Well, we picked up the Mini a few weeks back and I just wanted to post some of my initial impressions of the car.

Overall, we love the car, but wish there are things that could be changed.

CONS:
-The ride is extremely stiff. When we test drove the car over a year ago, we test drove a MCS with 17" wheels and the sport suspension. I don't remember it being this stiff. Though it is a good excuse for me to get some lighter wheels and ditch the run flats!!!

-The exhaust is also a lot louder than I expected. The droning around 2000 rpm is pretty annoying, so you need to keep the revs up in order to get rid of it. I've never heard a stock exhaust that was this loud.

-Throttle response could use a little work. The car takes a while to rev up if you are trying to heel/toe (which is hard for me with the brake being up SO high). Even if you are running down the gears to a stop, it takes a lot longer to get it to match the revs. Also, when you are cruising around, and take your foot of the gas slightly, the car just STOPS. Enough to freak me out when I first got the car. On the highway, if you play around with it, I could probably throw my wifes head into the windshield if she wasn't paying attention (a little exagerration). It seems as though when the car switches from boost to vacuum, it really slams something closed (or the drive by wire throttle is playing around with itself).

-power off the line (1000) rpm doesn't seem to exist! If you come to a full stop at a stop sign, put the car in first and try to get going, you need to rev it a bit to get the car to move. If you downshift to second and do a slight roll through the stop, the car will finally start to accelerate by the time you get to the other side of the road. I've gotten myself in trouble with this a few times slowing down to an intersection where I am going to turn. i'll see an opening, drop it into 2nd and have to wait what feels like an eternity for the car to move. Even our old Honda Civic with 105 hp could pull away in a situation like this. Maybe the lower compression ratio of the motor is giving it no power down low? I don't know...

-The Panaramic sunroof is LOUD!! I can't drive on the highway with it open and even listen to the radio. I'm thinking of getting one of the wind blockers, but I haven't seen one on a car and I usually don't like the way they look.

-The stock stereo sucks. The stereo in our Infiniti is the upgraded one which has been bashed for being bad as well, but it sounds like a $10,000 system compared to the mini. The car has no highs and no bass. Almost like it is all midrange. I've turned up the treble to its max setting and the bass can only be turned up slightly from the middle position since the crossover seems to be way too high (probabl yin the 150-200 hz range). It just adds more midrange and no more bass. Hopefully after the stereo breaks in some more, it'll be a little better. Not looking to change this part of the car though since we aren't keeping the car for long.

Pros-
-The car feels very nimble, almost like you can thread it through any hole in traffic. Maybe it is because I can turn around and almost touch the rear window from the drivers seat!! The car doesn't seem as responsive as my G35 though, which I did not expect. Initial turn in is a little muted and the steering is a lot heavier than it has to be. Though the nice thick, smaller steering wheel probably has a lot to do with it.

-Quality of the interior is great. Much better than my Infiniti. Obviously it is more based on sport than luxury, but it does its job. I haven't had a creak or rattle yet (which I can not say for the infiniti).

-I love the supercharger whine and the power when it seems to kick in full blast around 3K rpm's. For such a little car, it can really get moving with the revs built up.

Of course, I am assuming my thoughs of the car will change once i get some more time in the seat (my wife drives it 75% of the time). I'll update this as time goes on....

This thread is not meant to be negative since I do love driving the car. Of course, the negatives stick out the most!!!

 

I have never riden in a MINI with out the wind deflector and I love mine.

check out my gallery

Art

 

A couple of suggestions.


Stereo: Did you get the H/K stereo? It is very bass-heavy, and you will probably need to set it to electronica to get much high/mid sound. I'm SO glad I didn't get the H/K--I drove a loaner for 2 weeks that had it, and marginally tolerable was the best I could ever tweak it. If it's stock, try setting Treble to 3 and Bass to 3 or 4. Then, increase the overall volume. I don't see how anyone could stand the treble all the way up.

Power: I had to make a huge adjustment to my driving style when I first got my car. My previous vehicle was a Jeep Wrangler 4.0L inline 6, which is all about low end torque. It could practically climb a tree. Driving the Jeep, I shifted up through the gears as fast as I could, and did most city driving in 4th or 5th.

With the MINI, (as you have noticed) there's nothing really there at 2000 rpm, and you shouldn't be driving around that low anyway. The redline is waaay up near 7K, and the real power band is 3500-4500 and above. Don't upshift so soon. You should be able to drive around town in 2nd gear, or 3rd at the highest. You probably will never see 6th gear unless you are on the interstate. I go into 6th at around 70mph. It's a revvy little engine, and will sing to you in the 3-5K rpm range, and wail at you if you bog it down in the 2K rpm range.

