Hello,

I am from Sydney and I have had my indi blue cooper for over 8 months. I will say that I absolutlely love it to death. I am not all that much of a car fan to be honest with you and I have never aspired to own cars until.....the mini came along.

My last car dies a horrible death last year and I needed to get a new one. What to get was the question. I have always liked small cars and a Toyota or a Mazda seemed a good option. But then as I was going through the car ads in the paper I saw an ad for the local Mini garage....

I remembered when BMW announced it was doing a new mini a few years ago and I liked the look of it. I remembered the past. I am 27 and my parents used to own Minis in the early 80s when I was a young boy. I really loved the red mini that my dad had when I was young.

I drove the Mazda and I drove the Toyota and the Subaru...then I went to the Mini Garage. I really was not to enthusiastic about it. Then I went to the Mini Garage. I had made up my mind. I just had to have a Mini. I loved the look of it, I loved the way it drove and it generally made me smile.

The dealer was very good and managed to track down just the car I wanted. Indi Blue, white roof. I had bonnet stripes fitted and I have never looked back. I can't beleive that I almost purchased a Toyota.

My old man loves the car. Pure fun. I have had so many comments from people around my dad's age in their 50's that had a classic Mini. They sold heaps of Mini classics in Australia. At one time it was one of the biggest sellers. It seems that so many people have owned one at some point.

So what got you hooked on the Mini? How many had parents that owned them?

 

I've always been into cars and when anything new comes around I like to check it out. When I test drove the MINI it immediately reminded me of my first BMW, a 1972 BMW 2002. I really loved that car, it was so much fun to drive I owned it for 5 years and never even put a radio in it because I loved the sound of the engine. It was the most fun car I ever owned until now. I have had my MINI for 9 months now and so far the experience has been equal, and maybe even better because of the smile factor, I don't remember having that with the Bimmer.

 

I'm very much into vehicles. All kinds of them. I've had my share of different ones. But I must say that the MINI is the most fun of them all. May not be the fastest of the cars I've owned, but the most fun to drive.
What got me hooked? I saw it intorduced in Europe, and kinda followed it along until word got out that it was coming across the pond. Kept an eye on it, and kept falling in love with it. After the test drive, I was sold. Placed my order right then and there. Been loving it almost to the point of insanity. Just can't get enough for the past 9 months.
Cheers, and happy motoring.

 

I have always been a car guy. I love both classic and modern cars. I never saw any new Mini spy photos or anything.

The first time I saw it was at the Mexico City Dec 2000 auto show and it was love at first sight. I thought it was one of the most appealing designs I had seen.

Out of that autoshow, two cars got stuck in my head: The Mini Cooper and the BMW Z8

I now have the "real" Mini Cooper, and in my "miniature" garage I have a 1/18 scale Z8, a 1/18 Mini (CR/W) a 1/24 Mini (CR/W) and a 1/36 Mini (CR/W) and I´m hoping to find an Aston Martin Vanquish pretty soon.

 

I saw the early photos of a BRG/White Cooper with the Emerald Green interior in Automobile magazine with the design review. I was pretty much hooked on it from that point out given how much the handling was raved about. The test drive was just confirmation.

 

went for a death ride in an old mini about 10 years ago in England and felt that i needed to get one, but never did
and when the new MINI's came out, i just had to have one
btw: still want to get an old mini with right side drive.....soon

 

I've been a British car nut since before I could drive. Even though the quality of some British iron left much to be desired (1970's British anythings, Pre-Ford Jags, etc.) I've had a soft spot in my heart for these cars. To date, I've owned four Brits, for a combined 31 years in my possession on them. I know I'm sick. The MINI is just an extension of my illness, albeit a more "Pop Culture" oriented extension than my others. I don't mind the extra attention afforded MINI drivers by the public. It is actually much more welcomed than some of the looks I've gotten in the past from folks seeing me driving another type of "furrin" car.

 

I never was a car guy, but I liked small cars. I was on my third CRX Si (by pure coinsidence) when I saw an article online in '99 or '00 about a Cooper and that it MAY be coming to US, and I said: "If it does come here, this is my next car." Everyone I talked to about it had no idea what I was talking about. So it did come here, and I sold my Rex and used the money for the downpayment on the MCS.

