[suhaas307]

You are living the dream!

Some say that the first-gen Mini immediately after the BMW take-over is the last "real" Mini. Of course, there are purists who say that even this one isn't truly a Mini, and the last real Mini rolled off the line in the '90s.

Nevertheless, it's a fantastic car and in keeping with the times. And it's as Mini as it gets, for modern hatchbacks. It retains the compact footprint without losing out on practicality.

The R56 got bigger and the new one, even more so!

I don't think you should worry about reliability because your Mini isn't the supercharged Cooper S, and that variant is plagued with engine issues.

Enjoy your car in good health, and do keep us updated regularly!

[hok kolorob]

A mini write up for the mini. Probably the shortest and cutest as the Mini itself.

I am still trying to imagine the scene, you are picking money from ATM to buy a car! unreal! Also, you carried the TBHP stickers to England

From Himalayas/Himalaya to England, from SUVs to Mini, the saga continues. Drive more, write more

[CountMe91]

Very well written review Sumitro da!! Having driven a Mini Cooper 2018 model on the German Autobahn and in Austria, I can say that its a beautiful machine loaded with features upto the brim. The BMW esque i-Drive in the Mini worked brilliantly. During night time, it gives a cockpit like feeling from the inside.

The car was stable even at speeds above 150 mph on the German Autobahn. Handled the twisted roads and inclines of Bavarian region beautifully. Although I did find it a tab difficult to get in and out of the car because my knees kept on brushing against the front deck.

[megazoid]

Great to see someone drive the English country roads and post snaps. Wonderful read.

[Samfromindia]

A lovely mini review on one of the most iconic cars in the market I never knew it's over 12 years old ! It is fortunate enough to find a new owner who will care even more ! Also i never expected someone driving a 7 seat-er behemoth getting a two door mini The car looks ravishing in each of those beautifully taken pics. Will surely keep an eye on this thread for more amazing adventures which i am sure it will have in coming months !

[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by Nimish anthony

At the outset let me congratulate you on your purchase. Car looks awesome and contemporary. I can imagine the frustration when you dont have the right car as i too have similar feelings when the ride is not suited for you. BTW awesome pictures and happy revving. Enjoy the ride

Thanks a lot Nimish. It took a bit of time getting used to the Mini after driving diesel UVs for last few years.

Originally Posted by mayankk

Awesome!! Thats a really handsome car in heartbreaking-ly beautiful surroundings.
SO its gaadi, makaan, roti, kapda, is it?
Trust a gearhead!

Thanks Mayankk! Yes, food does not taste the same if you don't have a good car

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

Congrats! Nice ride, good choice of picking up an early Cooper.
My B-I-L used to live in UK (he now lives in Denmark), his wife also had a red Cooper, and ... she also stuck a Live To Drive sticker on the back!

Thanks KiloAlpha! The yellow LTD sticker is good contrast to the red and it has helped me once as well. I went to the airport to meet one person, he spotted the sticker and immediately knew it would be me.

Originally Posted by Blooming Flower

Hello, Sumitro da! As usual, a wonderful write-up and a short ownership experience. I can feel after the crude Bolero and Thar, the Mini came with all basic safety and creature comfort and a smoother engine; all really counts in. The red colour is looking just fabulous. The 180° spin with Chinese tyres are not really wishful things to happen! Get them replaced asap with good winter tyres. Looking forward to reading wonderful TLs in other marvellous places of UK, this time with the Mini!

Thanks a lot Blooming Flower. Yes, I am on the lookout for good tyres and my next salary.

Originally Posted by arindam_xeta

Hi Blackpearl,
I read it with almost the same excitement with which you bought it. You have penned it down to perfection and listened to your heart, that is what that matters. I faced similar challenges about not having my wings, in France. This was one of the main reasons I packed up in 10 months. Getting a license there to drive was so damn difficult and I could not arrange an IDP from home due to time constraints. One little observation which you may clear is that the spec sheet you put up says Air Conditioning is No for some reason, but the console looks fully loaded. Congrats for finding your wings, your freedom.

Thanks arundam_xeta! I have to get the license here, have just applied for the provisional one. Heard that it is quite difficult and expensive here. Regarding the AC, your observation is correct. This version does not have air conditioner. There are two dummy buttons on the console, I will try to post the pics.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Amazing! I am planning the North Coast 500 next summer and hope to hire something small and chuckable like the Cooper or even the S!
North Coast 500
https://independenttravelcats.com/no...e-nc500-route/

This article is also great. I find the Times and The Telegraph are pretty good in such recommendations:
10 British drives you must tackle in your lifetime
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/d...es-in-britain/

Thanks itwasntme and thanks for the links! Adding them to the bucket list.

Originally Posted by Samba

Its indeed a red hot hatch.
The pics are brilliantly shot at some exotic location. The car looks fabulous.
Wish you 1000's of happy miles ahead.

And if possible bring it to Kolkata!
A London - Kolkata - London drive in a Mini to attend a Kolkata Team Bhp meet can be epic!

Thanks Samba. This was the first thing that came to my mind, but it will be too much of a gamble to try this with such an old car

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Congratulations BlackPearl! It is a lovely choice!

Sporty hatchbacks are the perfect companions for those yummy B roads in the UK. And there cannot be a better choice than the Cooper for that. Your car looks to be in great nick!

Have a lot of fun!

Thanks deetjohn. Yes the car is in good nick, touchwood. The B roads are fantastic and I feel sleepy when driving on the motorways. But still I would say they are much better than those in USA. In USA I used to doze off even on a motorcycle.

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Many congrats Sumitro da! Loved reading through the report esp. the parts that lead up to the purchase - withdrawing cash from the machine 10 times over! Loved the old Maruti 800 type horn buttons on either side of the steering wheel!

After driving all over the UK, when the time comes to wrap up and return to India, I am sure you'd want to do some Antman trick to shrink the car and take her through your check-in baggage!

Enjoy the car!

Thanks Ganesh! Yes getting the cash out episode was hilarious, my boss was shocked to see me counting so much cash. You noticed the horn buttons! I think all companies should use buttons like them, it will definitely reduce the frequency of horn usage!
Wrapping up is always the difficult part, faced the same dilemma when I had to sell of my Ninja 650 in USA. Frankly speaking I will not be able to afford such a car back in India, that makes it all the more painful.

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

Congratulations once again BP !!Wonderfully written. Mini looks awesome in all the pictures. I remember the discomfort you had without a car and when you had to either walk or take a public transport. And one fine day you give us a video call when Rajsri, Meghna & I were together and show us the Mini asking for final go ahead.

Screenshot from the video call when the 3 of us saw the Mini for the first time.
(Excuse the bad quality image)

Attachment 1796238

Cheers,

Pawan

Thanks Pawan! I was disgusted with the public transport in just a week. Cant imagine how I spent 1 year without a car during my previous stint in London.
You had taken a screenshot of the call! All of you were so excited to see the vehicle.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

You are living the dream!

Some say that the first-gen Mini immediately after the BMW take-over is the last "real" Mini. Of course, there are purists who say that even this one isn't truly a Mini, and the last real Mini rolled off the line in the '90s.

Nevertheless, it's a fantastic car and in keeping with the times. And it's as Mini as it gets, for modern hatchbacks. It retains the compact footprint without losing out on practicality.

The R56 got bigger and the new one, even more so!

I don't think you should worry about reliability because your Mini isn't the supercharged Cooper S, and that variant is plagued with engine issues.

Enjoy your car in good health, and do keep us updated regularly!

Thanks a lot Suhaas! It is truly a fantastic car and grows on you as one keeps on putting miles. Will definitely keep updating the thread.

Originally Posted by hok kolorob

A mini write up for the mini. Probably the shortest and cutest as the Mini itself.

I am still trying to imagine the scene, you are picking money from ATM to buy a car! unreal! Also, you carried the TBHP stickers to England

From Himalayas/Himalaya to England, from SUVs to Mini, the saga continues. Drive more, write more

Thanks hok kolorob. A mini writeup because I am not good with reviews and I thought no one would be interested to read much about a 12 year old vehicle. Yes, I carried the team bhp stickers, even my suitcases had LTD and other stickers on them. I will share the pics if I can find them.