Suspension: Having driven Jeeps for the last 15 years, I never understood why everyone complained about the stiff ride of the MINI. To me, it was downright plush! Since you're coming from an Infiniti, I suspect that's why the ride seems so harsh. You've been domesticated by a luxury vehicle. The MINI will re-acquaint you with your wild side.

Sunroof: Can't help you there. It's just loud.

Welcome to the Jungle, BABY!!!

 

I agree with you 100% on the throttle response and the power off line. I ususally creep through the EZ Pass toll lane in 2nd gear in other cars but I almost stalled in my Cooper S.

In the ride quality department, I find the ride downright cushy . But I'm coming from a Mazda Miata with rock hard Bilstein heavy duty shocks.

 

What he said ...

About the Stereo, I've seen lots of threads where people think the HK stereo sucks. To each their own.

As to the rest ... much of it is what your used to. For example, the suspension is harsh, especially if you sit in the passenger seat with a bad back. If your used to a plush ride, forget about it.

As to the exhaust, you got to be kidding me ... its so quiet I have a hard time knowing its running. Its all what your used to. Coming from all sports cars, I think the exhaust is way to muted.

As to power, its meant to be driven, not babied at 2K. Crank it up, make it sing (as my wife says). Its a motoring car, not a highway cruiser.

As to responsive, it has no HP down low. Crank it up over 4500 and see if its responsive. Make that baby SING ...

 

the harsh ride was my only complaint after 3k-cured it with a set of h-sport springs. got em second hand off this board for a bit of a deal-made the ride 100% better. i just got used to the lack of low end power, but a 15% pulley should help that some too. i teetered between a g 35 and this car for awhile but decided this would be more fun...so far it is plenty fun, not sure its more fun than the g 35, but maybe one of them can be next. youre a lucky guy to have one of each!!!

 

D_Nyholm,

Be sure to adjust your seat to have the optimum comfort in your MINI.

As for the stereo, I had the stock system in my Cooper (H/K wasn't available for 02s) and have the H/K in my 2003 MCS. (I love it! If you have the H/K, try all the settings and see which one sounds best to you. I usually end up keeping mine on the "Mini H/K" setting; seems to be all-around best for the majority of my music.) The stock stereo has been improved by many when they add subs, etc.

And DEFINITELY rev it up! You don't have a clue about the MINI's true performance or get that "permagrin" if you are keeping it under 3500rpm!

See if these suggestions don't help improve your enjoyment of your sweet MINI!


Clover

 

I LOVE the "popping" and "burbling" of the revised stock '05 MCS exhaust system. I used to have a '04 MCS with the stock exhaust and you could barely hear it!


This is a sports car first and foremost. No Lexus plush ride here. This is a much more "intense" driving experience in comparison to a luxury sedan.

I got the 16" stock V-spokes with Dunlop SP5000 runflats. No complaints here about ride quality or handling. The 17"s have a lower profile (205/45/R17) and thus are prone to harsher ride quality. Also be careful with potholes as you have less rubber between you and the road asphalt.

Are you sure you test drove this car? It seems to me that you were expecting Cadillac/Lexus ride and not sports car demeanor.

 

I appreciate what everyone has been telling me. I am sorry if the post came off as an attack on the car though.

If any of you have driven in an Infiniti G35 coupe with the 18" wheels and 245-45-18 rubber, you know that it isn't at all 'cushy'. I would compare it to the feeling of a '91 911 Turbo (only car that I have driven in that seemed similar). Once i get rid of the run flats, i have a feeling the ride department will be all taken care of. With over 50 lbs on each axle, it is going to help tremendously when I drop down to about 40 lbs or so with 'regular' tires. I can't wait and neither can my wife!!!

The exhaust actually isn't loud, it DRONES. At 2000 or so when you are just cruising through the neighborhood at 30-35 mph, it sounds like there is a 12" sub back there blaring out 100 hz test tones. Similar to the droning I had in my old mustang without the cats and louder exhaust pipes on it. I was just surprised since 75% of the people that get the Mini get it for the looks and not for the performance. I could see many being swayed away from the car from the annoying drone!

I have the non H/K stereo in the car. From what I am reading here, it sounds like I made a good decision. I was worried that I should have added the H/K systems (I like most of H/K's stuff). Sounds like i made a good choice. I'll give it some time to break in and hopefully it will loosen up a bit. The reason I have the treble on max is that it seems like the tweeters aren't aimed at my head...more behind me (and I have the seat all the way back). If I stick my head closer to the door glass, it sounds a little better.

