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Finally got the GP out for it's first AutoX ( back in April). Had a lot of fun learning about it's limits in a controlled environment. Would love to take it to the track at some point!
#1683 taken yesterday. Now has 404 total miles, but that will change now that I own it.
Figured 404 total miles was a typo but your emphasis on #1683 "made me look"... 👀
Yep, found the NAM topic from June 2024 with link to BaT listing that went RNM at that time.
Quite the nonchalant announcement on your acquisition. Not relisted on BaT, so how about sharing the full story including plans?
I followed that listing live, as well as March 2021 when sold in AZ with 302 miles. Undoubtedly, others here are very intrigued!
Figured 404 total miles was a typo but your emphasis on #1683 "made me look"... 👀
Yep, found the NAM topic from June 2024 with link to BaT listing that went RNM at that time.
Quite the nonchalant announcement on your acquisition. Not relisted on BaT, so how about sharing the full story including plans?
I followed that listing live, as well as March 2021 when sold in AZ with 302 miles. Undoubtedly, others here are very intrigued!
Fair enough. First, the back history. I fell in love with Minis about 35 years ago when I lived in South America for a couple years and saw them in person for the first time. After I came back to the states, I located a service in New York that would import them to the US and began planning for that. Shortly thereafter, I heard news of the new MINI coming to the states and decided to hold off until seeing what was produced. When the R50 and R53 were introduced, I fell in love all over again and prepared for that purchase. In late 2004, I finally was able to get a dealer in Missouri to order my spec and get it delivered in less than a year, so I placed my order and did the entire break in procedure on my way home to Utah.
I joined the local club and began making memories, loving every minute of the experience.
In 2006, the first MTTS was announced, and my wife and I immediately signed up. The first MTTS, of course was where the first GPs were delivered and the first opportunity to see the cars in the metal for the US. After seeing the GPs in person, I felt a pang of regret for not pulling the trigger, but that was a long time ago, and my purchasing power was very limited. Loved the cars, though, and that trip will forever be one of our most fun memories together.
As our family grew, the ability to hold onto such a small, and at that time, impractical car proved difficult, and in 2011, I sold it to an eager enthusiast locally. I told him that whenever he sold it, to contact me and I would buy it back. He did contact me a few years later, but we had just launched a new business, and we were still in the days of no paychecks, so I had to painfully pass up that opportunity.
As the years went on and our business grew tremendously, I eventually gained the ability to build a recreational car collection and started acquiring all the cars I’d loved when I was younger (1989 Porsche 930, 2002 Dodge Viper, 2007 Dodge Magnum SRT/8, 1987 Porsche 928 S4, etc.). I have always had a MINI on my radar, but as the models changed, got bigger, softer, and more mainstream, I knew I needed to look for just the right R53 to fill that spot. I searched for years for a clean 2006 without the Chrono pack, and no sunroof - GPs were included in that search, but I didn’t think I’d find any that hadn’t been modified in some way.
When 1683 showed up on BAT, I was interested, but thought it would sell out from under me, for sure, so I let it go. I spend my winters in Orlando, FL now, so each January I spend many days at the Mecum auto auction, mostly to see cars I’ve never seen before in the flesh, but also to consider a purchase. This year, when I saw the car show up on the docket, I signed up to bid and went to check it out. I had hopes of purchasing it, but you never know how the auctions will go, and I still had a budget I didn’t want to exceed.
The day came, I set up on the front row, and within seconds, I had won the car. Ended up paying a bit more than I planned, but only by a couple thousand, so I felt like it was a good buy for such a unicorn.
As I stated, I have a small collection of cars, and regardless of their condition (the 930 is concourse condition) and miles, I drive them all. I hate to see cars languishing in collections only to be looked at and not touched. I don’t put more than 3k miles per year on any of my cars, so my driving doesn’t run them into the ground, either. I have them meticulously maintained, so they are well kept, and enjoyed.
My plans with this are the same. I am shaking down the car now, finding little things that need to be fixed from sitting for years, and getting it back to new condition (it has been well kept, so not much is required). It will then be in the normal rotation I employ with my collection. I believe that cars should be enjoyed, and also shared with those who are unable to own them. I love going to shows and cars and coffee meets to display the car and let other see it up close. It’s what I loved to experience when I was young, and I feel it is a responsibility of mine to provide that to other budding enthusiasts. I don’t consider any of my purchases as investments in anything but my own enjoyment, and sitting in a room hidden is no fun for anyone.
I’ll be out and about here in Florida for the next few months, then will probably ship it out to Utah so that it can live in a better habitat for MINis - surrounded by canyons. I’m looking forward to many years of enjoyment, and will keep it well maintained for the next owner, whenever that may happen.
My handle on Instagram, and where most know me and my hobby, is FutureRustandDust. All these things are just that, eventual junk, so enjoy them while you can, and share the experience with as many as you can in the meantime. It will be well loved, actually driven, and I can’t wait to take it out to the Tail of the Dragon in the coming months to show it its natural habitat.
^^^ Your truly "new" GP looks beautiful as presented above - as well as in Mecum's auction gallery images - congrats and enjoy!
My own (classic) Mini experiences date back to the mid-sixties when then new (I'm an old guy) with a few friends driving "shoeboxes" while I had my 1965 Corvair Corsa. Never owned one but still have a framed Austin Cooper S sales brochure from back then.
