I was waiting for a 2.0L JCW but now I'm thinking of getting an R53 (again!) as a 2nd vehicle & track toy and just get a WRX to daily drive. The sound of this new mini is sounding like a disappointment and I'm not really into the new coupe either. I need a hatch to have some sort of carrying capacity.

 

Well, not necessarily. After a month of searching through a sea of Mini lemons, I found a (relative) gem. Only major issue was a failing clutch release bearing. Engine was (and still is) in great shape.

Still, I've encountered the following issues so far:
- Two random misfires.
- Failing turbo oil feed line (sweats heavily).
- DMTL diagnostic module CEL code.
- Questionable passenger side window motor.
- Cracking turbo inlet hose.

I'm not looking forward to what other issues will inevitably rear their ugly head should I choose to keep the vehicle.

 

The only thing that really got me excited about the F56 is simply the 5x120 bolt pattern. Other than that the base MINI should not grown and I'm sad to see the 3rd gen MINI is another example of people getting too fat to accommodate them...lol

 

 

That's a great photo. I'll take one of each.

 

Oooooh, really nice. Where can I get a hi-res of that????

 

I was going to wait on the F56, but just too many changes that I don't like are being shown. Example: Gas fill on passenger side. For many, this doesn't matter, and I hear the safety issue, which I don't buy. All BMW's have gas fill on the passenger side. The other is the speedometer. It's a Mini thing, to me. Even though I primarily use the speed in the tach, it's still nice to see that dinner plate speedometer. Fiat 500 Abarth? Don't get me started after my test drive.
I ordered my r59 this month, that's what I think about the new F series. And I think that you are a bit off with the r58, r59 being in 2015. They will be the last to be changed over, more likely in 2017.

 

At the risk of derailing the thread, what didn't you like about the Abarth? I was thinking about test driving one.

 

My JCW always feels solid on the road, not so with the Fiat. The Fiat is narrow, going into corners I felt unsafe. Maybe some of this is just the unfamiliarity of the car, but it just felt small everywhere. Look at it next to a Mini. The Mini looks very big. Maybe this is a good thing to many people, maybe even to the Classic Mini guys, but not me. Also, I wasn't impressed at all with the Mexican workmanship. Just my opinion, of course.

 

Thanks I haven't driven it yet, but the tall and narrow shape does make it look like it could be unwieldy during hard cornering.

 

I am jonesing hard sir... 10 stacks saved up 15 stacks left to save for my down payment. By the time the F56 JCW hits the streets I will probably be able to buy it cash.

 

Well if that is correct then that is some fantastic news to my ears lol

 

That even may be a little early. If you think about the changes with the Mini's, it's a seven year cycle. There should be some mid cycle changes in around 2017, then in 2020 the big change. Although, reading MotoringFile, they seem to think that the big change will be earlier. That's about the extent of my knowledge on this. Wish April would hurry up and Lil Ragtop would be here.

 

As long as they keep the round center portion of the dash, and dont turn the rest into a boring honda/toyota type setup, it will probably be OK to most people. The center speedo is the most different aspect of the entire dash, and besides being anchored in history, is also probably the most unused part of the dash unless you have nav/connect. Probably 90 % of MINI owners use the digital speedo. But reviewers are always complaining about the large center speedo and Im sure Bmw/MINI has paid attention to what the general public wants. To me its sad if they take an iconic car and turn it more mainstream. Mainstream can be boring. But I will wait until I see the finished product. I dont believe we have seen any real pictures of the finished dash yet, and I am hoping that they keep the MINI feeling alive with the end product.

 

My MA and manager at my dealer told me that the Coupe will be eliminated from MINIs lineup. He didn't tell me the exact year but he said pretty soon because MINI believes the Coupe will be a collectors item. If that is the case, I will get one before they're gone!

 

I think the R58 JCW and the R53 GP will end up being the pinnacle of modern Minis for me . I don't have high hopes for the F56, don't see myself ever buying one.

 

They were probably just trying to unload one on you, but regardless of the claims that sales are where they were expected to be the things aren't really moving... Wouldn't be terribly surprised if they didn't bring it back.

 

Somehow I question whether your MA is privvy to Mini's plans for models. If the Coupe doesn't sell they'll quit it for sure. I didn't mean that the F56 wouldn't have a center circle in the dash, it just won't be a speedo. In the R56 with NAV you can hardly tell there's a speedo. I never look at mine. The S will be 2.0 liter 4. The Justa will be 3 cylinder. I can't imagine the diesel getting by the CA emissions. Myself I'm not reluctant to get the new model right away (I did that with my R56). I want the latest new stuff they've developed over the past few years. Luckily Europe will get it maybe 6 months before we do so we'll be all over it. Does that European Mini forum still operate? I think it was/is Mini 2. I still love the Coupe though. This will be a tough choice next year.

 

I am iffy on it. I am disappointed to hear that the big speedo may disappear, and from that spy shot its looks like they are making the interior look more like a boring BMW... sad, However is anyone else more concerned with the exterior redesign? If it looks anything like the spy shots it looks more beefy ands less sporty, the front looks to long.

 

You'll have to wait until Summer to really find out what the exterior is going to look like. My guess that you'll see some Rocketman in the front, headlights/grille areas, we've pretty much seen what the interior, in pieces, looks like. Sure the main speedometer moves, and I'm not all that excited about that move either. Two tach types of gauges? Plus the tach gets smaller? What's in behind the tach and speedometer?

One of the reasons why I pulled the trigger on a r59 was I wasn't seeing things that I liked in the f56, plus I wanted a roadster again. Still wish that it was rear wheel drive, but it's a Mini. Plus, when the lease is up, the new generation of the roadster will be real close.

 

MF has indicated that the car in the spy shots has an extra fake front end tacked on over the real front end, which is why it looks so long in the front. Time will tell.

 

Yeah the exterior will make it or break it for me. I'm sure the interior will be fine. With Mini it's all about the exterior. They'd better not "beemer" it. The new BMWs look horrible IMO. You can't tell one from a freaking Toyota. That's why I like the Coupe, it really stands out. The R53 and R56 didn't look all that different to me. That was all about the motor change.

 

I'd suspect the same. Especially after the way my MA spoke about them when I was last in for service. They are not ordering many as dealer specs for the lot since they are not moving quickly.

Not to mention the coupe sales are down over 50% Feb 2013 vs Feb 2012 and down 46% YTD year-over-year. There is the rumor that the 4 door cooper hardtop will replace the clubman, which is the other poor seller, so the coupe might not be far behind.

 

I feel they might 'beemer' it.
The spy shots of the interior sorta portray that.


They want to increase sales. How do you do that? Make it appeal to a broader audience.
How is that done? By changing a good amount of things around that will get folks who have never ever considered a Mini go out and get one.

....so that probably means changing the quirky things that we past costumers fell in love with. They made their money off us, nothing wrong with that but....time to hit the 'bigger' masses.

They may also rely on the fact that many of us really liked the 1st and 2nd gen and are Mini faithfuls. So no matter how big the change, we'll still go out and get one anyway.

 

I think Mini sales have been increasing. They know they'd better not get away from the Mini "image". Once you get over 30 grand image is pretty important in sales I think. That image is the go cart handling and the funky roofline. And the customization options and technology. I hope they don't get away from that.