I had no idea of the following of this car, or about it's heritage. I just loved the design. Everything else came as a bonus. I love the car, I love the following. 13K mi. and still get excited when I see it in the morning.

 

For years I drove a 1976 Ford Maverick (mint condition) that I've got for sale now. But after all this time, well I slowly wanted more modern driving conveniences and comfort and safety. The Maverick doesn't have airbags, ABS, etc. So...

Last year I bought a 2002 Red Miata.

Of course that doesn't cover grocery shopping, "teeking" (antiques) shopping, or other things! So I had to look for a second car. Hmmm?

I'm only 4'11" and so bigger cars like Lexus and SUVs don't work for me. When I saw the Mini I thought, "It's me!" It's small but carries things, great gas mileage and has modern amenities too.

I also am strictly one who only buys automatics. So the CVT was a new appeal as well.

I got it in Red, to go with the Miata. They look cute in the garage like a Brother-Sister team. And I got matching vanity plates. Love 'em both and have no regrets.

Oh...and the price of the Mini fit my budget. You get a lot for your buck!

 

We've always loved British cars - even though we've owned several MGB's that had various electrical and other issues - that goes with the territory :smile: :smile:

We read an article a few years ago in a British car Magazine about the new MINI coming to the states and immediately started doing research.


Chow!


Donna

 

I knew I was going to get a new vehicle this fall (currently have a honda del sol w/ 265K miles - yes, that's 265). My short list was Mitsubishi Eclipse, Toyota Celica, and Hyundai Tiburon (in that order). I went and looked at the Celica and ruled it out. It was around that time that the MINI was added to my list. Weird thing is I can't remember how I learned of it!

I thought it was novel, but I was worried about the repair/parts costs for a British car, and the fact that the nearest dealer was 1 hour away. At this point I strongly suspected I'd end up with an Eclipse.

So I went and sat in a Tiburon. It sucked! I didn't even have to test-drive it to eliminate it from the list.

So the wife and I were leaving to go to the Mitsu dealership when she said "let's go see the MINI instead". Took a test-drive and gave them a deposit check on the spot.

I never did look at the Eclipse...

 

It's been over twenty years that I've been interested in a smart well handling, good looking, reliable, easy to work on, not too expensive, small sporty car. Seems like a tall order but I had checked out the new cars every year to see what fit the bill. Then marked it down for future reference but the time was not always right for a purchase and a small car was not the most practical for a family of five.
More recently I'd looked at the offerings from Acura- the integra and RSX, from Honda- the various civics and S2000, from Nissan- the Maxima, Altima, Sentra SER, the 350Z, from Lexus- the IS300 and GS 400, from Mazda- the 6 and the RX8, from BMW the M3, and Z3, etc.
Then in October of 2002 I visited the Mini dealership afterhours and checked out the cars on my own. Gorgeous design and very retro. But MCS models were in demand and hard to get. Long wait times were common. Minis ordered in Nov took as long as 5 months to arrive. I think I was "hooked".
Come January my old commuting car was showing signs of being 12 years old and before it actually died I sold it and found a nice indi blue/white MCS on the lot and snapped it up after a day of thought.
Now I just go Motorn

 

I like 'different' and I tend to buy a vehicle and keep it for a long period. The last two vehicles owned wasa '87 Porsche 924S in which I was rear-ended by a blue-hair in a Caddy when it was 7 years old. That one only had 42,000 miles on it and ran like a top. Great vehicle that cost less than $20k new.

Next up was a '95 Discovery purchased before the US went SUV crazy. I only got it because we were moving to Phoenix and I wanted something to go off-roading in. 112,000 smiles and 8-years later, that vehicle will be sold to a young man down in Tucson on Tuesday. It carried me across the Mojave Desert on at least 6 trips (Needles to Baker, 120-miles of off-roading), cross-country twice, up to 14,000 feet off-road in CO, down to Central America, below sea level in Death Valley and numerous trips exploring a lot of AZ. Not to mention a ton of travel here and there.

