Not a Mini owner.....yet. One thing I would like to know is how comfortable are Minis on long day trips?

Being a short wheelbase and all, does it impact trip comfort? I'm 6', 230 and like to take weekend jaunts from time to time.

 

it all depends on just how much you can tolerate. if you want super super smooth, go for 16's and ditch the runflats. i have 17's with runflats and the ride is less than ideal, but i can easily do 4 to 5 hours at a time. i'd recommend the sport seats too. the biggest improvement to ride would be to ditch the runflats IMO

 

I have an '02 MC and put on 16" non-runflats and for long trips I find the car to be excellent in terms of ride comfort and lack of backaches . My father has an '03 MC with 15" non-runflats (of course) and he has sport seats. He routinely drives from GA to OH in the Mini in lieu of my mom's Grand Marquis and now her Ford Freestlye because of comfort.

I wish I had the sport seats - excellent support. I am 6'-4" and 225lbs and the Mini is outstanding on long trips. Better than my old '79 . I used to drive an Altima and couldn't drive more than 100 miles without backaches

Good luck with your choices!

 

I am 6'1 and my husband is 6'5 and we both find my MCS comfortable. We were on an outing today - 5 hours in all - and it was quite comfortable. I have the sport package, 17" performance run-flats. I think the feel of the car is perfect.

I normally have a heck of a time adjusting to new seating positions (in cars and desk chairs especially) due to something called piriformis syndrome. I have a tendancy to ket killer leg aches, but so far, Mini is completely comfortable.

Carol

 

Irregular road surfaces for long distances can be a real challenge, but I would not want to drive anything else. . . .

 

I do a 100 mile round trip commute,daily,then for a break I do 300 mile daily trips on the weekend,just so I can sit longer in my MINI

 

I am now wondering the same thing... As we get closer to MOTD, I am wondering how the ride across the country is going to be with my 18' wheels and their runflats... what IS the main difference in the tires that effects the ride?

 

I guess it depends on the person.

I find it hard to get confortable in the seats so my back aches on long drives. Plus I can feel the engine resonance in the steering wheel when crusing. After 150 miles I just need to get out have a break.

Luke

 

stiffness in the sidewall.The runflats have to hold up the car if they have no air in them,so the tire tranfers every bump to wheel,which you feel through the suspension.
Normal tires have softer sidewalls,and absorb so of the raod shock.
Hope that helps.

 

Oh heck, you sissies! LMAO! I've driven Wanda across the US many times now and it's a FANTASTIC ride! GO FOR IT!


Clover

 

I drive an old, beat up truck right now, and have had to make 900 one way trips before. I bet those trips in the mini will be a dream in comparison!

 

I'm 6' and over 280. My Cooper has leather seats and consequently, the lumbar supports. Once I dial them in, NO road is uncomfortable. The Dragon is over 400 miles from my house. Yeah, it's a long drive...especially the last 30 miles of twisties [Dragon AND Rt. 28 to Fontana]. Still, I felt pretty good after the drive, so, I'd have to say that the MINI is a great car for driving about ANY distance.


Jeff [WMWNY]

 

Pig has 17" runflats.

Cheri and I have taken him on _many_ long trips. This weekend we're doing a 4 hour (each way) road trip. This winter, we averaged longish (5 or more hours each way) trips about every other week (he's up to 24,000 miles since we got him in June). Plus, we did a 4,000 mile road trip across the country (via the scenic route). The longest I've driven Pig is about 8 hours at a stretch.

While neither of us is as big as you (I'm about 5'8 and 180), I do have a small hardware store in my back (about 8 screws, two plates, and a titanium vertebrae, all put together in a 5 inch fusion).

So far, I've got no complaints. My back does get sore after a few hours, but no more so than any other car I've driven (and there have been several).

 

[QUOTE=thefuturequeenofnebraska]with my 18' wheels and their runflats... /QUOTE]

EIGHTEEN FOOT WHEELS...OMG

 

MINIs are awesome for long drives. In my first year I went to 22 States & Canada. The firm support of the sport seats and the responsiveness of the car combine for long trip bliss!

 

I drove straight from Salt Lake City to Woodside CA (SF Bay Area). I stopped once for a drink (drive through), once in Tuolame Meadows to pee, and at a rest stop to sleep for 4 hours. Total time, 17.5 hours, no problem! The ride is choppy on concrete slab freeways (the expansion joints make the car buck) but you can find a speed where it's not an issue. The limit to the time in the car seems to be more the amount of stuff you're brining, not the distance you travel.

Matt

 

I used to drive back and forth from cleveland columbus every weekend (150 mi each way). I had a cooper S with 16" (runflats, and then non runflats after a while).

I won't lie to you. It's not exactly a cruise ship. Normal cars' (accord, camry, etc) suspensions will feel better, but the mini does make up for quite a bit of it with the excellent seats (sport seats with space cloth in my case... leather has adj. lumbar support). There is a fascinating amount of room for the front. as an ex: my friend was a player for ohio state football, and with the seats back and lowered down, he thought the car was "more roomy than [his] lincoln LS". He is 6'5" 290lbs (tight end and then defensive end). The ride will feel pretty firm, but not at all harsh. The high speed stability helps immensely with the whole experience.

