Have been lurking on this site for three years and have decided it's time to join in the fun. Have learned a lot over that period from you folks. My wife and I share a 2009 MCS hardtop and are strongly considering adding a CM All4 to our garage. Will keep you posted on our progress.

 

Welcome from one old guy to the other! We moved from a Clubman to our CM..no regrets...will being going to our 16 yr old daughter next year....then I'll move onto the coupe......

 

Welcome hiwarder....from another older member.. Same here...will keep the cm in the family with her driving soon....and look forward to the JCW Coupe

 

Thanks for the reply!

 

Thanks, Flyer53.

 

Join the Club there.

 

Welcome!!! Hope you have fun here!
I've learned a boatload of interesting tidbits here. Lots of safety information too.

 

Welcome aboard and enjoy the ride!!

 

welcome

 

Welcome. I'm older too, 60. My hubby and I love our minis. I have the surf blue CM and he has a 2008 BRG coupe. Get a CM you will love it.

 

Lurking is a great way to meet friends..

 

I appreciate the welcoming comments. I've been a "sports" car enthusiast all my adult life (63 and 64 corvettes, fiat 124 coupe, honda prelude, subaru wrx, nissan 350z, honda S2000) and now the best total package of all, the MINI. Will be looking forward to interesting discussions! By the way, those cars listed above were over a 50 year period, and frequently accompanied by the necessary family friendly minivans and sedans.
Regards.

 

Hi HIWARDER; Geez, I am a 60 year old mom and grandmom, 3 boys - one girl, and now raising the grandson (with my hubby), and I was successfully able to avoid owning a mini-van all my life (so far).

 

regarding the "ordered non-run flats", I question why............ we have foudn that the handling is actually better with the run-flat tires, although there is more road noise. I am on my second MINI, My husband is also driving his second MINI. All bought new at Mini of the Mainline in Phila. A great place to buy and get serviced. They treat you like royalty, and there is a Starbucks nex door ( a convenient place to wait for service to be completed ). When you are old like me, you appreciate that.

 

When the car was new it was equipped with the proper run flats and we put about 20,000 miles on them. We were coming from a 3 series BMW that was also equipped with run flats and those tires essentially stole away the "ultimate driving" aspect of the car. So, as soon as practical, and after a lot of study here and on the Tire Rack site, I put the Yokohamas on the MINI. What a difference! No practical loss in handling, much quieter, much smoother, and better wet pavement adhesion. Basically, I can appreciate others loving their run flats, but I don't.

 

Welcome to the discussion. Hope you get the CM soon.

We like our RFs on the ALL4, the newest version of the Continental tire appears to be better than our past RFs.

My 07 was a beast (noisy) with run-flats but after 15-20K, the various tires we get all get noisy.

Have fun and post some pictures when you get your Countryman.

 

Am still trying to learn how to get my current MCSA picture into the signature, but will plan to keep you posted on the pursuit of the CM. Have decided to go with the 2012 in hopes of getting a bench back seat.

 

bloody heck - there are more geriatrics here than I suspected.

some of you geezers (and geezerettes) might appreciate this thread:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...0s-thread.html

kind regards,

young punk

(a.k.a Charlie)

Ps: 50 years of car buying experience huh... so how old were you when you bought the first one dare I ask? 10?

 

I'm 69 and bought the first one 50 years ago via a very small inheritance that I quickly frittered away. Since then, it's "i owe, i owe, it's off to work i go", now retired. And, have the "Motoring Geezer" and "Dragon Veteran" badges on the boot.
Regards.

 

I better watch my step - proper respect to my elders y'know...

Kind regards,

Charlie

 

Old to me is greater than 75 and someone that can't handle a mini. I am 55 and still not in one. but am getting real close.

 

At the Porsche Club of America autocross a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a gent that had just returned from visiting the factory at Stuttgart, and driving the Nurburgring.

He now holds the lap record for his age group at the Ring, and also set a record for the age of the driver.

If I am not mistaken, he's 87.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

As another "old guy" (almost 51), I can highly recommend the Countryman. Having gone from a boaty Buick Lucerne to a CM ALL4, I haven't had this much fun in 30 years. Motor on.

 

Thank you all for your welcomes, comments, and information. In the last two weeks we've participated in a MINI "Rocks the Rivals" and a long test drive of a CMS (not All 4). After three years of living with our MCSA, I feel that this is truly a MINI and am very excited about being able to comfortably take grandson to football practice etc. I have one very tiny issue (and there's another stream on this). The rails. I really don't like them, and the MINI corporate rep said that the 2012 with bench seat won't have the rails in the back. I forgot to ask him about the front. He also said, disappointedly, that the bench seat is not split. Do you folks know something I missed (I'm sure you do).
PS We drive the automatic in sport and manual shift. Lovely.
Regards,
Hi

 

Finally made progress sat down with my MA and worked up the numbers and all I need now is to find out how much driving I will be doing. Not that it matters but it just will speed up my ordering. Well it's a2012 CM LC w/BRM non S w/auto, HK sunroof sport seats cold weather package If I find out that I have to drive more than 200 miles per week then I order it next Saturday else there will be a delay until I get my insurance settlement. Color choices were down to RG and LC This old man (just turned 55) is finally getting a car that is more fun to drive then the 2004 Mustang Convertible I used to have