Grats to everybody getting their MINI's! The styling is just soo much better than the 07's. Now aren't you glad we pulled the trigger! Gromit, way to "works" your show! Looks great! Red Scooter, Jake looks awesome! Love your color combo! Wonder why? At least it was sunny for your first pics. (see my gallery from PW 29! I'm so stoked for everybody including me. I pick up tomorrow after work!

 

Hey gang- I've got one word for you:

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaw!



Ok, a few more words:
Everything came together perfectly yesterday- I arrived at the dealership at 9:30, just as my MA arrived with my car from the detailers. Did the paperwork, got the orientation to all the features, and lit out for the SLC airport, where I pulled up to the curb just as my wife was stepping out of the door. 600 miles later (halfway to break-in!), we're in south central Oregon, and Nightcrawler is completely encrusted in bug guts!
I am so glad that I sprang for the JCW upgrade- this thing has power everywhere, and I haven't even gotten it over 4500 rpm yet. Even going 70 up a steep grade in 6th, you give it a little gas and it just surges forward. Holy smokes- what a change from my lumbering F150.
The route back I chose didn't have as many twisties as I had hoped- the only real stretch of twisties was at the end of the day, an 8 mile 8.5% downhill grade, with no guardrail and a 1000 ft drop over the edge -- so I didn't push it. But today we're heading up to crater lake on the way home, so there should be more opportunities for fun.
I have pics, but the wife is a professional photographer so she has to muck with them in photoshop before she'll release them to me.

Red- congrats on Jake arriving, I think the black bonnet stripes look best, but I'm biased. What I'd suggest is to get a black scoop- I think that combo looks awesome, and I plan to do it on mine.

Motor on!

 

Goodness, I go away for a day and...

Clayton, I'm envious that you get to go see Jake prior to delivery! All I had to go on were some grainy pics my MA sent along. Glad everything sort of "fell into place" when you saw him!

tethernaut, Gromit, Neverfifty, congrats all around! Now - time to buckle down and push your way through break-in!

In other news, I took Evie down to San Antonio yesterday. My MA was out the day before I took delivery, and, well, someone forgot to give Evie her "sunglasses". Well, you don't not forget to give Evie her sunglasses, so down we went to get them. The difference is amazing, especially when the sun's low enough to beam directly through the windows.



Only thing that sucks - I can't roll the windows down for a few days. Well, I park in a garage at work. A garage that requires swiping a magnetic card to open the little gate thing. Which requires window roll-downage. So I'm faced with the prospect of taking the wife's Mustang and giving her Evie for a day or two. She wants me to...but...I'm only about two hundred miles from the magic number (1,250)...and I want to be driving when I get out of break-in. But I don't want to be the doofus opening my car door and awkwardly reaching backwards to swipe the card...

Choices, choices...

 

tethernaut: That is so GREAT things worked out for your trip and motoring with your wife. I know what it's like to wonder if your MINI is going to be here for "the trip/the plan". And, it's working out for both of us. Yippeee!

After going through the "exercise" of how to customize the stripes, I thought it would be kind of difficult to strip the stripes right after getting Jake. Then, when I saw him, it WAS like seeing a baby for the first time. I thought "he's perfect". Awwwww....

So, I'm planning to get the clear bra the day I pick up (the place is right behind the dealership and costs $200 less!). Then, I hopefully can schedule the matching boots with Mike/Aestheticreations. Nice to have him here.

Doogs: It was kind of different seeing Jake before delivery but it was fun and silly, too. Talk about feeling like a kid. My partner took some pics of me with Jake and smiling and all. Boy, I DO look like a proud parent...AND a little kid!

Jake will be getting his "sunglasses" (I LOVE that...too funny) and his Aux Port on Monday/Tuesday. My MA asked the he be prepped by Tues PM so that we can go in first thing Wed. for the official delivery. I'm still kind of numb/doesn't seem real. I cannot wait to MOTOR!!!

