Just at the moment I was signing the papers for my 2007 MCS Cabriolet, Sidewalk Edition, did I feel a moment of guilt. I was replacing my 1984 BMW 325e that I purchased used in 1988. Upon making the five hour drive home in my new MINI all guilt disappeared however. In fact I immediately threw the BMW out into the driveway and moved MINI right into the garage. The BMW proceeded to throw a fit and immediately belched brake fluid all over and I was required to replace the brake master cylinder so that my sister could drive the BMW until her 2008 MCS Coupe was built and available for pickup. During her three month drive of the Beamer it proceeded to spew clutch fluid such that I had to replace the clutch master cylinder. By the time her MINI was ready for pickup, I had already made prearrangments for the BMW to go to another home. In fact, Sis's MINI arrived home and the Beamer was sold the very next day before it had a chance to gush some other automotive fluid toward the MINIs. She sold her 92 Accura Integra upon ordering her MINI and neither one of us have looked back since.

Our MINIs get hand washed every other week if not weekly whereas our two previous cars were washed once a year regardless of whether or not they needed it. They were good cars, but just cars. Our MINIs, well it was love at first sight. Sometimes my jaw even hurts from smiling so much when I drive her. I selected the convertible so that when the time comes, loading my walker will be a piece of cake. We are going to the "home" together.

 

I miss my 2000 Wrangler SE during the winter. The '09 MCS does very well in the snow and ice, but there's not much better than a 4x4 in the Colorado winters. The girlfriend's Countryman All4 will at least fill a bit of that void.

And I'm already feeling guilty at even considering MINI's offer for trading in late model hardtops for good deals on 2011 convertibles...and I don't really even like convertibles. Weird, huh?