Cross-country road trip?
 

So my local dealer says my car should go into production sometime in the next 2 months (May or June) but I've been waiting since November and am getting really impatient! :impatient

Anyway, a dealer in Illinois says they can have a new customized cooper S within 6-7 weeks, but delivery is $1200, which would end up costing more and being more of a hassle than going local.

However, there is this notion of flying out and driving back. what fun that would be! A road trip with my new mini!

But... I'm concerned about break in for the car. Those first 1,000 miles are critical..

Any thoughts on this?

Just do it! You'll be able to vary the engine speed by cruising in different gears. You're not supposed to go above 4500 rpm anyway so you'll be able to work that range pretty well.

I've driven coast to coast several times, taking different routes over the years. Just get some books on tape and start motoring!

Paul

I got my MC at a local dealer in about 5-6 weeks, but wanted to break it in quickly so a friend and I drove from central Ohio to St Louis, MO, then to Memphis, TN, then to Bowling Green, KY (Corvette museum and plant tour), and then back home, all in three days. Instead of taking the freeway (I-70) out to St Louis, I took Route 40 so I passed through a lot of small towns and had to vary my speed a lot. We were never on the freeway for more than 60-70 miles at a time until we hit 1000 miles.

It sounds like a great idea, just plan on it taking longer to drive for the break-in trip than if you were trying to make time on the freeway.

-Keith

I am flying to San Antonio, TX and driving my MINI back to VA. Road trips are a blast.

Justin

We did it with our 2nd MINI in July 2004. Picked him up in Ohio and drove him home to California. Now I'm doing it again. My PH/W MCS will be in production the 1st week of April. End of April or beginning of May I'm flying back to pick her up and drive back to California again. I can't wait. Our 1st trip was wonderful, I know it will be a blast this time too! The only difference is I'm getting the clear bra installed by the dealer before I make the long drive home. Don't want any nicks or chips before I can even get a coat of Zaino on her.

This is the way to go IMO. Go for it!


SkateMom

o-ron, you would be continuing what is a fun tradition in MINIdom here in the US by flying to get your MINI and driving it home. DiD was probably the first to do it back in 2002. It's a fabulous way to bond with your new MINI and have a great adventure. DO IT! :nod: :wink: :grin: :thumbsup:

I have to say this is sounding more and more tempting. Doing a quick google maps of the trip, i'd be hitting the eastern montana border around 1000 miles.. :wink:

I'm going to check with my local sales rep and see if i can light a fire under his ass and get a definite date. If it's "june-ish" then I'll probably go for the Chicago deal.

Any specific tips on "breaking it in" nice and easy for those first 1000 miles?

I'd say arrange to pick up the car on a Fri, spend some time the next buzzing around the city and suburbs (if you're going to take the time to go out there might as well see the city right?) maybe meet up with the local CMMC. So that should have you around 250-300 miles on sat. then rest up. Then arrange your trip so you can deviate from the highway as much as possible, for several reasons, 1 it will really help you get a proper break-in 2-you'll have more fun 3-you'll be more refreshed 4-you will start to get a feel for the cars abilities. You may even be able to setup your plans to meet other motorers along the way. By the time you get home (Seattle right?) you should be well through the break-in and you will be very close to your MINI.

I blew through the break-in in 4 days of light Chicago area driving and can gie you a list of roads that are great for the car in the suburbs, also there is some nice driving up in WI too. And on the way home Minnisota has some real nice mountains and country roads. I know that many NAMers would love to meet you and your new beauty along the way, so keep us filled in we might be able to find you a twisty or two.

Pretty much just follow the manual, vary style and type of driving and stay under 4500 (so I kept in under 4k just to be sure) RPM. Suburbs with lots of following distance made this fairly easy to accomplish, witha few short highway runs (never more than 20 mi at a time in my case). Also I did a fair amount of night driving, less traffic so you can out more focus on the MINI.

