A new toy. No Lotus content

renmure · Post by **renmure** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:33 pm

Decided that a sensible, practical, more useable car was needed to go along with all the stoopid stuff in the garage.

Started off with a sensible approach by looking in the Bargain Buys section of the local paper on saturday morning and somehow ended up driving back through a blizard from John Clark BMW in Aberdeen having bought an 05 plate v. low milage Mini Cooper with chilli pack and extra toys.

When she was revived (it took less time this month than it did last month with the Exige) Wendy insisted on a subtle silver / grey Union Jack roof decal to match the grey stripes and silver/chrome bodywork.

Think I am going to give up on the sensible thinking and start being a bit rash!!

Jim

Post by **simon** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:35 pm

I think I'll quote Kenny.
Can I have some of your money?

renmure · Post by **renmure** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:43 pm

lol.. I am sure that is the exact phrase the car salesman used!
I guess he had more power in the subliminal message department

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:27 pm

simon wrote:I think I'll quote Kenny.
Can I have some of your money?

I asked first!

Post by **simon** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:51 pm

Jim, do you mind me asking how much you got the Mini for? I might need to buy another car for Lorraine if we move office and I need to use the feestie.

DDtB · Post by **DDtB** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 12:11 am

Thought Lorraine wanted a Street Ka....??? Go on .. you know you want one too....

renmure · Post by **renmure** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:39 am

simon wrote:Jim, do you mind me asking how much you got the Mini for? .

It was advertised at £11945 but using my superior negotiating skills and hard bargaining techniques I managed to beat him down to a far more realistic £11940ish

However, I was trading in a Kia Magentis V6 saloon car which went through half a tank of petrol in the time between picking up the car keys and walking to the car.. so was not too hard to deal with.

One the test drive, once I got my head round the fact that it felt faster than it really was, I thought it was bril.

The_Rossatron · Post by **The_Rossatron** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 11:26 am

getting a discount off a mini dealer is liking getting blood out of a stone.

I was looking at buying two Minis at once from the same dealer, a Mini One for my mum and a nearly £18k Cooper S and the most they would do is throw in the TLC pack (which benefits them).

Only ended up buying the One.

Post by **simon** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:31 pm

I believe the One can be remapped so it's as quick (if you can call it quick) as the Cooper as they use exactly the same engine.

Andy G · Post by **Andy G** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:07 pm

Shug is the man to ask about that.

Si's right, its an ecu remap thats needed.

jj · Post by jj » Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:33 pm

Best thing to buy is the bluefin, rather than the ecu remap - as the bluefin is removable (and sell-on-able). http://www.mybluefin.co.uk/why.htm

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:48 pm

Anyone tried this bluefin thing on any vehicles.??

jj · Post by jj » Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:09 pm

Me and my bro have had a few different ECU maps done on smarts over the years, all with great results (current one at 122bhp).

Bluefin (for the minis) is good (according to my mate).

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:15 pm

Oh. Is bluefin only for mini's?? I have a VW polo which could do with a bit more stick. Would I need something else for that?

Have previously been afraid to fiddle with engines re remapping as don't want it to start giving problems.
Is it as simple as a bit more power and no adverse affects?

jj · Post by jj » Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:35 pm

Yes and No. Bluefin is for a few cars, check the link above. I know they can take the diesel polos to over 160bhp with good torque gains.

Only issue I have experienced with the smart remaps is extra fuel consmption form heavier right foot.....