new (to me) mini...
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2nd Gear
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 83
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From: Westerville OH
new (to me) mini...
So I was at the local Subaru dealership looking at cars w/ my daughter. Her 97 Subaru Outback sport had some major issues at 227k and we decided to get her a new car. But I digress- we had driven my 02 Golf Tdi over, and the salesguy acted like he had the hots for it.
"Dude, that's a hot car right now. I especially love the 45 mpg."
"Really? Well I love it."
He proceeds to tell me how much I could get for it and all that stuff. So I'm like, "I like the car... really."
We continue to talk and finally tells me that I can get alot of money for the car. So I say, "If I sell you the car, what am I gonna do? Walk?"
"Look around. You're at a car lot."
I look around, and see what looks like a mini...
"Is that a mini Cooper over there?"
"Sure is - 2003."
"Well... I would only be interested in an 'S' Model."
"That one is an 'S'".
"I don't want an automatic"
"That's the six-speed Getrag."
"Sunroof?" I weaken.
"Yup, and the H-K stereo."
I turn around and look at him. My shoulders slump.
"I'll get the keys", he says, and leaves.
My daughter is like "What the f*** are you doing? Mom's gonna hurt you."
"Now, now sweetheart. A little test drive never hurt anyone, did it? Here. Hold my cell phone if your mom calls. Cover for me."
Salesguy pulls the car up and goes in to get the dealer plate. I slide in to the leather seat... "16,500 miles?!?" I say to myself. Jeez. That means that whoever owned it only drove it about 5k per year.
Salesguy gets in the car and I begin to drive off the lot. I look at him:
"Dude, you should really put your seatbelt on. I love to drive - and I'm going to thrash this little car."
He looks at me.
The seatbelt goes on.
20 minutes and multiple s-curves, 2 anti-lock brake checks, 2 interstate ramps later, we pull back in.
(This is getting too long... ) Suffice it to say, I fell in love, and now I have a chili red 2003 MCS, named "Tatum", which means "brings joy". I look forward to many happy miles and words with folks on here. I have lots of questions, and will post a pic as soon as I can. I still haven't gotten used to the crappy mileage (only 27 around town compared to my 43 city mpg w/ the diesel), but man-oh-man, the fun quotient has increased enough to balance that out!
Obviously, I'm a newbie, I love the site so far. Anybody on here go to the mini Mornings at the Bob Evans in New Albany,OH? I plan on going to the next one in April.
Motor on, folks
"Dude, that's a hot car right now. I especially love the 45 mpg."
"Really? Well I love it."
He proceeds to tell me how much I could get for it and all that stuff. So I'm like, "I like the car... really."
We continue to talk and finally tells me that I can get alot of money for the car. So I say, "If I sell you the car, what am I gonna do? Walk?"
"Look around. You're at a car lot."
I look around, and see what looks like a mini...
"Is that a mini Cooper over there?"
"Sure is - 2003."
"Well... I would only be interested in an 'S' Model."
"That one is an 'S'".
"I don't want an automatic"
"That's the six-speed Getrag."
"Sunroof?" I weaken.
"Yup, and the H-K stereo."
I turn around and look at him. My shoulders slump.
"I'll get the keys", he says, and leaves.
My daughter is like "What the f*** are you doing? Mom's gonna hurt you."
"Now, now sweetheart. A little test drive never hurt anyone, did it? Here. Hold my cell phone if your mom calls. Cover for me."
Salesguy pulls the car up and goes in to get the dealer plate. I slide in to the leather seat... "16,500 miles?!?" I say to myself. Jeez. That means that whoever owned it only drove it about 5k per year.
Salesguy gets in the car and I begin to drive off the lot. I look at him:
"Dude, you should really put your seatbelt on. I love to drive - and I'm going to thrash this little car."
He looks at me.
The seatbelt goes on.20 minutes and multiple s-curves, 2 anti-lock brake checks, 2 interstate ramps later, we pull back in.
(This is getting too long... ) Suffice it to say, I fell in love, and now I have a chili red 2003 MCS, named "Tatum", which means "brings joy". I look forward to many happy miles and words with folks on here. I have lots of questions, and will post a pic as soon as I can. I still haven't gotten used to the crappy mileage (only 27 around town compared to my 43 city mpg w/ the diesel), but man-oh-man, the fun quotient has increased enough to balance that out!
Obviously, I'm a newbie, I love the site so far. Anybody on here go to the mini Mornings at the Bob Evans in New Albany,OH? I plan on going to the next one in April.
Motor on, folks
Welcome to NAM.
Sand Dollar Collector
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,249
Likes: 2
From: Moved from Leesburg, VA to Oceanside, CA Nov. 2003
LOL!! Great story - Congrats!!
Soooo...what are you going to get your daughter????? Now that you have YOUR new toy, sounds like SHE needs something too...
Donna
Soooo...what are you going to get your daughter????? Now that you have YOUR new toy, sounds like SHE needs something too...Donna
5th Gear
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 603
Likes: 1
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2nd Gear
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 83
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From: Westerville OH
All -
Since so many of you are interested:
- Daughter ended up with a 2000 Legacy Outback. It will be a good car for her.
- Yes. In retrospect, probably should have sold her the Tdi. But the conversation regarding the mini took place as she was inking the deal. Plus, the guys towed in her 97 - sight unseen. It ended up being just really easy.
- The wife: it went smoother than I had thought - here's the skinny - Salesguy convinced me into leaving the Tdi overnight so his guys could detail it (to get a good dollar-figure from his appraiser). I pull into the driveway in the mini. Since wife was looking out the front door (excited to see her daughter's new car) I couldn't get into the garage undetected. Before I even put one foot on the driveway there she is:
- hands on hips,
- foot tapping,
- and she's giving me "the look" (c'mon guys, don't pretend you don't know what that is.)
