XBimmers X1   XBimmers X1
  XBimmers X1

Go Back   XBimmers | BMW X1 Forum > BIMMERPOST Universal Forums > General Automotive (non-BMW) Talk + Photos/Videos

Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      11-10-2019, 11:07 AM   #1
wjones14
Captain
wjones14's Avatar
640
Rep
878
Posts

Drives: 2021 M2C
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Niantic CT

iTrader: (0)

F56 Mini Cooper - BMW in disguise

Haven't posted here in awhile since I traded my 2015 M235i for a 2018 Camaro 2SS 1LE. The BMW and Camaro are both "fun" cars for me - in 3 years I only put 10,000 miles on the BMW and the Camaro now has 5,000 miles after almost 2 years. For the past 6 years my daily driver was a first generation 2003 R50 Mini Cooper 5-speed manual. I just replaced that with a 2015 F56 base model Mini 2-door hatchback with a 6-speed manual.

Picked up the 2015 Mini yesterday so it's only been a day, but my biggest surprise/takeaway is how similar it is to my BMW. On the outside, it's the same Pepper White paint and looks similar to the old Mini, but almost everything else is more like my BMW than the old Mini.

The 2015 has the Fully Loaded package with Navigation, which is the same iDrive system that was in my BMW, though it's called MINI Connected. Same start/stop functionality. Same leather seat and soft dash top material. Same configurable door chime sounds. Shutting the doors sounds the same. The B38 BMW turbo engine is pretty much the same engine as in my BMW, though it's half the cylinders and displacement. The engine compartment looks very similar.

The only downside so far is that the cost of the BMW refinement is the lack of driver connection to the car. The steering is more numb, and the sound isolation distances you from what's happening outside. The driving experience was that the first generation Mini was small, light, low to the ground, and always over 3500 rpms, so that it always felt like it was going faster than it really was. That was fun. The newer one obviously is a lot faster and more capable, but it just doesn't feel as fast. It's subjective and not really measurable, and I don't mean that it's not fun - it's just different, a little bigger, more refined, and more modern. More BMW-like, for better or worse.

That said, I am a fan of technology, and the F56 is going to be a much more pleasant commuter than the R50. And hopefully a lot more reliable.
Attached Images
File Type: pdf window_sticker_11x17.pdf (268.0 KB, 584 views)
__________________
Vehicles: 2021 Alpine White M2C 6MT; 2011 Kawasaki Z1000 (1/4 mile 10.3 seconds @ 129 mph - stock)
Previous: 2018 Camaro 2SS 1LE 6MT; 2015 BMW M235i 6MT; 2015 Mini Cooper F56 6MT; 2005 Mustang GT 5MT; 2003 Mini Cooper R50 5MT
Appreciate 2
wrickem2101.00
..Rush..973.50
      11-16-2019, 07:59 AM   #2
spazzyfry123
Lieutenant Colonel
spazzyfry123's Avatar
4307
Rep
1,912
Posts

Drives: Here and There
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: North Georgia Mountains

iTrader: (1)

Garage List
Fun cars. I recently sold my loaded F56S 6MT in Moonwalk Gray. Honestly couldn’t be beat for the price for a daily. Tons of fun with just enough refinement and decent gas mileage. Really my biggest complaint was the steering. Very numb and almost notchy. Doesn’t take much to get a significant amount of power out of it either. Good luck!
Appreciate 0
      11-17-2019, 09:27 AM   #3
wjones14
Captain
wjones14's Avatar
640
Rep
878
Posts

Drives: 2021 M2C
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Niantic CT

iTrader: (0)

I've had it a little over a week now and love it as a daily driver. I'm almost done with the first tank of gas and the computer is showing 33.1 mpg. The average mph is 28.3, so this is mostly non-highway driving. It's significantly better than the 27-28 mpg I averaged with my 2003 R50 Mini.

