In my R53 if I was alone in the car I would just floor it in manual mode away from every light...it's just so much fun to do and to hell with gas mileage. There's one light on the way home from work that's at the top of a hill with a long open run after it and flooring it from that light is simply too much of a rush to ignore but I haven't done it in the R56 yet. I really need to get that iPod "dyno" tool to see what my 0-60 is on that hill, it has to be low 5s

 

Ok, I've been driving with the Sport Button on all the time, and from reading the last few posts, I was like "uh-oh, did I miss something at delivery"?

I have a sequence when I start the car - start button, headlights, foglights, rear fog, then sport button. It is SO hard not to rev past 4K (my own limit), but the difference with sport on and off is night and day. I can only imagine what it feels like with the turbo motor - thankfully I didn't get it, otherwise I'd be getting to know the local police a little too well

 

WELCOME SiouxsieQ! to NAM I am guessing we were neighbors on the Sierra Nevada Highway, and are neighbors now, as well, if you are in Missouri. Lolly-the-MINI and I are in Southeast Iowa.

I just checked the Owners' Lounge, and found that my MINI is about to be delivered to my dealership, and I should be patient Maybe they sent me ANOTHER MINI???

 

I had the same "did I miss something" reaction when Chimera said he'd managed to hold off on the Sport button. Fortunately, it was just his own restriction

Careful with the fogs though, they're very bright and can be a problem for other drivers. In some locations it's actually illegal to have 'em on if it isn't actually foggy.

 

no reason to deprive yourself of the sport button even if your car has 3 miles on it!

I always have it on.

still about 3 weeks for my delivery =(

 

Thanks for the tip!

I just picked her up! Pics to come later. All looked good to me, they had it inside the dealership waiting for me. Had 18km on the odometer and the gas tank was full. It's hard not to open her up yet but I bought not leased this car so I want it to last me a while. It is a girl but I don't think I'll name her. lol

How many of us are still waiting? Not too many I hope and that your wait is very short now.

 

Well MotorMouth's and my cars got into Port Hueneme, CA yesterday or the day before. My MA says I will have it in about two weeks. MotorMouth's car still needs to take another boat trip.

 

I thought you'd like the color.

The rocking chair is just one of those roadside oddities. I had Flat Stanley ( http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Stanley ) with me and thought he needed his picture taken with it. We motored a little over 300 miles that day.

Thanks for the welcome. I've been lurking a long time. I decided it was time to finally sign up.

My guy actually came over on the Hercules Highway. But, yes, I am in Missouri.. just south of Saint Louis.

 

So I couldn't get much driving in yet. The roads around here are JAMMED!! I guess everyone is leaving work early today.


I haven't told my friends I got it yet, we're all going out for dinner tommorow so I'm going to surprise them. Most are jealous and all want to take it for a spin, but then I tell them it's a stick and that kills their mood as none of them can drive one, lol.


So you guys here are the first to see it. Pls keep in mind these shots are far from photographic, and this is probably the "plainest" Mini around. I'll have to take some better ones soon. I should have got new plates.

 

Holy smokes Steveski, that's a great lookin MINI! I'm so jealous! Now you have all weekend to blast around! Take her out to Wasaga beach!

 

Great looking Mini Steveski. Love that color. Both my other cars are about that same color.

 

*Drool* I almost bought that exact car before I landed on my order.

 

thx for the comments.



Went for a short cruise in the evening after a late dinner, here's a few quick impressions.

I've never had a car with HID lights before. HOLY CRAP these things are bright!!!

The ambient lighting is not as bright as I was worried it would be, thankfully.

I'm going to have to carry a small cloth in the car, the piano black trim really shows fingerprints.

The ride on the 17" wheels w/sport suspension while very firm is no where near as rough as many posts on this board led me to believe. But going over a not so great maintained railway crossing did rattle my brain a bit.

My wife has started her manual driving lessons. We found a school in Toronto that specializes in manual transmission, for begginers as well as advanced techniqes for experienced drivers. It's better that she learns on their cars and not the Mini .

 

Ain't that the truth! I keep a microfiber in the drivers side door pocket to clean the black and keep the dust off the giant speedo.

 

Nice looking Mini Steveski!

And yeah, the Piano Black does pick up dust/fingerprints pretty well but I wouldn't trade it for anything else I also keep a microfiber, but I keep it in the glove box (so it will pick up less stuff from being in the door).

 

"Plainest MINI around"??
It looks clean and smooth, love the looks of the Crown Spoke wheels with Dark Silver!
I hear ya on the Piano Black and fingerprints, that's why I ordered Brushed Alloy.
My first car with Xenons also, have not really had it out of the City where there's always lots of ambient light, but I'm sure they'll be great.
Glad to be of assistance tracking your MINI with CN Rail.
Now get out there and motor!

