I've driven a lot of cars since July. I had been driving a 2008 Mazdaspeed3 for four years prior, but I was looking for something else a little better on gas during my stop and go commute, but was still fun to drive when I wanted to push it.

I first tried a 2012 Hyundai Veloster. Though stylish, it was not that practical, and handled terribly. I traded for a 2009 Audi A4 which had more speed and plenty of luxury features, but felt numbly connected to the road. I figured out I would rather feel the drive and feel connected with the car.

Then I found Mini. I wish I found it first, as I would have saved a lot more of my initial equity from my mazda! I love driving it. I took it out today on a mix of twisty country roads (some gravel - wooo sideways!) and it just does it well.

Ive also always been big on car customization, and as we all know no two minis are the same! Here is how the car looked when I first got it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7886823328/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7886823328/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

I decided I wanted to continue the black and white theme, so let the black out begin! One more starter photo for reference:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7957978542/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7957978542/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

Step 1 JCW grill:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7957998206/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7957998206/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

One black eye:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7957988742/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7957988742/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

The headlight film slightly darkens the halogens, but not too much. The one on the right here is tinted and the one on the left is not:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7957998206/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7957998206/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

Did the headlights and fogs. Unfortunately, I couldnt get the film to conform to the dome fog lamps well, so they didnt last. It did very well on the headlamps:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958013524/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958013524/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

Detail shot:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958020644/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958020644/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

I also added the all weather floor mats. Easier to clean, less worry about how dirty my shoes are:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958028804/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958028804/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

Since my iPhone is my GPS and music platform, I got the Cravenspeed scissor mount. Easy to install, works great:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958037084/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958037084/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958044326/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958044326/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

I have to drive down an occasional dirt road, so I added mudflaps front and rear. I also know a few twisty dirt roads where its fun to get the car sideways. A future goal is to add the rally lights, so it all works:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958054504/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958054504/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

Next I blacked out the belt line:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958071682/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958071682/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

Finally, I ordered some 3M Scotchprint 1080 gloss black vinyl and tried my hand at applying it. Its time consuming, and I have several places where you can tell a pro didnt do it. However, it turned out pretty well from 5 feet away. I did the headlight trim, the grill trim, door handle cups, and door handles. Here is a bunch of shots after getting all fresh and clean:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958079264/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958079264/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958087482/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958087482/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958093208/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958093208/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958100238/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958100238/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958107320/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958107320/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958114104/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958114104/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958120900/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958120900/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958127870/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958127870/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958134724/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958134724/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958141458/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958141458/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958148834/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/7958148834/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

Whew! Lots of pics. I have generally not been a decal kind of person with my car, but I have thought about adding a james bond graphic similar to the one in the right in this photo. I dont know, I second guess myself. For what its worth, I do keep a gun in the car...


At any rate, thanks for looking. I got all my loot at www.outmotoring.com

 

Looking Good, welcome to the MINI FAMILY.

 

Is that white or pepper white? The first few pics look bright white, kind of like a glossy version of my car. The last few pics look pepper white.

Either way, looks great!

 

Looks great! I'm about to stripe my pepper white clubman, but haven't figured out how to remove the rear wipers. How did you do that part?

 

Got my 09 Clubman in July. Just love it except I'm a little bummed that I've run outa things to do to it. I guess I'll just have to have fun driving

 

I really wish there were an easy option for those of us with 2011-up non-S Clubbies to switch our grilles out like that. Im itching to get rid of my chrome bars and have the black honeycomb...

 

The lower grill, fog light trim, fuel door, "A" pillars and 3rd door were all painted with plastidip paint. They're not perfect but for $30 in spray paint I can stand a little farther away and not notice the difference

 

Very nice!

 

Thanks!
The dealership told me pepper white. It's like a cream or eggshell color with flecks of black when you look very closely.

 

Actually, the stripes were there already so I am not sure. I did extend my stripes all the way own the front since taking these shots though.

 

I've thought about doing the a pillars. Still on the fence about it. I'm not a fan of the 3rd door being black as it throws off the symmetry.

I did all my stuff with the 3m scotch print vinyl, about $35 worth and I love how it's gloss black. I worked with plasti dip before, but for this project I wanted the gloss black to match my wheels, mirrors, and the roof. I suggest giving it a try, really not tough difficult just took a lot of time and patience.

 

Oh wow I just noticed the close up of the iphone mount. I have the bracket and gps mount from Outmotoring but held off on the phone mount because I'll be getting the iphone 5 as soon as it comes out and it's supposed to be a little bigger but it looks like it's adjustable for any size phone. Is that correct??

I'm just playing around with the plastidip till I come up with a combination that I really like then I'll get everything professionally painted in flat black.

 

The scissor mount is adjustable, and holds this with spring tension. It could hold something bigger than the iPhone 4, but not TOO much bigger.

 

extended my stripes all the way down. What do you think?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/8041770818/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/8041770818/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

 

I added a decal, which I usually don't do with my cars but the mini cries out for personalization. I also took off my headlight tint. I think I like it better without it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/8114423597/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/8114423597/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/8114424397/http://www.flickr.com/photos/jprime84/8114424397/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/jprime84/, on Flickr

 

Go Pack!

 

So you like the Mini much more than the MS3? I just sold my MS3 this past weekend and am planning on buying a Clubman. There just aren't many other cars I like, lol. I did love my MS3.

 

Asking as you don't expect it to pull in a straight line like the ms3, I think you will be pleased. I think it's a much more balanced car. It feels more planted than my ms3 did, and that car handled well.

 

And it's not the S?

 

It's not the S. part of why I got out of the ms3 was to lower my gas bill. This to me was ther perfect balance of cost, fuel economy, and a"driver's car"

Test drive and really throw it through some turns with sport mode on. You will see!

 

Haha. I'm looking at the Clubmans because of the gas bill too. I was getting 21-22mpg with my MS3.

 

I like the extended stripes down the front!