An R53-driver's comments on the R56
 

Hello All -

Let me preface my comments about R56 by telling you why I'm posting it in the R53 forum - this is the view of an R53 driver, written for R53 drivers.

So my 06 MCS is in for service (defective dual-mass flywheel, defective fuel tank sensor) and I have an 07 MCS loaner car. My car is....sparsely equipped. 6MT, Sport package, no sunroof, manual climate control, and I like it a lot! Here's my comments on my 6AT, sunroofed, convenience package R56.

The pros:

*Engine: plenty quick and ready to rev

*On-board computer: wish I had that option on my MCS

*MFSW: Not R56-specific, but it was kind of handy having the stereo volume at my thumb-tip.

*Wiper control: The click-up-for-more stalk is nice for the wipers.

*Seats: Comfortable, supportive, grippy. These are a definete improvement over the R53 seats.

*Economy: It seems to get exceptionally good fuel mileage thanks to a super-tall 6th gear. If the board computer is accurate, consistent mileage in the low-mid 30s should be doable.

The cons:

*Automatic transmission: paddle shifters are sluggish to respond, shift patterns in sport mode don't make much sense.

*Torque converter: I have not yet found a way to take off smoothly from a stop.

*Sunroof: If I had this option, I'd have to white-out/black-out the sunroof - I don't like the light coming in from above me and the perforated fabric shades don't quite cut it.

*Turn signals: Why fix what isn't broken? The turn signal stalk is less intuitive than it should be because it returns to home position after every motion. If you move it too far, you have to click the opposite direction to cancel which can then result in signalling the opposite way. This is particularly annoying for lane-change operations. I've figured out how it works but it still is not simple and seamless as something like turn signals should be.

*Radio: Again...these are counter-intuitive controls. Sound quality was good, but it took a lot of fiddling to get working with my FM-transmitter. Then, the MFSW buttons proved effective in changing the station. Argh!! Also, the radio layout/placement made it less intuitive - the most readily accessible knob is NOT the volume control, its the channel selector. The volume is sitting by itself in the middle of the dash, below the silver stand-alone CD slot. WTF? There is NO way to put an aftermarket radio in here, as the majority of the radio is integrated into the now-even-larger speedometer.

*Styling: While this is a subjective issue... I feel that the majority of the styling changes were not for the better. I especially dislike the door cards, the headlights (non-projector halogens?!) and the ridges in the C-pillar.

*Suspension: The suspension is slightly softer but with considerably more body roll. Why make it lean more if you can't make it more comfortable? It feels like they took out 5% of damper/spring rates and took out 50% of the sway bar. I broke traction once on wet ground and had to really fight the car to keep control. It seemed to torque steer a LOT more than my R53 (neither car has an LSD). Overall, it just felt heavier than the R53.

Anyway, I was excited to get behind the wheel of an R56 but am left a little disappointed. I can't wait to get my car back tomorrow... it just needs a pulley now to make it faster than the R56! :grin:

Thanks for sharing. Hopefully your veteran move of placing this in the R53 space will shield you from the inevitable onslaught from people who want to tell you your opinion is wrong.

I had the same impressions of the R56 suspension, although the power does make it a fun car to drive in MT form.

mb

It does take some time to adjust to R56 and it is impossible nowadays not to not approach the car w/out a bias or two...this looks funny, that feels different, those were awkward. In the end I think it's safe to say that most who have had time to adequately adjust to the car truly love it. I will say that I have felt awkward going back to my R50 as the two cars are so different in so many little ways!!! I'll even say this...I was glad to get back in my R56 Cooper after having an R56 loaner. Again, little things.

Still everyone's opinion/take is of value, so thanks for taking the time to share your experience. :cool:

Better seats for sure, I had a loaner 07 MC and those seats were great. Anyone know if they are they backwards compatable? eh...will the R56 seats fit/work in the R53?

i agree ^^ the seats are pretty plush compared to my cement ass boards.
I have said it before and i'll say it again: I had the stark choice in May of this year to get a R56 or a (wonderfully unpopular) R53 JCW. It was a no brainer and my aesthetic issues were what made the decision easy. I havent been a big fan of the "look" of the R56 since the first photos came out. The interior is appalling to me and the exterior never really did it for me either. I could go on forever and im not starting any mean spirited discussion but needless to say, i was sold.

