Sorry, once more without the garbage.

I have been reading all the posts for some time now and thought I should speak up and stop lurking.
So Hi, I’m Mark.

Plan to order a MCS in February; I would hate getting the car in the middle of the winter. Anyway, I would like some your thoughts on what to order. First off the car will be my daily driver 64 miles each day, all expressway. I live in the city; work in the country so I go mostly against traffic (apx. 85 mph, it’s Detroit). Also, my wife and I are planning a road trip next summer, similar to what Adame and his wife did in the travel stories forum, but a little farther south, following the Mother Road (plan 4600 miles in three weeks). We also like to get off the beaten path often so the MINI will see a lot of gravel roads, we like the small out of the way places. A last consideration is, Michigan is 100% unimproved roads!

With type of usage in mind, what do you think about?

MCS
LY/W White bonnet stripes or Black, check roof and mirrors, white bonnet strips.
White 16 V spokes
DSC, I am an OK driver and like any help I can get.
LSD
Xenon headlamps
MFSW

Leatherette or cloth, can’t decide
Dash color, can’t decide
Winter Package? What do you think?

Did not get the sport package because of the 17’s not being as good on gravel or dirt, right or wrong?

On-board computer? I have had over 20 cars in my life, never checked the mileage on any of them. Checking mileage is like checking your compression. The numbers will depress you and there is little you can do to change it.

Nav. System? Getting lost is half the fun.

So what do you think?

--Mark

 

TheOldMan,

Welcome to NAM from one old man (64) to another (?) if you are referring to age

I have an 03 MCS LY/B with a few ( ) mods and I love it. I drive almost 100 miles just to go get a hamburger

I have the heated seats and love them (I'm in San Diego so I really don't NEED them)

I would say take it easy on gravel roads.

Earl

 

The Cold Weather Package is a 'must have' for a daily driver in the north.

 

Earl

Thanks for the response.

Regarding gravel roads, I know I am alone on this one but I have a fondness for Michigan’s back roads. We are home to the longest running road rally in North America, Press On Regardless. Maybe POR is not as well known as years ago (we were both born in ’49) and I am certainly no rally driver but I can pretend.

I think things went to Hell (also in Michigan) when SUV’s got popular. But, at one time the woods were owned by cars like the Mini, Saab, Volvo, Fiat and Renault.

In fact, in my day, I had to drive to school uphill, both ways, in the snow….

Oh sorry, old guy tangent.

--Mark

 

Hi, Mark! Welcome to NAM!

Lot15, who lives in Canada, loves to motor on gravel roads in his Cooper, so that shouldn't be a problem. I like your specs. I vote for the leatherette...it's very attractive and looks more like leather than my actual leather seats!

I, too, have the heated seats and love them! I take a 6-week cross-country roadtrip in my MINI every spring and find that the heated seats keep my back limber for those extra-long 14 hour driving stints! :smile:

I love the big center speedo, so I didn't order the navigation system. Besides, I like the Garmins. They are portable, so you can use them in any of the family vehicles! I plan to buy one soon, with the Xmas loot, tee hee!

I like the idea of LY/W with black & white checkerboard roof, and black bonnet stripes! That would be a sharp little MINI!

Clover

 

Welcome!!

Leatherette looks great and is very easy to clean.

If you will be in any cold climates.. get the cold weather package! I am loving the heated seats right now... as it has been anywhere between 5 and 35 degrees here in CT over the last few weeks. And the heater washer jets and mirrors are great too!

Also.. the onboard computer is pretty cool. Give you outside temp, avg. mph, avg. mpg, current mpg, and also how many miles you can go on your current tank of gas. Never had anything like it before... and I use it all the time!

Good luck!

 

Welcome
Get the cold package,worth every penny
I know where I,m going,no Nav for me,and I think the big speedo has to be in the dash to be a MINI
I really like the leatherette,looks good,easy to clean,and my drivers seat which has 35K+ miles on it looks like the back seats that have been folded up a handful of times.Dog rides back there.
Now about the gravel back roads,I say go for it.I love tooling around on the back roads around here.I have front mud flaps,and they help with most stone dings.Did not bother with the rear ones,no car behind them.
Now your going to get the car dusty and dirty,the boot hatch sucks dirt to it at idle
You do risk rocks from on-coming traffic,and the MINI's almost vertical windshield seems to attract on-coming everything,rocks,bugs,paper,ladders,
you name it.
Do a search of windshield problems.I have taken some direct hits,had some filled,but no problems,and all those hits were on pavement.
These cars are wonderful on pavement,twistie or flat straight prairie highway.But they shine in gravel,snow and ice:smile:

 

Get the winter package - heated seats are great, and don't forget fog lights. I drive 56 miles round trip to work, too. I got the chrono package - even if you can't do anything about your oil pressure it's nice to know what it is - and the OBC. Playing with it gives you something to do on a long trip.

 

I second (third?...fifth?..) the motion to get the CW pkg here in Michigan. Sounds like yours will be set up very similar to mine, except I don't have LSD. I figured the sixteen inch wheels would be less punishing on Michigan roads. I got mine two weeks ago and just got back from an 800 mile trip and it's slush and salt covered but I LOVE it!! Can't wait until Spring though. I drive 50 miles each way to work and this will be my daily driver. I have the computer but I haven't done a thing with it yet...still can't get over just DRIVING it!!

 

Thanks to all for the great welcome. I think I’ll listen to my northern friends and get the cold weather package. Might skip the Chrono though as I like the big center speedo, it’s kind of a “tip of the hat” to the old designs and reminds me where the steering wheel really ought to be (I wonder if I can get a RHD?).

MINIclo, I have read of your adventures with Wanda in other forums and look forward to putting down some miles myself.

lot15, you should know cold seats better than any of us. Also, thanks for the info on preventing door dings. Sandy Hook, now there's a road trip!:smile:

Squirlz, Howdy neighbor. If you are driving 50 miles a day and going East in the morning, we must pass each other. Hope to meet the locals at a MichiganMini event this spring. Enjoy your new ride.:smile:

Happy Newyear to all!

--Mark

 

Mark, be sure to meet Ryephile and The Chad, who are in the Detroit area! You might as well start planning on caravanning down to the Dragon with them in May! LOL! Check out the National Events Forum and read about the Tail of the Dragon festivities/adventures!

Wanda and I will be motoring east mid-April and using a brand-new Garmin nav system! Still deciding on which one best suits my needs (and my vision)!

Clover

 

Clover,

Before you settle on the Garmin nav system, which is cool, make sure your cell phone does not have a GPS function. I know my Nextel does and although the phone does not work away from the city the GPS function does. Anyway, if your cell has GPS, that and a $10 cable will work with Microsoft Streets and Trips.

Might save you a buck or two.:smile:

Also, I am looking forward to meeting the group from MichiganMini. I think I saw Ryephile on my way home a couple of weeks ago. I was staring at him and his car; he must have thought I was some kind of weirdo.

Notice to all “old guys in Chryslers might just be MINI wanabees.”

--Mark

 

Get the Automatic Climate Control, if only for one of its best features--which isn't by the way--to keep the temperature consistent! LOL. I wish that was it's best feature. In cold weather where your windows can fog up, a single button push will activate the AC full blast, channeling it to your windshield, and enable the rear defroster lines. Here in Los Angeles, where nights have been in the low 50's, it only take about 10 to 15 seconds to get my windows clear enough I can drive and another 15 seconds or so to get them clear!

Without the ACC you have to manipulate everything separately.