R50/53 So... who is planning to keep their 1st gen MINI literally forever?
3rd Gear
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 210
Likes: 0
From: Olney, MD
im keeping my 04 justacooper til it dies!!!!
its my first car!! ive had it for 3 years and put about 30k on it, which brings it up to about 73k and im about to head down to the dragon for the 4th time!!!!
my dad keeps saying at the rate im driving it, it wont be long til it goes!
but after driving a MINI i dont think i could ever be as happy driving something else!! 
its my first car!! ive had it for 3 years and put about 30k on it, which brings it up to about 73k and im about to head down to the dragon for the 4th time!!!! my dad keeps saying at the rate im driving it, it wont be long til it goes! but after driving a MINI i dont think i could ever be as happy driving something else!!
3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
After today's mods, there's no way I'm getting rid of this car. I've never had such an exciting car, and I love it to death. I know nothing lasts forever, but I'd seriously consider getting her totally rebuilt than sell her in the far off future.
I traded my 02 Cooper S in May 06 for a Cooper S JCW specifically because I preferred the Gen1 to the Gen2. I have made many mods and plan to keep it as long as possible. I love this car and am fortunate it isn't my daily driver, so I can keep it coddled in my garage and off the New England salt encrusted roads during winter months.
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,163
Likes: 399
been there, and did that, and no regrets
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-hard-way.html
1st Gear
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Bought my '03 MCS with 19k miles in the summer of '06. Im up to 50k and I plan to keep it as long as I can.
I had a few cars over the years until I figured out what I really like to drive.
I had a 1980 Leyland Mini in college and I drove that one into the ground. Literally. Poor thing. I wasn't very nice to that car.
When Mini announced the new models in 98 or 99 or whenever it was i saw the article in Road and Track, I was smitten. I waited a few years, went through a Fiat Spider, Honda Si, Honda S2000(great car) an 05 Mustang(horrible car, not sure what I was thinking there) and finally found a keeper.
I had no idea how much i could like a car. And now im in deep. Bunch of mods, washed and waxed often, some would say too often.
If I never owned another new car again, it would be just fine with me. Even a new Mini. I have never been too big on the look of the R56. Some of the character went missing somewhere. Even on the inside, where the big speedo as a nod to the past in the R53, suddenly became a big characature.
I hev been eagerly awaiting news of a redesign to seeifthey might recapture what was cast aside. But sadly,the news is not great. Minor improvements maybe, but just not the same as the good old R 53.
I love my car.
I had a few cars over the years until I figured out what I really like to drive.
I had a 1980 Leyland Mini in college and I drove that one into the ground. Literally. Poor thing. I wasn't very nice to that car.
When Mini announced the new models in 98 or 99 or whenever it was i saw the article in Road and Track, I was smitten. I waited a few years, went through a Fiat Spider, Honda Si, Honda S2000(great car) an 05 Mustang(horrible car, not sure what I was thinking there) and finally found a keeper.
I had no idea how much i could like a car. And now im in deep. Bunch of mods, washed and waxed often, some would say too often.
If I never owned another new car again, it would be just fine with me. Even a new Mini. I have never been too big on the look of the R56. Some of the character went missing somewhere. Even on the inside, where the big speedo as a nod to the past in the R53, suddenly became a big characature.
I hev been eagerly awaiting news of a redesign to seeifthey might recapture what was cast aside. But sadly,the news is not great. Minor improvements maybe, but just not the same as the good old R 53.
I love my car.
Ah the things we said so freely when we were younger. As it turns out, Ms Miniver is being traded in for a younger model. I'll be picking up my almost new 2009 Pepper White Justa (with Steptronic paddles) next Wednesday!
5th Gear
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 776
Likes: 2
Good for you !!
5th Gear
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,060
Likes: 96
From: Mount Doom, Mordor
August 2008, when I was back for my HS reunion.
I grew up in the shadow of the Hindenburg. My grandfather was a welder at the Navy base there for years, and my childhood home was a mile from the crash site. Heck, there's even a road with my family name on it in Brick....
C ya,
Dutch
I grew up in the shadow of the Hindenburg. My grandfather was a welder at the Navy base there for years, and my childhood home was a mile from the crash site. Heck, there's even a road with my family name on it in Brick....
C ya,
Dutch
5th Gear
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 776
Likes: 2
August 2008, when I was back for my HS reunion.
I grew up in the shadow of the Hindenburg. My grandfather was a welder at the Navy base there for years, and my childhood home was a mile from the crash site. Heck, there's even a road with my family name on it in Brick....
C ya,
Dutch
I grew up in the shadow of the Hindenburg. My grandfather was a welder at the Navy base there for years, and my childhood home was a mile from the crash site. Heck, there's even a road with my family name on it in Brick....
C ya,
Dutch
