Well, as some ppl probably know, my MC40 is gone. Always had it in the back of our minds to get a R56 convertable when they came out. So silly us, talking at dinner tonight, wife, of course, likes the idea after driving one of the DCMM converts (thank a lot Mark). Since we only have one dog now and I can get most of my house rebuilding done this year ... I can actually think about replacing the SUV.

Now correct me on the timelines please because I have NOT kept up to date on this.

R56 convertable released 2008 or 2009 model year?
JCW released ... Sept., 2007 so covertable ... Sept 2008 or 2009?

Now I obviously know what options I want and dont want and will not repeat past mistakes (hopefully) ...
Way TONED down bling ... simple fairly stripped JCW, 16" wheels

PAST



What are the lightests of the R56 Wheels?

I know better to get any driving lights, sat radio, fogs, HK, nav, l when aftermarket is so much better and far cheaper.

Specced out a yellow R56 to about $25K so figure what for a JCW convertable ... $33K???

I do NOT want a blinged out $40K MINI.

Ideas? yeah, its at least 18 months out but a guy got to think about these things ... and yes, its for my wife as her daily driver again so she gets to pick the color.

I do not care about "speed", autox, track days ... just making my wife happy as a daily runabout. Dog can fit in the back Lumber can always be delivered and we have lived with two - 2 seater cars in the past.

 

R56 Coupe/HB: Q1-07
R57 (Cabriolet/Convertible): Q4-07~Q1-08
R55 (Clubman): Q1-08~Q2-08
Factory JCW: Q3-08~Q4-08

Or so I've been told.

Helpful?

 

So my time frame is then june - Aug 2009?

 

Nope. Think of sometime in the third or fourth quarters of calendar year 2008. You're looking at a 2009 model year.

 

If its just a daily driver, no autox, no "speed", why are you going for a jcw?

 

According to Motoringfile, we'll see the new cabrio (R57) in early 09, so it's two years away.

 

MotoringFile estimates early 2009 availability in the US for the standard (non-JCW) convertible, so your guess of Aug 2009 for the JCW might be reasonable.

http://motoringfile.com/2006/12/04/m...dels-revealed/

 

Ever hear Bill Cosby's 200 MPH Car comedy ablum?

In there Bill had been driving a Ferrari and Carroll Shelby wanted him to forget that foreign crap and buy a 427 Shelby Cobra.

Shelby: Why do you need to drive a 200 MPH Ferrari?
Cosby: To get to work in the morning
Shelby: Where you going to drive 200 MPH in the US?
Cosby: Oh any side street will do.

OK, you had to hear it when it came out to get it

To answer seriously, if your last daily driver was a JCW 210 (see pic above), why do you think my wife would accept a 175 bhp car? Would you? But you got a point ... maybe a totally striped MC convertable and keep the RAV4. hmm

Thanks for those who answered ... looking like an August 2008 ... 2009 car.

 

I don't know - it just seemed like a contradiction to me. But if your wife is accustomed to/likes more horse power, then by all means, knock yourself out. They're not building them for nothing.

btw, what happened to your old one? stolen? crashed? fire?

 

The real story about Cosby and his 200mph Cobra is he drove it once and returned it as it scared him to death. They just sold it's sister car last night at Barret Jackson for $5 million. Maybe the new JCW will be too fast too, if we're lucky.

 

[quote=lava;1329755
btw, what happened to your old one? stolen? crashed? fire?[/quote]
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=78556

 

I see - wore you down, no doubt. Wait and see if the R56 has a better record. You should have enough feedback from the boards here by the time the convertible is out.

What did you replace it with?

PS - I had a fiat x19 too once long ago - saw that you mentioned that. You must not have kept yours very long. I can't imagine the mini giving you more trouble than that little beasty.

 

I guess you didnt read the whole thread. A Croc.

Fiat ... hehe. we had that for 5 VERY long years. Nothing worse than a FIAT

MINI, had it, lets see, about 18 months.

 

No - I did not read the whole thread, just your story. A Croc - you lost me. Is that slang for a Porsche Cayman? Is that the German spelling of caiman, or has the slang just made the leap from one to the other?

My Fiat broke down all the time. And well, I credit it for teaching me how to work on cars. And after that, any engine bay felt spacious.

 

Croc ... cayman

FIAT ... piece of junk. Thing never worked. We were stupid and young

 

Hey, Chowsie! I was the original owner of a 1972 Fiat 128 Wagon. Drove it until 1984, when I sold it at a garage sale!

Wish I'd kept it, though. It was taxi-cab yellow with black racing stripes and a roof rack...great little hatch! Well, great as long as leaded premium 101+ octane was obtainable...

 

FIAT - Frequently Irritating Always Trouble

 

Hmm. . . that would make you a masochist, as far as my automotive knowledge goes. Of course, I'm the one who claims my 1965 VW van was the most reliable car I've ever owned (this was due to my changing the oil every 2000 miles and rebuilding the engine every 50,000 miles whether it needed it or not).

Two years out to the new convertible . . . my only option regret with my 05 is that I didn't order the LSD . . . probably because I misread it as LDS. Next time I'll get that right and quit spinning my wheels.

 

thats a good one

 

that is a busy-looking mc40 you got there. dang!

i spec'ed out a current mcs convertible for fun a while ago, w/ jcw and not much else. it came out to $~34k. dang! i guess we can expect the new ragtop to cost $1k more? that's a lot for a little mini. i LOVE these cars but think it's not really in the right spirit to pay so much for 'em

how do you like your cayman? call me stupid but i've never been the biggest porsche fan but i think the cayman is the best porsche in years

 

FIAT = Fix It Again Tony

 

Those of us who are checkerboard fans don't think it looked busy at all

 

Wheel weights are listed here.
http://www.mini2.com/forum/faq.php?f...factory_wheels

Swinders appear to be the lightest 16"ers.

 

Chows:

R55 Clubman is Q1 2008 (firm)
R57 Cabrio is Q1 2009 (firm)
R60 is (probably) Q1 2010

Also, regarding JCW we were told at the press launch that what was available for the COOPER would be available throughout the entire range of products. So I would expect to see JCW clubman offerings, and I would assume that applies to the cabrio as well.

 

Thanks Dave! So thats in about 18 months from now. Gotta now figure out how to save some $$$