If you are getting an MC without sport suspension plus, the ride should be quite a bit more pliant (from what I remember with the loaner I had).

 

I bought my car in Miami on Ebay and drove it home 10 hrs to Atlanta. I was very comfortable. I'm 54 with a bad back and I broke my neck in June of 03 (mountain bike)

 

I did a 1000 mile in one day trip. (Upstate NY to Davenport Iowa). While I'm sure some other cars would be more comfortable, I don't think any other car would be more fun!

 

On my current H-Sports and 16" GS-D3 tires, I can go a LONG way.:smile:

 

I love my Cooper, but find it nearly intolerable on long trips. My car is a bone stock 04 Cooper with sport seats and sport suspension plus. I use it mostly for autocross and track days, it is basically a garage queen. So what I am about to say may make it sound like I am dissatisfied with the car, which I am not.

I grew up in Michigan, which as a state has the worst roads I have ever born witness to. I now live in Minnesota, which has the 2nd worst roads I have seen. My wife and I make frequent trips back to Michigan to see family and friends, and we took the Cooper once. Once [/johnny dangerously]

I like the seats, they are very nice, but the pounding we take from the stifff suspension and short wheelsbase through Minnesota and Michigan is awful. Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana are okay, but they certainly set no standard by which roads should be judged.

We also have a Honda Civic sedan which we normally drive, but that car has crappy seats for such a long drive. I wish we had the Mini seats in our Civic, then it'd be a pretty comfortable trip. The two front seats in the Mini are spacious for such a small car - the rear seat is basically un-useable, though.

So to the original poster, if comfort is honestly a big deal to you, you can do MUCH MUCH better than a Mini. I do have to say that the car is a joy to drive in basically every other way, though. So if comfort is like 3rd or 4th or 10th on your list of priorities, the Mini would be fine

If you need a comfortable car, for the price of a Mini I'd take a look at something like a VW Golf or Subaru 2.5RS. If you have a bunch of $$$ to spend, the BMW 3-Series is basically in a class of 1 when it comes to providing a nice ride and superb handling.

 

I'm 6'4", 175lbs (ding ... for all you Dan Patrick fans), drove from Saratoga NY to the Outer banks of NC for last summer vacation in 11hrs and I was suprised how comfortable the ride in Greta was. I would like to point out that Greta has 18" JCW wheels with Dunlop runflats.

 

Ok, I'm 58, my wife and I have taken our MCS with sport pkg. and 17" run flats cross country twice. I have spent as long as 12 hours in the car (mid Nebraska to Green River Utah), stopping only for fuel and eats. We have been more comfortable in this car than most other cars we have owned. The sport seats are supportive and even though the ride is taught, the entertainment value per mile makes up for it.


2004 MCS EB/EB, Sport Pkg, Lapis Leather, 15% Pulley, Alta Intake, Miltec exhaust, MINI luggage, big smile.

 

Short wheelbase and your size is not a problem. Suspension and wheels are a bigger factor.

What is a long day trip to you? 200 miles or the limit you can drive in a day- like 500-600 miles (comfortable limits )

For 100-200 miles I don't think you'll have much trouble with a stock MC or MCS with either 15", 16" or 17" wheels. In a lowered MINI it might be a bumpy ride but it depends where you drive.

The smoothest ride is going to be in an MC with stock suspension (not sport suspension) and 15" non runflat Continental tires. The MC cabrio with base wheels is also very smooth.

16" runflats with any MINI are going to be a little harsher ride but very tolerable except on the worse roads. You can always let out just a bit of air to soften the ride. If you are ordering a MINI then choose the 16" wheels if making long trips is something you'd do alot.

For anyone driving under 100 miles it doesn't really matter which wheels you choose- matters more on the road surface and condition.

Other things can aid comfort on long trips-
Adjustability for good driver position-The MINI is excellent
Order Multifunction steering wheel-has controls that are easy to reach.
Order an MCS with automatic and paddle shifters
Good pedal location, dash controls, speedo visibility.
Good armrest-MINI has a good one in the door, can buy center armrest.
Auto AC-helps not having to adjust if too hot or cold
Cruise control- helps for long stretches
Sport seats- more lateral support-try it first for fit
Xenon lights- brighter at night- easier to see
Minimal blind spots- Don't fill the car with luggage, cabrio isn't as good.
Take breaks and space for drinks or snacks

A note on sunroofs and Cabrios-
While sunroofs offer more light into the interior and a more open feeling, they would result in more wind noise if open at highway speeds. In lower speed areas with curvy roads having the sunroof might be nice. On a sunny day the sunroof can allow more heat into the interior unless you have a sunroof tint or graphic to help cut some light.

Driving a cabrio with the top down is what the car was meant to do but at highway speeds and with luggage that might not be as tolerable. Many hours with the top down exposed to the heat and elements would be tiring. Putting the top up usually results in more wind noise when at highway speeds- just something to put up with. You can always play the HK audio and travel light.
The blindspots in the cabrio are also something to endure especially with the top up and while traveling in heavily used freeways.

 

I agree with MiniClo... a MINI isn't something you ride in, it is something you strap onto yourself and GO!