Hello everyone:
I have been pondering the idea of actually selling our amazing R53 for the past couple of months now.
Why?
I have lost the passion for driving the car. Mostly has to do with the idea of believing that I am part of this global problem by using a gas based engine to have “fun”.
Also we live in Manhattan and I don’t really need to drive. In fact, the car has been stored for the past 3 weeks and I actually enjoy not having to worry about getting the car scratched or simply that I am emitting really bad gases and prolonging this problem.

“Are you a patchouli or hippie dude or something?”(you might be wondering)
The answer to that is no. in fact I was about to buy a couple months ago a brand new 911 but that’s when my head starting spinning and decided to reconsider.

What would I drive?
I don’t think that the market offers something I would buy at the moment. Hybrids are not the solution as they actually use two engines, bio diesel is not an answer either as it will put a strain in crop production land as we will need tons of it.
The only one is hydro but its not there yet although Honda is close to launching something viable by middle of next year.
Anyways, guys please don’t take this the wrong way as I am not trying to tell anyone what to do but rather felt like sharing my thoughts at the moment in regards to owning a car in a city that I really have no necessary use for it. Thoughts anyone?
Thanks for your time and perhaps this could be a constructive discussion as I think this is the perfect place to start this thread.

 

I applaud your concern for declining condition of the planet and asking “what can I do to be a little more planet friendly?’ Giving up Motoring would be a tough decision… Fortunately, you live in a city with an efficient mass transit system (which some of us are not so fortunate to have access to). In all honestly, all the feedback and opinions you receive, still boils down to what is the right personal choice for you since you have to live with that decision. Good Luck!!!

 

Good luck to you.

Small correction, it is Mazda that is putting out a hydrogen-powered car next year, not Honda. It will be a hydrogen-fueled, rotary-engine powered, Mazda5.

 

Tough to figure why people in Manhattan would own any vehicle.

Aside from the glut of cars there already and lack of parking...don't you have to pay a mortgage payment to garage the thing anyway?

To me, there are few things better than a relaxing cruise though a scenic countryside in a MINI.

Windy roads are a must for me, so I can see where the gridlock of Manhattan would not be much of a draw.

Good luck with your dilemma.

 

Life is short. Live it. Enjoy it. We should all try to harm no one and nothing. Your MINI is probably one of the lesser problems of the planet. It is a great looking car and most likely very fun to drive. However, if you're going to feel guilty driving it the joy of it will be gone. You may as well find it a home that will truely enjoy it (I wish it could be my husband's).

 

Good luck to you. If I lived in NYC I most likely wouldn't own a car. It's almost a liability there. Get a nice fat tired bicycle & a big chain & padlock. Oh yes watch out for those taxi's.

 

I'm not giving up my Mini but I only use one square of TP per doo doo like Sheryl Crow does so I feel at peace with the world...but my wife won't wash my underwear anymore...

 

I have to say I share many of your concerns. I chose a Mini 07 over a Mini 06 so that the car would have better emissions and less gas consumption. I also considered a hybrid, but was not willing to drive a car that reached 60 in 10 seconds. The only hybrids out there there that don't sacrifice performance are prohibitively expensive. (Accord Hybrid and Lexus GH 4xx something)

Under the rubric of reduce, reuse, recycle, the best thing you can do is to drive your Mini into the ground and choose the best available car when you are next in the market.

The more people make choices like these, the more likely the market will eventually respond.

 

I think Ms Crow allows 2-3 per poo poo but only 1 per pee pee. Here in the South we are known to use corncobs so I don't understand why they call us red as that would actually make us quite green... eehhhh

 

Now you tell me...lol: I don't use any for pee pee so that means I can use 4 per poo poo then

 

I've had the same thought at times, like when I think I might like to go for a spin just for the heck of it. I usually end up staying put because motoring for the heck of it seems wasteful (and I cry a little on the inside when I fill up at the gas station--but then, my last car was a Sentra that got 30 mpg). I think about getting into autocrossing and I have the same doubts in my mind.

I definitely would not have even considered owning a car in Manhattan. Outer boroughs? Sure (and I did, for two years). New York has such extensive public transit that beats getting stuck in traffic any day (ok, maybe not when you're stuck on the 6 train in rush hour and even the trains are running slow), you have no worries about parking, damage, theft... Besides, if you really need a car to... I dunno, go to Costco or something, there's Zipcar or Flexcar or whatever those places are named that let you rent cars hourly.

If you're really concerned about your impact on the environment, I think there are some websites out there that let you get a feel for your environmental footprint. My suspicion is that, depending on your driving habits, your MINI's contribution is small compared to the other things we humans do--trash generation, use of nonrenewable materials, etc.