I have always had respect for what the R56 beast could do but my endless love for the R53 didnt make me think twice. The R56 has definitely grown on me but i havent regretted my decision for a minute, even after driving a pretty R56 loaner. :wink:

I had a very similar experience when I took my 04 MCS in to have a Dinan S1 kit installed. They gave me an R56 as a loaner.

Seats were great. Radio was horrible. Performance was okay, but not anything spectacular. Handling was about the same. And I absolutely HATED the (even larger) speedo. (I have factory nav in my MCS so my speedo is behind the steering wheel where it belongs...) ;)

The bigger shock was when I traded the R56 back for my Dinan S1. Amazing and then some. I do miss the R56 seats though...

-Scott

I have an R50 Cooper and an R56 MCS...

I can't believe they made the speedo bigger and less useful at the same time. :lol:

Well I'm back behind the wheel of the R53. It feels like home!

One of the things I hadn't consciously noticed until fighting rush hour back-to-back in R56/R53 - the rear quarter windows of the R56 are MUCH smaller and there is much poorer visibility when changing lanes in tight traffic. Thats something I loved about my 1967 Dodge Monaco and continue to love about the R53 - spectacular visibility.

I think I figured out a good way to describe how my brain took in the R56 - it's like an episode of Quantum Leap where everyone else thinks its the same and I'm the only one who knows whats up. Or an episode of the Twilight Zone where you come home and your whole family is replaced by a squad of robots who don't know they are robots and have all your family members' personalities, etc. I dunno. Something is just not quite right.

I had the same impression AT FIRST of the R56. The dealer then held a track day for Motortober and I was able to drive them around the track all day long. I have to tell you out of the box they are one nice package.

Ha!:lol::thumbsup: Very well done...

mb

after driving about 6-7 different r56's and obviously many many r53's. I can truly say that for a daily driver situation and stock vs. stock the r56 is a better car. For having a MINI that feels as mini as a new MINI can, the r53 is where it's at.

The r56 is simply..... more german.

..........or how about "more pedestrian".

or how about "less Rover"?

:thumbsup: I've never seen it said better. When I point out the differences to friends and family they look at me like I'm on drugs. I can spot the differences from 100 yards and my wife can't tell the difference from 2 feet.

As for the R53 verses R56 thing ...I've been after a MINI since 2002 and had my heart set on an R53. But, when the R56 was announced I ordered one. Once it landed and I saw it in the flesh, sat in it, drove it ...well, I started hunting for an R53 as fast as I could. No regrets here. Every time I see an R56 I just feel better about having found my car when I did.

Any R56 owner that prefers it to the R53 ...well, you can't argue with that. You like what you like. Period. They are all MINIs and its all good.

dean.

Now, just between us R53 folk, but is it just me, or does the R56 look sort of like the headlights are too far apart? It makes me think BMW decided the MINI would look better as the retarded child of a Dodge Neon...:sly:

I, too, have driven an R56 and, really, I'm not the least bit impressed with anything beyond the engine. It is a huge downgrade, in my opinion.

They should have kept the design of the original new Mini (except maybe some of the interior features), and dropped that R56 motor in there.

+10

Meh, I had about the same feelings as you but ended up going for the R56 over the R53 that I already had. No regrets here either :) I have to drive a lot for work and these new seats almost bring a tear to my eye whenever I think back to what it felt like to take long trips in my R53.

My requirements for myself for getting the R56 were that I installed the JCW aero kit and new shoes. Without both of those things, I agree that there's a major downgrade in looks.

That's a good point that I'd agree with actually, the R56 does look pretty sexy with that aero kit...

If R56 design was the "new MINI" that BMW first came out with instead of 53 design, I would go buy one ina hearbeat.

But then since I've seen R53, now I'm less attracted to R56, mostly interior.

Yes, it is great to have choices...but it does make things harder sometimes. I think some would want to cobble pieces of each together in a perfect world, but as it is we have to make that tough choice.

Despite my bias to the R53 (more visceral drive) I have to say I think they needed to do this redesign in order to abide by the Euro ENCAP safety rating:roll: It's still a mini, and i would still take one! WELL, after I got an R53 of course:lol:

That is a cool lookin' R56.

mb