When I thought about what to replace the LR with, my first option was the Honda Element. I thought it was different but when I drove it, I couldn't stand the view from the front seat. Now I can't stand to look at one. I was very much aware of the Cooper and when my wife and I were talking about what to buy after the Honda decision, it was a quick one. I like the fact that there aren't a ton of them on the road and after driving a truck for many years, I want something to zip around in.

I know that there are a lot of anti-suv'ers here. That's fair. I hate that they're a status symbol and the new station wagon for soccer moms. Most people will never explore the capabilities of their SUV and when they do, they may find themselves being rescued by someone like me. BTDT a few times. But then, I temper those thoughts with the fact that as free people, we can chose the ride of our choice. So, live and let live.

 

Fore score and several years ago(when I was 14,I'm 46 now) I had a vison that I had to get past my dad which was to buy a car for cheap and fix it up so when I turned 16 I would have a car.Well the car we found sitting outside on a farm was a 1961 Morris Mini 850.I gave $10.00 for it and the seller hauled it 40 miles to my house and gave me a new battery.I did'nt even know what a Mini was then.It was just a car to fix up and drive.32 years and over 20 minis later I now have a new S and wife has a Cooper.It's kinda serious here,our sons name is Cooper Stephen Kimble.It tickled me to see his report card when it came printed Cooper S. Kimble.

 

You named your son Cooper?

That's it. You win.

 

To answer your question with one word:

BEAN

 

I think Cooper was a fairly common name back a long time ago.But yes his name is Cooper and alot of people love it( school teachers) because it is not common.Years ago I knew a man named Cooper Black from S.C.

 

I liked the unique look of the minis, and the interior was way neato!

 

I wasnt looking for a car, but I loved the looks, and the way it drives, so I ended up getting the 8th one in the state.

 

Driving a '93 Toyota pickup with 111K miles that I purchased new. A friend told me about the MINIUSA site and I loved the car. I probably wouldn't be getting a new car if it wasn't for the MINI. No other car available interests me too much. It might be a different story if my truck wasn't reliable, but it is. I'm planning on keeping the truck after the MINI gets here.

 

Along about 1978 a friend of mine invited me over on a Friday night to go 'crusin'. I'm pretty much a truck guy but my friend persuaded me to go in this Mini. I couldn't stop laughing at this diminutive automobile. As I got in I was impressed with how much room there was inside. Then we took off, smokin' the tires and jamming gears. I thought this little car is quick! Soon he was showing me how it handled and I was beginning to like it. We stop light raced about 5 or 6 other cars before we over reved the motor and the crank broke. It took me a year to talk this guy into selling me this car. My brother owns it now and it is restored to concours condition. I've owned a few since that time. The new MINI is just the natural evolution of what the original Mini would be. So I keep the drive alive in my two classic Minis and enjoy the comfort of the new MINI while still be impressed.

 

This site (minicooperonline.com) has been a big influence on my decision to get a MINI. I love the fact that people are enthusiastic about the car and the site is a great source of information. Thanks for a great site Mark!

 

Over Christmas holiday my parents and extended family commented how nice my 2001 Honda Accord v-6 2-door Coupe was and the conversation came around to the fact that even though it's wonderful, I can't keep it. Like an idiot I leased it for 36 months so I HAVE to trade it in. Then my nephew then informs me that Honda is changing the style of the Accord and it seems much larger. ARRG! I didn't want anything larger ... so I realized I was needing to choose another car and I had exactly 1 year to do it. Do I keep with Honda and go S2000 or what?

I went to Edmunds and on it's home page was a photo of a red MINI and a whole article about it. I couldn't take my eyes off the look of that car. and I was sitting at my computer SMILING. It was a MINI Cooper and they were going to sell them in the USA. Seeing them when I was a kid, they were just another little car and then they were gone. I decided the MINI will be my next car.

I will order "Madeline" in July for delivery in January when my lease ends.
I'm in waiting hell.

 

When I was a kiddie living in England, my Granddad had a Mini. When I heard they were making a new one available over here in the US, I knew I had to have one.

In fact, on the front you can see (if youlook closely) the AA badge, which my Grandad had on his Mini. When he died I inherited it (not the Mini unfortunately!) and I thought what better place to diaply it, than on a new Mini.

 

OK, you have to look REAL close, here's a better Pic