# Mini*****ping



## Griffoun (Jan 19, 2006)

Andrew*Debbie said:


> About $75-$100/year in the real world. Enough to give the OP another reason to get the '07 instead of the '06
> From fuel economy.gov:
> 
> 2003 MINI Cooper 5-speed manual 25/33
> ...


I got the 09' Fit Sports AT eventually... I tried putting son's carseat on the mini, and I can already visualize him kicking the back of the front-seat pretty hard without him being in the car (he chickened! :rofl. It's possible to get him in-and-out easily, but can't get over the fact that I might need trunk space and carrying the little passengers once in a while.... OTOH I can see myself driving the MINI and still look good, while it could be odd for a 40+ guy driving in a Fit... :eeps:

Yes it's only a Honda, but the two cars exhibit the same personality, albeit the difference in size.

So far I'm getting avg 31mpg in city in regular unleaded. The 12mi trip from the dealer to home with mix of local and highway, was 39.5mpg according to trip computer.


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

Griffoun said:


> I got the 09' Fit Sports AT eventually... I tried putting son's carseat on the mini,


Congrats on your new car. The Jazz ( uk version of the Fit) is popular here. Honda restarts their UK plant in 3 months, it will be building the Jazz.

The back seat in the MINI hatch is not for humans. It may be there simply because 4 seat cars are always less expensive to insure. Kid seat is possible in the Clubman, but that is way out of your price range.


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## Griffoun (Jan 19, 2006)

Andrew*Debbie said:


> Congrats on your new car. The Jazz ( uk version of the Fit) is popular here. Honda restarts their UK plant in 3 months, it will be building the Jazz.
> 
> The back seat in the MINI hatch is not for humans. It may be there simply because 4 seat cars are always less expensive to insure. Kid seat is possible in the Clubman, but that is way out of your price range.


Thanks for your comments all along :thumbup:

One last thing I wanted to mention... my daughter's infant carseat barely fits in the Fit's backseat, and I didn't try that on the MINI thinking my daughter's already 11-mo month... so I guess it would not fit in the back of the MINI unless the front passenger seat move forward quite a bit... :eeps:


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## pilotman (Feb 2, 2006)

Griffoun said:


> Thanks for your comments all along :thumbup:
> 
> One last thing I wanted to mention... my daughter's infant carseat barely fits in the Fit's backseat, and I didn't try that on the MINI thinking my daughter's already 11-mo month... so I guess it would not fit in the back of the MINI unless the front passenger seat move forward quite a bit... :eeps:


You are talking about rear facing seats in the back of a Mini Hatchback right?

Things get MUCH better when you go forward facing.

Child seats should EASILY fit in a Clubman unless you are taller than 6'


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## Griffoun (Jan 19, 2006)

pilotman said:


> You are talking about rear facing seats in the back of a Mini Hatchback right?


Yup



pilotman said:


> Things get MUCH better when you go forward facing.


Yes, but still not much space for the 2.5yr-old kiddo...



pilotman said:


> Child seats should EASILY fit in a Clubman unless you are taller than 6'


Wife doesn't like clubman at all!


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## pilotman (Feb 2, 2006)

Griffoun said:


> Yup
> 
> Yes, but still not much space for the 2.5yr-old kiddo...
> 
> Wife doesn't like clubman at all!


which are you referring to that doesn't have a lot of space for the 2.5 year old kiddo?

and how tall are you, and how do you prefer your seat position, relatively close, middle or "gangsta style"?

I would think a 2.5 year old should fit OK (not great for hours and hours) in the back of a Fit, Clubman etc (forward facing of course)

I am trying to sell my wife on the Clubman, it would NOT be our primary family car of course, but it just needs to carry our twin 13 month old boys in a pinch.

Also, they have some much slimmer profile forward facing carseats (i.e. Radian brand and another one I can't remember that are just as safe as Britax but take up less room in the car).


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## Griffoun (Jan 19, 2006)

pilotman said:


> which are you referring to that doesn't have a lot of space for the 2.5 year old kiddo?


The '06 mini. My son's height is 25th percentile for his age.

He didn't want to try sitting in the MINI (he likes fire engines, trucks and all, but he cried as soon as we put him in one of those during the "Truck day" outside a local library), but I've been taking the family out on the Fit since getting the car. He's able to kick the back of the driver seat, although he doesn't do that often.



pilotman said:


> and how tall are you, and how do you prefer your seat position, relatively close, middle or "gangsta style"?


I'm 5'6" and I prefer middle when driving a small car or my wife's SUV. When driving on the E46 coupe, however, I give myself a little more space.



pilotman said:


> Also, they have some much slimmer profile forward facing carseats (i.e. Radian brand and another one I can't remember that are just as safe as Britax but take up less room in the car).


For me, that would cut down car - b u y ing budget even further! :rofl:

(What's wrong with saying c a r - b u y i n g anyway?! Isn't it what B-fest is about?! Why *** me?!)


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

No problem car shopping or car buying here in Wales.


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## pilotman (Feb 2, 2006)

Griffoun said:


> The '06 mini. My son's height is 25th percentile for his age.
> 
> He didn't want to try sitting in the MINI (he likes fire engines, trucks and all, but he cried as soon as we put him in one of those during the "Truck day" outside a local library), but I've been taking the family out on the Fit since getting the car. He's able to kick the back of the driver seat, although he doesn't do that often.
> 
> ...


I agree the regular Mini is just not workable, too small. I am trying to sell my wife on the Clubman, and still deciding whether I like it.

All these decisions we have to make about our kiddies! I am 6' but pretty confident I can fit child seats in the back of the Clubman and keep my seat where I want it, and this would NOT be our primary family hauler of course, it only needs to work in a pinch.

Good luck with your search!


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

Griffoun said:


> The '06 mini. My son's height is 25th percentile for his age.


For any other potential Mini buyers, the car got bigger in 2007. Still not much room in the back seat though.

The Clubman adds 2.5" of rear leg room as well as the 1/2 door. That may not sound like much but it makes all the difference. Still a tight fit for an adult, but it is a usable back seat.

So how do the Clubby and Hatch compare? The Clubman is 200lbs heavier and a few inches longer. The weight slows the car down, but not by much. The extra length smoothes the ride a bit and makes the car turn a little slower. Overall balance stays the same. Its a more practical car and the compromise in speed is minor. If you don't plan to use the back seats, the hatch is the better car to own. If for no other reason it costs a little less.


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## Griffoun (Jan 19, 2006)

Andrew*Debbie said:


> For any other potential Mini buyers, the car got bigger in 2007. Still not much room in the back seat though.


Not sure if I recall/research correctly, but...

The overall length increased by 3" although there's no additional legroom for backseat, and the cargo area is actually smaller by 0.3 cu-ft.

:dunno:


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## Griffoun (Jan 19, 2006)

pilotman said:


> Good luck with your search!


I'm done searching...


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

Griffoun said:


> Not sure if I recall/research correctly, but...
> 
> The overall length increased by 3" although there's no additional legroom for backseat, and the cargo area is actually smaller by 0.3 cu-ft.
> 
> :dunno:


Yes. I reread my post and it wasn't clear. The car got bigger, but the backseat legroom didn't.


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