SE vs ICE

[Qisl]

So, I went to my MINI dealer to test drive a Countryman S ALL4 (ICE), because I have a reservation for the Countryman SE. (This was to replace my outback, not my electric MINI Cooper.) I don't think I like the new Countryman. It doesn't feel like a MINI inside. Were it not for the speedometer in the center OLED (the HUD was off), I might have been in a Subaru "das boot" Ascent. Ugh. I think I'll be cancelling my SE reservation.

I then tried a clubman. For getting out into the Texas hinterlands, this would be acceptable. I really liked the fact that all of the toggles and interfaces were the same. Comfortable, and I was definitely in a MINI.

Then, shifting my SE into sport mode I raced over to a Subaru dealership. Sport mode is really nice! I was even learning how to use it well with full regen. Lots of fun leaving everyone behind! (I'm glad I didn't have my USAA tracker app enabled.)

Tried out a 182hp Crosstrek. Very weak. If I need to pull a 3500 lb. trailer this would be perfect. But otherwise...

Then I tried a WRX with a six speed manual. (The salesman congratulated me on not stalling it out.) It has been half a decade since I used a manual; I'd need to practice more without a passenger to see if this would work.

Then I raced back up to my residence in my SE, having a ball. All of the cars that I tried today pale in comparison to the SE.

I am so fu^H^Hspoiled by the SE. Thoughts of replacing my outback are on hold until something better comes along.

 

[Qisl]

Post Script:

Just wanted to add that I was playing (Falco Symphonic) with the windows down while racing about in my SE. I made sure to have "Rock me Amadeus" blaring when I rolled into the Subaru dealer (Ala ).

 

[Qisl]

Post Post Script:

While I was waiting to test drive the Countryman S All4, I saw a young woman transferring her belongings from a 2013 Countryman into a 2020 Clubman. It was a swap rather than increasing a MINI household by one. She said that her Countryman, with 100k miles, had a damaged cylinder head, and that the dealership had quoted her a price tag of $15k to replace the engine (replacing the cylinder head was also an option, but she didn't mention the price). The Clubman was only $20k... easy choice to make.

Take that you EV maligners spouting battery replacement costs when denigrating EVs.

 

[Rexsio]

So, I went to my MINI dealer to test drive a Countryman S ALL4 (ICE), because I have a reservation for the Countryman SE. (This was to replace my outback, not my electric MINI Cooper.) I don't think I like the new Countryman. It doesn't feel like a MINI inside. Were it not for the speedometer in the center OLED (the HUD was off), I might have been in a Subaru "das boot" Ascent. Ugh. I think I'll be cancelling my SE reservation.

I then tried a clubman. For getting out into the Texas hinterlands, this would be acceptable. I really liked the fact that all of the toggles and interfaces were the same. Comfortable, and I was definitely in a MINI.

Then, shifting my SE into sport mode I raced over to a Subaru dealership. Sport mode is really nice! I was even learning how to use it well with full regen. Lots of fun leaving everyone behind! (I'm glad I didn't have my USAA tracker app enabled.)

Tried out a 182hp Crosstrek. Very weak. If I need to pull a 3500 lb. trailer this would be perfect. But otherwise...

Then I tried a WRX with a six speed manual. (The salesman congratulated me on not stalling it out.) It has been half a decade since I used a manual; I'd need to practice more without a passenger to see if this would work.

Then I raced back up to my residence in my SE, having a ball. All of the cars that I tried today pale in comparison to the SE.

I am so fu^H^Hspoiled by the SE. Thoughts of replacing my outback are on hold until something better comes along.

I’m 100% agree with you I’m covering 70 miles distance weakly one way to CT with SE on the way-wee roads I’m like in race car pushing 80-90 miles with SUVs they try to challenge me and they give up on corners and ones a while I’m in my 2019 Subaru Forester 25 K miles I’m like in a boat try to hold a corners in high speed but in bad weather conditions is a best car I ever own . Subaru is on Nokian tires WRG4 and I recommend new version for 2024 Remedy in light snow and summer maybe not in Texas as long you don’t have a little snow after 15 K miles now wear those tires are designed Low resistance and for EVs

 

[Puppethead]

Thoughts of replacing my outback are on hold until something better comes along.

