I travel quite a bit with one or two sea kayaks on the roof. But I'm also of a somewhat advanced age.

So I am undecided between the two models of Clubman. I want a ride that is relatively comfortable, and I have long since given up on screeching away from stoplights, so I *think* the standard Clubman is what I want. From what I've read, the "S" model has a noticably harsher ride.

But I have a friend with a Honda Civic that just *dies* on hills with kayaks on the roof. I definitely do not want to have to deal with that. Maybe I'll want the added kick from the "S" model to compensate.

Anyone out there who carries stuff on the roof (with the added drag that generates) who can reassure me that the standard Clubman is up to the task?

Thanks,
--
Darryl

 

I just test drove both today and strongly recommend you do the same vice relying on a stranger's opinion. That said, IMHO, either will do the job for you. The basic Clubman is not a Civic...

Start with the Clubman and then drive the "S". I did it opposite and it really biased my thinking.

I'm 67, flew fighters in the Navy and drove slow cars. After I got out of the cockpit I compensated by going to fast cars. I'll probably special order a Clubman S in the next couple of weeks.

 

I drive all winter with a Yakima Skybox 16 on the roof and drive the standard Clubman. I have not noticed any lag or loss of fuel consumption even on hills. I would think the S would be a little better on hills but I like the fuel range when not using anything on the roof or hitch. I think it would make a difference on how your kayaks are mounted.

Craig

 

How does the non S move if the car is loaded with 3 or 4 hot chicks? I don't want to be embarrassed by some 17 year old ricer at a stop light.

 

Darryl,

One of the reasons the "S" has a harsher ride is due to the crappy run flat tires. If you order your car, you may want to go with the "15 rim standard on JustaClubman that comes with non run flat all season Continentals.

Also, I have a JustaClubman with an automatic transmission, and for most driving, the power is adequate. If you need the extra power, just hit the sport button. There really is a night and day difference, but as someone stated earlier, I would test drive both cars.

 

Just echoing Kimbo...a Justa owner here, and even with a hot chick (wife) and a coupla ugly pals in back, I can outzip cabbies in S.F. in Sport Mode...A Justa in Sport Mode pretty much owns the road. The one circumstance I can see an S as a better option is passing on an incline with a kayak...but should you really be passing on an incline with a kayak? I thought I was giving something up choosing fuel economy (Justa versus S), but I gotta say I was pleasantly surprised, enough that fuel economy is the last thing on my mind, at least until the 2 red bars ding at me!

OH, HEY, PETE V! WELCOME TO NAM!!

 

Regular Clubmans are substantially powerful when in Sport mode. Driving when not in Sport mode can get boring, so, at this point, I always have it on.

I drove my Clubman from West Los Angeles to Las Vegas this past weekend with my entire family and a decent amount of luggage and I couldn't feel any significant loss of power. Two kayaks shouldn't be a problem.

 

Check out my flickr pages for my MCC with roof rails and big old Thule box. We drive it filled with a college kid's books (tons of them), etc., with 3 good sized people and a dog - never a problem driving on hills, dales, or on highways, with the insane, going 80 mph plus easily and without the sport button! And you will get better gas mileage, too.http://www.flickr.com/photos/otra/se...7609631424061/

But get ready for the S brigade - there's a large phalanx on here.

 

YOU need the S

 

I have a 2009 MCCm Clubman with run-flat, all-season tires, the same as you would get on a Clubman S. It is markedly smoother-riding than the 2007 MCSm (turbo coupe) that I previously had.

You may find yourself downshifting for steep hills, especially into wind.

Find 3 linebackers to take with you on a test drive, and try the steepest hills you can find. The Clubman will get you there. The Clubman S will get you there effortlessly.

My MCSm averaged 34 mpg, 0 - 36000 miles. My MCCm is averaging 38 mpg, 0 - 3600 miles. Not as much improvement as I had hoped for, with so much less power.

 

I am also of *ahem* advancing age, and I bought a new Clubman S this Feb.

Last week I had a "Justa" Clubman automatic for almost a week as the shop tried to find an annoying buzz in my dash and I have to say that for my 40 mile round trip daily commute the Justa was justa fine!

However, that said, once I got back into my S, I was grateful I had made that decision. For a couple miles per gallon in general driving, it's worth it for the extra power when you need/want it......you can always use less power when you drive your S by going easy on the throttle, but when driving a Justa if you need more, you can't just go get it with the pedal........like you can with an S.......

I didn't find any real difference in ride quality between my S and the loaner........neither is a cloud car, but then that's why we buy them, isn't it? For the responsive handling, great brakes and performance?

Buy the S, you won't regret it.............

 

Running on 15, 16 or 17 will make a difference in harshness. Also, the optional sport suspension on the S can be stiff.

But without the Sport suspension, and with same tire size, the S and non-S ride (suspension wise, here) is the same

 

Get the S, it puts the Stink in Clubman (as in goes like...)! As MINIdave notes, you can always take the Stink out by going easy on the pedal, but if it's not there to begin with there's no way of putting it back in!

 

If you are concerned about ride on the MCS, make sure to avoid the sport suspension package, as it has a significantly rougher ride. Stay with the 16 inch wheels and basic suspension with the S. I drove each (basic and S) and found the S worth the cost, but with the 17" wheels and the sport pack it rides pretty rough. I also made the ride lots better by switching from run-flats to standard tires. Also bought a donut spare which fits right in the comparment below the false bottom in the boot area.

 

Re: vs. Civic: my justacooper has far more torque than any Civic. Plus with the 6-speed, you can drop down to 5th for a little more power if needed without the revs getting obnoxious. Part of the reason I hated our 03 civic was that the 4-speed auto would downshift with the motor screaming on long hills. No problem now!

 

From personal experience, the hot chicks don't mind... they're more into refinement, sophistication and fast corners!

 

I'd suggest the S with the 16" wheels for a softer ride vs the 17 low profile tires