MiniChik, Arthurbang and StanFrancis -

Nice cars! I bet y'all are smiling more these days?

Is there anyone from Week 33 that hasn't taken delivery yet?

Two tanks of premium and getting 32 mpg mostly highway miles. I'm lovin' it.

 

Yeah, I'm really getting good mileage on this tank so far. As of getting home from work tonight, it showed that I could possibly go 430 miles before I run out.

 

Wow, well I'm hoping mine isn't defective, lol! I'm guessing it is because I do a lot more city short trips than highway, but my last tank I did do quite a bit of highway, so I dunno... I don't have the on-board computer, so I don't know about range, etc. I wish I had the chime enabled though since the light for getting close to empty comes on so early! Oh well, I'm hoping it will improve...

By the way, does anyone else who has Auto AC on a new 2006 have anything other than a little plastic ball on top of the dash?! I heard it was supposed to be a red clear plastic button if you had Auto AC and a plastic ball if you don't.... Since I HAVE Auto AC, I'm a little concerned since I have the plastic ball

 

I have Auto AC and mine is just a plastic ball. There is something in the owner's lounge that talks about that sensor, and I seem to remember it looking like it does in my car.

 

you guys arnt talknig about the daylight sensor ontop of the dash are you?

 

I also have Auto A/C. I will check what's up there on the dash on my way home from work and let you know what I find. I have a feeling the button you're thinking of might be some other sort of sensor like Mini Mizer mentioned since I believe the A/C temp sensors are on the front of the A/C control panel. I'll check mine anyway and report back.

 

YES! That is what I mean... I thought it was supposed to be some kind of clear platic flat button thing?! Maybe they changed it then if you have the same as me ArthurBang...

i saw the same thing in the Owner's Lounge too, and the pic does not match what mine looks like, lol... It sure isn't a ball in the pic there...

 

I have a little ball on the top of my dash but I don't know what it's for. I also have the auto AC but I wouldn't think that would be for the AC because it would be hot there.

As far as gas mileage, my first tank was 27mpg and that was city, highway, and rural driving.

 

Ooh, I wonder if I have a problem then... My mileage was 26.5mpg with city/highway driving and i have a base cooper!! Oh dear...

Well, at least it sounds like everyone has the ball, so i'm no longer worried about that... I guess their graphic is wrong on the site, ha, or it applied to the older models.

 

WHat is the "askmini" number?

 

1-866-ask-mini

 

From the "holy crap, that was fast" file... today I got my license plates in the mail. It's only been like 9 days or something since I picked up the car. Anyone else get theirs yet? Being CA, we're required to have a plate on the front too, so the dealer is going to install the front holder tomorrow while I'm there to fix the door handle molding.

 

No permanent plate yet after three weeks. But on another couple of notes, my dear spouse has volunteered to bring Tabasko in to get the windows tinted today. Also, my third tankful averaged 34.5 MPG with gas that cost me $2.19 per gallon for premium. Finally it's going to be a great fall weekend in south Louisiana with lows in the 50's. Gonna do some motoring out on some curves and hills I used to enjoy on my motorcycle.

Life is good.

 

Wow. $2.19 huh? I thought California was supposed to be one of the most expensive states for gas, but we're currently at about $1.85 right now (and $1.65 for the lowest). I'll probably get my second tankful today or tomorrow. I was really expecting to get 400-450 on this tank but the other night I got stuck in freeway traffic for almost 2 hours (on a stretch of road that should normally take me less than 30 minutes). That made the estimated mileage drop and it's currently estimating only 380 or so.

 

I have been busy installing all of the Stuff that I ordered while I was waiting for my Mini to arrive from the UK. Oem Alarm installed but not programmed yet, Oem Armrest installed, window auto up circuit (Ian Variety), Eyes from Stupidgirl, US/UK/Check Flag from motoring bling, and Ipod aux input. What will be next?

Stan

 

Well, in just another instance of how much I *love* my dealer (insert sarcasm wherever you like), I brought my car in yesterday for my appointment to get the passenger side door handle fixed, and to get my front license plate mounted. Well, I left the car at the dealer and they said that it would take between 1-3 hours. I went to lunch and ran some errands, and a little over an hour they called and said the car was ready. Well, when I got back to the dealer, they told me that the part they needed to fix the door wasn't in stock after all, so now I have to come back AGAIN some time next week to get it done. This will be the fourth time in as many weeks, and the dealer is about 30 minutes away.