My own New MINI experiences are within my (sig) topic, so I won't go into that in this GP1 subforum. Agreed, however, that despite low total mileage and overall condition, the need to freshen stuff prevails vs "assumptions" that all is well otherwise. I found out the hard way with a clogged fuel pump which cost much more with tow charge and dealer P&L repair than if I had been proactive. Likewise, my buddy's 2006 R53 factory JCW Checkmate edition (one of just 301 confirmed by BMW Germany produced with both options) has just over 9k total miles - likewise purchased from the original owner as I did my R53 with 8.8k total miles now. Just last night, he discovered a puddle of fluid underneath the LF corner, coming from the original strut. Clearly, an age-related seal failure vs high mileage. Yes, "stuff happens"...
Fair enough. First, the back history. I fell in love with Minis about 35 years ago when I lived in South America for a couple years and saw them in person for the first time. After I came back to the states, I located a service in New York that would import them to the US and began planning for that. Shortly thereafter, I heard news of the new MINI coming to the states and decided to hold off until seeing what was produced. When the R50 and R53 were introduced, I fell in love all over again and prepared for that purchase. In late 2004, I finally was able to get a dealer in Missouri to order my spec and get it delivered in less than a year, so I placed my order and did the entire break in procedure on my way home to Utah.
I joined the local club and began making memories, loving every minute of the experience.
In 2006, the first MTTS was announced, and my wife and I immediately signed up. The first MTTS, of course was where the first GPs were delivered and the first opportunity to see the cars in the metal for the US. After seeing the GPs in person, I felt a pang of regret for not pulling the trigger, but that was a long time ago, and my purchasing power was very limited. Loved the cars, though, and that trip will forever be one of our most fun memories together.
As our family grew, the ability to hold onto such a small, and at that time, impractical car proved difficult, and in 2011, I sold it to an eager enthusiast locally. I told him that whenever he sold it, to contact me and I would buy it back. He did contact me a few years later, but we had just launched a new business, and we were still in the days of no paychecks, so I had to painfully pass up that opportunity.
As the years went on and our business grew tremendously, I eventually gained the ability to build a recreational car collection and started acquiring all the cars I’d loved when I was younger (1989 Porsche 930, 2002 Dodge Viper, 2007 Dodge Magnum SRT/8, 1987 Porsche 928 S4, etc.). I have always had a MINI on my radar, but as the models changed, got bigger, softer, and more mainstream, I knew I needed to look for just the right R53 to fill that spot. I searched for years for a clean 2006 without the Chrono pack, and no sunroof - GPs were included in that search, but I didn’t think I’d find any that hadn’t been modified in some way.
When 1683 showed up on BAT, I was interested, but thought it would sell out from under me, for sure, so I let it go. I spend my winters in Orlando, FL now, so each January I spend many days at the Mecum auto auction, mostly to see cars I’ve never seen before in the flesh, but also to consider a purchase. This year, when I saw the car show up on the docket, I signed up to bid and went to check it out. I had hopes of purchasing it, but you never know how the auctions will go, and I still had a budget I didn’t want to exceed.
The day came, I set up on the front row, and within seconds, I had won the car. Ended up paying a bit more than I planned, but only by a couple thousand, so I felt like it was a good buy for such a unicorn.
As I stated, I have a small collection of cars, and regardless of their condition (the 930 is concourse condition) and miles, I drive them all. I hate to see cars languishing in collections only to be looked at and not touched. I don’t put more than 3k miles per year on any of my cars, so my driving doesn’t run them into the ground, either. I have them meticulously maintained, so they are well kept, and enjoyed.
My plans with this are the same. I am shaking down the car now, finding little things that need to be fixed from sitting for years, and getting it back to new condition (it has been well kept, so not much is required). It will then be in the normal rotation I employ with my collection. I believe that cars should be enjoyed, and also shared with those who are unable to own them. I love going to shows and cars and coffee meets to display the car and let other see it up close. It’s what I loved to experience when I was young, and I feel it is a responsibility of mine to provide that to other budding enthusiasts. I don’t consider any of my purchases as investments in anything but my own enjoyment, and sitting in a room hidden is no fun for anyone.
I’ll be out and about here in Florida for the next few months, then will probably ship it out to Utah so that it can live in a better habitat for MINis - surrounded by canyons. I’m looking forward to many years of enjoyment, and will keep it well maintained for the next owner, whenever that may happen.
My handle on Instagram, and where most know me and my hobby, is FutureRustandDust. All these things are just that, eventual junk, so enjoy them while you can, and share the experience with as many as you can in the meantime. It will be well loved, actually driven, and I can’t wait to take it out to the Tail of the Dragon in the coming months to show it its natural habitat.
Will you be attending MINIs On The Dragon this year in May? I’ll be there in my GP1996.
Will you be attending MINIs On The Dragon this year in May? I’ll be there in my GP1996.
I would love to, but the timing unfortunately does not work out, as my wife and I will be in the UK that week. Ironically, however, I may be there the following week, as I will most likely be driving mine from Florida back to Utah.
Completed break in miles and decided since there have been so many nightmares lately with shipping cars across the country, that I would just pack it up and drive it from Florida to Utah.
Started the first day and headed straight to Deals Gap, staying overnight at the Historic Tapoco Lodge just a couple miles from the Tail of the Dragon.
It was raining the day I headed out to the Dragon, but that's fine, given that the speed limit is so slow there anyway. Even at legal limits, the road is amazing.
Spent the next week wandering across the country, mostly following the 2006 MINI Takes the States route in reverse (figured that's what it deserved since it was robbed of that opportunity when it was purchased and then so cruelly shelved for years).
So we are back in Utah now. Not sure if this will be its permanent residence quite yet, but once I figure that out, I plan to get the old Utah VMMVMMM plate from my 2005 MINI Cooper S transferred from my 2020 Miata back over to this.
It was such an epic trip, and not that it needed it, but it really endeared the car to me. I don't ever see letting it go. 4200 miles and counting!
