You've got a point! Good Truck was about 15 feet from the point where they hit the pipe. The V-12 Jag convertible was even closer (Of course the Jag tries to blow itself up on a regular basis with fuel leaks onto the exhaust and one cylinder bank losing ignition periodically, causing raw fuel to dump into the red hot catalytic converter. We have been told these 'features' are the result of intentional engineering -- after a few years the car burns itself up and the insurance claim from the fire provides the down payment on the next Jag. Those Brits are so friggin' smart about this sort of thing. Must be the warm beer they drink.)

I only hope the expense for the new gas line doesn't reduce the $ available for my next New Truck. Lease on the current one is quickly coming to an end. And boy am I getting a lot of email from MINI reminding me, and offering me 'special opportunities.' I hope those opportunities get better as lease end draws nearer.

 

We took the trusty Clubman for a 1,000 mile romp up to the Northern California gold country over the weekend. Got a solid 36 combined MPG. The Good Truck ran very well and the Dinan was sweet up in the hills and over the mountains. Tomorrow the bugs will get washed off. Lots of bugs.

While on our journey, we stumbled upon a very cool car show in Grass Valley, an old mining town.

Saw this truck and thought, "That's somebody's Good Truck." (Note the Coke bottle used for coolant recovery.)

Takes all kinds...

 

Okay, not a point award winning load, but on today's trip to the garden center the sales clerk offered to help carry my stuff out to my "car." I said, "Great. I brought my Good Truck." He started cracking up when he realized which vehicle was mine.

And then the really good part.

I was holding the tray with the plants and he had the bag of planting mix and I gave two quick swift kicks under the rear bumper and, of course, first the right rear door, then the left proceeded to open. The guy said he's seen customers dancing the polka trying to get the kick-open feature to work on their SUVs. I told him I had received expert instruction before I took my show on the road.

As I was closing the rear doors, the guy had turned and was walking away. He stopped, turned back toward me and said, "By the way.... nice truck." And he was grinning ear-to-ear. Can't make this up. Just the reality of livin' the good truck lifestyle every day.

 

 

Yes, learned 'the technique' at the Master's knee. Thankyouverymuch.

 

Honorary Good Truck owner reporting for duty!



Had to put in a new storm door over Memorial Day weekend. On the way out of the Home Despot parking lot a middle aged couple walked by and grinned: "First time I've ever seen a door carried in a MINI!"

 

That works...just think of the added rear down-force with the 'aggressive' rear wing angle...

 

Yesterday (Sunday) I was sitting in my Clubman in the parking lot where they hold a weekly farmer's market. As the Little Missus was at the market shopping, I was people watching.

A fully blinged-out BIG Ram pickup pulls up and a 60-something couple climbs out heading to the market. The guy comes over to me and says, "That's a really nice lookin' MINI. How do you like it?"

I told him I've enjoyed it enough to order another one.

He went on to explain that he was thinking about getting his granddaughter one for a college car. He made a few more complimentary remarks about my MINI and thanked me for the info and then commented that he thought it was cool that a guy the same vintage as he is would drive a MINI.

Looking over at his big, shiny Ram, I smiled and said, "Yeah, well, this is my Good Truck. I take it out on Sunday." We both cracked up.

 

Halloween starts now.

 

One of those "bare bones" truck deals.... nice!

 

Was at the MINI dealer pickin' up my new 2020 Good Truck today (woo hoo). Needed to transfer stuff from the last Good Truck into the new Bad Boy.We were standing behind the new one, my arms filled with the stuff, and, just as the saleswoman started 'splaining about how there's a feature to open the rear doors hands-free, I did a swift kick, the door swung open, and the saleswoman said, "You're good at that!"

Why yes, yes I am.

 

I'm sure you told her you were trained by the "best".....LOL.

 

Of course!! I told the saleswoman I'd had expert guidance. Credit where credit is due.

BTW, they now enclose a little separate instruction sheet with the Owner's Manual on the proper swift technique. Hope you're getting royalties.

 

Oh, most definitely! Enough to fund my early retirement in another life.....

 

Thought maybe it would be cool to have a lifted Clubman All4 Good Truck

 

Now that we're hunkered down for COVID, My Good Truck isn't getting much use. Today was grocery day -- we go every other week now so it's a big haul -- but not too big for the Good Truck to easily handle.

Anyway, we're in the parking lot, ready to load the Clubman, when an employee from the market who is patrolling the grounds to maintain good order, comes over, maintaining correct social distance and, through his mask, asks, "How do you like your MINI? That's my favorite body style."

My wife starts gushing about how much she loves the car, while I, casually, do the swift kick to open the rear doors. First time success, of course.

The guy says, "Impressive." And goes on to say yesterday he saw a lady doing aerobics behind her Mercedes SUV trying to get the tailgate to open.

I close the doors, we wrap up the parking lot chat, and as we turn to leave, the guy says, "Man, that's a cool MINI." To which I say, "It's a really Good Truck."

Hoping everyone is staying safe and well and looking forward to better days when we can all get out and enjoy our Clubmen without masks and gloves, unless, of course, you plan on using your Good Truck to rob a bank, in which case, gloves and masks remain a wise choice.

Wash your hands, and your Good Truck, frequently.

 

Thought I'd revive this thread when my wife told me to take a photo of our porch swing loaded into the Clubman for a trip to the painter to get freshened up for summer swinging. It slid right in with room to spare and, of course, when we arrived at the painter's shop, I gave a couple of swift kicks to open both rear doors. The painter said. "That's a pretty trick little truck."