The only good thing was that they gave the car a wash, and mounted the frame. I put the plates on yesterday afternoon. I'll have to take more pictures soon.

 

$1.85

I'm happy for you. But gosh durn, it seems like since Louisiana produces so much oil and gas, and I have to pass the refinery on the way to work every morning, it would be as cheap as it could be around here. Oh well, gas prices are like the stock market - no rhyme or reason that I can see.

I did get my windows tinted yesterday and they look great. It really looks good with the black top, IMHO.

Watching LSU whoop up on Miss. State, but game delayed for lightning.

I'm in second gear, past 1250 miles on the ODO, I LOVE the sound of the engine at 6000.

Happy motoring, y'all !

 

I got my permanent plates REALLY quick... They arrived the 22nd, which is only a week after I picked up my car, lol... I haven't put them on yet though... I'm keeping the paper ones on till they expire Oct. 4th, since I am enjoying the 'new car' feeling!

Tabasko: You seem to be getting great gas mileage... I wonder why mine is so much worse! Is yours mostly highway driving? This tank, it's been mostly city driving and short trips. I've done 170 miles and used just over a quarter of a tank. I'm hoping when I fill up next time I will improve on the 26.5mpg I got, but I'm doubting it since I haven't done as much highway driving this time around... I'm kinda nervous my car is messed up or something!

 

mini-mine, I've done about 260 miles, 100 of which were highway and the rest city-with-rolling-hills driving and I'm getting 27.6 mpg according to the computer. I'm also new to driving a manual, so I'm not sure how that plays in. I think we'll be alright since I'm sure the first tank is not going to be the best.

 

My daily drive is 30 miles one way on four lane and interstate with no traffic that takes me 33 minutes . I hit four traffic lights on the way in and three on the way back home. It's definitely 98% cruising at 65 MPH. I think 26 MPG in mostly city drving is right.

 

Thanks for the replies guys... That makes more sense now... The EPA estimates always seem to be over by 2 or 3 mpg anyway, so I guess it's about right. I live right next to work, so my drive is literally 1 mile each way... Once the weather cools down, I plan to walk since I don't think these short trips are good for my car, lol. I didn't really care in my Honda, but now I do! Also, I dont' have the on-board computer extras of range, etc. so I calculate manually.

Given the first tank was a pretty even combo of city and highway (since I had to go show off the car!), this next tank will be mostly city, so we'll see how it differs in mpg. I'm hoping the first tank just reflects the 'new car' syndrome of lower mpg... I will be very happy if this next tank averages out to about the same as the first since that will show an improvement as it's mostly city driving on this tank...

 

Wow, no, elsewhere in California it's much higher. In my area we are still around $2.50+ for premium.

Edit: actually it's $2.49+ for regular.

 

Well, gas was only $2.25 (premium) at a Shell station north of town, so I decided to fill up early since I have my free gas cards still (I was only a little under half a tank). So with the second tank, I got 27mpg with mostly city driving and some highway, which is an improvement over the 26.5mpg I got with about equal city/highway on my first tank. However, it still seems low to me. I mean if the estimates are 28 city, 31 combined, and 36 highway, is the reason I'm getting below ALL of these because it's new? Because of ethanol? A combination? Or something else? Oh, and I don't drive like a maniac either, I'm pretty gentle on the car...

So can I safely say my mpg is improving?! I'm hoping once it's broken in I can get 31 or 32mpg with city/highway... It's not terrible right now, i just wish it was a bit better!

Anyhoo, other than the gas mileage issue, I'm having a hoot with the car!

 

My MPG went down on the second fill-up, but it was mostly because of the aforementioned traffic that I hit last week. My first tank was about 29 mpg, the second 27. But THIS tank that I'm currently on, I still have half a tank left and have already gone over 215 miles. My goal is to try to top 400 miles before I have to fill it up again.

 

Yeah, that is my goal too - to get to 400... At least you are getting somewhat the same #'s as me, so makes me feel better! I bet if you went on a really long roadtrip with all highway mileage, you could get around 450-ish (presuming you get 36+mpg).

Has anyone noticed that cars seem to take longer to get from full to the center mark than it does to go from the center mark to empty?! Is that just because the needle is past full for a while before it starts going down, or what? I usually pass 220-230 at half a tank, and then it plummets, lol... So I end up with about 340-350 before I refill...

At least the MINI gauge doesn't move all over the place when you go around corners, etc. My old Honda used to REALLY move when I did that, or when I stopped at lights... It was kind of annoying...