R50/53 MCS in a Mexican Road Test
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1st Gear
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: Austin, TX
Announcing a MINI Cooper S testing her mettle against the most formidable of all car adversaries...the roads in Mexico! Terry and Debbie Sayther (from Terry Sayther Automotive) will be driving "Schmutzi" to Guatamala from Austin, TX and then back again. On the way back, they'll follow La Carrera Panamericana road race back to Laredo. I'll be posting Terry and Debbie's reports from the road coming soon...
5th Gear
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 726
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Ahh, from experience I can tell you that they'll be encountering 1,893,562 potholes, 721,420 speedbumps and 321 kidnapping cartels along the way!
Sure does sound like fun, though!
I'll be sure and wave as they drive through Mexico City...
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Sure does sound like fun, though!
I'll be sure and wave as they drive through Mexico City...
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6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,293
Likes: 2
From: Cincinnati, Ohio
My experience is similar. You've heard of the Aztec gold encountered by Cortes, right? Well it was nothing more than dental fillings that fell out as people hit the potholes at speed.
I had a Toyota 4-Runner at the time (1985 last of the solid front axel beasties) It was modified with a total of 11 shock absorbers. I broke its FRAME in a pothole. Where my twin front shock brace was welded to the frame before hitting the pothole, it hung loose with a 3" x 5" section of tha frame that had ripped out along with the brace. I hope Terry and Debbie are chiropractors in their other "life".
Lots o' luck.
I had a Toyota 4-Runner at the time (1985 last of the solid front axel beasties) It was modified with a total of 11 shock absorbers. I broke its FRAME in a pothole. Where my twin front shock brace was welded to the frame before hitting the pothole, it hung loose with a 3" x 5" section of tha frame that had ripped out along with the brace. I hope Terry and Debbie are chiropractors in their other "life".
Lots o' luck.
4th Gear
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 321
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From: Mexico
I´m sure your MINI will survive the trip. Just have some advice:
From Austin all the way to Mexico City the highways are generally fine (for Mexico), from then on to Guatemala (Puebla, Oaxaca and Chiapas) expect the worst.
Another thing to consider is that it is still raining in Mexico, we´ve had terrible storms these season and there were very bad floods in Chiapas two weeks ago. I would be scared of the floods more than the roads.
Heard several sad stories of dead MINIs in floods.
The final question would be: The MINI can take it, but can your back?
Good luck
From Austin all the way to Mexico City the highways are generally fine (for Mexico), from then on to Guatemala (Puebla, Oaxaca and Chiapas) expect the worst.
Another thing to consider is that it is still raining in Mexico, we´ve had terrible storms these season and there were very bad floods in Chiapas two weeks ago. I would be scared of the floods more than the roads.
Heard several sad stories of dead MINIs in floods.
The final question would be: The MINI can take it, but can your back?
Good luck
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1st Gear
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 39
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From: Austin, TX
Yeah,
Terry raced the very first BMW ever in La Carrera last year, & he's been doing caving expeditions in Mexico since the early seventies, so he's no stranger to Mexican roads. But the MINI is...
-Bryan Eagle
http://www.terrysaytherauto.com
Terry raced the very first BMW ever in La Carrera last year, & he's been doing caving expeditions in Mexico since the early seventies, so he's no stranger to Mexican roads. But the MINI is...
-Bryan Eagle
http://www.terrysaytherauto.com
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