Hi all!

So, I love Mini. I have a 2006 cool blue mini cooper s convertible I bought in 2005 and after 142k miles, I ordered a new one on Sat. It's Carribean blue. Inside is all over satilite gray and a Piana black dash. So excited.

Just had to share!

 

It will be interesting to hear the comparisons between the two. You trading the vert in?

 

Oh, that is a good idea. I will write up a post about the two. It's really the same car 12 years later. Mostly the same packages, leather seats, Convertiable S. There are just a few differences

- 2006 manual while the 2018 is an automatic.
- 2006 did NOT have navigation and the 2018 does
- 2006 did NOT have the sports package and the 2018 does.

It's going to be a long 10 weeks waiting for the car.

 

The new model will be faster but there are those that say the 06 feels faster although it is going slower.

 

Congrats would love to see pics when you get it. Thats a big jump from a gen 1 to gen 3.

 

It rides a little different for sure. It's not quite a go carty from what I can tell. I think it's the size. It got bigger and feels like "mini" when I drive it.

I'll post photos. I love the new color.

What is interesting is there was no other car I even though of getting. I did test drive the Series 3 and the Audi convertible - boring. ;-) I love Mini.

This is the color I got. Same color, same stripes and same inside. I think those are the same wheels too. I wanted 18's but I live in San Francisco and i just thought they would be to jarring.

 

Beautiful! My wife does not want to drive our 05 R52 w/six speed so an automatic may be in our future as well. I'll be looking forward to your comparison comments.

 

We ordered a 2017 MCS convertible in Caribbean Aqua w/ the white bonnet stripes. Base interior, union jack on top, automatic and backup camera, etc. 14k miles in a year. We love the car. The only mistake I made was not upgrading the base 16" wheels to 17". At first you'll think the Pirelli Centurato P7 run flats are ok. Just replaced them w/ !6" Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+. The difference is unbelievable, its like a different car. I'd have preferred the summer Michelin Pilot Super Sport but they aren't available in 16". 17" offers a much wider selection of tires.

Enjoy your new car.

 

Thanks, I got the 17 inch wheels. I almost went for 18 inches, but I live in San Fransciso and I'm a bit scared about how jarring the ride will be on potholes.

 

With the 17" you will be a little safer. If you ditch the factory run flats its will ride much smoother and if down the road you want to change the wheels 16" is the most comfortable and the smallest size to clear those front brakes.

 

It's built!!!! Waiting at the dock for the boat. Can't wait

 

If you want to have some fun, find out the name of the ship its going to travel on (your dealer knows). Then use google to find a ship tracker and watch as the ship goes from port to port. On my 17 MCS convertible the ship (with my car) went from the Netherlands to Germany then England before crossing the Atlantic. Google Earth is way cool for a closeup look at the ports, especially at the USA arrival/distribution center. The cars are parked very close together. The ships holds thousands of cars. Think about the complexity and scale of loading/unloading/storing and ultimately shipping to a dealer in an efficient manner.

Enjoy.

 

This is so cool. It's on the boat. I will do exactly what you said. How cool. Mini should build an app with Google maps to show this.

 

OMG, how amazing cool. The boat just passed the azores....

 

As you've no doubt discovered by now, the free ship trackers don't update (or at least the one I used didn't) the ship's position out on the open ocean. Once the vessel gets nearer to the US coast, the positioning gets updated again. Mine visited several US ports before finally getting offloaded on Ga.

Don't forget to use google earth at the port.

 

Yep, I noticed that. It went from the Azores to Baltimore. Now, it's going down the East coast to the Pamama Canal. This is so much fun. Thank you for suggesting it.

 

Now I'm kind of excited for you. What is the name of your ship? I'd like to watch it continue it's journey thru the Ditch.

 

The name of the ship is "Morning Courier" all you need to do is google the name. The internet is a wonderful thing.

Also, I think what is just as cool is I named my car today ( I've never named a car because I could never figure a good one out), but I'm naming this car Arya. A fierce, speedly little car that can kick butt. (Game of Thrones reference for those who don't watch the show)

 

You’ll have to get a couple of grille badge holders and regularly change the badges. Many-faced god, you know.

 

My car has made it through the Panama Canal! and is on it's way up the coast via Mexico and arrives jsut north of LA in 5 days.

I'm going to have to do something to make this car more Arya like. I was thinking of vanity plates, but I wont spend the money - and I bet Arya is taken anyway. I was thinking maybe a Stark Banner Sticker on the window.

But what I really want to be able to do is change the color. It's too bad that is not simple.

Anyway, back to the boat, this is so much fun watching the boat. Thanks for the tip.

 

Be careful. With her grill changing all the time she might be hard to find in the parking lot.

 

Congrats and the wait is the best part.

 

Ugh....the wait is killing me. I'm not sure it's the best part - driving her home will be fun! - But watching the boat is a blast.

 

Once the ship reaches your port it will be yet more time untill they get it on the truck to your dealer. Ours got lost in the shuffle for 5-6 days. Dealer didn't know where car was at. :-( The anticipation almost becomes too much. :-) It was a good day when our MA sent us a picture of ours coming of the truck. We then knew delivery was near.

What port is your mini headed to?

 

My car is in the US! It went to Port Heuneme which is right north of LA. It needs to make it to San Francisco.