Do we have any Mini Cooper S experts in the house? R53 ergonomics question

After looking at a Miata yesterday and walking away thinking "I don't really think I need NA #5"[1], I looked at a 2005 Cooper S today in what I would call GRMer spec - slicktop, cloth seats, non-HID lights, but it's got an LSD. Well looked after car, drove as nicely as these do on run flats and while it's not a spectacular deal, it's a decent price and it's been looked after.

However, I ran into the same ergonomics issue I have with my Evo - steering wheel is too far away from me if the seat is in the correct position for me, and neither the owner nor me could figure out if the steering wheel is adjustable for reach or the manual seats adjust for rake (didn't look like it). Should there be any wheel reach adjustment? If not, is there a way to get the wheel closer to the driver? If not, then I can scratch Coopers off the list of maybe cars for me.

[1] That's probably me getting my membership here revoked

Some preliminary research suggests that the Cooper S got a telescoping steering column with the R56 model, but that's out of my price range (plus I want the supercharged engine).

by rake do you mean tilting the seat base under your knee up and down? Maybe not an adjustment, but a few thick washers under the seat bolts might tweak it a little?

More generally, I feel your pain. I hate hate hate when I can't get the car setup right for me.

Yep, the seat base will have to come up considerably at the front - to the tune of at least 1/2", but even that leaves me sitting too close to the pedals, just with more support under my knees. That would be a good starting point but it's got "shades of Evo" written all over it.

In my case, not being able to get the car set up right for me means that anything but short journeys will lead to increased consumption of pretty strong prescription pain killers so I can walk after the trip. Not worth it to me .

At least in mine, there was no way to adjust rake on the seat, only height. Though strangely, the lower it got to the floor, the more rake it had, with the thigh bolster being higher. Additionally, there was no telescoping wheel, only tilt. I can tell you as a man of poor knees myself, I hated that car. The ergos were all wrong for me.

No - unfortunately, the R50/53 didn't get a telescoping wheel.

If you don't mind, can you let us know additional details about the car? I'm always casually looking for a non-sunroof, LSD equipped '05 R53.