R50/53 Daily driver or toy?
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,506
Likes: 1
From: Covington, Louisiana
Daily driver or toy?
I am curious how many NAM members drive their MINI every day, or at least as primary transportation, and how many use it as a special car (whether it be hobby, show car, race car, or just funmobile) and drive something else as primary transportation. 
This info is not very apparent from the posts. It will be interesting, I think, to see if & how this relates to the extent the car is modded.
This info is not very apparent from the posts. It will be interesting, I think, to see if & how this relates to the extent the car is modded.
3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 224
Likes: 0
From: Westlake, Ohio
I drive mine every day- a little over 50K miles on my '04 JCW. The car was bone stock (aside from a parcel shelf and shift ****) until it started hitting no warranty land. Since then, I've been stocking up on mods to install- just don't have the time to put 'em all on.
6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 38,578
Likes: 2
Daily driver here. I coulda got a Honda or a Toyota, but for the same basic price got far more than I ever could have imagined!! My little Cooper, whether driven mild or wild, is a daily blast that never fails to make me smile and give me a thrill. 
5th Gear
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 950
Likes: 0
From: Sweden
I've driven mine 25k miles in 2 years, I drove it the last two winters but this is the first I will drive another car. I also got a beater for driving to work since my rims got stolen at my work parking lot so I'm not parking my car there again. 
4th Gear
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
From: Maine
If you figure...
the car as a toy based on driving every day then it's a toy. Although I drive it to go shopping, mtn. biking., to Florida and back, bottle returns, etc. Mostly it's driven with a great deal of enthusiasm on weekends.
4th Gear
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 397
Likes: 0
From: nnj
define toy!
It's the the toy I drive every day. "We're out of milk? No problem. be back in an hour!" :D
It's the the toy I drive every day. "We're out of milk? No problem. be back in an hour!" :D
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2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: Savannah, GA
Ummmmm... both? 
Mine must have been a weekend car in his other life. He's an '03, and I bought him in April with only 24k miles.
I drive him everyday, but driving him around all the time is so much fun that it's safe to say he's my toy too.
Mine must have been a weekend car in his other life. He's an '03, and I bought him in April with only 24k miles.
I drive him everyday, but driving him around all the time is so much fun that it's safe to say he's my toy too.
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,021
Likes: 5
From: Burlington, VT
I'm in the daily toy category, also. 
It's my only car, but on top of year round daily driving, mine also does car shows (it's been in the British car show, and the sports car club's show in the local mall), autocrossing, and track days.
It's my only car, but on top of year round daily driving, mine also does car shows (it's been in the British car show, and the sports car club's show in the local mall), autocrossing, and track days.
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,589
Likes: 2
From: Oregon, USA
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,293
Likes: 2
From: Cincinnati, Ohio
It's the toy I just can't put away. Originally bought as a second car to my GTI VR6, however after the first winter, I sold the GTI and the MCS has been my daily driver ever since. I just can't stop driving it. My other cars (two classic MGs) have suffered as I just keep driving the MINI in all four seasons.
If it were any more fun, it would be illegal.
If it were any more fun, it would be illegal.
3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
From: Valenica, CA
Daily driven toy of course. I alternate weeks with the wife so that she doesn't put too much mileage on it and I get to have some fun driving the kids to school in the morning. I drive 12 miles a day, she does 120 per day. This is why we already have 5000 miles on the MINI and we picked it up August. Of course we also have 18000 miles on the Accord we picked up on January 1st so we just seem to drive.
I alternate weeks with the wife so that she doesn't put too much mileage on it and I get to have some fun driving the kids to school in the morning. I drive 12 miles a day, she does 120 per day. This is why we already have 5000 miles on the MINI and we picked it up August. Of course we also have 18000 miles on the Accord we picked up on January 1st so we just seem to drive.
Both as well. Had a turbo miata before it, which became more & more of a car you could nto drive every day.
The MCS mixes most of that performance with the functional hatch in to a package I can have fun with every day. Could not be happier.
(my wife drives her's every day as well!)
The MCS mixes most of that performance with the functional hatch in to a package I can have fun with every day. Could not be happier.
(my wife drives her's every day as well!)
5th Gear
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 975
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Daily commuter, rally, funmobile, we have kids so we also have a Honda Odyssey, who ever doesn't have the kids or running one kids to soccer, hockey, dance, swimming or whatever gets the Mini, both kids love to ride in the Mini so sometimes we all cram in when I don't mind having my knees in my chin!:impatient
