Tonight I had to pick up my Jeep from a shop getting some work done. I had a friend of mine ride with me to pick it up.

He's not really much of a car person. (excellent motorcycle rider...)

but he can't understand my love affair with my mini.... and he definitely can't understand why I bought an automatic.

Anyway, tonight we go pick up the Jeep and I let him drive the mini back. Because it was getting late, I just told him to drive it home and he can bring it to my shop tomorrow morning. (completely the opposite of what I'd let anyone do (drive my car, let alone take it home))

So I get home and get a phone call.

Me: Yeah Bob, everything okay?

Bob: OMG, that car is a BLAST!!! I can't believe how well it handles, it's fasssst and the brakes, OMG, the car is a gokart, unbelieveable,... blah, blah, blah.

Me: chuckles <grins> Yeah, I know.... Why do you think I love the car.

Bob: Dude, I am SO IMPRESSED. I had no idea.... honestly, that is the most fun I've EVER had driving a car.

Me: Yeah, I know.... lol.

It was great, he was like a kid opening a present on Xmas day. You could hear the excitement in his voice.

I LOVE IT!!!! The infection is spreading....

 

Your let him drive your car AND bring it home?

 

NOT bring it home...like DELIVER it, BUT take it HOME as in...it sleeps in his Garage, assuming HE has one.

I think that's TOTALLY cool!! (not that I'd do it) BUT if in the next week or so your friend goes to Test Drive a MINI @ Dealer...GO with HIM and watch the Grin THEN!!

 

Nice story. Everyone dogs minis till the see it in action. I still have not let anyone drive mine. But i guess it has its benefits sometimes.

Michael

 

Yep, I let him drive Ernie AND drive him to his house. It'll be the first time Ernie has slept outside.

I don't normally let anyone drive Ernie, let alone keep him overnight but I trust Bob and know that even though it'll be spirited driving, it wouldn't do anything stupid.

Plus, I've ridden on the track with him on motorcyles. He's an EXCELLENT rider.

Motorcycle riders tend to be more aware of their surroundings. The people that ride on this forum will confirm this.


Anyway, I doubt he'll be buying one but it'll be one more person that understands the mini zen.

Mark

 

I've noticed from reading articles in motorcycle magazines, that the Mini is the ONE car that most biker riders approve of. Mini once had an ad, that called it the "Four crotch, crotch rocket."

Now, why the automatic? Just curious.

 

I often get motorcycle waves from the bikers in the NC mountains when I'm up there... much respect for the MINIs among those in the know. Of course, my 6 "kill dragons" on the A-panel help with that, too.

 

If I had to explain it, you wouldn't understand....

Seriously, Ernie is my 3rd mini. The first two were convertibles but sticks. I was at the dealership getting ready to take a clubman for a test drive.

While I was waiting for it to return from a test drive, I asked my SA if we could take an automatic for a test drive for shiets and giggles.

We didn't make it a mile down the road and I looked at her and before I could say anything, she said "I know, I know, everyone says the same thing"

The automatic is a BLAST! It's still a 6 speed (so the distance between shifting points is shorter than a regular automatic)

You can shift with paddles, you can shift manually, you can put it in sport mode and it shifts harder, faster and tightens up the steering or you can just leave it in "D" and it shifts soft and normal.

All this and in the 1/4 mile, the automatics are faster than the sticks. (I read somewhere)

Point is, when I'm in the mood to shift, I still do, just no clutch.

You really need to drive one, you'll completely understand.

The best part is.... the JCW Stage I kit made it EVEN BETTER!!!!

Mark

 

The sport mode in the 2nd gen autos is amazing. I had a loaner for a while. Just wish that the flappy paddles had quicker responce time. It was the first automatic I could live with if I had to.

 

Honestly, I don't ever use the paddles. I like just using the shifter. I can never remember which way on the paddles shifts up and which way shifts down... like I said, I don't use it enough.

Mark

 

I have a friend that is more into muscle cars, and he bought a Mazda 6 for work, I kept telling him go MCS, he would dismiss the car and say thats the car my sister wants. I gave his friend a ride one day in the twisties (Hecker Pass/152) and I went alarmingly fast with complete disregard to the law. His buddy told him that is the fastest car he's ever been on...period. (on Mt. Maddona Rd.) So, my friend agreed to a ride....he turned pale, was yelling at me to slow down and vowed to never ride with me again. At the end of the ride I even offered him to drive...he said no take him home?? Well, this last time I visited, it came up that he was selling his Mazda 6 and getting an MCS. He had already gone on the MINI website configerator and all.

 

They're worth learning.... the freedom to shift with either hand - while keeping both on the wheel - in the extreme twisties is liberating...

 

I definitely get more waves from bikers than other MINI drivers. Enthusiasts are enthusiasts, regardless of what we drive. I just think nearly 100% of bikers are enthusiasts, and less than 2% of car drivers are.

 

+1 It's easy - toward your feet is? anyone? Down? yes that is right!, Toward your face is? anyone? Up? yes, very good !

 

i live in a complete redneck part of MO. most of my friends have trucks and if they don't they have american cars. The first time i showed up with my mini i caught all kinds of hell. Then individually I took them for rides.... they are now fans of it.

 

Around Pittsburgh we send them for rides with Track-Toy in his Mini up at BeaveRun. Those of you who know Track Toy understand. Those who are really prepared bring along an extra pair of shorts.

Go-kart handling, indeed!