The thing is, I was expecting a ride similar to my car. Which will pull higher g's than the Mini and I even have upgraded sways on my car (though they only affect it on uneven pavement). I figured that the car would ride similar since it is tuned for the same thing. When I test drove it, I must have just been really excited and not really paid attention to the ride of the car.

Of course, this is the first 1000 miles of the car, it takes time to get used to it.

Don't get me wrong, i love the car, just everyone has their little pros/cons list!! At least it doesn't ride like a Lotus Elise!!!

 

My stock stereo was crummy when I got my MC two years ago.....and it still is.

I don't see why MINI doesn't let you opt for the slightly softer MC suspension in the MCS. I don't think it hurts the handling and it does ride a bit smoother.

 

Once you get use to how to drive the Mini (clutch, gas, rpms, shift points) you will have a blast. Break it in then drive it like you stole it

I have the sport suspension and at times it can bounce you but adjust the seats and enjoy the ride.

 

A few of things:

Radio:
I have the HK system and spent about a week fiddling with ALL the settings to get it "tuned" to my taste. I eschewed all the DSP settings and went with manual tuning. Now, it is outstanding...but my preferred music is Jazz and Blues.

One of the things I learned from my hours tuning the radio is how the front/rear fading control can be used to adjust the sound regardless of where the bass/treble controls are set. With any given setting of bass/treble, fading the sound toward the rear brings up the bass and reduces the highs/midrange. And, while this effect seems very obvious to most folks, it really makes a difference in the MINI. Also, since the cabin is so small, a little fading to the rear seems to have a neglible effect on the staging of the sound.

About three weeks ago, my son took delivery of a 2005 MC with the standard radio and I thought it sucked eggs. Then we sat in the car with a CD playing and, like the process I went through with the HK system, adjusted bass/treble/fading until we got a fairly good sound out of the unit. Now, it doesn't match the HK or aftermarket system but it is WAY better than it initially sounded. I also felt that, as one would expect, the sound from the CD source was MUCH better than a local radio station.

Handling:
If you will allow me to state that my 3-series (with the sport package) compares closely with your G35 in terms of power and handling, perhaps I can explain some of the feelings you have found in comparing the MINI to the G35.

First, like the BMW, the G35 is rather heavy as compared to the MINI. It is also designed to offer a blend of handling performance with a GT ride. Yes, it handles very well but, as designed, there is a muting of feedback to the driver...especially in quick, transitional moves. In our larger cars, turn-in is quite good (depending on what tires you are running) and it is easy to predict/control what is needed for driver input.

The difference I noted in my MCS was a general "speeding-up" and "refinement" that was needed from my driving input. And, of course, the biggest difference is the gobs of dynamic feedback that is communicated to the driver by the MINI. Having autocrossed for many years, it reminded me of the communication and driving style that was experienced in a Street Prepared class car as opposed to a Stock class car. The good news is that this was just the handling I was looking for; I did not want to replicate the handling of the 3-series.

So give yourself some more time behind the wheel to "fine tune" your expertise to the MINI environment. However, be aware that a MINI will NEVER come close to replicating the environment you've experienced in the G35; they are completely different animals!

Power:
Nothing like the low-end torque of the G35/330, eh what? And the non-turbo/non-supercharged Honda (had one of those, too!) seems to get going faster at low rpms, right? Let's talk supercharger.

At very low rpms (thanks to the supercharger bypass valve being open) you are driving with about the same power as your Honda, but with different gear ratios designed for supercharger performance. As the rpms increase, the supercharger bypapass valve (BPV) closes and the supercharger starts creating its magic...especially at 4,000 to 4,500.

The BPV is used to help improve fuel economy in what MINI has ascertained to be "low power demand" situations; no SC = better mpg. As a result, for performance you need to drive the MCS at a high enough rpm point to close the BPV. Try accelerating in second gear from 1,500 rpms using a constant throttle position. Note what happens as you enter and pass the upper 2,000 rpm range; you will begin feeling the torque building. The BPV is closing and the SC is taking over.

So, to eek the most from the MCS engine, you should drive keep the rpms up enough to keep the BPV from cutting boost. There are ways to keep the BPV from interfering so much, but these modifications could cause warranty issues.

Another potential issue that can affect acceleration is the DSC system. Simply put, DSC notices when the wheels are breaking loose and intervenes but cuting power to the drivetrain. As autocrossers know, a little bit of wheelspin is needed to really "hook-up" the tires to the pavement. But DSC will prevent this. So, find a safe place and try accelerating with DSC on and DSC off.


FWIW,

Theo

 

Once you get past your 1250 mile break-in, you will be able to rev above 4500rpm. For 30-35mph, you receive most power/reponse, and proper exhaust note by being in 2nd gear, rpms in the 3K's. 2000 rpm is not a cruising speed in any situation with the MINI.

I also recommend as soon as your break-in is complete, drive it all the way up to redline. There's a redline rev limiter that will cut off power, but it will give you a greater idea of where the power is.

 

The BPV has nothing to do with RPMs but everything to do with throttle position. There's very little power at low RPMs b/c of the small displacement engine (1.6L, the relatively heavy weight of the MINI (for its size), heavy wheels tires, heavy flywheel, low compression of the supercharged engine and low boost at low RPMs due to the type of supercharger it is.

 

Well, I took the Mini out yesterday to play around with the drone. I took first up to 4K and shifted and then took second up to 3500 to cruise. Man I felt like a RICER! The car was revving way too much to not be noticed. Car had plenty of power, but the engine revving that high just sounded wrong. I could see if I was at an autocross or going from a light trying to get in front of someone, but for cruising around the street at a constant 35 mph? Useless. Shifting the car at 3K rpms drops it right back to the DRONE at about 2K. Funny thing is, it matters where my seat is and whether or not I am driving. Seems like the drone is worse in the passenger seat and also if the seat is all the way back (must be the perfect size for the frequency wave).

I did get to run the car up to redline a few times too. FUN!!! Stupid traction control kept spoiling it though!! Gotta remember to hit the switch next time I am going to have a little fun. On the 1-2 shift, it would cut power pretty badly and i'd get a slight chirp. Unfortunately, I have the little LED computer in the car and it is usually set to instant MPG. Watching it drop down to 8 mph is pretty horrifying!! That thing is going ot be the death of me since I always play to get the avg. MPG up a little bit on each drive. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get it much over 25 mpg with an average speed of 48 mph...

 

Your gas mileage will improve as the motor breaks in. Mine was horrable at first, now very close to the sticker values.

 

Ooops! My bad. Yes, I remember that my yo-yo used to only happen on partiall throttle and not WOT. Thanks for correcting me, greatgro!

Theo

 

 

If you are driving the MINI at 2000 rpm, which gear are you in? If you are in third, you are lugging! Also, are the backseats up or down? That makes a HUGE difference in exhaust sounds! :smile:

And yes, after the engine in broken-in, your mileage will improve and get better as the engine further breaks in. Do yourself a favor and keep the OBC set at the outside temp...and remember to re-set your gas mileage counter back after each fill up!


Clover

 

Sounds like you're not "driving it like it's stolen"... maybe just "borrowed with the intent to own".

Get on it - I shift at 4000 rpm just tooling around town... when it's warmed up (pretty much by the end of my street) I can wind it out.

These little cars have plenty of attitude and really drive best when you're borderline thrashing them - that's why you run all synthetics in them, have a Getrag trans, lo pro tires (sorry - tyres ) etc.

 

I am really proud of you! You're going through the same transformation I had to go through switching from my Jeep. At first I was horrified at the higher rpm's, but you can 'just tell' that the car really loves it! BMW knew exactly what they were doing when they designed this little sports-compact, and it is actually very carefully designed to be driven like a sports car.

I agree with the suggestion not to give too much stock in the 'instant mpg' since it will swing from zilch to 99 based on where your foot is. Reset Average MPG, Average Speed, and your trip computer at each fill-up.

You are not going to change the MINI into a hybrid car no matter how you drive. Like most in-town drivers, you'll get somewhere in the low 20 mpg's. Only the highway commuters get better. The price for their good fortune is a lack of twisty roads. Hell would be better.

My own mileage has fluctuated by only 3 mpg since brand new, 19's at the lowest and 22's at the highest, even through the installation of my JCW kit, mileage never changed. And, since the kit, I've driven it much harder.

Screw the gas mileage! You didn't buy a priapasm--I mean prius. You bought a MINI!

 

If you really want the car to be fun, install a 15% pulley. It's one of those permagrin mods that will make you say "now, THAT'S the way it should have come from the factory"

Definitely worth the money.

Mark

 

Definitely the 15% is how it should have come from the factory. But the 19-20% is how the car should be modded. BTW, 118k miles as of today...