Hi guys. Just picked up a used 08 Cooper S over the weekend. I was wondering if you guys could tell me if my first impressions of the car are characteristics of the Mini or something that needs to be fixed. Thanks!

Here are my first impressions of the Mini:

The whistle of the turbo sounds awesome. This is my first time owning a car with factory boost =]. The sound from the spooling and factory wastegate is actually quite loud, I love it!

1) My first impression of the car is that it feels very solid. You can really feel the build quality, especially by the weight of the doors, especially coming from a history of Japanese cars.

2) The steering feels a bit more stiff compared to my Honda but I'm not sure if that's due to increased responsiveness or shorter wheel base?. The Cooper handles quite well but I haven't had a chance to do any "spirited" driving yet so I can't compare the Cooper S' suspension to the modified suspension in my Honda.

3) Also, the reason that I haven't done any "Spirited" driving yet is because the height of the brake pedal and accelerator feel a bit awkward. The brake pedal is higher(or sticks up more) than the accelerator(which is closer down to the floor). This makes it hard to heel-toe. In my Honda, the accelerator and brake were at the same height, making it easy to heel-toe. Is this just my Cooper? Should the brake and accelerator be at the same height?

4) The issue that I have, and maybe someone can chime in about it whether it is an actual issue, or just the way the Cooper is built, but to me the shifting/gear box feels quite sloppy and soft. The shifting on the Honda felt very solid and crisp with little to no wiggle of the shifter while it was in gear. On the Cooper, the shifting feels very soft and the shifter is able to wiggle and has some give to it when its in gear. Due to this, I'm not always sure if the shifter is completely in gear or if it needs to be pushed in further. Maybe this is due to the much longer shifter? My Honda had a short shifter. Maybe the longer shifter in the Mini has some flex and give, resulting in this? Does anyone else feel this way?

5) Another thing is that my lower back starts to ache badly after about 20-30 minutes of driving the car. The car has nice leather seats so I would assume its more comfortable. I've tried moving the seat up, down, forward, backward, adjusting lumbar, but my back still aches after a while. I don't know what the issue is. The only apparent difference with the Cooper seats and my Honda seats is that the Cooper seats are noticeably harder/firmer. Could that be the issue? I'm 26 years old, and in good health, no back problems. I'm 5'7" and 145lbs, so I'm not a big or tall guy, I'm pretty average I'd say. I just can't figure out why I can't stay comfortable in these seats.

 

I can't comment on 1-4, but I can comment on 5. The cooper S seats are great around town, but on long drives they are a pain. I wish it had adjustable lumbar support and more cushion..

 

Congrats on the new to you MINI. I too came from a Honda.

1)The chassis is build pretty solid, but the build quility is not up to japanese standards in my opinion. The trim on my Clubman is poorly assembled and the doorsill placard is already peeling.
2)Steering is nice and responsive. I would call it "crisp".
3)Yes, I have foun dthe same thing with the brake pedal.
4)The shifter on my 2013 actually feels very solidand precise. The only time I have found it to not be precise is when I am shifting coming out of a turn. The lower engine mount bushing helped a lot with this issue.
5) I'm 5'10 and find that the seat is actually quite comfortable.

 

Thanks for chiming in! Yeah I have no idea what it is about the seats. They are great for short drives but than my back starts to ache, butt doesn't even hurt, its just the lower back. Strange.

LOL. "New to you".

In terms of build quality, not sure if Japanese standards are better, maybe, but I was specifically referring to the heavier steel that it uses. You can just tell by knocking on it and the door weight.

So regarding the brake pedal being higher than the accelerator.. Is it like this straight from the dealership? What good is go-kart handling and a turbo if you can't heel toe?

 

I can speak to #4…. I have a '13 MCS. I thought that off showroom floor,that the shift linkage was very sloppy. I invested in a Craven short shift kit, and it has helped to correct the sloppiness that I felt when shifting. As far as the seats go? I think they're comfortable. Recently, I went for a great 700 mile day drive… I drove for a good 10 hours… At no time was I ever, in any discomfort. I love the sport button!

