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

[a11y]

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

Previous MINI:


The inbetweener:


Current MINI:




Cheers.
Ally

[Track Ali]

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

New car looks great.

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



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.

[DaiB]

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.

[badwolf340]

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

[MINI William]

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

[cuddles]

Welcome back

[Crombers]

Welcome back to NMSland

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

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
I'll be tempted to look into mapping back to standard BMW output, add a good bit of poke to the torque

Enjoy the new car

[a11y]

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.

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.

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

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

It arrived on 17" black spokes:


I bought the silver 17" with winter tyres:


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:


And 16" with winters:


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 - - -

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

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

[Crombers]

Re Darkside .......... that exhaust