Over the last month or so, I've been able to drive three different loaners (a "Justa" hardtop, a Cabriolet S, and a Clubman S) for a few days each, while MINI of Austin tried to solve some nagging minor problems in my 2009 Clubman S.

I learned...

1. That non-S hardtops are nice. Very nice.
2. That automatics are a lot better than I'm used to/expected. Fun, almost (in Sport mode). They "burble" more than my manual.
3. That Cabriolets have terrible rear/side vision issues... top up or down.
4. That Cabriolets have a bizarre "UV Gauge" next to the tach. "Hours Till Melanoma Onset."
5. That a Pepper White Clubman with a black roof gets a lot hotter when parked in the sun than my Midnight Black Clubman with a silver roof does.
6. That a Clubman needs window tinting in Texas.
7. That I liked not having a pano-sunroof on the loaners.
8. That I felt like a Sun City resident when driving the Cabriolet with the top down (I looked like one, too, but that's not the car's fault).
9. That the vinyl interior may have been designed by the Marquis de Sade.
10. That the cloth interior is my favorite (I have Punch leather) for hot weather and stability.
11. That the 16" wheels with run-flats are not much more inspiring than my 17" wheels with run-flats. Nor less.
12. That the base 15" wheels ride well and aren't "darty." Perfect for a "Justa."
13. That the Cabriolet has a funny trunk/tailgate, and the two-stage roof is a hoot to operate.
14. That I liked them all, but not as much as I like mine. Glad to have The Hobbit Hearse back home.

 

The only problem with stock 15s is that they are not wide enough so it does not take make in the rain to break them loose. Good thing is that the Cooper is not powerful enough to let it get out of control when that happens. I actually kind of like it when it happened.

Oh and yeah sunroofs in MINIs are just not needed.

 

You are a hoot! Love the #4 observation. I wear a hat, wayfarers & sunscreen -- but totally agree that the gauge is eccentric & (perhaps) gratuitous. I had a CM loaner & puzzled over the whole rail get-up. Front. To. Back.