 

Thank you! I will definitely look into that.

 

1.) yes it pretty solid, but there are some inherent rattles and buzzing in the dash

2.) any idea when the last alignment was and what it is? It's probably due anyway. I would call my steering nicely weighted.

3.) Rennline pedal set. Problem solved,

4.) with age and mileage, the shifter ends could be worn. My shifter with the NM SS adapter is nice and direct.

5.) take out or clean out your wallet. (Seriously). You can also add about 1/4 to 1/2" of washers under the front seat mounting tracks. Try not to sit in the homey position either. Lol

 

Thanks! Last alignment was done yesterday actually, the front needed a new tire. Yeah the alignment is better, but I think "snappy" steering is the correct time.

So is the brake being higher than the accelerator just the way the car is built?

Thanks! I just checked out the adapter, and it looks like an easy install, cheap too. The short shifter for my Honda was a pain. Had to take apart the whole shift assembly to replace the actual shift lever.

My wallet is one of those money clips, so very thin. But in any case I guess I can start taking it out of my pocket when I drive. lol. I think the back of the seat needs to be higher for more comfort. Haven't had the car long enough to pinpoint what the issue is yet though. I don't sit in the homie position either. LOL. I'm only 5'7" so my seat is upright and pretty close up so I can depress the clutch all the way. --> here's a thought. Do you think it's possible that the stiffer sport clutch could be causing the back pain? The clutch on my Honda was on the softer side.

*New issue. I occasionally hear some rattling in the back of the car when I'm driving. Sounds like rubber or kind of like a rubber bouncy ball bumping around inside a wooden box. Any suggestions? Thanks again guys!

 

I have a 2009 Hardtop. I recently completed a 2,000 miles road trip. Never once had any back issues. I am 5 foot 4.

 

x2 - Rennline pedal set with the right set of shoes and practice.

Also, torque arm bushing upgrade, a couple options there and it may make you happier with the shifting as well.

And maybe the shifter is in need of lubricating the mech's and cable rather than going to the short throw conversion. I just am not convinced I would be happy with the available kits when driving off of the race track.

As for the noise, I am going to take a guess and say you have runflats? They are noisy as heck when the rear seats are down flat.

And the seat comfort? Well, eat more cheese, bacon and lard, it will soften up! Otherwise, there are some really nice after market seats out there but they are pricey.

 

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'm taking notes! Yeah I think bushings for the shifter make sense. A lot of the Honda guys on the forum upgraded the bushings for a more solid shift. I never had to because I replaced the whole lever.

I actually don't have runflats on the car. The car didn't come with any, I guess the previous owner swapped them all out. The guy was a doctor, cheapskate? LOL. But yeah, I didn't even know the Mini didn't come with a spare until I went to check out the car. Seats are all up too. Haven't even tried to put them down yet. I've read that it could possibly be the bushings for the rear sway bar? Would it make a noise similar to what I described?

 

#3, not an issue on my 2012. Maybe there is an adjustment that can be made.

#4, it is a cable shift mechanism, your cables may be stretched or need adjustment. Hondas have always had a nice crisp feel, they do a great job with their shift mechanisms.

#5, see here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...orts-seat.html Really easy to do.

 

Yes, the doors are very heavy and seem well built, however, I have noticed that the sheet metal seems thin. I accidentally dented on of my barn doors when I was closing it with the heel of my palm

As far as the pedals go, I have not modified them in any way after I drove the new car off the dealer lot.

 

Okay great. Thank you guys! I do have the leather seats with the lumbar adjustment however.


I've got to say, thank you guys for chiming in. Quite a bit of activity for my first post here. I've been on minicooperforums.com for the past 2 weeks while waiting to hear from insurance about whether my Honda was totaled or not. The forum is so dead, no replies. Glad I found this one .

 

This is the best Mini forum for those of us in the states.

You should also check out your local MINI Cooper club. There are probably lots of local resources to be had.