 

Hi everyone! I'm new here and I just wanted to say hello and congratulate all the new MINI parents that just got their MINIs. My MINI, Sir Geoffrey, is part of Production Week 27 as well and I expect to be picking him up from So. Bay MINI by Wednesday.

I'm so jealous of everyone that has their cars already, but I'm sure that'll go away once I pick up my new baby.

Now if only I could fight the temptation to drive over to the dealership to take a peek and see if he's already sitting in the lot.. or if he really hasn't been delivered yet. I know my MA wouldn't lie to me, but still..

 

Wow Teth! If yours was there mine probably was too ... but not ready for pickup. Nice that it worked out to pick it up while you were down there.

 

Congrats to more Motorers (is PW27SG all home?):

Gromit801 - sweet and very British ole chap!

Neverfifty - sounds like break-in is gonna be tough! We need pics.

Red Scooter - keep the stripes!!!!! A black scoop would add an aggressive touch.

tethernaut - sounds like a great first trip. Sure beats errands around town.

Doogs - Is that AB/S? Great combination! Our cars are related! Looks wicked with the tint.

leslie923 - Go to South Bay! Go to South Bay! Go to South Bay!

MiniMaxx - must be nice getting a PW27 car so soon!

And how much does break-in suck? 4500 is where the fun really begins and we're not supposed to past it. But a little restraint now will be rewarded with a happy drivetrain for many miles to come.

 

Update on Penelope...

Arrived home safely from NY to Coloradoand our MINI Adventure!! In kansas I got hit by a rock and cracked my windshield... replaced it the next day.

Have washed her twice, and she is well onto 2100 miles so far (the most in PW27 maybe??) Past break in, and loving it!!!


Here are some pictures from Pamanauk Vinyard in eastern Long Island, NY. She is only a few hours old at this point!!

 

Nice anathema!

Penelope is one sharp ride, the aero kit looks great!

 

Meet Mrs. Peel
[IMG]aoladp://MA14269094-0003/MyNewCar.jpg[/IMG]

Sorry guess I will be the only one knowing what she looks like. But at least I have her.
Can't even figure out how to delete this, damn.

 

RG/S, actually. But in certain lights it almost can certainly pull a good resemblance to AB.

And oof, does break-in suck! I've been doing my best to stay under 4,500, but I know the automatic's gone past that a few times before I could get it to lay off. I've been minimizing the risk by playing with the paddles (which for those of you with automatics I've found are actually MUCH smoother than letting the car do its own thing).

Only 110 miles to go until I'm free and clear!

 

Well, I wasn't told about any break-in?? Haven't used those paddles yet, I find them a big scary!!

 

The paddles are great! It's so much fun to be able to downshift to pass without taking your hands off the wheel...I'm lucky to be out of break-in now, but I still haven't really pushed the car yet. I've been in SD mode only once because I know once I start using it, my gas milage is going WAY down

 

That's good to know. I thought it might feel a little like a video game. How does it fell in semi-manual? Can you push the RPMs a little further? I know if you go too far the auto kicks and changes is for you.

 

SD mode? Ummm... ...it's a bit early yet. Didn't know Basil is an auto as well. I've been feeling a little "sacrilege" for not ordering a standard. But, I drive SO much. One or two Phoenix traffic jams in a standard and I'd go bonkers!:impatient

 

Beautiful MINI!!!! I hate to tell you though, I've got you beat with the mileage... I'm at 3,750 already and had 2,250 within one week of ownership. I've washed BLISS 5-6 times already too. The funniest part about that is that I am only 25 miles from the dealership.

I too have been through one windshield already, mine was a stress crack though...

