Hello Everyone.

It is pretty lonely standing along side the dragon with a disabled Mini and my 9 y.o son.
But I'm know a hater. I know all those Mini Coopers that passed me on the way back to Fontana Village
were in a hurry.


I would like to thank Blake from Columbus GA. He was the only one to ask if we needed assistance and to give my son
and I a ride back to Fontana Village. Blake, I must not be driving right on the Dragon because my son talks about the ride back
to Fontana like it was a religious experience. And I could tell you were holding back a good bit on there.


Also there was a Blake that tried to help me get the Mini repaired that night but the plans fell through. He was from Michigan and working with
a vendor from Southern California who were selling M7 parts. Sorry that I didn't remember all of your names and company but I was trying to figure out how the
heck I was going to get my car and my family back home.

Eric Savage from Helix was very helpful. He attempted a repair but it turned out that he didn't have the right tools but, he made sure I was given into the capable hands
of Waylen from Way Motorworks. Way stayed several hours past the time he planned to leave in order to work on my Mini and see my family and I back on the road.
I was in a situation where I could have easily been taken advantage of but was not. Not only that, when I didn't have the money to pay Eric or Way, they both told me to just send them
the money later.


I would also like to thank my Mini Dealer which shall remain unnamed. Maybe next time they will use something besides there fingers to tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt. ( I watched Eric pull it out without even having to unscrew it.)

rehutch

 

Sorry we couldn't do more for you that night.
I'm also glad to see everything worked out.

Brad
Custom Mini Shop

 

Wrong forum?

Anyhow, glad everything worked out alright, and that no one was injured during the breakdown/aftermath.

 

Yes, this thread moved to past events, the 5th MOTD 2007.

REHutch,

Sorry to hear about your MINI roadside problem. I'm glad you were able to get enough help and not have to rely on Non-MINI mechanical help.

Kudos to Eric and Way and to Blake for stopping. I'm happy you are all doing OK despite the hassle. I wasn't able to attend but if I had seen you on the roadside, I would have stopped to offer assistance. I'd do that for any MINI I see in my area.

I've gotten stuck twice in many years of driving.
Once recently when I was in my MINI and ran out of gas (first time ever) after a track event. I was 2 miles from the gas station I was headed to and going up hill enough that my MINI got unhappy and quit. Several people stopped to offer assistance from a motocyclist to SUV owner to other cars. I had AAA and called for more gas. My wife refused to help me, she was busy doing something else (430pm on Sunday).

The other time was over 20 years ago I broke a rubber belt timing belt in a chevette while exiting off a freeway in Chicago in the winter. A motorcyclist stopped to help and I called AAA but they took forever and a day to come so I caught a ride with the motorcyclist to the nearest garage and they towed me to their shop and did the repair. I had to write to AAA to complain that they did not come to tow me- I guess they were busy. Happened about 10am Sunday.

And didn't you know that fingers are a useful mechanical tool. They're just not the best at high torque applications.:impatient

 

Ouch, I think there were a # of people getting stranded due to loose dealer bolts.

Glad to hear you made it home. I was worried when I saw your EB on the side of the road, but when I was told Way had you covered, I knew you were at least in the right hands.

 

Yea, I think there were two dealer install issues Way and I delt with on Sunday . Thanks to the dealer rep who let me drive his 07 down to hutch's car. It was a lot of fun to get one out on a real road. And sorry I almost made you hurl .

-Brian

 

Why keep the dealer nameless?? I think it's important to know.

 

Was that your bright blue car about halfway down the mountain that I saw motionless for like a day? I almost stoped, but there was obviously nobody there, and I didn't want to further narrow the tight corner with my car. Glad it got worked out!

 

Glad it worked out for you but also remember, not everyone knows that people are stranded on the side of the road when they see a car with people next to it. Especially on the Dragon several folks pull over to just watch others go by.

 

Waylen come through again. Kudos!

 

Glad I could help get you home, without a tow. Have to thank Brian, he's a super worker. And most importantly gotta thank my super understanding girlfriend for waiting on me.

 

Blake has motored his DS/DS MCS to 49 states, and all across Canada (including a mid-winter trip to Hudson Bay), and he's one the few who've been to all MOTDs (I don't think he's registered for any of them ) I'm not surprised that he was quick to aid a fellow motorer.