"Hi honey", I say.
"THAT is not Liesl" (I know, "Liesl the diesel" - the Tdi - we liked it).
I turn and look at the car, then whirl around in mock horror "OMIGOD! What happened? I must have taken this one by mistake." I then smile and kiss her on the nose. This action, in my family, is a way to quell anger. "Honey, let's look at Erin's car right now. She's really excited about it. We'll talk about the mini over dinner. C'mon. I'm buying and Erin's driving."
"Hmmph."
Dinner costs me, but it's not too bad. At home, sweetie and I discuss the mini. We get up from the table and go look in the garage.
"We can finish this discussion tomorrow", she says, and turns to to leave the garage. She then turns back around and looks at the mini and says, "it is pretty cute." AHA! I know I have her now.
Next morning I ask her if our neighbor can bring her home from work (he has a different start time, but the same quit time as sweetie). She says probably. So I say, "C'mon. I'll drive you to work." This is one of the best things for her. She really doesn't enjoy driving... and she detests commuting. So we get in the car and head out for the 25 mile jaunt. She sits in the seats and turns on the heater (we both love that). She starts playing with the controls, the buttons. We go over the deal again and she says, " Look. It's your payment. Do what you want. This car is so much cuter than Liesl ever had a prayer of being. Plus, you look good in this car. I can tell you really love it."
So that's it. I stopped by the dealership that afternoon and did the deal. No sleeping on the couch. No "hurting" (more than the usual). It took me a few days to settle on a name. I really liked "Guendolyn", meaning "the wanderer". But it just seemed like such a long name for such a little car. "Aidan" - meaning "fiery one", also was in the running (but we have a newborn nephew of the same name. "Tatum" just fit. I picked up some rubber floor mats from MAG (local dealer) - they seemed pretty nice. They also confirmed that it had its first service done there. I ordered some things from outmotoring.com - an aux audio input and cabin storage stuff. I have to admit - cabin storage in the mini is sadly lacking. Eventually I'd like to do some performance mods - intake, pulley. I think I can just squeak by this winter, but I'll probably buy some steel wheels and dedicated snows this fall. Thanks for all the encouragement. I look forward to the posts here and motoring out there. I do have a road trip to NC planned next month (kids in college). WVA Turnpike was fun in Liesl - can't wait for the trip in Tatum!
motor on!
Since so many of you are interested:
- Daughter ended up with a 2000 Legacy Outback. It will be a good car for her.
- Yes. In retrospect, probably should have sold her the Tdi. But the conversation regarding the mini took place as she was inking the deal. Plus, the guys towed in her 97 - sight unseen. It ended up being just really easy.
- The wife: it went smoother than I had thought - here's the skinny - Salesguy convinced me into leaving the Tdi overnight so his guys could detail it (to get a good dollar-figure from his appraiser). I pull into the driveway in the mini. Since wife was looking out the front door (excited to see her daughter's new car) I couldn't get into the garage undetected. Before I even put one foot on the driveway there she is:
- hands on hips,
- foot tapping,
- and she's giving me "the look" (c'mon guys, don't pretend you don't know what that is.)
"Hi honey", I say.
"THAT is not Liesl" (I know, "Liesl the diesel" - the Tdi - we liked it).
I turn and look at the car, then whirl around in mock horror "OMIGOD! What happened? I must have taken this one by mistake." I then smile and kiss her on the nose. This action, in my family, is a way to quell anger. "Honey, let's look at Erin's car right now. She's really excited about it. We'll talk about the mini over dinner. C'mon. I'm buying and Erin's driving."
"Hmmph."
Dinner costs me, but it's not too bad. At home, sweetie and I discuss the mini. We get up from the table and go look in the garage.
"We can finish this discussion tomorrow", she says, and turns to to leave the garage. She then turns back around and looks at the mini and says, "it is pretty cute." AHA! I know I have her now.
Next morning I ask her if our neighbor can bring her home from work (he has a different start time, but the same quit time as sweetie). She says probably. So I say, "C'mon. I'll drive you to work." This is one of the best things for her. She really doesn't enjoy driving... and she detests commuting. So we get in the car and head out for the 25 mile jaunt. She sits in the seats and turns on the heater (we both love that). She starts playing with the controls, the buttons. We go over the deal again and she says, " Look. It's your payment. Do what you want. This car is so much cuter than Liesl ever had a prayer of being. Plus, you look good in this car. I can tell you really love it."
So that's it. I stopped by the dealership that afternoon and did the deal. No sleeping on the couch. No "hurting" (more than the usual). It took me a few days to settle on a name. I really liked "Guendolyn", meaning "the wanderer". But it just seemed like such a long name for such a little car. "Aidan" - meaning "fiery one", also was in the running (but we have a newborn nephew of the same name. "Tatum" just fit. I picked up some rubber floor mats from MAG (local dealer) - they seemed pretty nice. They also confirmed that it had its first service done there. I ordered some things from outmotoring.com - an aux audio input and cabin storage stuff. I have to admit - cabin storage in the mini is sadly lacking. Eventually I'd like to do some performance mods - intake, pulley. I think I can just squeak by this winter, but I'll probably buy some steel wheels and dedicated snows this fall. Thanks for all the encouragement. I look forward to the posts here and motoring out there. I do have a road trip to NC planned next month (kids in college). WVA Turnpike was fun in Liesl - can't wait for the trip in Tatum!
motor on!
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