I've got a couple of new mods from the MINI Mod Party this Saturday, I'll get new pics soon and post them. I removed the rear windshield wiper and put a silver grille into the intercooler scoop. God I love this car! :-)

Drew

 

With an auto box so good, why would anyone want a manual? I can still shift whenever I want, and smoother and faster than most drivers can shift a stick. I can bounce it off the redline in SD mode, or let the computer do it all when I'm feeling lazy. No worries about starting on hills or stalling at lights due to inexperience....Yes, it's about $1500 more, that is probably the only downside. Don't feel bad about getting an auto, I certainly don't.

 

Not as clean and natural as a standard...err...standard...if you know what I mean. I don't think any auto-manual can ever make up for the lack of a clutch pedal, but the MINI has one of the more responsive systems I've ever driven. The biggest annoyance...and the one I need to get accustomed to...is downshifting. In a manual, I could drop from fourth to second, hold the clutch into a turn, and then drop the hammer as I came out the other side. I've managed something approximating that a few times...but the system automatically downshifts for you...and that throws me off. I've found myself stuck in third or kicked down to first, neither of which is what I wanted.

Don't know about the RPMs yet. It is my understanding that you can rev all the way up to and maybe past the redline before it takes over and shifts for you. I haven't had it kick me out of a gear yet...though it does handle downshifts as you slow down.

I'll let you know in, oh, 95 miles.

If I had the money, I'd have two MINIs. One automatic for commuting, and one manual for cutting my way through the Hill Country.

Oh...who am I kidding. If I had the money, I'd have five MINIs! Three in the garage and two in the driveway! MCS, MCSa, MCSC, MCSCa, and a JCW GP!

 

Wow, why on earth would you do that? The rear window in this car gets dirtier faster than any other car I've ever had. Without that wiper I can't see a damn thing driving home on the highway when it's raining. Maybe you don't use your rear view mirror?

 

Maybe he's installing one of those compressed air blasting systems?

 

Cool! Glad to know it nice to use. LOVE having the option, too! But, what does SD mean? Like I said, I'm a little slow today.

 

Haha, I use my rear view mirror, but I also use rain-x and it takes care of the water on all of my windows. You'll really think I am crazy here... I plan on removing the front wipers too! I had a truck a couple of years ago that I set up for car shows, and removed the wipers on it for a "cleaner" look. I used rain-x and it worked GREAT. It's funny, because the harder it rains, the more it works, so when others are using wipers at full speed, mine aren't on the car and I can still see better. I know, you'll all think I am crazy, but it's ok.

Oh, and about the Manual/Automatic talk... I am one of those people that just can't accept an automatic in any sort of sporty car. I drive a lot, obviously from my other posts, but not having a manual would drive me insane through the twisties! That doesn't mean I can't accept them in your cars, just not mine. I love being able to heel & toe shift when flying through a turn, or the ability to use the clutch as an extra brake at times, or just the fact that I feel more like I am piloting the car when I am rowing through gears... I've gotten stuck in numerous traffic jams in my MINI so far, and it's not a bad manual for this because it holds gears so gracefully that I can stay in 1st or 2nd without bogging down or stalling and not riding the clutch.

Drew

 

Me either. My wife, on the other hand...

 

SD is (I believe) Sport Drive. When you push the shifter to the right from drive, it will show SD in the speedo. In this mode the shift points are much higher, but it's still full auto. However, once you make a shift with the paddles or the shift lever in SD mode, you'll be in FULL manual and it won't drop out of manual until you push back into D. Keep in mind you can still shift even in regular D mode, but if you don't shift for 20 seconds the computer drops back into auto again. In SD mode I believe the computer will still take it back into auto if you don't shift for about 2 minutes.

 

Rain-X is great, I use it too...but I also live in Vermont and we get a lot of snow Rain-X doesn't do much in a snow storm.....

With regards to the auto/manual thing, I guess it's really about how comfortable you are driving a stick. I drove stick the entire time I lived in England, but to me there's nothing fun about it...since I moved to the US, it's been auto the whole way. I figure the Agitronic gives me the best of both worlds.