Thanks for letting me join..

 

Hi and welcome to the NAM family, Hamybone!
A pinnacle year for Mini!
Lots of info in the gen 1 area, to help you keep it running great!
Show us some pics!

 

Welcome to the forum. It is universally agreed that the 2006 MINI Cooper S Convertible is the best MINI ever made (by those that own a 2006 MINI Cooper S Convertible) - Just kidding - All MINIs are great.

We welcome pictures of your MINI and the story that brought you to owning a MINI and joining the forum.

 

Welcome

 

"Just kidding", CPA?? Not a joking matter and yes, the '06 R52 is the pick of the litter. Topless motoring IS motoring at its best no ifs ands or buts. And, as stated many times on this forum: "Without pictures, it didn't happen."

 

Fly'n Brick,

I hope we all think our MINI is the best MINI ever, although it would be hard to explain how a 2006 R52 is better than a 2007 or 2008 R52. I equate the preference between generations and models to a high school rivalry. (My daughter is graduating from high school and has been a cheerleader since she was 5. I have gone to every game.) The preference for a specific MINI adds to the fun as long as we are all having fun. I have heard people say that this forum shows a preference for the first generation at the expense of the later generations and a preference for the Cooper over the other models. You can see some hurt feelings come through when references are made to later generations being bloated, when advice is given to avoid specific years and with complaints about all the gray cars being sold now.

I guess I would be more comfortable with us Warriors saying how great our first generation MINIs are if there were more Spartans telling us we are wrong, their second generations are better and the Mighty Badgers telling us we are all wrong the third generation is the best.

 

It's all a matter of perspective. The roads less traveled in our li'l guy cannot be duplicated by any other means. Therein lies the prejudicial perspective. My 1st car was a '62 TR roadster then traded that for a '64 E type roadster, both extraordinary in their own right but they're gone and our R52 ain't going anywhere except where it takes us. Fanaticism? Perhaps.

 

It is fun, to feel your Mini is the best year, but for one, it means something different to others. I am a gen 1 Mini guy, because I like the smaller size, BMW Mini! I know the people with the early model Minis' from Morris and Austin, think differently and I am as good with that as I am for the later BMW Minis'. The newest ones are bloated more than the early BMW Minis', but so is the gen 1's to the newer gens. It is not insulting the newer, or older, but it is worthy of telling what you preference is and it should not be considered the others suck!
There are issues with the gen 2 Mini engines and that is a fact, but that does not mean they are crap, but does usually mean more money to maintain them. A new buyer, may need this input, to make an informed decision on purchase of a car that he/she can afford. It is healthy for all owners, to add to aiding others in a purchase.
You don't have to agree with this info, but I would rather have an honest opinion from a person, that owns one, than have everyone say they are all great! What is great for one, may be tragic for another and there is no better format than hearing the pros and cons for any year, by an owner, that has history with theirs!
The owners can give their reasons, so a potential buyer can understand why one might fit, better than another!
We mostly all love Minis' and those that had a bad experience don't usually agree with this!

There is way more to this, than this simple comment, but it is a jist of the feelings by owners! Nothing wrong with that!

 

Welcome, R52 owner here also, +1 top down motoring is the best. I had the top down at the dragon a while back and it was the best/most fun run I had in a MINI.