I am not completely sure if I am going to do it but I am considering trading in my '04 MCS for a 2010 Clubman S hot chocolate with hot chocolate interiors. I have no space for two cars so I had to sell my Audi A4. Now the problem is that the MCS is not a practical car given its size.

I almost traded the car in yesterday for a 2010 Audi A4 but I had second thoughts about the idea.

I love the MINI but I need something bigger. I haven't seen a Clubman in person so I don't know what is the difference in size.

Is there anyone here who was in the same situation and traded in their MINI for a Clubman? Can you tell me what do you think about the Clubman. Did you really notice the size difference? Anything would help?

I need to make a decision soon. Audi is giving me a killer deal but I feel like I am betraying MINI and myself. I felt violated when the manager drove my MINI. What a life!

 

it's only a couple inches more leg room in back. that's it.

 

How about the cargo area? Is it any bigger or about the same?

 

The Clubman is about 10 inches longer than the Hardtop. About three inches of that length is in rear legroom, the rest is in the cargo area. It doesn't sound like much but it is significantly more.

 

with the seats up, I'd think the rear has less room than the A4 trunk, with the seats down, lots more.

Don't do it without driving one though.

Matt

 

Look at the thread: Will that fit in a Clubman?" I find it just right for all kinds of uses, and they drive about like the regular Minis. It's most important to keep a car you can love to get in. For those rare moments of major hauling, borrow or rent something!

 

+1

I switched from a 2007 MCS to a 2009 Clubman, and have since used Lolly as a MINI-moving van. With the MCS's seats flattened, we could load all of our luggage, but with the Clubman's seats flattened, we have hauled many crates and boxes, small furniture, and lumber that never would have fit in the MCS.

MINI did more than add the 10 inches. I don't know what, but it's mostly usable space.

 

see:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...imensions.html

 

When we bought our Clubman, we were shopping for a regular Cooper, but figured we should check them out. We were amazed how much roomier the Clubman felt. Makes the back seat actually usable, and with the seat down I can get a bike inside it, with the front wheel off. Our MA says they have 4 more inches of legroom and 4 more of trunk. Feels like more.

The first time we drove it to Costco, we forgot we weren't driving our Element and we bought our usual amount of stuff. Walked out to the car and said "How are we going to fit all this in there?" It was tight, but it fit.

 

I also traded in my Mini Cooper for a Mini Cooper Clubman S. I needed to use the backseat for our newborn's car seat... nearly impossible in the Mini Cooper. The Clubman Door makes the back seat much more accessible and useful. The extra cargo space is nice, but I use the extra seating/side door much more than the cargo area.

Drives nearly the same as a Cooper... well except that I went from a 1st Gen Cooper to a 2nd Gen Cooper S

 

Keep the 2004. It was built much better IMHO. Starting in 2006 mini started to decline in quality. I traded a 2005 for 2008 clubman and regretted it. The Clubman is worst vehcile I have ever owned.

 

My wife has three MINIs; R52, R56 MCS, and R55 Plain Clubman...they all drive differently...just test drive an R55...especially the JCW model.

My father-in-law had an Audi and I had a VW...electrical issues...I don't have that with the MINIs.

 

Since the day I took ownership of my Clubman, the back seat has been folded down and never back up. I look at my Clubman as kinda a mini station wagon. I just picked up a Yamaha 25 HP outboard motor and layed it down in the back with plenty of room to spare. One thing........order the flatfloor option. It really makes the space more user friendly.

 

HC Clubmen are awesome. Get one!

 

[quote=Project Mangler;2935821]When we bought our Clubman, we were shopping for a regular Cooper, but figured we should check them out. We were amazed how much roomier the Clubman felt.quote]

X2 The backseat in the "regular" cooper is not really usable. I use the one in the Clubman all the time. People actually fit back there. I am a building inspector and spend all day in it with all the tools needed, nicely tucked in back (even a telescoping ladder) with the rear seats up. If not for the Clubman, I wouldn't be able to drive a mini everyday.

 

The 2st gen Mini vs the 2nd gen is a tough comparison. I test drove the 2006 before ordering the 2007 MCS on faith since it hadn't gone into production. Loved my 07 MCS. But I found I needed more room to put my kids in the back. Enter the Clubman. I sold off my MCS and bought a used 08 Clubman. What a difference. It drives mostly like the MCS, but is a little more refined. The space difference is notable. I was able to pack up my wife and two kids into the car with a weekend's worth of luggage behind the seat and still see out the back window. That extra nine inches, plus the storage under the rear decking makes a huge difference in storage and leg room for kids.

Next step is to do the Stage 1 JCW upgrade.

No regrets.

 

I quite liked the clubmans extra room when I had one for a couple of days while they sorted an issue out with my MCS. It does handle quite differently, but my car has the sport suspension and better tires.. the clubman just had the basic stuff. The barn doors also look sweet.

 

And I bet the Clubman would be way more fun to drive than an A4.

 

I had a Clubman loaner (not a S) from my dealer recently. I was surprised how much I liked it. The extra space was nice.

 

I just traded my 08 Mini for a 10 Clubman. Mini is looking to sell cars. My Mini had 30K miles no issues with it. 1.9% financing was hard to turn down and trade in covered what I owed.

New Clubman is BRG w/BRG top, cold weather and premium packages along with tuscan leather. I sacrificed manual for automatic but so far in sport mode it feels like driving a stick.

 

I think the increase in cargo area seems even more than it is because of the change of the rear profile to near vertical. It seems much easier to squeeze something in the back when the rear glass isn't threatening to squish down on your boxes!

 

I just got my Clubman S two weeks ago and I could not been happier! Plenty of space for such a small car and my kids love the "third door". I installed winter tires last week and I placed the 4 summer tires (17") on the back of the car (seat's down of course), several bags with items I bought when I was waiting for my car to be ready and I still have space!

I drove the cooper S and the regular clubman (the dealer I visited did not have a clubman S on stock), and they drive a little different but not that much on my opinion. I bought my clubman because I needed to fit people in the back: my kids all the time and co-workers/clients once in a while

 

I traded in an 03 Passat wagon for my Clubman.

Sure I miss the space but there's always the wife's X3 for the times that I really need it.

I've just ordered a Curt hitch (same as Minidomore basically) so that I can pull my small trailer for big loads.

 

Just traded in my 06 cooper for a 2010 clubman. I needed a little more space for the dogs and hauling minor things. Its perfect with the fold flat load floor. And as someone else posted, people really can fit in the back. Plus the club door really makes life easier. I am thrilled with mine. Drive is also considerably better and so much smoother.