Hi,
I'm new here.
My wife wants a Clubman, and we have a couple of questions.

1. We have an 85 pound American Bulldog. Will he fit in the way back? Do you have a big dog that rides in your Clubman?

2. She wants a sunroof. We've found a great 2008 S, low miles, but no sunroof. Pro's and con's???

Thanks.

 

For dogs, there is this thread: OFFICIAL Show us your Dogs in your Clubman! Pics/stories welcome!

 

I think it's a design rule that ALL MINI's have to be able to fit a Bulldog inside-I mean, it's the brand's mascot for crying out loud

I don't have a Clubman, but when I was looking at one before buying my R56, I was examining the back area closely for fitting our Golden Retrievers. I think a bulldog would easily fit comfortably (short legs). Not sure about that if the rear seat was not flipped down, though. Tons of people here with dogs and Clubmans, so I know you will get several more experienced answers.

As for the sunroof....that was a deal breaker for me. Mini does a fantastic job with the panoramic sunroof. Makes the car feel more roomy inside with all of that glass-even if I never opened the sunroof, I would still want it for that reason alone. And the opening is HUGE when you pop it open. An absolute must have for me, but a sunroof is like car colors, it's an extremely subjective item.

 

Yes, we'd always put rear seats down when dog is in the car. Sunroof, yes, you're right, makes the car seem a whole lot bigger. Thanks.

 

My Neo mastiff makes it just fine with seats down

 

When I was looking around before buying mine, it seemed like all the Clubman's I looked at had dog hair on the roof liner over the boot.


I found it funny that dealers would spend a lot of time vacuuming and cleaning the car out, but completely ignore the wads of dog hair on the headliner.

 

We can fit two crates for 2 65+ pound bull terriers in our Clubman. The crates have side doors and end doors; we can get one dog in and out through the Club door and the other through the back doors. It's our rescue transport and raises eyebrows;-)

Lynn

 

OK, looks like it will a Clubman S, with sunroof.
Looking for late model used, low mileage, or possibly new, if we can find pepper white, with black roof and black rear light surrounds. Manual or auto, either is OK.

 

Excellent!

Love the Clubman. I really hate that they are going to redesign them next year. you know I have never cared for white cars, but I saw the pepper white with a red roof and it was absolutely stunning...I have never seen a white like that before. very nice...

great choice. Please let us know what you end up finding out there..

Jeff

 

the back seats have an option to lay back as normal or put up right to allow a little more space in back and still retain the seats, all though no one could ride upright in back seat for long. I allways have mine upright as I carry 8 bowling ***** to league.

IMO the sunroof is only good for leaks and heat , every car I owned it was cool for a few weeks then never used again, just my opinion. I purposely looked for cars without. The last one I bought with was a pontiac G6 with a panoramic moon roof or some strange name, had 5 panels that folded over the top of each other till one day it didn't LOL , GM had to replace entire assy and cut new hole as the design was a total failure and only in production for a year.

But I love my clubman, the extra room is what sold me , the wifes hardtop is fine for her 3 bowling ***** and that's about it.

 

"3 bowling *****"....that is so true! When i go somewhere to buy something, I have actually think...."will this fit in my hardtop or do I need to take the truck"?

It's shocking how small the storage is, but daily duties are not why I bought it

I was so on the fence between a Clubman and a Hardtop....

 

Trust me when I went MINI shopping I pointed out to sales lady I needed room for my 8 ***** or I wasn't interested. I could have crammed them into a CM or PM or hardtop with seats down BUT the surface was not level so could not roll them in and my back has had 2 surgeries so the clubman was a no brainer.

2 weeks later traded the wifes Miata for a hardtop, so we have the best of both worlds.

And today I felt the "need for speed" so my other english vehicle came out to play, my triumph 675 street triple R

 

Another question,
How do you protect the rear bumper surface from being scratched by doggy paws?
e.g. Safety Grip tape or similar?

 

I have a Beagle who loves to ride in the Clubman. The windows are at the perfect height for her to look at everything going by while she is laying down.
I use an old Navy Blanket draped from the interior over the bumper to allow her to jump in the back and not scratch the bumper.

 

We put a zebra stripe (the car is Astro black/silver) throw under the crate, it is long enough we just flop the extra over the bumper when loading or unloading the dogs and flip it back before closing the doors.

Lynn

 

My first mini was a 2006 mini s and we fit 2.boxers and Boston terrier with the seats layed down. Im sure you'll be good

In good measures to not double post. I use a 3m clearshield on my rear bumper area on my 550I wagon. It does take a beating but it certainly protects the paint.

 

Three dogs in an MCS at the same time???? which one of them drove?

 

Haha it was a dog pile but they all looked hella comfortable.

 

I have the 3M Clear bra on my MINI it includes coverage for the rear bumper.
I always have my seats folded flat, I keep a piece of black vinyl rug runner in the back that is trimmed to fit. It keeps dog hair off the carpeting pretty well.

I put a perforated Union Jack decal on my sunroof, it blocks about 25% of the light getting through.

Hey, My grandfather had a Lagonda coupe, back in the fifties!

 

My 70 pound olde English bull dog loves going for rides in the clubbie.. I lay the seats down for him and he has a blast..

 

Does anyone have the window tint and have the dogs damaged it at all? The reason we use a crate it to protect the tint from claws.

Lynn

 

Tucker and Tallulah in their custom Clubbie crate. Tucker (Border Collie Pit mix) is about 45 pounds and Tallulah (Catahoula Doberman mix) is about 60.

 

Doubledog. I have yet to find a tint durable enough to withstand the claws. I know places around here do permanent tint but its like 1500. I dont see the value.

 

Thanks for the reply. Guess I'll keep using the crate, he doesn't seem to mind as long as he gets to motor!