Originally Posted by CountMe91

Very well written review Sumitro da!! Having driven a Mini Cooper 2018 model on the German Autobahn and in Austria, I can say that its a beautiful machine loaded with features upto the brim. The BMW esque i-Drive in the Mini worked brilliantly. During night time, it gives a cockpit like feeling from the inside.

The car was stable even at speeds above 150 mph on the German Autobahn. Handled the twisted roads and inclines of Bavarian region beautifully. Although I did find it a tab difficult to get in and out of the car because my knees kept on brushing against the front deck.

Thanks CountMe91. The car is very stable and gives the feel of a heavy vehicle. I sometimes forget that I am driving such a small car due to the feel. But as you have mentioned, getting in and out is bit a of a problem and takes time getting used to. Good thing is that it has increased my fitness level.

Originally Posted by megazoid

Great to see someone drive the English country roads and post snaps. Wonderful read.

Thanks megazoid!

Originally Posted by Samfromindia

A lovely mini review on one of the most iconic cars in the market I never knew it's over 12 years old ! It is fortunate enough to find a new owner who will care even more ! Also i never expected someone driving a 7 seat-er behemoth getting a two door mini The car looks ravishing in each of those beautifully taken pics. Will surely keep an eye on this thread for more amazing adventures which i am sure it will have in coming months !

Thanks Samfromindia! Even I had never thought that I would be driving a Mini one day. It keeps me reminding of Rowan Atkinson. Wish I could get my hands on that model, it is such a beauty.

[navsjab]

The rush to get a vehicle in a new place and the determination with which you finally did it. Superb! Lovely narration. The pictures of the Mini look great. The white stripes go really well with the red.

I wish you many miles with the Mini but also wish you get the Defender as soon as you can. Good luck

[Saurabh M]

Congrats Sumitro. Great buy. Enjoy.

One cannot be choosy about colours when you buy an used car, but the red with white stripes is probably the best combination on a Mini. For me, a Mini is not a Mini if it is not in this colour combination.

[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by navsjab

The rush to get a vehicle in a new place and the determination with which you finally did it. Superb! Lovely narration. The pictures of the Mini look great. The white stripes go really well with the red.

I wish you many miles with the Mini but also wish you get the Defender as soon as you can. Good luck

Thanks navsjab! I don't think I will be be able to get a Defender in this lifetime, specially because of the ridiculous prices being asked. Also the Mini has exceeded all expectations, so hope to keep it till the end of my stint here

Originally Posted by Saurabh M

Congrats Sumitro. Great buy. Enjoy.

One cannot be choosy about colours when you buy an used car, but the red with white stripes is probably the best combination on a Mini. For me, a Mini is not a Mini if it is not in this colour combination.

Thanks Saurabh! Yes, the Mini in Red is quite stunning. It was love at first sight. Though it is prudent to be cautious while buying an used vehicle, I somehow had a good vibe the moment I saw this one. Till date it seems to have been a good decision.

[BlackPearl]

I have not updated the thread for quite a while and several things happened. While coming back from a trip I saw a light in the instrument panel. It was new to me and I did not know the meaning. Looked up on the net after stopping at a rest area and it turned out to be low brake pad warning light.

Next morning took it to a garage near my office as recommended by a colleague. The adviser kept the car and said that he would give me a quote once he finds out the prices and then start the work after I confirm. Got a call within half an hour with a quotation of £350 as he said that the brake discs needed to replaced along with the pads. Since it was related to brakes, I did not want to take any risk and asked him to go ahead without taking a second opinion or quotation. It turned out to be a mistake that I found out later. Anyways, the car was delivered in the evening, but while returning home a strange sound started coming at low speed. It appeared to be coming from the right front wheel. Took the car back to the same garage and they kept the car again for the whole day. In the evening they returned the car saying that they could not find any issue. But strangely the sound had vanished. Also the ABS warning light was coming up after they worked on the car. When I asked them about it, the person said that he needed to look into it. He also suggested that I get a full servicing done and he would look into all the issues at that time. One more suggestion was to change the tyres as they would not pass MOT. The cost of full service was quoted as £210



I did not have a good feeling about the garage and realized that though it was convenient to have a garage near to the office, it was not turning out to be a prudent decision. Started talking to a few friends and one of them suggested https://www.whocanfixmycar.com/

I posted my requirement of a full service and the ABS light issue. Got a quote of £100 for the full service and the person said he would look into the ABS light issue and give a quote. Went to the garage on a Saturday morning. It felt like I have gone to a shady garage in Kolkata





As I waited I realised that it is quite a popular garage. The person working on my car turned to be a lot more reliable person than the swanky garage people I had first gone to.