 

Big thanks Mansize! I'm not the most outgoing person, so I think my choices in the car somewhat match my personality.

Your CN rail info was invaluable . I cannot believe that I was able to track an auto carrier across the ocean but not where the train was. CN should make that info public. Not necessarily those nice location maps you sent me that detail level could be for their actual customers, but simple ETA's should be readily search-able by anyone. Even the trucking company site you told me about had public accessible tracking.

I've put on close to 200km since yesterday and have only used 1 light on the fuel gauge. Does anyone know if the gas gauge is linear? What I mean is, when it shows 1/2 or 1/4 of a tank is it really that? I had a Z24 once that took forever to move off full to the 3/4 marking but if I hit 1/4 I needed to fuel up very soon. I guess I could use the computer to see how far I have left on the tank but I'm just curious.

 

So we have three more to go then, another couple weeks and we'll all have our Minis. Anyway MotorMouth already has a Mini and lives in Hawaii!

COKen I guess you and Perihelion should hopefully get them by next weekend.

And Perihelion if you ever find out I'd love to know why your car was delayed in Halifax for a week.

 

It is definitely not linear. However, the red candy corns seem to represent one gallon each.

 

I'm not holding my breath as to why she got held up in Halifax. At this point, I just want to go get her. Now they have all week to PDI and detail so she better be super mint condition when I show up on the 18th.

 

Steveski,

The color is great ! While there are many MINIs with two tones, stripes, etc and I am one of them - Just figured I would try something different. The fact is that there is a beauty in the pure one color. It also goes along with not putting a mess of decals all over a car as some you see on the road. I can't see messing up a car with a bunch of stickers...maybe one or two but my thinking is it detracts from the appearance of the car. So...enjoy !

Funny some mentioning the thing about fingerprints on the piano black trim. I have same thing...started to laugh since I have not thouhgt to much about it....hmmm I guess I will have to put a special piece of cloth in the glove compartment to wipe the piano black down occassionally.

I guess I need a geography refresher regarding some of you that still have not received your MINIs ! Maybe they should have been shipped on a vessel going the other way around the globe...maybe less stops and it would have gotten there sooner ??

Any of you notice the bonnet gets extremely hot to touch ? I think you could fry an egg on there in no time flat ! With all the warnings or dongs they have inside the car regarding seatbelts, airbags....you think there would be one about touching the bonnet after driving for a 1/2 hour plus !

I have not really tried out the sport button ....I guess I have more surprises in store for me ! Fact is that with the turbocharger....even the S Clubman has plenty of power getting on the highway or doing whatever.

I am still pondering over getting that Clear Bra since I commute on a highway to work every day, though, looking at my '98 Prelude it does not have too many touch-up paint dings on the hood. Still, the bonnet is more blunt and maybe more prone to road grit damage. On the other hand, bonnet gets real hot and with a film on it, that would not help any to disipate the heat...so there are benefits and disadvantages to getting the clear bra: It prevents the road grit damage but at high cost and a perceived loss of bonnet heat dissipation.

Anyway, I drove my old car to work yesterday....someone was interested in potentially buying it. So....I have to get out soon today and drive my MINI...I missed it !

 

On the topic of hot bonnets, there were some threads flying around on here before of melting hood scoops from all the heat. Not many recent posts on the topic though so it may be resolved now. We should all have the shortened tailpipes as well after that big recall. That's too bad because one of the exterior aspects I really like on the JCW is the prominent twin tailpipe look with the angled cutoff.

1 WEEK TO GO!!!

 

Well...maybe I should have held off on the hot bonnet comment for now because.......being it's new, I am probably noticing a lot of things that I would not be noticing on my old car. My '98 Prelude's hood believe it also gets pretty hot and probably could fry an egg on it as well. It does not look any worse for being 11 years old...so, probably this is no big deal. While I still have my Prelude, maybe I'll get a chance to compare the temps a bit better......probably better if I had a thermal tester versus using my hand.

 

It's sunny out! That means my CF scoop is going in today...I'll take before and after pics

 

Got a call from my MA, said car is ready for pick up. That'll make me the first of many for the Topeka off @ Pt. Hueneme. Just a short delivery from Oxnard to Long Beach. Its been so long since I last sat in a Clubber there's that strange sort of anticipation feeling you get when you meet an old acquaintance. I'll pick it up 2morrow as I'll be going to a baby's first b-day, whose father himself picked up a PS Clubber 2 wks ago.