Today, October 22nd, is the 5th anniversary of the day I picked up my 2003 MCS from Desert MINI.

In that time, I've co-founded a MINI club, attended 5 AMVIVs (been an organizer for 4), a MITM, drove part of MTTS and done several other road trips with and without other MINIs.

I've put almost exactly 47,000 miles on the car. It had 7 miles on it when I picked it up, it had 47,107 when I left for work this morning. Those miles have used 2,243.703 gallons of premium petrol for a cumulative MPG of 20.93 and total petrol cost of $5,493.45.

I've added yellow where there was black, black where there was yellow and chrome and rubber chickens where there was nothing. I've added horsepower and stopping power. Several interior mods for convenience and comfort. I enjoy driving my MINI more today than I did the day I picked it up.

There have been a few issues along the way. The seatbelt wiring needed replacing on both front seats, a speaker fell on my car and took out the rear and 1 side windows, a trim piece blew off at 130 mph. The factory bonnet stripes are fading. I've picked up a couple of door dings and a number of rock chips, all of which I consider "motoring badges of honour" and probably won't do anything about until the car eventually gets painted orange. Overall, it's been pretty trouble free for an early build in a new car model.

As much as I love my car, the biggest impact it has made in my life is the door it opened into "the MINI community". I have literally met hundreds of people from all over the world who I would not have met if I wasn't so active in the MINI world. That is the coolest thing of all.

I mailed my final car payment last week and am not planning on getting rid of my MINI in the foreseeable future.

 

Congradulations...no car payment is a wonderful thing.

 

Wooo Hooo - may you have many more years of Happy Motoring...

Donna

 

Ag -

This is a great testimonial to the positive influence your MINI has been on your life. I can deduce from your story that you've given much and unselfishly for the benefit of the MINI community, far more than you could have received. For that, we are all appreciative.

Thanks for sharing this with us, and of course, mega-congratulations on your anniversary milestone!

Here's to many more debt-free motoring miles and years!

 

Happy Anniversary!

I thought I was the only one who celebrated my MINI ownership anniversary (Jan 31, 2003)

 

besides the actual occasion, for which i do offer my congratulations, that was a very well written post, nostalgic and heartfelt.

kudos.

 

Thanks.

 

congrats agro!

 

Hey Andrew, I'm not in the same league as you, being on my third MINI in 3 years, but I really understand the sentiment. The MINI has opened a lot of doors for me socially and for that I am grateful. I have met a lot of great folks at MINI functions, one of whom holds the promise of being way more than a friend (Hi babe!)
Congrats on the final payment! It's all yours now! I look forward to meeting you at AMVIV next year!

 

Happy MINIversary, Andrew! I also celebrate the dates I took delivery of my two MINIs: August 28, 2002 and April 4, 2003...days I will never forget.

 

Are those exact numbers? If so, great job on data logging.

 

Congratulations Argo. Best post on NAM today in my opinion.

Many more great miles, see you in the Spring.

 

I too just completed 5 years (with Blubelle on October, 18th, +81,000 Miles), still true love.

MGC

 

Congrats Agro!

I just passed one year, and am looking forward to the next four (and many beyond that!).

Thanks for all your contributions to the MINI community!

 

congrats! hope you have many more miles of happy motoring ahead of you

 

Here is to another 5 years of motoring.

I wish I did better data logging in my first 5 years. Anyway, I could use total milage, MPG average, and historical gas price averages to reach some kind of ballpark total gas cost. Maybe later...

 

I still have every receipt for petrol I put in Alice. I've been spreadsheeting them as I go, so yes, those are exact figures. In 5 years, I've averaged just over $1100 in petrol for about 9400 miles per year.
What can I say, I'm a computer geek who teaches database design and usage.

 

Congrats on five year! I hope you have many more years of motoring! I had my mini for 3 years before I totaled it a few weeks ago. I'm on wait for my new mini!

 

Congrats Agro! My pickup date was 10-29-2002, one week past yours! I remember clearly driving it home in the freezing rain and cursing the dealer for not giving me any map CD for the nav!

We'll celebrate the 5-year mark with a local get together - I've invited my friends at NEMINI.org to go out for burgers and beer that night! (Anyone here from NJ, PM me if you want to join in!)

I've got a few more miles than you - this morning on the way to work the odo read 111,111

Maybe we need a 5-year owners club badge???

 

Alice is my daily driver, but I only have a 3 mile commute. That's why the miles are so low. Probably 1/4 of my miles have been club or event drives. MITM, trips to LA, the Grand Canyon, MTTS, Utah, plus the AMVIV runs I've done all add up faster than these 3 miles to and from work.
There are at least 3 EB MINIs in the Sin City MINI Club, but I think only 1 is the original owner.
I'd proudly display a "5 years club" badge.

 

Congrats on the ownership. Good thread!