Well, I'm now in a quandary. I've enjoyed my '04 Cooper S for about 15 months or so and I'm questioning how much longer I can hold onto it. It's an amazing machine, but with a 60 mile per day commute, numerous long trips of 200+ miles, two dogs and a baby on the way I'm not sure if it's going to work for me anymore, even though the wife has an SUV. Man, it's killing me to even write this...

Why can't MINI make a sedan or wagon? Dammit!

Thanks for listening.

- Autopasse
'04 Cooper S
Chili Red/Black Roof/Black Stripes
Premium Package, Cold Weather Package, Leather (Sheesh! Hurts to write that too! I custom ordered this thing)

 

Sadly (or happily, depending on the point of view) it sounds like your little family has gotten to the point where the MINI is no longer practical as a second car. Your options are rather limited. Buy a 3rd car or buy a replacement for the MINI. Boy, I'm glad it's not a decision I have to make! Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

I'm confused - you have one vehicle that can hold everyone and the dogs and one car ideal for your commute, sounds perfect to me!

If you need more then that for a trip you can always rent it :smile:

 

If your wife has a SUV--use that when you need more room. I was in a similiar situation to yours--an M3 coupe, Z3, three motorcycles and a MINI. I had no room for hauling. Although I must say that I was always impressed with everything I was able to bring home in the MINI. But, I needed something with a bit more room to stretch out in and do some serious hauling so I traded my MINI in on a 06 Honda P/U.

I miss the MINI especially when I am around the group and when I go to the gas station and a fill-up with cheap gas costs over $40. If your doing a 60 mile commute, you may want to seriously consider what you buy as a replacement because the MINI had some great gas mileage and I can assure you that you will miss it

Cheers,
Debi

 

Yeah, I'm with the other guys. I don't see the problem. Sounds like you already got the perfect vehicles for the needs you described, unless, of course, there's something else you're not telling us?

Eric

 

Dan

Congratulations to you and your wife on the news of a baby on its way.

My situation is much like yours in several ways. I have 2 children age 12 and 7 and I have a small dog. My wife drives a Nissan Armada, which is the car we use when hauling everyone. I can get the wife and kids in the MINI for short trips.

I am also changing my work schedule to include 1 trip per week to Columbia, SC and 2 trips per week to Greenville, SC. I considered another car, but the MINI is fun to drive and gets good gas mileage. I think the MINI is the best car for me and I hope your MINI works out for you also.

Are you still working for Mr. A.? I am sure he is happy this week.

The struggle to keep or not to keep the MINI might make a good magazine article.

Good luck
George

 

In my humble personal opinion...KEEP THE MINI!!!!!!!!

 

I hate to echo what everyone else has said, but I'm going to.. The SUV is perfect for hauling "the family" and critters, and the MINI is perfect for commuting when only you are in the car. Why spend at least twice as much on fuel to drive something "big" as a commuter vehicle? I have a Chevy Pickup I use as a "hauler" when I need it...

 

I'll echo everyone else too..... Keep the MINI. If you already have a suv, then you have more than enough room. When the whole family is going on long trips take the suv, short ones take the mini. I didn't have the mini when my kids were really little, so I could see some dificulties dealing w/ strollers, car seats, diaper bags etc. But you can work around them, and in the long run they will love the mini. Mine is a daily driver w/ a 140 mile round trip commute. Its also the weekend, and trip car. If we have the choice we take the mini. My kids are currently 11 and 8 and love it. We have all learned to pack alittle less, and shop even less when we travel. We've done AMVIV twice (3-4 days each), and at least 4 other three day trips, w/ another planned this weekend. We have other vehicles with more room (04 Tacoma 4 door, and F350 4x4 crew cab dually) but everyone has much more fun in the MINI.

If you can figure out the first couple of years jugling the kid and the MINI, do it. You wont regret it.

Oh, congrats by the way.....

Nik,

Oh 205 lb Great Danes fit just fine in the MINI.

 

What a great and overwhelming response. I knew that by writing I'd get cured by other MINIacs. My wife claims that I'm just getting a little stir-crazy with the car, as I've not really owned a single car for more than a 1.5 year period. I think it's a combination of that and the general freak-out with your first kid. Seems that a lot of you folks out there have been in the same boat and I forget that when my parents had me, my father had a '68 Bug!

I guess the good part about this is that my wife has now given the go-ahead for some mods to the car, which is bone stock. A set of 17s without run-flats to replace the 16s with run flats, a window tint and perhaps some other mods would work, that is, after Hendrick MINI finally fixes the HK system and checks out the weird sound coming from the clutch (no, I'm not that bad of a driver and the thing has never been raced).

Besides that, thank you for all of the well wishes on my new family. My little girl, scheduled to make her appearance on November 29, will love Daddy's car. Thankfully she'll be arriving after racing season, as I work for Nextel for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. The MINI was a big hit in Darlington this year, and how can I refuse those reactions?

See you all soon I hope!

Dan (autopasse)
'04 MCS, Chili Red/Black Roof/Black Stripes
Premium, Cold Weather, Black Leather Interior, HK, etc.

 

Dan,
4 dogs, 2 kids (2 1/2 and 7 months), a behemoth (Ford Expi) and the Mini.

I thought to myself.... get rid of the Mini, return to the BMW 3. Over and Over and Over and Over, etc. Then I started to travel a lot and I found I grew fond of the little guy. I still think of that new 2006 330 blastin down the road, but then I think, man can I really get rid of the car that was one of my son's first words - "mini" (Well that and the words Dada and Beer - )

Anyway, I am in the same position and trying to make it work to.

Oh yeah, and reality - I could have my Mini and another new car for the price of the 330 I am looking at....

CONGRATS - It's a whole new world brother.

 

Sounds like we're in the same boat. Wife with an SUV, dogs, baby due in December. I haven't had my car quite as long, but historically, I don't keep cars longer than 1-1.5 years. It'll be interesting to see what I'm thinking after the first of the year.