I need your help. The final deciding factor on Mini vs. Mini Clubman is down to these two topics - Groceries and Dogs.

You can help by posting pics of your Mini (non-Clubman) in the following configurations:

1. Typical grocery run without the rear seats folded down (typical plastic grocery bags or paper bags, with/without 1 gallon milk and water containers, the standard stuff!). Not looking for the ridiculous, just the reality of life when shopping with your Mini.
2. Pics of your dog (preferably a 50-70lbs) in the back with the seats folded down.

These two issues were steering my decision to go Clubman but I thought I should give the NAM community a chance to weigh in and possibly bring me back to the Mini (less expensive, shorter, lighter, better (roof) color choices, etc.).

Your help would be appreciated!!

Jim

 

No pics but for grocery shopping I have never had to fold down the rear seat but I am only buying for 1 person, me.

I don't have a dog but a friend has a golden retriever and he fit in the back fine with the seat folded. I was surprised by this but there seemed to be plenty of room. I have the Cooper.

 

I usually do the shopping once a week (family of four), and rarely put the rear seats down for it. Bulky items - two cases of coke, 2 & 1/2 gallons of milk, chips bread produce - 10 ish bags total - no problem. Yesterday I had a 50 lb bag of dog food, small suitcase, stuffed laptop computer bag, and some groceries, all w/ the seat still up......

As for dogs - (sorry no pics) the size you are talking about should be no problem - my daughters bulldog, and my sons pointer fit no problem. When we leveled out the back our 200+ lb great dane was happy back there....

Nik

 

I haven't gotten my MCS yet, but tried my 50lb. standard poodle and she fit fine inthe back with seats down. Also fit well in rear seat, although a bit dicey to get her in on the first attempt. She is used to our Audi A6 and my BMW 540i. Couldn't figure out what we wanted her to do!

 

Can you tell me how you leveled out the back? I have an 08' and thinking about building a box with a top to level it out. I really don't want to spend $230 for the Mini cargo sectional. Crazy price for that.

 

Funny you mention this but the time the golden retriever rode in my car that cubby hole in the back is exactly where the dog laid down to take a nap. It was a perfect fit for him.

 

It was just a quick trip - some 4x4's and a piece of plywood - nothing permanent or very pretty. The smaller dogs like to lay in that back little area too.

Nik

 

First off, I would like to point out that I am trying to convince my husband to trade his Honda CR-V in on a clubman.

1. Groceries, not a problem. I don't have pics, but when I stop by there this next week, I'll snap a couple for you and post them to this thread. Last time I went out to the grocery though, I fit two 12 packs of soda and four paper grocery bags in the boot without folding the seats down. The bags have to sit on top of the soda boxes, but that provides more stability for the bags anyway. (4 paper grocery sacks is usually enough to feed my family of four for a week).

2. I have a 90 pound Lab. I did try riding with him in the back of the car with the seats folded down, but I have to be honest with you. It wasn't safe. It was perfectly comfortable for the dog, but it was NOT safe for him like that in the car. Thanks to the advice of another dog owner on NAM, I bought one of these:

http://www.ruffrider.com/shop/product/2

I love this thing!

It's way safer for your dog to ride in the back seat, while wearing his own seat belt. If you'd like, I'll go take him motoring and snap some pics of him wearing his roadie in the back of my MC and post those today.

 

Great real-world, practical thread! My MINI isn't here yet, but last time I was at the vet (where two MINIs live during the day), I noticed a large (estimated 60-70 lbs) German Shephard inside--big bruiser though much of her/him may have been fur. Anyway, when I walked out, there was only one car in the parking lot and since it was a MINI, it caught (grabbed) my attention. When I peered in, I saw the dog mat laying on the backseat. Lots of hair the same color as that shephard inside. Made me think our little mutt terrier will do just fine in her MINI...

Good luck to you--I'm sure the groceries and the dogs will be happy whichever way you go!

 

RandomGemini - I would love to see some photos to visualize the scale of the dog vs. the rear seat and the roadie.

 

My old man graciously agreed to model for you today. Today you will see him wearing his basic Roadie harness, with extra leash attachment. The perfect accessory for the dog on the go.

Photo 1 shows him laying down inside, showing how comfortable his Roadie is, when not being used in the vehicle.

Photo 2 shows him in the back seat of the vehicle (with the seats leaning forward to make it easier to photograph the dog) ready to hit the road.

Photo 3 shows him laying down in the back seat, with the Roadie locked into the seat belt in the car.