The climate system is the same as my ex-BMW M235i. Annoyingly does not sync between passenger and driver side (my Camaro has a separate sync button), but otherwise is terrific. Oddly, like both the BMW and Camaro, when the system is in Auto mode, the A/C button is lit. I don't think the A/C is actually on when it's sub-freezing temperatures, but the light is always on. Why is it like that?

Obviously I am an enthusiast, and would have preferred a Cooper S over the base Cooper, all else being equal. But the upgraded luxury interior, upgraded technology with iDrive/MINI Connected and Navigation, premium stereo, manual transmission, color, condition, and price were all what I was looking for. I first test drove it on Oct 5 and liked it, but continued to look in CarGurus and AutoTrader. When I didn't find anything better after a month of looking, I came back to this car and negotiated the price down $1500 and got the dealership to throw in a free Navigation map update (worth $500 according to them), and am very satisfied with this deal and the car. Like I said in the original post, it's like a BMW-lite.
__________________
Vehicles: 2021 Alpine White M2C 6MT; 2011 Kawasaki Z1000 (1/4 mile 10.3 seconds @ 129 mph - stock)
Previous: 2018 Camaro 2SS 1LE 6MT; 2015 BMW M235i 6MT; 2015 Mini Cooper F56 6MT; 2005 Mustang GT 5MT; 2003 Mini Cooper R50 5MT
Appreciate 0
      11-17-2019, 09:31 AM   #4
wjones14
Captain
wjones14's Avatar
640
Rep
878
Posts

Drives: 2021 M2C
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Niantic CT

iTrader: (0)

Pictures from the dealership and at home. Original window sticker also attached.
Attached Images
   
Attached Images
File Type: pdf window_sticker_11x17.pdf (268.0 KB, 650 views)
__________________
Vehicles: 2021 Alpine White M2C 6MT; 2011 Kawasaki Z1000 (1/4 mile 10.3 seconds @ 129 mph - stock)
Previous: 2018 Camaro 2SS 1LE 6MT; 2015 BMW M235i 6MT; 2015 Mini Cooper F56 6MT; 2005 Mustang GT 5MT; 2003 Mini Cooper R50 5MT
Appreciate 2
      11-17-2019, 11:03 AM   #5
..Rush..
Captain
..Rush..'s Avatar
United_States
974
Rep
929
Posts

Drives: AW E88
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: USA

iTrader: (0)

Good looking car!
Congratulations.
Appreciate 0
      11-17-2019, 03:49 PM   #6
The Nightman
Cometh
The Nightman's Avatar
1067
Rep
1,284
Posts

Drives: Boy's Soul
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Boy's Hole

iTrader: (4)

Garage List
We have a 2015 F55 B38 in the family. Very fun car to drive even in stock form. Only issue so far is a broken driver seat heater that I haven't gotten a chance to look into.

The Dinan "tuner" looks like good bang for the buck:
https://www.dinancars.com/product/d4...6-b48-engines/

Appreciate 0
      11-22-2019, 09:20 PM   #7
wjones14
Captain
wjones14's Avatar
640
Rep
878
Posts

Drives: 2021 M2C
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Niantic CT

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by freedomfries View Post
We have a 2015 F55 B38 in the family. Very fun car to drive even in stock form. Only issue so far is a broken driver seat heater that I haven't gotten a chance to look into.

The Dinan "tuner" looks like good bang for the buck:
https://www.dinancars.com/product/d4...6-b48-engines/
Thanks for the info on the Dinan tuner. Almost Mini Cooper S performance for a little over $200!
__________________
Vehicles: 2021 Alpine White M2C 6MT; 2011 Kawasaki Z1000 (1/4 mile 10.3 seconds @ 129 mph - stock)
Previous: 2018 Camaro 2SS 1LE 6MT; 2015 BMW M235i 6MT; 2015 Mini Cooper F56 6MT; 2005 Mustang GT 5MT; 2003 Mini Cooper R50 5MT
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:53 AM.




xbimmers
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST