Looking in my profile I joined here in May of 2008 - and since then nearly pulled the trigger buying a MINI three different times; each time finding some reason to talk myself out of it. My wife and I have an 11 month old daughter, which we knew was an eventuality when I bought the GTI (gotta love having four doors), but in 11 months the baby has ridden with me twice - so I figure for a couple times a year to deal with the inconvenience of putting her in the back of the MINI is well worth the amount of driving enjoyment I'll get every day.

I've gone from an AP2 S2000 to an E46 M3 to a Mk VI GTI, but yesterday I sat down at MINI of North Scottsdale and put down a deposit on my MCS after a short test drive that made it clear this is my next car.

Obviously no pictures for a while (10-12 weeks, so Merry Christmas/Happy New Years me!), but here's the breakdown of what I ordered:

-6 speed manual
-Deep Blue
-White roof/mirrors
-Sport Package with white bonnet stripe, also upgraded the cornering lights
-Wired Package
-JCW Interior package, I was very close to going with the carbon black seats, but not being able to touch/feel them wasn't good, my other choice going was the black pearl cloth & leatherette which is what I test drove and I liked it quite a bit.
-Dynamic Damper Control - It is going to be daily driven, and while Phoenix roads aren't quite that bad I didn't love the idea of a stiffer suspension all the time.
-Comfort access system - so many people on here lamented NOT buying it on their 2014, made it a no brainer. My MA (who showed me his order/build - he and I have very similar tastes) says he almost forces anyone who orders one to add that option.
-Storage package - another option the fine folks here steered me toward
-Harman/Kardon
-Spoiler

I went in thinking of getting the back up camera instead of the HK, but the logic my MA dropped on me was to check out the visibility - and it's pretty good. Additionally, it's not a good habit to just stare at your dashboard as you are backing up - made sense, and I could add the upgraded sound system and save a little by scrapping it.

I've been lurking, albeit with a user name, for quite some time, and really look forward to becoming a member of this community.

 

It's about time!

Welcome and enjoy!

 

Thank you very much, I am elated! 10-12 weeks cannot come fast enough.

I'm kind of surprised, I would've thought my wife would be getting sick of hearing me wax poetic about it, but instead she seems to be almost as excited - and she's not into cars AT ALL.

She drove for part of the test drive, and was encouraged to open it up in sport mode getting onto the freeway. We've been married two and half years, together for two more before that and I've never heard her shriek like in a good way. Typically it's due to a badly placed spider.

 

MY wife is the same in my Mini. Although she doesn't drive a stick, she lives vicariously through me!

And she DOESN'T scream about spiders!

 

The waiting ... for me I lived through the waiting twice...and just when I was to take delivery... I was sent on the road so in both cases my Brand New Car sat at the Dealership for weeks waiting for me to get back to arrange pick up. Funny thing is in both cases the Dealership had to order several more like mine because they refused to sell mine to people seeing it there.

...another day... another day...
Motor on!

 

My wife drove a stick briefly in college, but never took my GTI for a spin and never expressed any interest. She didn't dislike the car any, she was completely ambivalent. A few days after I placed a deposit on the MINI and she's already looking forward to getting comfortable driving stick again so she can take the MINI occasionally. I know I'm gonna get saddled with her CR-V more than I'd like.

And FWIW, it's only spiders with her. In almost all things my wife is a badass. She cuts her finger, blood all over the place, starts laughing. Our daughter decides to take a 45 degree turn in the womb and tries to enter the world through my wife's hip - 3 epidurals later (don't ask me how THAT'S possible) the DR's decide her pain level is too extreme and they have to do a C-section. It's just spiders scare her on a deep level, and so I've become a spider removal service.

Oh man, that is brutal. You have to give your dealership props for not selling yours out from under you. And that's a great testament to choosing a great car/options/color/etc.

 

Congrats on your new MINI, J3ffro. Let the wait begin.

 

By this time.... Who cares!

 

Just got the update, I have a VIN, now just awaiting transport. Not quite foaming at the mouth...yet.

True story, I ran in the Chicago Marathon last Sunday, I paced it poorly so by mile 20ish I had very little left. At mile 22 I zoned out and spent the next two miles imagining I was driving my MINI. It helped immensely.

 

I'm curious how long most cars "Await Transportation". I know from the tracking thread it'll take the better part of 3 weeks to get to the port, I'm just wondering how long they typically wait to jump on a boat.

 

Awesome brotha! Someday I too, will go into a dealer and order a brand new MINI. Until then, I'm very happy with my 2006 MCS. HAPPY MOTORING!

 

Thank you! October 4th was a great day...but look at it this way. You're already enjoying motoring. I'm currently driving a company car base level Golf :D