Puppethead
Well-Known Member
Bonus, also achieved rule #1!
Saw a MINI Cooper SE at...
- Thread starter insightman
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Here’s a JCW conversion on my 2023 Mini SE L3. Rear bumper and spoiler will be fitted by the end of this month. Waiting for all 4 extended JCW wheel arch trims to be delivered from Germany to London. There’s no UK stock availability which is crazy.
Bought the car in Dec 2023 with 2,500 miles. Close to 5,000 miles now. No difference in range, changed the 17” alloys from tentacle to JCW. Mini advised me not to do it as the range would be depleted, that’s completely false.
Bought the car in Dec 2023 with 2,500 miles. Close to 5,000 miles now. No difference in range, changed the 17” alloys from tentacle to JCW. Mini advised me not to do it as the range would be depleted, that’s completely false.
Who at MINI warned you about the wheels reducing your range? Probably your dealer, not MINI USA, right?
EV owners typically experience greater range with smaller rims, but you didn't change the diameter of your rims, so if you're still running the OEM tires, the range shouldn't be affected significantly.
Some SE owners who have switched to run-flat tires or tires other than the ones MINI chooses for the SE find their range is reduced. MINI clearly did their range-testing homework when they selected the Goodyear/Pirelli/Hankook summer performance tires for the SE.
I just read that MINI is dumping run-flats on all their cars, so in the future, the SE won't be only the MINI that gets go-flats and a tire inflator/repair-goo kit.
Puppethead
Well-Known Member
As someone who drives 100 miles a day I always preferred runflats, even with the hit to ride quality. Especially in the winter, they provide a piece of mind should tire damage occur.
Of course, with my SE I eschewed them (both summer and winter) due to range and noise issues. So maybe this move is because MINI is going all-electric?
Not in USA no. Mini Park Lane in London UK.
They said the JCW alloys creates more air flow increasing the drag. Honestly, I haven’t seen a difference in the 2 months I’ve been driving on it. No run flats, OEM tyres are the Goodyear asymmetric 3. Front tyres have vastly worn out (I prefer to drive in sport mode everywhere).
Front and rear tyre pressure is 2.5. Is this correct? Currently mild weather.
It sounds like you're driving your SE the way it was meant to be driven. If you're having fun, why care about range?
I'm having so much fun driving the best-handling EV money can buy that I don't complain about tire wear. I'm happy a set of 4 summer performance tires for my SE costs less than a single tire for a Lamborghini, which probably eats tires even faster.
The door-jamb sticker on US MINI Cooper SEs lists the pressure as 38 psi front, 35 psi rear. That converts to 2.6 and 2.4 atmospheres, respectively.
Puppethead
Well-Known Member
Also the SE costs almost nothing in maintenance beyond the tires, unlike any ICE vehicle.
Puppethead
Well-Known Member
Saw a BRG with white roof/mirrors SE heading west on the freeway between St. Paul and Minneapolis this morning. I want to say it was a 2020/2021 model but couldn't say for sure, only saw it from behind. The yellow SE badge was on the driver's side like my 2021 SE, not sure if it's the same on the 2022+ models.
Jkoya
Member
I saw two Mini Cooper SEs within a block of each other in Sacramento, CA this past Wednesday. One was a BRG parked on the street and the other was a White-Silver with yellow mirror caps driving through the intersection. Both had the revised front without the fog lamps, so 2022-2024 ?
After driving my SE for over a year, I finally saw my first SE. Blue, like mine, but with a white roof. This car was first in line at a light, while I was behind an ICE vehicle. No exhaust pipes, but no E emblem on the rear either, so I wasn't sure. But when the light turned green, the acceleration made it obvious.
Sunny day here in Plano. Over course of thirty minutes of driving, I saw four other MINI Coopers. I find that I have become a bit of a follower: if I see a MINI generally heading in my direction, I'll follow a MINI instead of taking my originally planned course.
Sunny day here in Plano. Over course of thirty minutes of driving, I saw four other MINI Coopers. I find that I have become a bit of a follower: if I see a MINI generally heading in my direction, I'll follow a MINI instead of taking my originally planned course.
Puppethead
Well-Known Member
Drove alongside a BRG w/ white roof SE westbound on the freeway through downtown Minneapolis this morning. I noticed it was a 2022+ model from the rear because the accent color on the hatch handle is black instead of vigorous grey like my 2021 SE. Confirmed by seeing the front as the other SE slowed down to take an exit.
Puppethead
Well-Known Member
Saw a Nanuq White SE this morning, but it was literally on the road leading to the dealer. I happened to be going to somewhere else, not sure if that SE was heading to the dealer. So does this count?
Invoking my imagined authority as the OP, I deem your sighting of an SE on the road absolutely countable.
Rexsio
Well-Known Member
Living in Staten Island NY. With 1/2 million population I’m not seeing any single SE on a road in 2 years and 4 months as I’m paying attention to spot one.Must be very unpopular in this part of a country. On a better note I spot my beloved BMW I 3 2014 one of the first models in a Mall parking with handicapped plates with completely rotten /crack tires to bad I didn’t take a picture!
I've read the i3's peculiar 195/50r20 Bridgestone Ecopia tires are expensive and sometimes wear out in less than 10,000 miles. I'm so glad the i3's great motor is twisting normal-sized, easily sourced, summer performance tires on my SE!
CuriousGeorge
Well-Known Member
I spotted an SE in its native (urban) environment yesterday - silver with a white roof on Gloucester Drive in Boston.
Tried to get a pic, but couldn't catch up on foot before the light changed and they were on their way.
Tried to get a pic, but couldn't catch up on foot before the light changed and they were on their way.
BigDawgMike
New Member
Owned my SE for 2 years...saw my first in the wild today.
Every time I look in the rear view mirror and see those tell tale circular headlights, a smile pops up on my face. I can't help it.
I was heading North on Custer in Plano this evening. I turned West, and it turned West. I let it pass me (I waved but nobody was looking), and discovered a very creative license plate, which was roughly (but not the same as) "dcactoev".
At what point does following another SE become stalking? Instead of chasing that spritely SE South, I elected to take a longer way to Sprouts.
I was heading North on Custer in Plano this evening. I turned West, and it turned West. I let it pass me (I waved but nobody was looking), and discovered a very creative license plate, which was roughly (but not the same as) "dcactoev".
At what point does following another SE become stalking? Instead of chasing that spritely SE South, I elected to take a longer way to Sprouts.
Puppethead
Well-Known Member
From one set of MINI Rules of the Road:
Rule #9: CATCH UP WITH AND TAIL OTHER MINIS AND FOLLOW FOR AS LONG AS YOU CAN
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I've never had a Countryman driver wave back, so I've stopped waving to them. Also, I don't bother to park next to them--I'm not sure they'd recognize my car as being a relative.