Returning ex-owner (so I guess not technically a newbie)

Hi all,

Just 'rejoined' NMS after quite a few years away from MINI ownership. Thanks to William for helping me get restarted on my old username rather than starting afresh.

Previously owned a N18 R56 Cooper S but sold that to scratch a V8 itch. I had 4 full years driving a 6.0 LS2 V8 Monaro as my daily. However, it increasingly needing more attention with (mostly) niggly little issues - not a surprise on a 18yr old Aussie car. I sold it at the end of October with no intentions to replace but my willpower lasted <3 months before I was back on Autotrader...

My new MINI - a 2014 F56 Cooper SD. I'm not 100% sure on all the options. It has the usual toys like HUD, etc., also has the H/K stereo, 8.8" sat nav, full leather, heated seats etc. Diesel rather than petrol - I'm now spending less per year on VED than I was per month on the Monaro, plus triple the MPG. Missing the noise of a petrol engine but after the V8 nothing will come close. I'd started off looking at R56 Cooper SDs but know they weren't a serious option as my kids need more rear seat space (legroom) - the F56 gives enough for this to double up for whole family use.

It's nice to come full circle back to a MINI. Totally coincidental that my F56 matches my previous R56 colour combo :smilewinkgrin:

Previous MINI:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...HrEU5sTE=w2400

The inbetweener:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...MPNw-1ee=w2400

Current MINI:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...Ybkdn9CO=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...d1e61i5K=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...y7x326wD=w2400

Cheers.
Ally

Welcome back Ally - I remember when you left on you Monaro adventure.

New car looks great. :thumbs up:

Re. the noise - I'll just leave this vid here. :smilewinkgrin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzzp99BS3aM

We bumped into Darkside Developments and their F56 SD at our last track outing and aside from being rather rapid it also sounded proper! Exhaust makes an appearance around 7:30 in the vid.

Welcome back, new MINI looks great. I always loved those wheels on your previous MINI, a mate of mine had them on his Check Mate.

Welcome back ,always had a hankering for a Monaro….nice new car choice

Welcome back to NMS, great to have you back after your V8 adventures. Lovely new car

Welcome back

Welcome back to NMSland :thumbs up:

My wife Karen has a 2016 F55 SD which I'll probably take on this autumn when we get a newer car for her.

Pepper White, full leather, LED's & the laugh a minute 'sport' button .......... what's not to like :thumbs up:

The 2 Litre BWW diesel lump (B47) is apparently detuned for the MINI, 190 down to 167 bĥp. Various mapping options are available out there with Celtic Tuning (they have a good few Scottish franchises), offering one at 240 bhp for £360 :cool:
I'll be tempted to look into mapping back to standard BMW output, add a good bit of poke to the torque :thumbs up:

Enjoy the new car :thumbs up:

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We bumped into Darkside Developments and their F56 SD at our last track outing and aside from being rather rapid it also sounded proper! Exhaust makes an appearance around 7:30 in the vid.

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I've heard their name mentioned a few times now. Deliberately not looking into things too much as I don't need more power... said nobody, ever.

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Welcome back, new MINI looks great. I always loved those wheels on your previous MINI

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Thanks. That was one of several wheels I had on my R56 :Whistle:

It arrived on 17" black spokes:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/KC...-no?authuser=0

I bought the silver 17" with winter tyres:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BJ...-no?authuser=0

I quickly got fed up with the ride quality of 17" with RFTs, so swapped to non-Chili 16" with non-RFTs in both summer flavour:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1F...-no?authuser=0

And 16" with winters:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5M...-no?authuser=0

I already have a set of identical-but-silver 17" Cosmos alloys on the way with winter RFTs and will most likely swap my current 17" summer RFTs for non-RFTs when the time comes. Saying that, the ride's already a lot better on the F56 on RFTs compared to what I remember from my R56, so I'm not immediately rushing towards ditching the runlets until they're done.

- - - Updated - - -

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Celtic Tuning (they have a good few Scottish franchises), offering one at 240 bhp for £360

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Indeed they do. Not that I've looked...:smilewinkgrin:

Re Darkside .......... that exhaust :smilewinkgrin: