Well, the break-in period was over – and it was time to play. Play hard – and fast. An over-the-weekend trip from San Diego to Phoenix and back again sounded like just the ticket! Chris & I loaded up Brooksie with just enough clothes to cover a coupla nites, threw in some Gallo hard salami & some cheese in the cooler, and hit the road straightaway after work Friday night. We shot UP the hills thru Alpine, Boulevard, and Jacumba, but the real fun was going DOWN Devil’s Canyon AS FAST AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE!!!! Awesome! Brooksie zipped thru the sweepers and stuck like glue thru the nadgery bits, all at least double the suggested limit! Big Rigs were passed like a PT boat thru a convoy of Cunard Line Four-Stackers! - and we didn’t just pick off the SUVs & cars like easy meat, we blew ‘em inta the weeds. El Centro was a blur – onto Zonie land!!

We decided Motel 6 was a good idea in Yuma that nite, so we could enjoy the drive thru the stinking desert to PHX the next day. Jesus to Jesus and eight hands around, IT WAS BLOODY HOT – 113 deg F !! THAT’S why I live in CA, my fried brain sez. Brooksie took it all in stride, just kept on boppin’ to the Firesign Theater. The Auto Air was fantastic, the Cruise control was perfect, and the steering wheel radio/CD controls are just the ticket. No wasted effort. GET THE LUMBAR SUPPORT. We opted to stop by the Scottsdale MINI dealer B4 we got to my Dad’s, and it was….interesting…….! As far as I could tell, ALL the MINIs on the big second floor showroom were second-hand! They’ve been buying ‘em up off various re-sellers, & marking ‘em up. They had some pretty high sticker numbers on some pretty ordinary MINIs, and they must be selling. They had a helluva lot of ‘em. The market is as hot as the pavement there, I guess. Poor Brooksie looked so small and forlorn from the view upstairs, we exited post-hastily for Dad’s.

We had fun surprising my Grandmother, yakkin’ with my Dad, and eating beer-can barbecued chicken with a good friend. Then it was back to the road out. If anything, it was even hotter than the way in! Brooksie once again just ate up the miles, ‘specially when we hit the ton for a nonce on a flat wide section. The curious thing happened going UP the Devil’s Canyon grade – the CVT combined with the cruise control was absolutely butter-smooth. I’ve never had such a smooth drive up the mountains with any other car. We got back in time to give Brooksie a wash, -hadda get rid of a billion-zillion squashed bugs! – and a well earned rest. Pics soon in my Gallery - Brooksie looks so good!

Anybody have any specific feedback questions?

BCNU,
Rob in Dago

 

Sounds like a fun Trip!!

Glad to see your enjoying your MINI..... Makes me want mine even more!
Happy motoring!......... Obviously I don't need to say that.... You are!
Keep it straight.
SW

 

Damn I need my MINI!
I like the bit with passing the big rigs and other assorted vehicles. That's some funny chit.
Cheers bud. "Give her chit and make her stink",.........like my Old Man always says, in relation to work.

 

What is the recomended break-in period? I'm still waiting for mine but it is arriving in Milwaukee while I live in LA. I'm trying to decide whether to drive it out through the break-in or to put it on a truck.

Any suggestions?

 

1200 miles, not more than 94 mph, under 4000 rpm, and if you get the CVT, no full acceleration, as in no step-down. I'd drive it back! - Not truck-it. You could get the break-in over. Good Luck!!

Rob in Dago

 

Actually it's 1250 miles exactly, and the computer knows it! When we hit that mark we noticed instant improvements in performance! It was so freaky, but it's at 1250 exactly. So, treat your baby good until you hit that point and you'll be set. I would definetly drive it back, and enjoy the ride!

 

CMINIGO, do you have the on-board computer? I was wondering what it can do exaclty.. I guess it was ordered for me with the premium package, but I'm left in the blue on what is does.

 

Brother, that's a great trip you had. I'm wondering what tires do you have? The Dunlop 9000's? And did you get any mobs of people checking out the car at your stops and when passing?

 

Tollag, CONGRATS on your true blue! I say pay the markup and start motoring now!!! Why wait for another order to save $1700? There are too many "what if's" in life.

The onboard computer is great! It keeps track of outside temperature, miles per gallon, miles per hour, and range (how many miles you can go on the remaining fuel- constantly re-calculated by driving type). The mph and mpg can be reset by holding down the computer button on the lever assembly. Then it will take readings from that point on- even keeps things in memory after shutting the car off. That way you can reset it before a trip or calculate what your daily commute is and figure out how often you'll need to fill up. I reset the MPG while driving 80 on the freeway and it read out at 52 mpg at that speed (of course starting up from a stop and driving in lower gears lowers the average mpg and that's where they get the actual ratings for the car). Well, I hope you get your lovely S SSSSSSSOON! Enjoy!

 

Tollag - I'm running the 16 inch 5 spokes with Goodyear Eagles - nuthin' special - and I like 'em just fine. I hate to say it, but I have to agree with CMINIGO on the mark-ups, I'm afraid. Unless you can find one at a Long Beach type dealer, that will find a loose MSRP MINI, $1700 bucks isn't that bad. I feel it's STILL unjustified, but that's actually pretty low compared to some of the deep gougers out there.

CMINIGO - I love the onboard computer, too. It makes long trips a real pleasure to calculate. I love seeing those hi numbers at 80+!! This road trip had lots of computer button action, that's fer sure.