The MINI Aceman might be worth looking at, it's built on the J01 platform. Supposedly July is the launch month, although it's got the same built-in-China issue the new Cooper SE has. I am excited about the Aceman since the Clubman has always been my favorite MINI.

 

[Rexsio]

The MINI Aceman might be worth looking at, it's built on the J01 platform. Supposedly July is the launch month, although it's got the same built-in-China issue the new Cooper SE has. I am excited about the Aceman since the Clubman has always been my favorite MINI.

But this car will be not available in USA at least for 2 years have to be build in Oxford we not accept Chinese cars I’m wrong ? Only Europe accepts a crab .

 

[Rexsio]

Post Script:

Just wanted to add that I was playing (Falco Symphonic) with the windows down while racing about in my SE. I made sure to have "Rock me Amadeus" blaring when I rolled into the Subaru dealer (Ala ).

I must be much older 73 bc this is my play

 

[Rexsio]

So, I went to my MINI dealer to test drive a Countryman S ALL4 (ICE), because I have a reservation for the Countryman SE. (This was to replace my outback, not my electric MINI Cooper.) I don't think I like the new Countryman. It doesn't feel like a MINI inside. Were it not for the speedometer in the center OLED (the HUD was off), I might have been in a Subaru "das boot" Ascent. Ugh. I think I'll be cancelling my SE reservation.

I then tried a clubman. For getting out into the Texas hinterlands, this would be acceptable. I really liked the fact that all of the toggles and interfaces were the same. Comfortable, and I was definitely in a MINI.

Then, shifting my SE into sport mode I raced over to a Subaru dealership. Sport mode is really nice! I was even learning how to use it well with full regen. Lots of fun leaving everyone behind! (I'm glad I didn't have my USAA tracker app enabled.)

Tried out a 182hp Crosstrek. Very weak. If I need to pull a 3500 lb. trailer this would be perfect. But otherwise...

Then I tried a WRX with a six speed manual. (The salesman congratulated me on not stalling it out.) It has been half a decade since I used a manual; I'd need to practice more without a passenger to see if this would work.

Then I raced back up to my residence in my SE, having a ball. All of the cars that I tried today pale in comparison to the SE.

I am so fu^H^Hspoiled by the SE. Thoughts of replacing my outback are on hold until something better comes along.

Once you are in SE you should never look back an ACE cars or you realy need independence of milages of daily driving no maitinance no brake replacement for 100000 miles and after Acording to my research 16 years later you shoud have about 60% battery capacity as I’m retaired and 73 years old or I don’t give a crab bc I’m driving a car as Go cart for my daily needs and is really beautiful car race car and everybody admire my SE as BRG

 

[Qisl]

The MINI Aceman might be worth looking at, it's built on the J01 platform. Supposedly July is the launch month, although it's got the same built-in-China issue the new Cooper SE has. I am excited about the Aceman since the Clubman has always been my favorite MINI.

I agree that the Aceman looks like a fine candidate, once Oxford starts building it. Hopefully by then, it'll still have roughly the same shape, to which racing stripes can be added. I've become quite fond of the racing stripes on my SE. In contrast, the Countryman SE's stripes are painted on. If you don't order the car with stripes (or if the dealer doesn't), adding them later is problematic, unless you use the old style stickers.

Canada has a build configurator for its Countryman SE available (https://mini.ca). Unlike the build configurator for the UK (https://mini.co.uk), Canada doesn't have a Sport version (aka JCW trim). Consequently, no stripes allowed. And the wheels choices are limited: no windmill wheels. But I digress into a topic that is probably more suited to another forum...

 

[Puppethead]

Not sure what MINI is going to do now that the EU is adding a big tariff on Chinese EVs. Hopefully they are considering accelerating the Oxford plant conversion.

