Hello and greetings! Just bought a 2011 MINI Cooper S Clubman and joined this forum - first post. I needed a fun car that could also carry the canine load I have - a Newfoundland and Bernese Mountain Dog - believe it or not both fit quite well in the Clubman. Wow, so far so good on both the storage and fun factor!

Here she is still on the lot before I picked her up, Eclipse Gray with Polar interior, 6-Speed Manual, Premium Package, Cold Weather Package, Xenon, and few other bells and whistles - I know the extras cost, but I love the gadgets.



I ordered a Pooch Style cargo liner that I heard about on these forums - thanks folks - and hope to keep the cargo area at least reasonably hair free. The headliner will be another issue - anyone with big hairy dogs have any tips? Scotchguard?

Look forward to reading and posting - hope I don't mess up too badly as I get used to the forum. Happy motoring all!


Kevin

 

I like your Clubman! The exterior chrome goes nicely with the Eclipse Gray. I hadn't looked at that combination.

Our Clubman has been great for transporting our pooch, but it isn't too challenging to do that, even for my MCSm, as she is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Talk about hair!

Have a great time with your Clubbie and pooches

 

Congrats!!! I have 2 BMD's and they are 95 lbs each. I am leaning clubman s next vehicle, so I am interested in your dogs 'fitting'! I have friend who has a newf and a BMD as well!!!

 

Post a picture with the dogs in it!

Dave

 

Dave, here they are:



They fit quite well laying down, and my smaller dog (if you can call her small :-), the Bernese Mountain Dog can even sit up to look out. My Newf is more comfortable laying down, though he can still stand enough to turn around. It is a little deceiving for head room back there as the clearance for the opening is lower than the roof once inside - it slopes up nicely.

And another discovery... dog hair vacuums up quite easily from the headliner with a handheld vac. The cargo cover shown is from Pooch Style.

Kevin

 

awesome, Kevin! thanks for posting. Now, I know my girls will fit!

 

Aww, three cuties! The car and two dogs!

Dave

 

Handsome dogs, your car goes well with their coloring

Does the clubman have that dip near the hatch? How do keep the dogs from falling into it?

 

Just a thought - you may want to lay down a layer of something along the back bumper when your babes get in and out - that paint scratches VERY easily!

We originally bought our 09 JCW Clubman just so our 3 big girls (chessie, lab/weim, lab) would have a ride... but I fell so hard for Rupert (the Mini) that the girls aren't allowed in often - but they do fit nicely! And hair gets everywhere. I thought the boot blanket extends up the sides as well as the bottom? We got a liner ... can't remember the company name, but it is cut specific for the Mitsubishi Endeavor we use for the girls. Highly recommend protecting EVERYTHING you can.

Mini paint scratches SO easy!

Annette
and Rupert
and Boo and Cricket and Marvelous Marley Marbles
and Pookie, Noodles, Idgy and Taters
oh, and Randy (the man of the estate!), too!

 

When we got the clear bra for our MINI, it included a covering for the top of rear bumper. Just putting things in and out of the back can scuff that bumper.

Dave

 

The cargo liner I have has a flap that extends out over the bumper and that helps some...but my MINI actually goes in to the dealer tomorrow to install a clear bumper protector I requested at purchase - Dave might be the same or similar to the clear bra bumper you mention. So between the clear bumper protector and the cargo liner flap, I hopefully will at least mitigate most of the scratches.

Boy, and you aren't kidding about the hair! Fortunately, it vacuums up well from the cargo liner and any leather/plastic surfaces. I use a Dyson hand held pet vac that works well!

ualamini, sorry if I confused things. I was referring to a slope in the ceiling. The opening in the clubman is smaller than the actually cargo ceiling space. The ceiling roof slopes up, so it is smaller for them to get in. But once in, it slopes up after a few inches giving them more headroom once they are in. It actually has flat load floors, and was a reason I went with the Clubman vs the Countryman, where the seats would not fold flat.

Kevin