Tell us more.

 

 

Nobody on a web forum is going to be able to tell YOU if you will like it or not. Go and test drive one and see what you think. Then make the choice on what's best for you

 

Year, miles, manual or auto, color, service history, accidents, options, mods, etc.

 

R53 is WAYYYYYYY to small for a growing family. That said, only you know what is or isn't going to work. Sounds like you already know. Used Clubmans can be had for very reasonable prices.

 

 

 

Keep the R53, get something practical for family duty (and thats not really a mini of any sort to be honest).

You likely wont get enough for selling your old modded R53 to make a serous dent in whatever the familymobile is going to cost you, you will potentially resent having to get rid of your pet mini, and you will likely find that much of your driving in future will be just you in the car anyway.

 

Reasonable advise, assuming none of the money is needed. That said, used R53s are cheap and easy to get back into.

 

A mini in the hand is worth two in the bush. Especially a mini you know the history of and have setup the way you like it.


If the original poster needs the money, then a clubman / countryman is definitely not the most cost effective family driving solution.

 

 

Increased mass is the enemy.

Relatively small, relatively expensive to buy for what you get, relatively unreliable, relatively expensive to fix, relatively expensive to insure, not the easiest to work on yourself (if you have the time/ inclination). Basically the only part of the cost effective equation in the Minis favor is that its not thirsty, and I still get better gas millage in my wifes Passat*, which is far larger, more reliable and cheaper to insure, and while not nearly as much fun to drive is a lot more comfortable on a long road trip and I imagine would have been a lot easier to strap kids into the back of had we had these vehicles 10-15 years ago when that applied to us.

*Other sensible 4 door sedan options are available.

 

If it came down to selling my R53 for a family car...I would get something like a nice used 4-door Honda Accord. Cheaper, more reliable, easier to maintain. If it comes down to my family, or myself...I'm going to do what's best for them. I can worry about a "fun" car later.

A MINI of any flavor isn't going to be the best for your family (like others have said).

 

Either a Clubman or Countryman of the newer F series is more than sufficient for a family car. Not sure why people don't agree.

 

 

I actually have something other than a mini to compare it to

I am a little prejudiced by a hatred for small crossovers, which is basically what the countryman has become. The best family car I had was the subaru legacy wagon, although I do prefer the extra legroom in the back of the passat now my kids have all turned out to be giants. Crossovers are the worst of all worlds compromise, not really as light as a hatchback, not really as rugged as a true SUV and not really as practical as a station wagon.

Anyway, I explained my reasoning earlier, kids are even more expensive than minis so every penny saved is an extra penny in the college fund. You already have a mini you sank money into modding, you wont get but a fraction of what you have spent on it back if you sell it. I guess I dont see why (other than needing to raise money) you would want to trade that in to start again on what would ultimately become a compromise between fun and practicality in any case if you can keep your existing fun vehicle and obtain a practical vehicle for family duty.

 

If you crave leg room, you can't beat a Ford Flex. They typically have 2 tone roof, so you can have one that compliments your MINI.

 

An R53 is not a great family car. Get something with SPACE. With a 7 month old, there's a ton of support gear that you'll be bringing along. Putting the kid in the car and removing from a rear facing seat placed in the rear sounds like a nightmare for your back.

A clubman won't honestly be much better unless your kid was older and was able to get themselves in and out. Four doors will be your friend. A Ford Flex is an awesome option. Tons of room, doesn't look like every other people hauler out there and drives pretty well. A Countryman could be a viable option too. Felt similar in size to our BMW 3 series wagon inside. The new one is a little bigger so perhaps that may be even better. Price wise, if you're looking at used, I think the Ford maybe the better bet. Remember, space matters!

If you can keep the R53 as your run around car, that would be ideal. At 13 years and 170K miles , the car doesn't have a lot of resale value and as you may find out if you try to sell, mods don't bring a lot of $$ so if you can swing it, add to the fleet, not replace.

 

Regarding the Flex, just be aware of the known water pump issues with that particular Ford V6 duratech design. The pump is timing chain driven and internal to the engine, so its hard to inspect and service and if the seals fail (as they do) it often takes the engine with it. Of course all vehicles have known weak spots (Mini drivers know this better then most!), but this is kind of a biggie.

 

I think you should keep the R53 and get a more practical second car for the family.
You're not going to get much value for the R53 and insurance shouldn't be too much for the R53 since you'll get a multiple car discount with your insurance co (just get liab coverage for the mini).

 

So I think your problem with this car is twofold: you can't get your power goals easily, and now you're looking for additional excuses to get out of it.

My 2c: get a second car to haul the family and keep the R53. You're unlikely to find as enjoyable of a car at the price they're actually worth these days (I'd pay like 4500 for yours, tops, if everything is minty). That $4500 or so isn't gonna replace it to any significant extent. You'll spend less in the long run, keep the nice car nice (no kids or dogs around it), and the family can still have their little appliance hauler.