1.6 Cooper D All 4

Hit and miss

Bought the car second hand with one previous owner and just ca 58K on it. Now just hit 67K after 6 month’s ownership.
Yet to really warm to the car, but it is actually ideal for where I live – using narrow Devon lanes often covered in mud.
Overall don’t mind driving it and it goes round corners well; typical turbo diesel pick up as not much happens til at ca 1750 rpm then it fires up and by 3000rpm you can change up a couple of cogs if you have enough speed.
Only real fault to date is rear park sensors packed up due dodgy refitting of bumper previously. And one of the mud flaps under front of car has obviously hit something and split. There is also an occasional squeak from the rear of the suspension but this comes and goes.
Don’t agree with car having blindspots some others talk of.
Headlights worst I have had recently on a car and reminiscent of a 2CV with yellow bulbs. Have changed to better bulbs and increased vision but they are still pretty poor, particularly on high beam. Xenons might be worth seeking out and you can still upgrade the side lights to DRL’s retrospectively.
Glovebox plastic cover has no place on a car costing this price.
Heating / ventilation is poor needing fan on all the time even at motorway speeds; A/C works fine but no doubt saps some fuel and power.
Switchgear poorly laid out à la Alfa Romeo, from 20 years ago.
Always get ca 42 mpg no matter how I drive; this is measured by brimming the tank, as there is no computer on my poverty spec! Drives best on BP Super Diesel and gets slightly better mpg on Shell Optimax Diesel. Overall this mpg is OK if you treat it as a 4X4, but not if you consider it a hatchback with slightly raised suspension.
Final gripe is the ride; the car is on 17s and Runflats. The rears have worn to 4mm and make lots of noise unless riding on billiard table asphalt. The ride is appalling and over one expansion joint on nearby bridge the bump steer is really worrying at 60mph. If I keep the car, will change to non Runflats, but the jury is still out…….

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