Hi folks,
I am Peter and am new to this forum and I have been looking to buy a Mini for daily driving and some travel.
OK, Here we go,
I usually drive my nice big cushy 1995 Caprice Wagon from Phila to Pittsburgh once a month and may start doing the drive more ofter, This is 300 Miles each way,
The Caprice runs a 5.7, and a 285 rear so at 70 MPH I am at 1200 RPM getting about 22 MPG.
I am looking into a Cooper S Stick, Don't know weather 5 or 6 Sp makes a difference as far as top gear goes,
So, do the 5 and 6 S have the same final drive ratios?
Plus I tend to keep up with traffic on these 300 Mile drives and spend much time in the 80 to 90 MPH range. Avg travel time is 4.5 hours for the 307 Miles.
So with this in mind,
Would the Mini S be a good fit as far as highway cruising speeds and what kind of RPM would I be turning at lets say 75-80?
Also potential MPG at same speed,
While I like my big Ole' wagon and the tons of power I want to get better than the 22 MPG I get at 70-80......
The wife and I have other cars to drive so the Mini would not be a do all, We have a nice 81' Diesel Jetta which gets 50 MPG highway, But I really don't want to sit in that 56 HP thing for nearly 5 hours with no AC and the prehistoric VW buzz,
A 2002, 15 Passenger van to haul stuff with as well as a couple other daily drivers. So the mini would be the FUN car.
Please educate me as to making the right decision as far as buying a nice Cooper-S.! ! !
So.
5 or 6 Sp final drives?
RPM at 75-80 MPH,?
MPG at same speed?
And please any thing else you think we should know?
Like best build Quality year?
Options to avoid getting?
Thank you for your help !
Peter and Eileen

 

you're over thinking

all the RPM and rotation stuff doesn't matter unless you take it all the way out to wheel/tire diameter .... I WAS a math major ... and don't forget that an S has a 'blower'

I get 30 mpg around towns in my 07-s consistently ..... that's most of my driving ... around town

On the highway it can push 40 . . . not regularly but it has been there (not by the in car computer, but by my math of miles vs gallons)

 

In 6th gear I'm turning just over 3000rpm at 70mph. It's a fine cruising rpm. First gens (S or not) don't start making real power until 3,700 anyway. You simply cannot compare a v8 to a four in this regard. I have a Dodge Ram that turns the same as your Caprice. Only the 5.9 has to downshift to pass on a hill. My Cooper doesn't, unless I really want to move in a hurry. Of course my car isn't your typical R50, either.