Hi Everyone!

Sorry for the long post...

I have been lurking here for a few months and decided to join as I am getting close to getting a mini. I have had MANY cars in the past, everything from 1934 ford coupe street rod to Datsun Z's and muscle cars and Corvettes - 64 in all to this point. Most of them have been fun, but the most fun was a 2003 Vette convertible. What made it stand out was its reliability and GREAT handling. I always knew we could jump in the Vette and go anywhere we wanted without a second thought.

After I sold the Vette I got a '38 Ford Truck Street rod. Built from ground up seems like it would be fun right? WRONG! The builder did a great job and had big talent but the thing was brutal to drive and you always had to park where you could keep a constant eye on it. It got 10 MPG. No matter what you do it is still a 70 + year old truck that someone tried to reengineer.

So I have been trying to decide what to get to get back to having a fun weekend car for the queen and I to enjoy. My choices are limited being 6'5 and 275 lbs. It HAS to be a convertible. I tried the 370z, no room for my 15EEEE shoes, looked at the Boxster - HA I would need a vertabrae remove to fit in that little can. It came down to the only newer approx $25k vert I really fit in was the Mustang (did not want another Vette). Nice enough car but it does not handle well and it seems that every punk kid with a rich daddy drives one.

Then my brother said I should check out the Mini. I was like yeah right - would never fit. He went on to say that there was a 2008 S cabrio at Carmax, so I stopped by expecting to be disappointed on a December day. Low and behold I fit - not only that it has much more head room than the C5 Vette I had before. Then I took it for a drive BAM I was hooked. The heated seats, the tight steering, it was not Super Charged Vette fast, but it "FELT" very fast. It was a ball to drive, I talked the guy into letting me take the test loop 3 times.

I went home and have been putting the finishing touches on the two cars I need to sell to fund the Mini. One is just about ready, it is a 1965 Pontiac Parisienne Convertible in fantastic shape and the other is a cool Ford F100 truck that is in very good shape. Both should be fairly easy to sell. I hope to have them gone by May 1st (Ebay I guess).

I was thinking low mile used S, but the more I think about it I think I want a new S Cabrio. It is the outter end of my budget but doable if optioned correctly.

 

Sounds like you've thought it out. Get those cars sold and get your MINI!

 

How about a used 09 MINI JCW convertible.

Not sure about fitment but Pontiac Solstice GXP is nice, albeit no luggage space.

 

I would LOVE a low mile JCW vert! I tried the Sky/Solstice - VERY nice car until I close the door. My leg hits between the door panel and steering wheel when letting out the clutch.