But I certainly wouldn't blame you for feeling the way you do.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys this is a great set of responses.
First off the reason we own a car is that after girlfriend at the time (now my wife and design studio partner ) left to LA to attend Art Center in order to learn about CNC milling and rapid prototyping as we mostly rely on this technology for our projects. Once in LA we realized that the bus was not going to get us anywhere so we decided to buy our Mini right off the lot. Ok, so once we were done in Art Center and moved back to NYC we kept the car and shipped it back to the city because we loved it so much.
Anyways, Sid I thought you would have offered a Colani type of answer and suggest and uberly blobed out design to solve the mini problem .
One idea we are considering is that rather than selling the car going ahead and doing this conversion http://www.popularmechanics.com/blog...s/4215495.html
and to complete the circle just plug the car at our studio since we get the power from a wind mill options that is offered in NYC.

We have in our studio CNC machines and STL equipment so we already have 3 phase power which I think its needed for this move right?

 

I don't get the hydro powered idea ... I live in the desert and we have water rations all the time now you want to run a car on it too? Somebody explain it to me????
The way I see it if you use water to run your car what are we to drink in100 yrs? Maybe the planet will be even hotter with less water?? I donno, but I don't understand it completely.
B

 

If it makes you feel better, gasoline powered private transportation vehicles are but a drop in the ocean that is human pollution, so don't fret about using fossil fuels to have fun.

But the whole owning a car in Manhattan business I can understand...it is one of the few cities in which you can get practically anywhere by public transportation not only cheaper but faster than you can by car and if I would not have to leave San Francisco for school and work, I would not need a car either. So if vehicle ownership is inconveniencing you and you will not terribly miss the fun of your Mini, by all means, let it go. If, however, you think that your driving a gasoline-powered vehicle is harming this little blue-green ball that we call home...

 

Sounds to me like you need a zipcar
http://www.zipcar.com/

We saw several in D.C. and I talked with this one lady who was using one and she said it was wonderful.

*edit* Another car sharing program is: http://www.flexcar.com/
I've heard good things about them, they are located in more places around the nation too.

 

i have to say that i had the same conflict before buying my MINI this past Nov. i had promised myself that the next car I had would be a hybrid (maybe not the complete answer, but a step forward, I believe).

but i was too wrapped up in the fun and style of the MINI not to buy it. I still feel guilty, especially when I go to AMVIV or the Dragon and there are 400+ other gasoline-powered MINIs there, sometimes with only 1 person in them.

so, I don't know the answer. I'm contemplating moving back to NYC (I lived there for 15 years) and want to bring the MINI with me, but know the woes of paying for garage space and getting cab doors scratches, etc. but it is nice to have a car to get out of the city occasionally or to make a run up to Fairway off the Henry Hudson.

you should consider Zipcar (as mentioned above)... I used it when I lived in NYC and loved it. there are cars all over the city in garages (and there are several MINIs that I rented) and it is easy to use... reserve online and use your pass card to open the vehicle... keys are inside, gas and insurance are included in the rental. it really is a very hassle-free way to have a car in the city. I would hate to give up my MINI, but if I move back, i might consider it, seeing as how most of the time I was on the subway or bus or in a cab.

(p.s. - if you join Zipcar, look for a break on the annual fee through your school or business. I got a low annual membership rate because I was attending school at the time).

i also applaud your concern, though... if you can afford to keep it, you could always rest in the knowledge that you don't drive/use as much gas as much as people who live in rural or suburban areas.

 

I enjoy my MINI S, but am looking forward to the day that Hydrogen powered performance autos and motorcycles are available.

 

Heck, my bank keeps asking me to go paperless but I'm really not a peace with idea yet...

 

I think he was referring to hydrogen, as in a car uses a hydrogen fuel cell for power.

 

MINI, 911, public transportation...

No matter how you get around, its going to take energy from somewhere.

 

The Honda system generates Hydrogen by burning natural gas in a "Home Energy Station" rather than by electrolysis of water. The conversion process is not perfectly efficient so actually more fossil fuel will be burned to run a fuel-cell vehicle than a gasoline powered one. But Honda points out it can generate electricity that may be sold back to the local electric utility.

Actually the electric MINI conversion sounds great, especially considering the wind power options. Otherwise in NY an electric powered vehicle would actually run on coal (15%), natural gas turbine (23%) and nuclear (29%) power.

 

On Yahoo cars 2007 Mini comes in 2nd on gas powered green list Yaris is first.

 

I was in Africa in February and the big cities were all full of poorly running smoke emitting diesel cars and vans that were sent over from Japan after being traded in for "newer cleaner" vehicles. I was told that in Japan this is required. The thought came to me that these vehicles would be better off in the hands of someone who would keep it well tuned and performing clean and efficient (as possible).

You could let your car go, or use it wisely and keep it running well.

Have your cake.......and eat it too.

 

Hydro power uses up a minimal amount of water. Other than a small percentage of heat and particalization evaporation, hydro power does not consume the water; it merely passes through the tubines.

 

I LOVE to drive. I used to spend a great deal of time in the East and West Village, where former girlfriends lived. I always said Manhattan is the only place I have been where I wouldn't want to own a car if I lived there. Zipcar has MINIs for when you need a car. I can certainly understand your position.