1. careful consideration on assembling the car's package is key. After several hundred combinations on miniusa... i have to say I am happy with my MCS color and features.

2. Autoclimate controls are okay but I think i would have been equally fine with the manual controls.

3. Noticed a burning smell from the engine. I believe its normal since it was the first real drive. The car had 11 miles on the odometer so it is to be expected.

4. The cloth seats are really comfortable. I am used to the soft supple cloth interior of the japanese cars and was having serious doubts when i felt how rough and course the space gray cloth felt. No more doubts here.

5. I like having two separate signal lights on the speedometer. On models i test drove (sans navigation) there was only one signal light with two arrows blinking when you either signalled left or right. The dealer said it was because due to my navigation package that the lights are now separated. cool huh..

6. I am noticing that I have better control of the engine revs and do fine driving at lower speeds. Maybe its a sign of age, or that ive become more of a disciplined driver. I am fortunate to have a 4 cylinder mitsu galant, v6 maxima, 4 cylinder integra, inline 6 bmw m3, v8 grand cherokee in long term ownership having to drive each differently.

7. Having navigation is really nice but i think i would have been equally fine with the chrono package. I dont like the speedometer in the center console and test drove enough mini's to know that about myself. I believe my sister feels the same way

8. I realized i bought the mini for more than the looks and cuteness factor. Its a well designed car that drives with a firm but nimble feel. There is enough room for what i need it for. It just irks me when people say, its just too small. I wonder if they really know themselves enough to justify saying that since i mostly drive solo or with wife and puppy... often toting just a small bag or box at best on my drives. Well. this would probably fit into the "most silliest things youve heard about your Mini" thread

9. The arm rest was ordered for $200 and came in anthracite. This i probably dont think i would order again. Just found myself driving without it just fine.

10. I initially thought of modding the car from the getgo however it now seems that i raelly dont have that urge anymore. I love the car as is and that's really how I love my women. Learning about them and getting to know them better is the joy of being involved. Changing them and customizing just doesnt seem all that interesting at the moment. Maybe in 6 months, things will change but for now, its all good.

now, some photos of my ride. thanks for taking the time to read my thoughts. Best of luck to all you owners out there, existing, new or potential.

 

Very pretty, Congrats!
I love the cloth interior, too. I'm really enjoying not scalding the backs of my thighs now that it's summer .
Happy motoring,
Annette

 

I agree with a lot of your comments. I went with the chrono package and have been happy with it. I would like to do some mods though. Maybe its just a bit of a mid life crisis. At least there is nothing illegal or immoral in modding a MINI.

 

Looks nice! Enjoy.. I'm of the older set on here and after a year.. I decided to do a couple of mods. I'm just sorry I waited a year.. The car now is the way it should have been from the factory... much better driveability and more driving fun

 

Glad you are enjoying your new MINI. I agree with the auto climate controls comments - I could take it or leave it. I have the chrono package on my '06 (my wife's '05 has the standard gauges) and I too prefer having the speedometer in front of me as well as two turn signals (and I like the look of the center gauges). I have leatherette in mine because space gray wasn't available for a couple of months and have been surprised that it doesn't get as hot or cold as I feared (that said, I still prefer the cloth). I enjoy the arm rest and miss it in my wife's MINI. Best wishes for continued grins with your MINI!

 

Congrats!

Everyone's perceptions and needs are different, but the only thing I could really do without is the climate control. Difficult to use, defroster only works on hi fan speed, etc. Give me the "old" heater/ac controls.

 

I aggree with a lot of your comments. The only thing I disagree with is the cloth seats.

I like leather becuase it cleans a lot easier. Thats about it.

Very nice lookin MINI. Its BEAUTIFUL!

BTW, I love the color of the BMW!

 

Acid, that was a very nice and thoughtful review ... even for ppl to read who have had their cars for a long time.

A few comments about your comments ...

• I never understood the point about autoclimate. Its not like a house where you set the thermostat. That, to me, is a true luxary not worth the money
• Nav? REAL Men don't need no stinkin directions
• Too Small? This has been discussed countless time but there are just some things that are not going to fit in there. Try hauling 20 bags of mulch or dirt, Besides going way over the Gross weight limit it NO dirt is going in the MINI. Try hauling 8 x 6" x 5/4" planks. Not going to happen. There is a time and a place for everything. Do it all the time. That all depends upon personal situations and every weekend i seem to spend my life at Home Depot.
• Puppy in the MINI? Not in this lifetime. My wife and I have had this dicussion and she simply has decide that no matter how much she loves her Chows, there is no way on the face of this earth their paws are touching that leather.

I initially thought of modding the car from the getgo however it now seems that i raelly dont have that urge anymore. I love the car as is and that's really how I love my women.

Now THAT is very insightful. As to the car, I'm with you right now. Its time has come and gone. Time to move on.

As to women, too funny. I have no idea how old you are you significant other may be but trust me, at a certain you, you ain't going to have any say in that!!!!

 

Very nice..
Line breaks please.

 

Got that same smell too. Smelled like burnt rubber for the first 100 miles.

