Instead of a new Scion xB, I think I’ve found a new Clubman available for sale.
As a result, I am just looking for any feedback from Clubman owners or anyone who has driven them. I don’t know if I want to drive the 150 miles to even test drive the Clubman and then purchase it.
Thanks.
I have not driven the Clubman,but I will tell you that if you ave any doubt about even test driving it, do but it.
I take it you found one in the link I posted in your other thread?
driving that far IS a bit out of the way, but if you like the test drive and they have what you want, it would be time well spent. I’m thinking of popping down there friday or saturday myself.
Hey, it’s an adventure! Get there mid-afternoon and take it out for a spin. Then go to dinner and think about it. You can go back to the dealer after dinner and buy it if you like it. If the dealer closes early, go earlier and take a late lunch. You could drive a Mini Cooper and see if you like it. That might reduce the risk some. But don’t let a few hours keep you from what may be your new car.
I would suggest that the Clubman probably doesn’t drive that much differently than a regular Mini Cooper. Perhaps you could test drive a regular Mini closer to home and then if you like how the Mini drives/handles/feels you can invest the time and fuel into going and looking at that specific example.
I would ordinarily give a cautionary spiel here about how the Mini isn’t as reliable as a regular economy car and is more expensive to fix and may or may not eat clutches, but I recall from your other post that this thing is replacing a BMW, so you should be fairly used to it, since after all the Mini is made by BMW. I think you will enjoy this car a lot more than you would the Scion.
Yes, thank you for the link. I did find a very suitable car at that Cols location. My hopes are to not be driving all over in order to get a car. Additionally, there are the logistics of getting myself to Cols and getting the car back if I cannot find another driver.
Thank you again.
I finally got down to Columbus to take my test drive. They only had the normal Clubman with an auto, so I took it out, and enjoyed the ride.
Starting one of these is a weird process in which you put the fob into the dash, put your foot on the brake and hit the start button. The misplaced speedo takes some getting used to, the seats felt a little confining but I could live with them(the convertible in the show room had the more comfortable seats), rear visibility was slightly hindered by the way the hatch doors are configured. I feel compelled to buy from those guys just from the way I was treated. I ask for a test drive, the copy my license, ask me to fill out a form with my insurance company name, and basically just fill out the info that’s on my license(the copy was right on the paper I filled out) and what car I was taking out. The guy handed me the fob, asked if I drove one before, then proceeded to show me how things worked. I told him I wasn’t too familiar with the area, and he told me to just drive up the road and back, to give me a feel for how the car handles bumpy roads and the like, then sent me on my way. The salesman didn’t even accompany me on the drive, which is a total shock. I get back and he asks how I liked it, told him I didn’t care for the mesh screen that “covers” the sunroof, and he just said that they could always order one how I wanted it, said I’d be looking at August if I ordered yesterday. I was just so blown away by the way I was treated and that they didn’t try to sell me the one on the lot, or try to get me into a regular Cooper. On top of that, the Minis have the same maintenance coverage as BMW does, so 15k mile or once a year oil changes, brakes, hoses, etc free for 3 years/36k miles(some is 4/48k).
I have a 07 cooper s the clubman doesn’t drive all that different than a regular mini. I’ve had mine for a year and it has been excellent. I haven’t had any problems with the clucth either.