looking to hire a mini cooper for the weekend, to see if its going to be pratical enough for my family. i have a big 6 year old and a small 13 year old. what are the extras to have or not, which wheels give the best compramise between ride and comfort and handling. i currently drive a 2002 ford focus 1.6 zetec. can anyone recommend a place to hire from. i live in doncaster south yorkshire.
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Try a rental company, Enterprise on wheatley hall road. Very good service, drop the car off if u want and also pick it back up. More than likely have to book it in advance as most of the cars they do have are fords n vauxhalls.
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Dont bother, its not. A Mini is not suitable for family transport unless its only down to Mcdonalds and back.
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Interesting fact the Mini engine is a Chrysler produced in Campo Largo Brasil,you would thing they could source one more locally.Last weeks Auto Bild give it an average report on its 100000km strip down, rust on ancillary parts and had not been very reliable with many compomant failures.I think if I can remember it came in at 17 in the overall league table.
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The Mini is more of a 2+2 than a true four seater. I'm only 5'9", but sat in the back I felt very claustrophobic. The ride in the Cooper S I went in was also horrendous. Don't expect to get anything in the boot either - a smart fortwo holds more.
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Although I think the Mini is a great little quality car, I think you are being very optimistic trying to use it as a 'family' car !
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HI Andy according to Auto Bild which cars last the distance, thanks
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Hi Peter,
We ran a Cooper for two years and it's a brilliant car - but I'd join those who question it as a family car. It's fine for two but is really a squeeze for four - it can be done but the front seats will be right forward - when fully back, the front seats touch those in the rear.
The boot is another problem - it's very small so if you're going anywhere as a family - say for a weekend away, you'll struggle to fit your gear in.
If you can get the kids to take the bus and meet you at your destination, I don't think there's much that can match it for quality and sheer fun, but it's not really a main family car.
The compromise I found best was a Cooper on Sports *(not Sports+) suspension running on 16" wheels. HJ says the same in his review and in the CBC - you can get some seriously hard suspension/wheel combinations which handle like a go-kart but would be murder to live with. Conversely, 15" with normal suspension (say on the One) is much more comfortable but handles less well. As for power, the S is an eye-opener but is noisier and would lead to points very quickly I feel. You can of course "chip" a One to the equivalent power of a Cooper without much bother.
There's supposedly a MINI traveller coming along which may be the answer for you, but it's a while off yet. If you need any more detailed info, www.mini2.com/ is a tremendous resource full of people on their forums who really know their MINI onions.
Hire one anyway, it's a fun way to spend a weekend!
-- Lee .. A festivus for the rest of us.
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One of my colleagues has driven one of the first Ones since it was almost new (A premium was paid to buy a nearly new example to jump the waiting list). The car looks great, has given great service, and is great fun to drive, but as others have written is not great to be in in the back. I am 5' 10" and don't have the world's longest legs yet am jammed hard in to the back with my knees tight in to the seat back in front. This is so uncomfortable that I normally end up sitting side saddle; okayish on a very short journey but not for anything longer.
As Lee wrote, the boot is also miniscule, with a parcel shelf literally just a few inches deep, meaning you ain't going to get much family clobber in either; four of us from the office went shopping during lunch some months back and ended up bringing our purchases home on our laps.
All this on a car with the wheelbase of a first generation Landrover Discovery if I recall correctly is pretty shocking and only becomes bearable in the knowledge that the car is not a utility vehicle but a fashion statement.
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thahks for all the feedback.hi sunny 22 you recommended enterprise on wheatley hall rd.i used them last week while my focus was in for repairs.called back in to see if they could sort me out with a cooper for the weekend,but unforunatly not.upon which they started looking thru yellow pages,without prompting from me to try and source one from somebody else.great people,great service.which is more than could be said of my local mini dealer on the same road.said i could only have one for a weekend if i placed an order and put down a deposit.
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Some real life experience (albeit borrowed)
My sister in law drives a MINI Cooper and BIL an Audi A4 Convertible. Both are very cramped inside, the Audi surprisingly so.
They have a 12 year old and 7 year old and cope fine with the MINI. That said, their maximum journey is probably 15-20 miles, with Mum and the two kids with the 12 year old in the front. The vast majority of the driving is school runs, about 4 miles each way.
For that application, it works. If it's going to be your only car and you regularly drive 4up, I think that you'll struggle, so renting one for a weekend is a sensible move.
If you go on holiday anyway or do big shops with all four of you, arrange a cab or home delivery! But only you will know what suits you and your family
By the way, from the in laws experience and other postings or here, MINI dealers do seem to be a bit arrogant. If you've got a Part Ex, expect a low price.
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Spirit Rentacar, 147-153 Balby Road www.spiritrentacar.co.uk/range.asp
--
L\'escargot.
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