town, but I saw 3 today on the same street!!

They are ALOT bigger than I thought they were!! They are bigger than a 3 series!!! I had no idea! LOL!!!

 

Yeah. It's not a Mini. :-)

 

Jeremy -- What are adaptive xenons? I got regular xenons, they didnt suggest adaptive ones!! Booo!!

 

We love our CM! Lots more room for our kids in the back! Also, we love the strange looks we get from all the other drivers trying to figure out what it is. One lady did a double take and dropped her teeth out the window.

 

It seems like they are flooding the streets of LA now. I saw 2 yesterday and 3 today! The reason I was getting the car was so I could downsize and be able to park in more places, but it turns out this is bigger than my old car... LOL!!!

 

oh yeah, they're spacious inside. Don't know if you've opt for the bench seat back there, but I tell ya 4 separate seats is awesome...

congrats

 

Adaptive Xenons will track with your steering while going through a curve.

 

I'm still not seeing very many R60s on the road in Los Angeles.
It's such a perfect sized vehicle for here, it's surprising there aren't more of 'em around.

 

Oh snap! That looks cool! I wish I woulda gotten that!!!

 

Bigger? You might even say they're zaftig.

As for the lights, they track, but only right. Keeps them out of other people's eyes. We're big, but considerate.

 

The Mini website says they track both left and right!!?? Only right would seem correct but, I just checked and it says both!

What I could copy from the site:
/hijack

 

Someone's getting fired at Mini!!

I can't believe I have to wait ONE more week!! :(

Also, silly question, but the last time I got a new car (A VERY LONG time ago as my last 2 have been hand me downs), I had to break in my car by driving really slow?? Under 50 miles. Is that still the case these days?

 

MINI recommends the first 1500 miles to vary your speed, and not to exceed 4500 rpms. I'd also do an oil change after the break in period

 

I think the answer is that they track a little left but a lot right.

 

Correct!

 

Well it's 6 inches shorter than my current Volvo C30, same width, and 4 inches taller. It has the same cargo space as my C30 when seats are up, and twice as much when seats are down. So for me, I wouldn't say the Countryman is "big", it's actually about the same as my current car overall, which I find to be a nice sized small car (certainly not Mini-sized, but also not huge in any sense).

 

Hmmm...Not to take this thread in another direction, but why didn't the dealer tell me that? If that is the case it seems it should be part of the standard information that is communicated when they hand over the keys... I've hit the rev limiter a few times when in manual mode on my auto because it took a while to get used to the direction of the +/-. Glad it didn't over rev! At about 2K now, so it's too late for me.

 

It's never too late!!! Actually, I have no idea what I'm talking about

 

Get used to a lack of or contradictory information.

I told my MA on December 24th that I had discovered (through a thread here) that the All4 system was the opposite of how it was pitched to me. We were both headed opposite directions (Christmas eve and all), but she said she'd call me to find out more about it.

Something tells me it's more about moving units than anything else... Still waiting for that call. :(

Cheers,
Tad

 

Yeah. CM is deceptive. Just traded in our 3 series for an 11 CMS. Feels way more spacious inside - which is nice, as I'm 6'4". I live in DC so I parallel park most every time I go out. Still not used to it. When I'm parking I feel like I'm maneuvering a big ol thing - then I get out and realize I have twice the space I thought I did.

 

DC parking was made for minis!!! We have a countryman and the reverse beep has been really helpful. A couple of times I've thought it was broken/off because I felt that I was really close to the car behind. Nope. Just clueless. When I get out, there's plenty of room.

Someday I'll be able to trust new technology...

Size is perfect. Husband is 6'+ and has a hinky back. Getting into the WRX took contortioning and was a lot harder because it seems more low-slung inside. The mini seats are set up well for hinky backs.

 

The CM is just the right size for 4 adults. Friends are amazed, friends have a Lincoln MKZ and our CM has just as much room in the back seat. I have a back issue that made it difficult to find the right car. (I can't have lumbar support) The CM with sport seats was the perfect fit. Parking is a breeze. OK so it doesn't handle like it's smaller brethren but it's still a MINI. Never thought I would like it as much as I do but after 21k of driving, we want another MINI. Our second will be a Roadster. We will have one practical and one impractical.

 

The manual mode in auto won't let you over rev. Ever. It's not a true manual in any sense. Flipping the paddles will let you up or down shift if it is a reasonable request. Otherwise the computer will override your shift requests.

When I had an auto loaner I also noticed it would not let me shift into first unless I was moving very slowly....about half the speed as would have been at redline.

 

Congrats! I have the Blk housings HL's w/o Adaptive. I figured it was 1 less thing to break. Xenon was a must & is highly recommended.
Its quite big inside. I never feel claustrophobic (but its also been my largest car ever owned)
I think the short overhangs contribute the the 'small' look. PPL are like, oh its so cute, its so small, etc. But when I compare interiors/space its not small by any means, they find the same when I show them the interior.
On the contrary when I got into like 25 larger cars/suv's at the auto-show, I was truly amazed at how little interior space they actually had (vs exterior dimensions).

 

My Passat was nearly two feet longer than the Countryman that replaced it. The CM is a wee bit taller and even a shade wider than the VW.