PDA

View Full Version : Another r56/53 debate



Ss82
20th August 2016, 09:25 PM
Just out in the wifes r50 and love how it handles, iv driven a fair few alot faster cars but love how it handles only down side is its too slow for me.
I really want a r56 cooper s but obv read the handlings crap. ....is there any way to make it as fun as the gen 1?? Would a set lowering springs/coilovers make it on par/better

Cheers

And sorry to open a can worms haha

stoney
21st August 2016, 06:55 AM
Coils make a big difference on a R56 bit still dont feel as raw as an R53

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

MINI William
21st August 2016, 07:57 AM
Never felt that any of my R56s handled crap, not sure where you got that from. I would take an R56 over an R53 any day.
With a few mods such as intake, decat, IC and map you can get yourself a quick car.

badwolf340
21st August 2016, 08:00 AM
Never found one of the R56/55 variants not to handle .....always people with their own views on which handles/goes better and that's fine because that's the one they will end up with ......bad handling MINI not found one

stoney
21st August 2016, 08:13 AM
I would take an R56 over an R53 any day.
.

This being said i would rather an R53 over a N14 any day much more reliable

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

stoney
21st August 2016, 08:34 AM
I agree with Brian on that they all handle well but the newer you go the more refined they have become i find the R50/53 to feel of the road ect is different from the R56 can not comment on the F56 not driven it enuf to know.

So it all depends on what your looking for in the car its not always how much power you have.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

Ss82
21st August 2016, 08:45 AM
Iv never driven a r56 so cant comment jus alot ppl sayin its not as good as the 53

Im not wantin a 53 as a daily dont think u could afford the mpg hahaha will get one whe wifes cooper dies

MINI William
21st August 2016, 09:14 AM
This being said i would rather an R53 over a N14 any day much more reliable

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

Never had any bother with any of our N14s. That being said they where all new.

But never came across a bad hadling MINI. All comes down to personal choice. But for the amount of tubing questions you have asked an R56 will give you better results and still retain a good fuel consumption

EcosseGP
21st August 2016, 10:03 AM
Iv never driven a r56 so cant comment jus alot ppl sayin its not as good as the 53

Im not wantin a 53 as a daily dont think u could afford the mpg hahaha will get one whe wifes cooper dies

^^^ this is the problem. If you've never driven one don't feel put off about them until you have. There's loads of folk that have had them without issues and I've never known of a bad handling MINI full stop. I agree that issues have been caused by cheap suspension being fitted but that's another topic. I've never had any issues with mpg on the R53 and I drive mine daily. How many miles you doing a day ?



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Ss82
21st August 2016, 10:14 AM
I do about 300/350 miles a week per day it changes tho, iv already got parts for the 56 ill def be gettin one them hopefully at n18 one, was jus wary bout ppl sayin handling was abit ropey.

Sayin that i wont b chuckin it about alot as normally kids n wife are in the car but when I'm on my own I drive like a stole it haha

badwolf340
21st August 2016, 10:56 AM
[QUOTE=Ss82;351028]Iv never driven a r56 so cant comment jus alot ppl sayin its not as good as the 53
thats the problem .....go and drive one ,always good to listen to others feedback but not as good as your own judgement and your own daily/weekend needs

Ss82
21st August 2016, 12:01 PM
Cheers for info as usual ppl :)

M600-RKJ
21st August 2016, 12:32 PM
Ive got a n14 cooper s witha. Few mods and only time its been unreliable was down to bmws ****ty water pumps. Handling outclasses almost all other cars in its class

Ss82
21st August 2016, 04:10 PM
I was lookin at n14s but im scared id get unlucky n everythin wud go wrong haha plannin on a budget of 5k n not buyin till after my holiday in may so plenty time to look and test drive haha

badwolf340
21st August 2016, 04:42 PM
I was lookin at n14s but im scared id get unlucky n everythin wud go wrong haha plannin on a budget of 5k n not buyin till after my holiday in may so plenty time to look and test drive haha
Best way to do it :yes nod:

Ss82
21st August 2016, 04:57 PM
Soooooooo anyone fancy takin me out in a modded n18 :) pleeeeeeeease

goodingm
21st August 2016, 05:31 PM
when did they change from N14 to N18.

Ss82
21st August 2016, 05:49 PM
2010 some 59 plates r n18 so abite dicey with them thats on the r56
Think the clubman and jcw are later

Mon the fish
21st August 2016, 06:07 PM
The R56 is better in every measurable way to the R53. I prefer the R53, it has more of that indescribable feeling - 'character'.

Try both, buy whichever one appeals to you most. 350 miles a week in an R53 will not break the bank, they're nowhere near as bad on fuel as some folk would make out. If you're just comparing the R53/56 official mpg figures you're not getting the full story - the R56 is more BMW, and BMW are experts at getting good official mpg figures that you can't quite equal in the real world. The R53 IME gets closer to the stated mpg

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

jonnie
21st August 2016, 09:34 PM
Mon the fish I'd have to agree, r53 has something special, if I had the money I'd buy one tomorrow, but they are thirsty, I'd say 350 miles from a tank was good going if you drive it like it wants you to. Still would though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ss82
21st August 2016, 09:47 PM
As said ill b gettin a 56 jus wanted help on handling lol
Ill get my wife a 53 tho as its not used much

Mon the fish
22nd August 2016, 06:13 AM
The R53 & R56 have a pretty much identical chassis. Some slight differences, but really not as much as you'd think

Crombers
22nd August 2016, 07:35 AM
So it all depends on what your looking for in the car its not always how much power you have.

After 12 years in an R50 Cooper, I'd have to agree :thumbs up:

Ss82
22nd August 2016, 08:18 AM
Mustv been half asleep when I read some the posts sorry, stoney I want a quick car for day to day driving, that can be seriously flung about when I get the chance haha

I love driving country rounds and a&b roads so needs tl beable to have the grunt to over take if needs to.
My plans for the car are decat, fmic, cai, and major service pretty much as soon as I get it, then get a remap maybe a exhaust depending how loud the decat is haha

My aim is about 240/250hp reliably tho

Ss82
22nd August 2016, 10:53 AM
Alot of ppl have said the n14 is hit or miss,the problem is that the n14 is now between say 6&10years old and as said if last oerson didnt look after it I could be buyin a shagger, yeh I will hunt about etc and pick the best one I can buy for the cash iv got at the time, but the hpfp amd timing chain issues scare rhe crap out me, id look for one with both done or at least 1 done, I also said to my wife if I bought a n14 id replace the tensioner bolt asap aswell.

Realistically any second hand car u buy can fail as dono how well its been loved to a certain degree, someone couldv had it on the track every mile its life but maintained it yet a old granny cudv drove it like a milk cart but never maintained it if u get me