 

Wow, he's a big boy (and cute too)! The roadie looks like a comfy, safe alternative. Please thank the "old man" for me with a pat on the head. And thank you for taking the pics.
Jim

 

Thanks and you're welcome! Yeah, he is big, and he's on the heavy side right now while we adjust his diet for his reduced activity level. He's always been a bit on the large side for Labs, being a good two inches taller at the whithers than the standard calls for and even though he's getting old and arthritis is starting to settle in, he's still my baby. :-) I'm always happy to share pics of him when I can, and he's happy to model any safety equipment that will help keep someone else's baby safe while motoring. If you want any more pics of him and the car, feel free to PM me.

Getting the MINI was actually a good call when it comes to my elderly gent, because we had originally purchased my husband's CR-V thinking it would be more comfortable for the dog on the road, and it turns out that he's just not as spry as he used to be so he can't jump into the back of the Honda. The MINI is much lower to the ground and makes for a much more comfortable ride for him.

 

We found paper grocery bags fit back there like they were made to go there -- you can put them side by side with the long way front-to-back.

 

Good call mello! Also, I dunno if your grocery does this, but mine sells reusable bags that are the same size as paper grocery sacks... you could always measure those out for size and get a few!

 

shopping is no problem even done some light costco runs with not having to put the back seat down in my '04. No dogs but the wife fit in ok.

 

Striking Clubman photo here with great color, could imagine an advantage for a dog in the double side doors as well as the extra room.

Did not see it mentioned, but folding rear seats (on Coupes, at least) also have an intermediate setting that places them more upright.

This greatly increases storage space in the boot area, while still allowing use of rear seats,
below is photo showing one of the seat backs locked in that vertical position:

Should not need for groceries, but for larger cargo, it nearly doubles the space up at the window level.

 

I can put roughly $167 dollars of groceries in my MINI. No folding down the seat or anything. With careful placement you can get a lot in there.

 

The first week we had the Mini, we went grocery shopping and did a huge shop. I was amazed we got $200 worth of stuff in the boot without moving the seats. People walking by stopped to watch. It was like tetris.

Random Gemini -- Thanks for posting that link. We have a Siberian Husky who loved riding in my Civic, but hates my husbands Element. I didn't think she would be comfortable in the Mini, but with that belt, it looks good.

 

I have 2 MINIs. A 2005 R53 S hardtop 6MT and a 2008 Clubman S auto. The Clubman is hands down a more spacious/practical vehicle than the hardtop. The Clubman simply swallows more grocery bags and/or bulky items thanks to the 11 inches of extra overall length. And you don't lose any of the handling and agility of the regular MINI.

Another plus: The longer wheelbase affords better and less choppy ride quality.

I love both of my MINIs. But if you have doggies, kids, lots of groceries and longer objects to carry, the Clubman is the better choice of them all.

 

Oh, I hate the idea I'm travelling and can't post my photos!!

I have 1x 75lb Belgian Shepherd (think black collie) and 1x45lb black lab mix - -they love the back the the MINI w/ seats down, and usually lolll all over each other, and yes, cuddle in the little boot. I have plastic mats that cover the back of the seats, which aren't good when doing twisties w/the dogs.

As for groceries - like IvyGirl702 said, it's like tetris!! And everybody likes to stop and watch. it got so bad that I've stopped letting bag guys take my shopping to the car -- they can't load it, and then watch dumbly when I have to rearrange things to get everything in. I usually leave the seats down for cargo space anyway, though.

 

That's the problem with America today. Bigger seems to be better but it isn't.

Its only you and a dog? Get the Mini Cooper. You don't need all that extra wasted space. You're going to get a huge (IMO) car to schlep groceries and a dog? Reduce your footprint, get what fits, you'll adapt.

I used to do shopping runs for 1/2 week's worth of food for a family of 4 (about 8-10 plastic/paper bags), in my Jeep Wrangler (don't have my MINI yet but the interior/usable space feels the same between the two). Did I die, no. Was there bags all over the place? You bettcha. As far as the dog, 2 regular sized adults can fit in the back of a MINI, I'm sure rover can as well.

 

We decided to take the pictures with empty grocery bags that we had laying around when we realized that we were able to fit two 24 packs of bottled water in the boot with room to spare.




Also, this shot is taken with a 1:18 die cast model of a MINI Cooper in the boot, to give you an idea of the size of the boot for scale.



Hope this answers all your questions about the MC. Good luck deciding which one to get!

 

No groceries yet, but we just had our 60lb shepard mix in the back seat on a three hour drive and she was fine. She is 14 and was able to get in and fine. Only two issues. One, the seat clip-ins were in a bad spot for her to lay down so we covered them with a towel which helped. Two, she is shedding like mad...oh the hair is everywhere