I own a 2014 R60 CMS and am ready to pull the trigger on ordering a new F60. The non-S version of the R60 was well underpowered in my opinion, which is why I opted for the S model.

I'd like to hear from you F60 owners how they like the 3 cyl motor, how it is for daily driving and some twistys, as well as what fuel economy you're getting.

I thought about buying a Clubby non-S and installing the Dinan plug in module, but I really think my kids need the extra legroom of the CM.

Your thoughts?

 

I bought my wife a 2017 Countryman ALL 4 non-S at the end of June. 1100 miles in and we both are totally happy. We went into the purchase looking to buy an S but, in the end, preferred the feel of the 3-cylinder. Maybe we're crazy but the lightness of the base engine just feels better.

I used to own a 2015 S hardtop and the 2.0 in the Countryman just didn't feel as strong as it did in my old hardtop...maybe it's a weight thing or the 8 speed auto but the S left us both wanting. Perhaps it's just an expectation thing? Once it got wound up you could tell there was more there than the 3-cylinder but, under normal driving, the smaller motor was just a bit more pleasing with our driving style.

Price didn't hurt either if I'm honest.

I have put the Dinan tuner on our F60. We run it in the +2 PSI mode as it feels smoother (more stock) than the more aggressive modes. City only driving at 23 MPG makes us both happy enough. Highway driving usually gets us over 30 even on Chicago tollways. I find the 3-cylinder a lot of fun to drive...nice grunt, nice cruising and a decent engine note. Can't say too much about twisties since I live in Chicago but roundabouts are really fun.

 

I gotta agree with chipfiev - I liked the feel and sound of the 3cyl better (you're not crazy!). It's a personal thing though, so you won't know until you test drive them both.

 

Some reviewers on Youtube suggest S if you want acceleration and 4ALL. More standards are on S in addition to a bigger engine. I wish my SE came with a 2.0L engine just like BMW 330e because of weight (almost 4000lbs)

 

Our 3-cyl was optioned up to "match" the S and still saved us some $$$ but, yes, there were some things that we needed to see added to our F60 which would have been standard on the S.

 

We just picked up an CMS last night. Even the S is under powered for the weight of the car. I could not imagine even less power - I do get the engine is a bit smaller on the 3 cyl so some weight savings but the vehicle is still quite large and especially with AWD there's just a lot of mass there to overcome. I'll for sure be getting her the Dinan tune once we've gotten a couple thousand miles on it... These engines also often do open up after 10k miles but still. 189hp and 207 ft/lb tq is pretty low for a car of this mass.

 

I got the manual transmission, as I have on my previous MINIs. It's the perfect match for a smaller engine.

 

Oh yeah - we did as well. Absolutely agree.
I'm also used to driving a 500hp supercharged Audi and a high revving naturally aspirated S2000 LOL so hopping into a laggy 2.0t is going to feel a bit lethargic to me. These 2.0t's can be lots of fun when you do a few lil upgrades and keep em in boost.

 

Hahaha...this is a bit like someone posting in a Cessna 172 forum about the F14 they're used to flying.

Anyway, if you are looking at the F60 to race around and embarrass a teenager in a WRX, you're looking in the wrong place. It's not a performance car, but it's still a lot of fun to drive for a family-sized Mini. If you want a performance Mini, you wouldn't even consider a Countryman, because it's the slowest on the line (unless you get an SE).