 

[CuriousGeorge]

Not sure what MINI is going to do now that the EU is adding a big tariff on Chinese EVs. Hopefully they are considering accelerating the Oxford plant conversion.

Hopefully, but I wonder if that is even possible.

I have read several stories about how Germany is pushing back on the tariffs, since they hurt BMW severely.

The more I read about the J01 ( and it's brethren), the more conflicted I am. The extra range would be nice and I think I would like the new interior and tech, but I would miss the moonroof.

Most of all, I wonder if I would enjoy throwing it around roundabouts hard enough to make the left rear tire squeal, as I did with my F56 SE yesterday.

 

[Puppethead]

The more I read about the J01 ( and it's brethren), the more conflicted I am. The extra range would be nice and I think I would like the new interior and tech, but I would miss the moonroof.

Looks like the Aceman has a panoramic roof option (from mini.co.uk configurator). Apparently doesn't open, though. Is it worth the extra weight? I do like the glass roof on my SE but I rarely open it except when parked to keep the interior cooler.

 

[insightman]

The more I read about the J01 ( and it's brethren), the more conflicted I am.

I found another way to communicate my disappointment with the J01:

The Jay-oh-one is not yet here
Belated, tardy, late
It's import still remains unclear
Barred by affairs of state

A sportier SE would be nice
There's really no debate
But BMW rolled the dice
Behind the wall so Great

The Chinese SE now exists
Potential owners wait
They've got their bucks clenched in their fists
But no delivery date

One factor still could spoil the fun
This factor could negate
Desire for the Jay-oh-one
That factor is its weight

 

[CuriousGeorge]

Looks like the Aceman has a panoramic roof option (from mini.co.uk configurator). Apparently doesn't open, though. Is it worth the extra weight? I do like the glass roof on my SE but I rarely open it except when parked to keep the interior cooler.

View attachment 22882

... whereas that toggle switch is the one I use the most. Unless it's really hot, raining, or I'm going more than 40 mph, I have the moonroof open.

 

[Qisl]

Looks like the Aceman has a panoramic roof option (from mini.co.uk configurator). Apparently doesn't open, though. Is it worth the extra weight? I do like the glass roof on my SE but I rarely open it except when parked to keep the interior cooler.

I like to feel the wind blowing through my hair. (I cut off a pandemic pony tail a month ago... it is fantastic to be able to drive with everything open without having to worry about hair blowing into my eye! In the past 18 months, I've only driven with everything closed for less than 2 weeks. (Yes, even when it is 110F out, I have the windows and moonroof open.)

I refuse to purchase a car that has a moonroof that won't open. I don't understand why recent EV's have panoramic roofs that don't open. Doesn't make any sense at all. Isn't there an Italian car that has a cloth cover to the roof? I might have to fashion something similar for the Aceman after performing a roof-ectomy.

 

[MrSnrub]

Not sure what MINI is going to do now that the EU is adding a big tariff on Chinese EVs. Hopefully they are considering accelerating the Oxford plant conversion.

BMW group cancelled their order with Northvolt and resigned a contract with Samsung SDI

 

[teslarati97]

BMW group cancelled their order with Northvolt and resigned a contract with Samsung SDI

That doesn't really mean much because the contract was for current Gen 5 prismatic batteries (SE and i3 uses Gen 4). I suppose Northvolt & BMW is going all in on Neue Klasse Gen 6.

 

[SameGuy]

A poster at the UK forum claims our cars use NMC-811 5th gen rather than 622 4th gen. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[teslarati97]

A poster at the UK forum claims our cars use NMC-811 5th gen rather than 622 4th gen. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Arguably the SE should be Gen 2/3 because marketing said it was based on the 94Ah i3. It's kind of a mixed bag if you included the PHEV batteries (module based cooling) which the SE is closer to.

 

[Brawndo]

I'm the opposite, I'm disappointed the sunroof delete option is gone. I never use one and don't want the weight, complexity, or potential leak point.

Sounds like the fixed glass roof makes nobody happy.