Detroit, 7:23 AM
Tue Nov 10
27 posts in the last 24 hours
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| posts about #miniclubmanreview more → |
2009 MINI Cooper Clubman S, Part Three |
2009 MINI Cooper Clubman S, Part Two |
2009 MINI Cooper Clubman S, Part One |
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
Jalopnik 
10/29/08
10/29/08
10/29/08
It's not as good as a Cooper S.
It looks Kinda funny.
It's a bit heavier.
It's got the wrong number of doors.
It's waaay too expensive.
It has less steering feel than the Cooper S.
The handling is a bit compromised compared to the Cooper S.
All good points.
But the devils advocate in me has to say that the above review would only make sense if the Cooper S didn't exsist, or if this was intended to replace it. The people who are intended to buy this have a different set of priorities to people who buy Cooper esses.
How many people trade in their Z4s for X3s, for practicality, and then whinge when i doesn't handle as well?
Don't get me wrong, I still loathe the Clubman with every fibre of my being. But I still want to see it get a fair trial.
10/29/08
10/29/08
And, Chevy HHR? Really? -Really?-
10/29/08
10/29/08
10/29/08
Resale has never been a major concern of mine. I drive them until they either die or I tire of them and either way I'm not looking to capitalize. I wanted to put a lit rag in the gas tank of the Civic and push it into the dealership but cooler heads prevailed. I figured it would have been worth it for what they put us through. My wife figured the arson charge probably would not have been worth it.
The Impala has already gone farther than the Civic did, screw resale.
10/29/08
I'm sticking up for the Clubman because it's made for a market quite opposite the Jalopnik crowd, and in that market, it has its merits, and they're merits that benefit all of us.
10/30/08
10/29/08
The best argument for this is low depreciation.
10/29/08
Joe Professional has a family now? Needs more space, then fuck him. You gotta be willing to put up with a certain inconvenience to own sporting cars, it's stupid for companies to try to cater those who are putting convenience *first* sporting only on weekends, you end up with this pig here. Get a fucking Ford Flex if you need space.
10/29/08
Seriously, screw those guys. When I have a car company, I'm only going to build what a few people on the internet think is a cool car, and no other models.
10/29/08
10/29/08
...but with turbos.
10/29/08
This is a great car if you like turns and twisty roads. It has nearly identical acceleration as the hatchback. Overall I'd say performance is about 95% of of a cooper hatchback, which is still way better than most cars this size.
As for price, the clubman has the same base price as most of the comparison cars. Base price for the clubman is $1k less than the HHR SS. I agree the clubman is hard to justify at the $30k+ point (and crazy at the ~$40k JCW Clubman), but it is possible to configure a really nice clubman in the upper 20's.
As for comparison cars, I think the GTI should be on the list. That was the other car I was considering before buying the Clubman.
In short, there is a compromise compared to a hatchback cooper, but it's nowhere near as bad as the review implies.
10/29/08
10/29/08
Technogeeks will flock to it;
Golfing Grandparents will not be accessorizing it to match their golf cart.
10/29/08
10/29/08
And easy on the scotch. The rest of us are still thirsty.
10/29/08
10/29/08
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10/29/08
10/29/08
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10/29/08
Preferably not male... or Lewinskyish... but you know, whatever floats your boat.
10/29/08
10/29/08
10/29/08
Not that I disagree with you. This is one of those cars that makes me wonder what the hell is going on at BMW. If it's Bangle greenlighting things like this, it's time for him to be Old Yellered out in the back forty.
10/29/08
10/29/08
10/29/08