First Weeks Driving Experience
 

I got by Clubman S a week ago tomorrow. I now have close to 500 miles on it. I just have to say, "Wow!" This evening I took it up into the hills for an extended tour and couldn't believe the way it handled. I followed an Audi A4 up a local road (Page Mill Rd.). I know this road because I rode my bicycled up and down in dozens of times, so the twists and turns up to an elevation of 2000 feet are familiar to me. I have driven up it in a Volkswagen van, a Mazda 323 and a Civic. This was my first trip in the Clubman.

It turns out they guy driving the Audi lives at the top of the road. At least I think so because he turned off onto a driveway after reaching the top, so he knew how to pace it through the turns. The Clubman easily kept the pace. I never felt beyond the car's capacity and the pace was, at the very least, very quick. The car just stuck to the road and zipped (or is it zugged?) out of the curves. I don't know how many times the Mini grin hit my face. Again, Wow!

I would be interested in others' reactions.

Thanks for that - I'll be posting my own first weeks experience in a week or so. In my first mini, I drove from Ferndale to Petrolia - normally a 40-minute spirited drive with lots of switchbacks, elevation changes, and one-lane sections - in 25 minutes. I've made it in 32 minutes in my current car (Pontiac GTO) and while it can be fun sliding around 180 degree corners, the rest of the drive was more scary than fun. And still not as quick as the MINI.

I pick up my wife's new Clubman in 3 days. The waiting is finally almost over:lol::lol:

I think you will enjoy your, er, her, Clubman.

I have had mine now for almost a month and I love it! With the exception of the radio. I got the HiFi, and what a disappointment. It goes to a stereo shop Monday for a $1700 upgrade. The nav is a little tideous to operate, but love the fact that it's built in. The biggest :thumbsup: is the mpg. According to my computer, I'm averaging 34.5 around town, and a whopping 43 mpg on the hwy:eek: . If that's true, I am very happy. I'm still trying to learn all the features of the car. I still haven't figured out how to make the headlight squirters pop out, but in all fairness, I haven't really tried. I took two coworkers to lunch yesterday; each about 6' and 215, with no problems. The room was fine, and the little turbo still had enough torque to get us up to speed fairly quickly. So far so good.

What source are you using? (Compressed mp3s sound awful on anything serious but I'm happy with my hi-fi playing CDs or FM and digital radio.)

They are activated by the windshield washer by pulling the wiper stalk toward you. They will pop out and spray every 4-5 times you spray the window.

Not very time, as schatzy goes on to say. At least in the UK, the headlight washers only operate when the system decides they need to. (I'm not sure how it decides though; but it probably ain't broke if they don't work the first time you try.)

I also sprung for the $500 upgrade on the radio and, yes, if you turn it up loud enough you get distortion. I try to remember that a MINI is not an ideal listening room...it has it's own background level noise.

I uploaded all my cd's in 16bit 41 (lossless) format to my iPod. I have really enjoyed the system.

I believe that the headlight washers only work if you have the headlights on when you wash the windshield.

Mainly Sirius. Not nearly enough bass or volume.

The Clubman is great on the windy roads.
If you haven't been on one, hit the country and find a county road.
Watch out for the local cops if you open it up.
Been there.

I am pretty sure, although I have been known to wrong, that the headlight washers work when the lights are on.


Larry

Winding roads is where this car wants to be. I am heading from the Bay Area to south of Santa Barbara this weekend and plan to take a few detours off of Highway 101 just to ride the twisties. If anyone has recommendations for back roads to include on my route, I would gladly take your advice.

Sorry you find it so.:sad: But if you've run out of options on the settings menu then you must be right to upgrade to get the sound you want. :grin: