Nothing like having the top down in early January.

 

my MCc said it was 75 degrees yesterday when i was toolin' around top down!

back to the 40s today though.

 

My co worker who also has a MINI convert just came by very unhappy. She went out to do some errands and couldn't get the top to go down. She was since it was so nice out.

I went to the garage with her and lifted and replaced the parcel shelf and unlatched, lifted, and relatched the back of the top... Voila! It now works

I'm her hero... she said...

Of course, I have to admin to running with the top down in the mid 40's, that's what heat and seat heaters are for.

 

You said it, I've been opening up the windows and turning on the warmers and driving around ever since I picked my MINI up on saturday, best way to drive evar!

 

LET'S GO TOPLESS.... mandatory for weather above 50.


MD STREGA2

 

Twas a good Zaino day, indeed.

 

I had to work today but Sunday we made it to 68. I went topless & took a little road trip with my pup.

 

DCMM needs more topless events!

 

My favorite are the double topless (topless IN topless) but they are few and far between.

 

Sounds like either you or Miss S have a real wild side!

Hey, they have those polar bear swims... Perhaps one cold weekend we need to have a double topless run! Brrr. Maybe not...

 

Hmmm, I must be driving around the wrong area. Lol Let me know when you see that!

 

I don't know, I don't think anyone wants to see Edge driving around with his shirt off....

 

/whine

I knew I should have gotten the convertible. I still vaguely think about trading in my current 05 hardtop for an 06 convertible. I'll probably wait for 07 or something, though, maybe look at the upcoming changes and decide...

Anything you don't like about the convertible top? Road noise, cleaning it, anything?

 

Ahhhhh...life is good...

Donna

 

Cleans up easily. You certainly hear more noise from traffic along side with top up. But I don’t find it objectionable. Wind noise is not bad at all with top up. Have seen speeds I can't post on NAM top up and down. Pretty darn good with top up. Not as quiet as a hardtop by far but for a ragtop excellent. Amazing with top down. Buffeting and noise don't change that much anywhere north of 70 mph,even well north. Stays pretty much the same.

I DO have and recommend the wind deflector. In really cool weather you get a draft on the back of the neck. With the deflector most of that is eliminated and you can run cooler weather w/top down.

I noted a passenger with particularly long hair had her hair blowing forward into her face. I put the screen up and took care of that too. Otherwise I only use the deflector when it's below 50...

There are threads about top wear. A fix was put in place for this. I've got very SLIGHT marks, but washing seems to eliminate them. I'm keeping an eye on it
You CAN NOT get the sports PLUS suspension on the convert, at least in 05. It does have the Sports though, in the S. I'm thrilled with the car.

 

speak for yourself...I know I wouldnt mind.

Of course, that would mean he'd have to buy another MINI!
(keep the other cars though )

 

it's all fun & games until someone gets "Schroth Burns"!

 

LOL, you guys are cracking me up. You know, that WOULD be cool... an MCC, 5-speed... with the Cooper JCW TK on it. Cooooooool.

 

Sally's sounds like she's in. Since she's the first lady to participate I'll loan her my car so she can truly do it double topless... OH, maybe that's not exactly what she meant by "I wouldn't mind"... Gotta read the whole sentance. shoot.

Edge, I'm working slowly towards the cheap mans equiv... I wanted the soft top and aero. Got pulley and CAI. Think the exhaust is next. Working on a graphic / name for the car as a 'grass roots' Works wanna be / impression. I know Works is Works and is only from MINI. But working on a theme idea as one who hopes to approach that level perf through gradual aftermarket items.

Stirfe... Did think of a couple negatives for you.

1. The rear view mirror vibrates a bit sometimes. Not major but a wee bit. I don't notice any cowl shake but FYI...

2. Rear quarter visibilty. Yes, it's poor. It doens't bother me at all for two reasons.

First is I know how to set mirrors! If you set the sides so they pick up where the rear drops off you have pretyy continous coverage to almost beside you.

Second I back in to spaces or pick ones I can pull through. I also drive a full size conversion van. While it's all windows you sit so far forward it's tough to back out in too, visibilty wise. That's why I learned to always back in. While out in the lane about to park you have great visibility of (and by other) traffic. I take advantage of that and back in.

You can see traffic while you back in. When you depart you're coming out frontwards and that's a snap. Works for the van and the convertible. And truth be told I tend to park far out in most lots anyway to avoid door dings.

 

maybe I can get a hold of some OEM metal cutters. We could them use them to make an OEM modification to the top of his car. Of course it would then be permanently an open top.

 

Heh... nice try... good luck but no I don't think that's what she meant either. I realize that Mark - and I respect it... but perhaps you missed what I meant by the "coolness" of it... I said MCC, not MCSC... did you realize there was a tuning kit released by JCW for the MC? Only added 11 hp... and is no longer "officially" available, but it can still be bought from some sources. Now they have the "JCW sound kit" for the Cooper, which is a lot cheaper, but only a 3hp gain... it's more about the exhaust sound.There are two trains of thought here... while the full "continuous view" is nice, the downside there is that you increase your blindspots in the other direction, outside the view of the side mirrors. The other train of thought is to set your mirrors so that the side of your car is JUST outside the view - that way you have the maximum angle to the sides of the car. Mind you, I think your way is better for parking, but the other way is better for highway... it's a shame that the mirrors don't have push-button presets!LOL. Yeah that's me, "Mr. OEM"... until you see my Mustang.

 

Yup, missed that MCC!

(In Miss Emily Letellah voice) -> Oh, that's very different. Never mind!

and yes, I tweak mirrors on highway vs. around town. But I do that on all vehicles.

 

Ummm, yeah, nice try, but like edge said...not what I meant.

 

another top down day today here in st. louis.

 

..and another top up today in DC .. raining all day.. but I had to work and I had to drive only 3 .25 miles..
MD STREGA2