Umm, don't you have a bridge to reside under? I believe there are some billy goats coming you need to take care of.

 

How is this a personal attack???

I'm giving a qualified opinion of something. The same qualification of your opinion on the R56....

 

You just answered your own question... my opinion is on the R56, where as yours and others are directed at me. I can understand not being able to "defend" the R56.. especially in a head to head comparison with the R53... but I was under the assumption that this website frowned on this behavior.

If the rules have changed... I can certainly dish out personal comments aimed directly at posters vs. the subject matter of automobiles... but have refrained to this point.

lotsie, have the rules changed? No more infractions for this type of behavior?

 

eager, I see that korby has posted the link in the "Cold Start" thread which appears to be the best repository.

At least you've added a bit of substance to this thread which seems to occasionally try to climb out of its hole to a level of credibility (probably why it's still open) only to get knocked back by bolts of close-minded subjectivity obviously designed to elicit emotional replies as a primary goal. Without these occasional glimpses of objectivity (thank you), this thread would likely be long headed to Masterlock land.

 

Now that the personal attacks are starting to resurface its time to consider closing this. If the personal attacks can be left at the door I'll leave it open. Any more then it will be time to lock it and move on.

Mark

 

Please, don't close it Mark.

 

If we don't repeat ourselves over and over, but add helpful posts, and don't take things personally, this thread has a chance of being a thread that offers some insight into the things that make the first gen. and second gen cars different.

I want my 03 MC to last forever, but we will need a new car at some point. Like I have said before, it will probably be the 05 Cabrio that goes. Reading the problems about the R56, makes me thankful we don't need one right away. But I have faith the engine issues will be dealt with.

Mark

 

It looks like the prince engine in the Peugeot models also has the piston slapping design defect. This problem is starting to get lots of air time across the web... it will be interesting to see what GBMINI publishes for the sales number in February.. I'm going to go out on a limb and predict further sales free fall for the R56...

 

You (anybody) can say what you want about first and second gen cars but, big picture...all of them drive like MINIs and have the unique MINI traits...traits that are strangely absent on most cars in their price range. Given the all the coupes, cabrios and Clubmans (and suspension/tire combos), there is a pretty wide range of driving dynamics to them all...but yet they all live up essentially to what makes a MINI unique and special.

Now if we're talking quirks, I guess that's happening, too, but there are a lot of rock solid R56 MINIs out there. Of course, I like Coopers which have always been pretty solid...I vividly remember the R53 stumble and yo-yo days.

 

Why do you even post here? You don't have a MINI, you hate everything about today's MINI. You haven't said a positive thing about what MINI has produced in the past two years. You're like C4. It wouldn't suprise me if you are C4.

 

Surfblue says: I'm going to predict that everyone is getting tired of hearing a non Mini owner's continuing negative rants. From what I read on this forum, you owned an early Mini R53, you didn't like it and you sold it to buy a Porsche. Don't you have a Porsche forum to hang out on, or a 45 auto to play with? For 49 years there's been Minis in the world, and most of us like them all. And what do you mean in line two when you say ALSO (I CAPPED your ALSO so you could find it)? You say "across the web". Well, this is THE Mini forum, so why don't we read specific details on it HERE? You think I'm gonna buy that we're all involved in some big coverup as owners; that we wouldn't discuss such a problem if it was a real problem? Where are you getting this information? Give us links, give us facts, not the infamous "Slag Slam". And remember, the rotten economy the US is now facing is not going to help auto sales one bit, so I expect sales of Minis and many autos to slow down for 08 and 09 at least. I say this from near 22 years in sales. Thank you and goodnight.

 

Did anybody hear any new or original thought? YAWN, same selective data mining.

 

I've been reading C4 on Motoringfile. Guess what, he's buying a clubman!! I'd venture to say they are not the same. Based on the ranting here, I'd have to say I miss C4. His posts on Motoringfile have been civil, cordial, and insightful.

 

Once a MINI owner, always a MINI owner!

 

Prince engine MCS cold start issues reported here: http://www.motoringfile.com/2008/02/...issue-exposed/

 

For those interested.... I have been "MINI-less" for 6 weeks now... and I'm currently seeking the right GP to purchase. How ironic... many posters here are equally "MINI-less" for the same or greater amount of time... due to their R56 sitting at the dealers shop, to diagnose piston slap issues...

The Peugeot prince engine... just another "improvement" over the R53 ..

And doesn't that just strike to the heart of this whole thread... "save the R53".. why? Because the R53 was superior in practically every measurement.. with the exception of the cost to produce. And when the February sales numbers for the R56 are published... folks will claim the spiral is due to the economy... but they will be wrong... it's due to preference. The R56 is losing market share... period. The R53 took market share... period.

BMW... bring back the R53.. or at least what was the spirit that made the R53 the great driving enthusiast automobile that it is!

 

Just like the guy in your sig,... your out of your mind. please! I'm begin you! get a life!

 

But that would be something NEW and DIFFERENT.

 

It may be too late to save this from a lock (in fact, it unfortunately seems some are intent on causing just that).

I don't agree with slag's opinions -- but I'm also not so insecure that I cannot appreciate a discussion as to weaknesses/strengths of different models. Frankly, I don't care if someone who had NEVER owned a MINI wanted to provide a third-party opinion of the car's strengths/weaknesses.
I would hope that NAM could provide a forum for discussion as to what members think of design decisions expecially in the context of increasing / decreasing sales . . . but it seems that it can only last so long until we devolve to name calling.

So, all I'm saying is -- you want to question slag or his motive -- or call him names: send him a PM. Could we keep the thread focused on a discussion of vehicles? It'd be nice to be able to discuss such issues, rather than force NAM to lock every thread that questions a design (or beancounter) decision, whether it be about the R56, the R53 or even the mighty R52 .

 

Please keep the subject matter on topic: "save the R53"... and on the topic of automobiles. Let's not get the thread locked again.

No more personal attacks!

 

Slag owned a GORGEOUS factory Pepper White '06 JCW MCS. He got one of the "last ones" made in Oxford. I remember seeing his ad here in NAM. What a beautiful car. He sold it because the opportunity to own a mint 1987 Porsche presented itself and Slag sold his MINI. Unfortunately the seller of the Porsche sold the car under the table and left Slag with no MINI and no Porsche (No dog and no collar as they say). So now he is actively hunting for a '06 JCW GP. I can't think of anyone more fanatical about MINI that Slag himself. Also....To be a MINI fan doesn't mean that you must automatically love everything that comes out of MINI. True enthusiasts excercise a balance and issue praise and criticism of the car/brand they love without getting offended or taking it personal. Love should never be a blind affair!

 

Thank you! Well said...

mb

 

Agreed

Dean.

 

First... great summary!

Your observation on driving enthusiasts... and a balance of praise and criticism.. what a great point... and one that resonates deeply within our car culture. Blind fascism will not improve the MINI breed... it will water it down. Am I hoping for a continued decline in R56 sales? You better believe it! But not because of emotional hate for the R56... or to see the MINI brand fail.. but rather to wake BMW up. I want to see a return to the R53 driving experience... and the design experience... and the cultural experience. By expanding the R56 market segment outwards to the masses... this has all been lost. BMW needs to come to the realization that the MINI is a clique car... which is why they are losing sales. IMO, with the R56, they lost the driving enthusiast segment and they failed to make inroads with the masses... thus sales are in a steep decline.

 

I think he just got too wrapped up in the whole stupid R53 vs R56 debate. Taking a break from here was probably good thing *HINT* SLAG.

Taking a step back redefines your perspectives at times...especially when you've become emotionally attached.