Skiploder, I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and guess that you were being "funny" with your earlier rant at DJA. It was a joke, right? He was nice enough to let us know his concerns and why he felt the MINI is not for him, let's be civil.

And kenchan....enough already! LOLOLOL!!

 

No Ma'am, I only use the word "fie" when I am deadly serious......

BTW: I'm having problems updating my sig to reflect my recent install of a new pine tree air freshener........can you perhaps help me out?

 

Do you have a photo that you are trying to add to your sig? And, btw, I love using the word "fie!" It's so medieval! LOL!

 

No photo. I would like my sig to read:

2003 MCS DS/DS/Rust - Sir Chester Cornelius Cobblepot Copperbottom - 15% WMS pulley, JCW Airbox, JCW Injectors, 16" Rota Slipstreams in Flatblack, Toyo T1R 205/45/16 with 2000 miles on them, Rear seat removed - but no delete kit, all three packages minus the third one, milltek header, milltek exhaust, WMS head, schrick cam, ipod dock, ipod, fasttrak pass, unichip ramp 6, carpeted floor mats (front and back), chrome aftermarket ring set, uuc ****, leather gaiters and pine tree air freshener.

I'm having trouble adding the air freshener part

 

This is a pretty darn good thread (said the 43-year-old owner of an '05 MCS). The time I spent reading it was definitely not "wasted". Heck, now you got me curious to test drive that Mazda come Summer. It will be interesting to compare the fuel "economy", among other things.

My car has been a pleasure, and so far I've been fortunate, kept the wolves at the door (as opposed to in my pocketbook).

Good Luck to you, many more years of going around curves "too fast", and I would love to hear what you think of the test drives in your future,
Tatt

 

Can you not just go into your User CP and add those new words into the signature's text? Or have you gone over the number of letters allowed? Perhaps using some shortcuts like "2K miles, 3 pkgs.," etc. would help?

 

There's a maximum? If I was King of Tech Support, my (admittedly unsolicited) advice would be to delete some of the specs listed in the signature, to make space for the more significant pine tree air freshener (aka the "northern woods mod"), in the sig.

Or, you could quit smoking and just use the window toggles for your air-freshener.

Used to be a preacher but I have changed careers twice since then ,
Tatt

 

Yeah, like ATPMTTO instead of "all three packages minus the third one"...

 

Not to go off topic but, Skiploder, are you referring (the waiver part) to a mandatory agreement to arbitrate any issues that the owner has with the manufacturer? If so, that agreement is probably not worth a bucket of warm spit. (At least in California.) There was a lawsuit that I am aware of that basically said that provisions of the California Business and Professions Code can not be waived by contract. The decision was published by the California Court of Appeal and affirmed by the California Supreme Court refusing to hear an appeal from the earlier Court of Appeal decision. So, even if they make you sign one of those waiver documents (I had to sign one when I bought my Corvette), the document is not worth the paper it is printed on - at least in California.

 

It is because of the conflict between the fasttrack pass and the pine tree air freshener.... Its a chemical thang - one cancels the other....

 

Good one, caminifan! LOL!

 

Well, it's hard to say. The seats definitely seem to be a love 'em or hate 'em, thing. I've ridden in cars with the cloth seats. Definitely better. Leatherette is better still. The all-leather ones are downright terrible. I guess the point was driven home when I went to the NY Auto Show earlier this year and sat in a bunch of different cars. Too often I was saying, "THIS is what the MINI seats should feel like..." I suppose I still miss the Vader's in JerseyGirl's old M3 - those were some sport seats.... After seeing the JCW seats in person at the NY show (although not sitting in them as the GP was locked), they look like an improvement, but don't appear to go far enough with bolstering.

I would probably get used to the tranny if I drove it every day, but for the occasional drive, the shifter feels balky to me - probably exaggerated by the Helix SSK in JerseyGirl's car (but she likes it and that's all that really matters) The Moss SSK is a similar design that I've installed and is sort of half-way between stock and the Helix in feel. I'd love to try Onasled's set-up with the Alta SSK and his custom extension. Or maybe the Helix SSK with his extension.

The steering is probably like the shifter... I'd get used to it... but for the occasional drive if feels too.... vague... or over boosted... to me... although I'm probably using the wrong words... suffice to say I can't really say why I don't like it... just don't.

The interior... well... IMO it's a case of function following form... I guess I like interiors to be a bit more austere and business-like. Plus, the MINI holds a rare distinction of being a car that feels bigger than it is.

I guess part of the problem is I spend so much time reading about the cars and working on them, that I develop mental expectations of what the car should feel like. Then I actually get into one and drive it and I'm let down. I suppose it's because I expect so little of my current car that it doesn't let me down ("yep... plowed like a tractor through that corner...") and when I get into a MINI I want to be blown away... and I'm not.

Trust me, nobody is more depressed about it than I am. I have a great time working on these cars. I love the community that has been built around them. I want to love the car and be a real participant, rather than always being on sidelines and feeling like an outsider.

 

No sir.

It was someone else who mentioned that Mini people make their own choises - I automatically assumed that other car buyers are somehow prohibited from doing the same.

 

That abbreviation would lessen the powerful impact of my sig.

My sig needs to be powerful because my car reflects who I am. Since you can't see my car, my sig needs to properly convey the message of my identity. I am compelled by many powerful urges, one of which is to insult people who don't chose to drive the same car as me.

Another is to have a ridiculously large sig.

 

I don't smoke - maybe I should clear that up by putting it in my sig.

I just naturally don't smell very good................

 

Once again, I'm really enjoying this thread that has of course evolved into something completely different than it started out!
OP is probably long gone, driving his new Toyota and hasn't given those of us trapped in his thread another thought.
Anyway, I'm a 41yo mom who drives kids everywhere, picks up dog and chicken food, etc with El Kabong.
I looked at the MINI back in '02 and decided it wasn't the car for me from a practicality and reliability standpoint. I kept up with the car and the improvements and finally couldn't stand it another minute and ordered El Kabong. Best decision I ever made! I have had MORE fun with this car, tried things I never thought I would (driver's school is addicting) and met some of the greatest people I ever hope to know because of it. I have learned how to dismantle the center stack and most of the dash (all in fun), I've learned to change my wheels, quickly, I've learned to LOVE the sound of the supercharger with the Alta CAI and finally just the joy of running errands (the bane of any mom's existence has become my pursuit).
I truly hope OP will be content with his purchase, but I have a feeling he'll be back, and if not he wasn't meant to be a MINI motorer.
Annette

 

I shopped around with index cards for each car in the class. Points given for handling, mileage, storage space, and style. Early in the test drives, I drove a used CooperS on some twisties and loved it, but thought it was too great (impractical, had to be). Drove some other contenders (Mazda3, GTI, RSX S, TC et al) and put my index cards aside- went back to the MINI. Wouldn't even consider a non-convertible, but did for the practicality side and LOVE it!.

After the purchase, I found those index cards I'd put aside and the Cooper STILL rose to the top of all my stacks: mileage, handling, storage and style. Talk about affirmation; plus it holds an entire drum kit in the back! Best wishes and so long for now, OP- the community is just gravy.

 

For the past few years I was driving a '99 Camry as a commuter ('95 SAAB convert for fun) in order to be economical and practical. What a great car!

One day I nearly bought it on the DC beltway - as the dust settled and I realized I was OK I looked around at my beige cloth seats and my appliance car and said to myself "this sucks!" If I might die any day I want to be having fun!

Test drove a '06 MCS and never looked back. It's been in the driveway for about six weeks and I can't stop looking at it or driving it.

Especially at 46 - life is too short! Have fun!

 

somehow I still don't believe you...go- get outta here already and stop wasting everyones time

 

Well I'm 65 and 7 months and this is the most fun car I have ever owned. I have driven the original Cobra back in the early 60s, power but not the same. I have had MANY cars, Acura, Chrysler, Dodge (one was a Dart with a 383 and some work so it had pleanty of power), Plymouth, Ford, Lexus (my wife is on her 6th one now), Volvo (S80), and many others. The MINI is the best.

Good luck with whatever you do.

Earl

should have mentioned the Datsuns also, Nissan, Honda, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Lasal, Mercedes, VW, I guess that covers most of them.