All the parts were delivered by a guy who came in a scooter


The ABS light was due to a faulty front left wheel sensor. It would cost £55 for the sensor and £20 labour. I agreed to it and the part was delivered to the garage within half an hour. I went to a nearby Costa for coffee and breakfast. By the time I came back, the car was ready. The bill was £195 including the full service. I saved quite an amount of money and felt a lot more happy connecting with Tiago, the person who worked on my vehicle. I promised never to go back to that ACS garage near my office.

After 2 months the MOT was due for the vehicle. There was an MOT centre beside Tiago's garage. So it was a no-brainer that I wanted Tiago to help in getting the MOT done. He suggested to first go for the MOT and if it failed he would get to know the reasons, fix them and then re-apply for the MOT. He was quite confident that the car was in a good shape but it would fail the MOT due to a hole in the end can of the exhaust. He was spot on. MOT at first attempt was a fail due to the exhaust.



Tiago replaced the end can with a new one that he had already ordered. It cost me £115 for the part and £40 for labour.

The new end can




Went back to the MOT centre after fixing the end can


This time it passed




Driven the car about 500 miles after fixing everything, it is in top nick now, waiting for the next trip

[BlackPearl]

Completed 1 year and 10 thousand miles with the little car last month. Nothing to report as the car has been running in perfect condition. After a recent trip to India and driving the Thar for close to 4000 Kms, I was a bit tempted to sell the Mini off and buy an SUV. But changed my mind after driving the Mini again for a few days

[BlackPearl]

Did a 1000 plus mile trip during the Easter weekend with the Mini Cooper to Wales and Lake District. Crossed 12 thousand miles since getting the vehicle last year and it is in perfect tune. Maintenance has been extremely less, touchwood!

Posting a few pictures of the Mini from the trip -

[BlackPearl]

Last week the Mini got ready for Europe trip. There are some pre-requisites for UK registered cars to be driven in mainland Europe.

1. For vehicles with old number plates that do not have GB sticker need to have a GB sticker at the back

2. The headlights low beams need to covered with protective stickers

3. For driving in France, it is mandatory to carry a reflective jacket and a pair of unused breathalysers. The reflective jacket has to be kept in the cabin and not the boot so that it is accessible during an emergency stop.

I got the AA kit for France from Amazon. It cost me £22. These are sold on the ferries from Dover as well, but cost more.

A few pictures -

[BlackPearl]

I have not updated this thread for a very long time, 8 months to be precise! The little Mini Cooper has travelled quite a lot all this time, touching almost 20 thousand miles since I bought it. That includes 2 trips to Europe. Posting a few pictures from those trips.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

3. For driving in France, it is mandatory to carry a reflective jacket and a pair of unused breathalysers. The reflective jacket has to be kept in the cabin and not the boot so that it is accessible during an emergency stop.

This is an interesting insight. I have never in any of my rental cars in Europe all these years, found them to keep the Hi Vis Jacket in the cabin. And never until date have any of the rental car chaps given me any unused breathalysers to carry.

Indeed, I did experience a blow out in a Mini Cooper (Run Flat Tyres) in Haute Provence in September 2019, and had to pull the car over onto the verge on a country road with the flashers on, open the tiny boot, rummage for, find and wear the orange/ yellow hi vis jacket, put up the warning triangles on the road, and then try and salvage the tyre with the compressor which luckily was in the car. Of course, all that was to no avail, but thats another story.


By the way, you car looks lovely in its natural setting. Is this the R50/53 model - The Cooper with the Chrome...

Just for fun and without hijacking your thread, here is my Second hand 2012 S (R56), bought last week in Bangalore as my daily driver.