3900 Miles in the first two weeks! Picked-up my MCS at Classic Mini in Mentor, Ohio and drove to Ojai, CA via New Orleans. Not a problem with break-in and even did the first oil change at about 1400 miles outside of Houston, TX. It's a great way to get it broken-in and be done with that.

Enjoy.

When my second MINI, "Wicked Wanda," was a week old, I took her on a 7-week roadtrip, logging more than 10,000 miles. It was fantastic. :grin:

I didn't rev her over 4500 rpm the first 1200 miles (well, I may have surpassed that a couple times by accident), and made sure I varied her speeds and gears. :)

I'm going to play a bit of the devil's advocate here: Driving Interstates is about the most boring thing you can do in this country. Remember two things: 1) The Interstate highway system was designed by those wild and crazy guys in the Department of Defense (to move troops and weaponry around), and 2) the location of highways was chosen to have the least impact on our country's treasured natural resources. I.e., an interstate highway with scenery is as rare as chicken teeth. I'd rather ship a car and put miles on locally.

Yeah well....you can exit the highways and motor along the frontage roads, or take side roads, as well, and then come across plenty of nasty potholes. :roll:

Have you driven cross-country on the highways? I have, and it's a nice way to see the country. You still have to stop for meals and fuel and to rest. You get a nice feel for the various areas. :nod:

I don't find it boring at all. :razz:

So....

Northwest MINI is saying "June production" and "august/september" delivery... :sly:

So that road trip is sounding more and more tempting! (definitely doing it)

Does anybody know if you can fit 4 16" stock wheels with tires on them in the back of the MINI? :confused:

Thanks!

Well it depends how much else you want to carry. I know folks do it all the time for Autocross but thats about all they bring, plus maybe a tool or two. From what I hear you just have to get creative. Glad to hear you're doing it. I made a road trip just after my break-in and its where I really became comfortable with all the little features of the MINI.

I agree with Clo, on my last road trip I hit the 15 hour mark and things started to get really boring, so I hopped of the I- roads and took the county roads in the same general direction of my destination (south and east), I saw some wonderful country crossed paths with a MINI, got lots of stares from locals (you'd of thought I was driving a spaceship) and stopped for lunch at a state park, and got to drive tons of twisties. Long hauls aren't for everyone but if you're doin' it a MINI is a great car to go in!

Sure you can fit them in! And your travel bag, too! :lol: Seriously, you will be amazed at all the stuff you can pack into a MINI. DO IT! :grin::wink::nod:

Ship them :thumbsup:

I've fit 4 16" wheels with tires in the back of the MINI before, back seats folded down though...I'd go with the shipping idea for comfort. Plus it can get kind of stuffy in there with all the new rubber in an enclosed space, even with the window down!

Also, even though Clo has us all beat with her 10,000+ mile annual roadtrip, two days after I brought home my 05' MC my boyfriend and I took a 1,350 mile trip up and down So. and Nor. Cal which was amazing. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves driving, which should be everyone who is driving a MINI :wink:

After I got home from the first roadtrip, I unloaded the MINI, did laundry that night, re-packed, and left the next morning! Motored up to Ferndale, just south of Eureka, CA! That was a fantastic trip, too! :grin:

Let me guess 101 hugging the coast all the way up and dpwn mountains, all those twisties, and two beautiful sunsets? :thumbsup: Why do you taunt me!!!!:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Do it!
 

I'd highly recommend it. You can read about my recent roadtrip here:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=63004

Sort of...hit Yosemite first for three days, then up to Sonoma, S.F. then PCH down through Santa Cruz, Cambria, Santa Barbara then home to OC... my boyfriend experienced a bit of nausea when we tackled the super twisty stuff near Big Sur though :roll:

Sounds great, I need to get out and do a road trip soon.

Is he going to The Dragon with you, Suzanne? If he thought Big Sur was twisty......whoa...:lol: