Ok, before you come to a conclusion please read what I have to say. I have been in the military for 19 years and now serving in Germany. I have seen Korea through the cold war, former Yugoslavia (Albania region), the 1st Gulf war and now Afghanistan and the new Operation Iraqi Freedom.
I enjoy my Mini just as mich as anyone else, maybe more because I know how it feels to have to live for months eating MREs, carrying an M-16 taking watch for hours at a time.
Anyway, I enjoy the forums here but sometimes I see many of the new recent topics as very self-centered? Or just basically just kind of, "Oh, I am so happy with my Mini I have to share it with others!". or "Check out my new mod!" or you get the picture.
I enjoy the Performance Mods forums as I get many tips there. As for other forums? Some of you have to stop. Catch a clue, get a life, and realize that if it weren't for individuals like myself, America and the world would not be as great a place to be as it is. I not only love America, but the world I live in, as I have seen most of the world, and enjoy many cultures. There is more to life than writing about "Do you like my bonnet stripes?" or "What do you think of these wheels?"
By the way... the only mod on my 2003 Mini Cooper "S" is a shorty antenna and a leather armrest.

What mod do you suggest for me now?

 

Sometimes I am embarrassed to be an American

I am sure there are forums where you would be appropriately honored. Perhaps you should look there for Kudos.

Just because people here are excited about their Mini's does not mean they do not appreciate your traveling the world and killing people who need killing. This forum is about Mini's and it's a place to get away from the drugery of war and killing for awhile among friends who understand a shared love of their cars.

emerika

 

I'm not sure how to take this.

Maybe it should move to OT :: Politics, if you're point is that we should all be grateful to the military for "protecting our freedom."

Or are you saying that we're a bunch of spoiled capitalists for spending so much time, money and attention on our cars?

I'm embarrassed sometimes too, just by the fact that I own a car. And live in a house with running water and electricity. But I'd rather drive a MINI than a 5,000 pound SUV that gets 8 mpg., so I guess I'm not as hypocritical as I could be.

I thought the whole point of this site was to share stuff about one's MINI. So, what should people talk about instead? What's wrong with being excited about the MINI specifically, outside of the fact that it's bad to be excited about any material possession?

And how are performance mods more valid than any other kind of mod? Are you saying that's it's valid to spend money on an intake or pulley, but wheels or stripes are frivolous? That seeems arbitrary.

I guess I just don't see the connection between being grateful for one's freedom and affluence and non-performance mods. You could make the same argument about numerous aspects of American culture, i.e. that they are selfish and wasteful. It's not a MINI specific issue, or a NAM specific issue either.

 

Interesting post. Please accept my huge gratitude for your service to this country. You've more than earned the right to chime in about anything you'd like. That being said: one's choice of car, if for any reason other than transportation or convenience, is almost always going to be very much self centered: "How much fun is this car going to be?" or "How cool would I look driving that?" or "How rich do I want to look?" Therefore many/most discussions come from this place, and a forum such as this is simply a place for one to come and enjoy the glow with and through others who have made the same choices for many of the same reasons. I like to hear from others about what they like. Commonality brings comfort.

 

kramseib,

Aloha and thank you for your post and reality check.

Yes we are MINI enthusiasts and some of us are extreme.
Good thing we are spread out all over the country and different parts of the world or it might be "too much".

Thank you for your many years of service for our country to preserve our freedoms and our way or life. We have alot of military in Hawaii and are happy to have them here.

>> By the way... the only mod on my 2003 Mini Cooper "S" is a shorty antenna and a leather armrest.
>>
>> What mod do you suggest for me now?
A shorty antenna and leather armrest are fine.
Performance no nonsense mods would appear to be worth a look.
Here in the US we have been lucky to get 15% to 19% reduction pulleys for the MCS. Maybe a cat back exhaust that is powerful yet stealthy is worth considering- check on availability of the Milltek Sport Cat back exhaust for the MCS.
Good luck and thanks.

 

All,

I appologize for posting this. This happened to be posted by a friend of mine that stopped by the house and got on my computer while I was logged on as I was running errands. I think this all stems from the fact that I do enjoy my Mini and he is just sick of me talking about it and just plain being happy driving it everyday. I love the cvar and wouldn't ever consider driving anythign else. BTW, my friend? Yea, he drives a 1999 VW Jetta. I can see it in his eyes, he so wants to drive a Mini! :smile:

 

Perhaps your next mod should be opening up your mind a bit. Like a low-restriction intake, it helps performance.

Now, before you 'pull rank' on me and possibly others here, I appreciate and support your service in the military and your work to defend our country as well as others. However, by signing on for military service, you have chosen to serve the country as a whole, and not simply fight for the rights and freedoms of a select few that you happen to align your opinions and beliefs with. If you feel somehow lessened by thinking "I have been standing watch over this particular area in the goddam rain for 12 hours so someone back home can moan about how his bonnet stripes are crooked" then you need to find a different line of work. Those folk I am sure appreciate your work, and they are part of the country as a whole. You cant be choosey in this game.

Think about it. Even the people here gushing about their cars, or the ones showing off their latest performance or cosmetic mod probably will influence what you do next with your car, and perhaps other things. A similar writeup probably made you select a MINI in the first place. So don't look down on others who you feel you should dismiss by telling to 'get a life'. They already have one, and by their postings here, you cannot tell what it happens to be. One of them could be a teacher, a construction worker, a student trying to learn and make the world better in the future, a doctor who saves many lives during his work day and loks to unwind with their car, a technician responsible for making sure your aircraft and munitions can be counted on when needed, or even your commanding officer. I am one among this list, Where would YOU fit in among these people?

Okay, off the soapbox for now, thanks for listening.

Howbout a US Flag roof graphic for your car once you get home? I think you deserve it.

 

>>
>> What mod do you suggest for me now?

Put a big American flag on the boot and realize that since you have fought for our collective freedoms, we are able to enjoy talking about cars in a forum such as this.

I am not embarrased to be an American, but I sometime do find the actions of others embarassing.

Thank you for your service to our great nation.

 

You said,,,,"Anyway, I enjoy the forums here but sometimes I see many of the new recent topics as very self-centered?"
and then you said ,,,,"get a life, and realize that if it weren't for individuals like myself,"
Did I miss something here??

 

Given that, I'm going to lock the thread