I've got the cloth and my first mod was to order the Wet Okole covers. Just to keep them clean and because we have a Cabriolet and I thought that perchance a rain storm might be bad for the cloth.

We got the automatic so it does take a bit of getting use to getting the car to start rolling. I think I have it down now - still kind of lurchy though.

I didn't get the chrono or nav so is that why I have a digital speed indicator just below my tach? I still use the center speedometer though it is not as easy to tell if you are doing 52 or 58 mph.

It is a good place to slip the iPod though to get it out of the sun.

That's just beautiful man, I guess I would have to second that.

Chuck

 

"10. I initially thought of modding the car from the getgo however it now seems that i raelly dont have that urge anymore. I love the car as is and that's really how I love my women. Learning about them and getting to know them better is the joy of being involved. Changing them and customizing just doesnt seem all that interesting at the moment. Maybe in 6 months, things will change but for now, its all good."

Thats why I waited a year... In hindsight.. I would have done it day one.. Not because it made the car "wild".. it made it better in almost every way..
Kind of like letting her hair down... or putting on that red dress... A subtle difference... but makes a world of difference..

 

The MINIs have cosmolene on them to protect them from the salt air during their cruise across "the pond." It may be that you are smelling a little residue from that burning in the engine compartment that wasn't completely removed when your MINI was prepped for delivery.

I've had both manual and auto a/c and the auto a/c offers many more options for cooling and heating. I like 'em both, but do prefer my auto a/c.

Your MINI is beautiful! Happy motoring in it!

 

Aww come on now Art, all you guys need is the boot liner. It works wonders. I can feel comfortable carrying literally ANYTHING in the back of my MINI now.

 

Nice ride my friend.

Now I see you are a true believer!

Enjoy!

 

Hey ... funny thing. We just came back from seeing "cars" and Home Depot is right next to the Movies so we pulled around and bought some 8' decking planks and once again I thought ... LOL, no way I could do such an impromtpu buy using the MINI.

Seriously, though. When I changed exhausts and MOS put the old exhaust in the boot, it shifted in the back and smudged the black plastic against the seat backs. Very thankful it didn't tear the leather or I would have been dead

In any case, until Agranger or Brad turned me on to Back to Black, I was in the DOG HOUSE until those seatbacks were looking new again.

Lesson learned. Nothing dirty or scratching going in HER BOOT! About the liner, does it block off hitting the back of the front seats?

 

It protects the entire boot (with seats folded down), all the way up to the bottom of the windows... including the backs of the seats and the rear hatch itself.

See... all you need is the right accessory and your MINI can replace -some- of the functions for which you thought only your SUV would do.

I'll be happy to demonstrate it at the next meet. It was in the 2004 MINI accessory catalog, but they removed it for some reason in the 2005 & 2006 catalogs... however I think it's still available for order. VERY worthwhile purchase.

 

That smell comes from the tires spinning really really fast

 

The car is a beauty. But I think it needs some light grey stripes. (It will go faster, I promise. )

 

ill consider the stripes later this summer.

The car has been with me for 5 days.

In the last 5 days, i have driven the car to work and parked in the city parking garage twice. They have gladly given me a spot up front where the nice Mercs and porsches go.

I spent most of our first saturday together tearing the interior apart (installing the factory alarm, Aux Input and Ipod Adapter) and also wrapping her up in 3m Plastic while having the rest of the undercarriage and suspension bolts water proofed with this wax sealant that BMW does.

BMW actually does a better job at water proofing the undercarriage whereas my MINI just had the coating on the sheetmetal and chassis rails. minimally sufficient would be appropriate.

sunday was spent hand washing and applying Klasse AIO cleaner and gloss sealant.

Two silly mods Ive done is to add the Union Jack mirror cover, and MINI tire valve caps.

One last mod that i am up in the air about is the rubberized sticker that runs along the rear bumper to protect it from scratches while loading/unloading things to the trunk. Its all factory parts from ClassicMINI however the shape of the protector is a bit wide and does not fit very well on the rear bumper. will need some trimming back.

All in all, a fantastic first weekend. My wife and I had wanted to take a laid back day trip up north to Mystic CT however, with the random flooding and rains this past week, It was probably better to stay local and break inthe car some more. We may still head north to Cape Cod in the next few weeks. Looking forward to the leisurely drive up.

Man, i really should start a Blog ... hmmmmmm...

 

btw, i have driven past 5 minis on the road... 4 waved. Isnt that great

 

Congratulations on your new MINI!

I knew you'll L-O-V-E the car.

 

Umm is that an M3? I demand more pics please!

Oh, nice MINI BTW!
-Cody

 

Very nice, love your choice of the color ...... I told my wife the same thing about not doing any mod to the mini. But 2 months later:

15% pulley
Lower w/ Springs
Rims and tires
CF hood scoop
Racing plugs and wires
HDi box with UNI fillter
Intercooler Cover
Front upper Strut bar
Ipod aux

I think that all I did ......... looking to get Brembos for the front soon.

 

 

its the only photo I have handy.

runs like a dream.