Mark:

Can you PM me your address?

I know that you're going to miss your Mini horribly as your new car has no soul. Sooooooo, I've put together a little care package to make your new Lexus seem more like a Mini:

(1) A coffee can half full of ball bearings to put in your glove box so that you don't miss those charming rattles....

(2) A ball peen hammer to hit your windshield with so that you don't get distracted by the lack of a crack.

(3) Some sugar to put in your gas tank in case you miss the excitement of having your car unpredictably stumble as you merge onto the turnpike.

(4) A coupon good for one visit from my friend Chows to your house. He will take you to dinner and then drive your Lexus into the Atlantic and promptly tow it right out. The ensuing issues with body and engine harness issues should quell any feelings of Mini-sickness you might have. If by accident the electrical system stays intact, the hydrolock it produces should satisfy you just as well.

(5) An autographed photo of C4 aka FrankInMiami aka Cooper4Us with your choice of the following signature:

"Dear Mark: If you stayed stock, none of this crap would have happened - serves you right. XOXO C4"

or

"Dear Mark: Even though Lexus is No. 1 on the JD Power list, we're number 17 with a bullet! Look out behind you, XOXO C4"

Just kidding - regardless of the issues I had with my MCS, I still miss driving it. The Mini is special and the IS is a great car. You're lucky to be able to experience both. Again, enjoy your early Christmas present to yourself.

 

But I think he blew two headgaskets. How are you going to emulate "limp mode" in a Lexus?

BTW ... Mark, except for bling, IMO, do not touch that car. You do ANYTHING to it, and I mean anything, Lexus drivers don't want no hotrods that have been tinkered with....

They want fine Japanese workmanship ... the BEST in the world ... just see JD Power. (OK they are second to Toyota but close enough)!

 

So you traded the Mini in for a Lexus...that's like Batman without Robin, Juliette without Romero, Bush without an army!! I'll bet a wooden nickel that you'll be backkkkkk!

 

You could have waited for an IS-F in 2008....

 

LMAO!!


Easy, just pull two or three spark plugs (remember, the bonnet, er, hood release is on the left.)

 

Hey Mark sad to see you [go after all we did for your MINI. hope you enjoy the new ride just as much.

Hopefully you at least got some pics of the new door sills before you sold it. I guess I won't have to reprint the flag now.

 

Yes, the vinyl on my MINI looked HOT for sure. Pics of those doorsills is coming very soon.

Yah no reprint for me. Although I shall see you @ MOTD

 

Hopfully I'l have the PickUp by then. See you there.

 

you should send me all the MINI Swag including the 8 Ball and MTTS stuff as payment. Now you have gone to the Rice Dark Side .... you will feel the need to say ....I would have bought a toyota but i wanted the next best thing

Just J/K

I wonder how long till you begin to mod the Lex with Toyota Rice parts?

Have fun with the New Wheels.

 

Mike the Lexus must stay stock. Lexus is even more **** then MINI when it comes to warranty issues. Heck you should read some of their forums, guys are worried about voiding their warranty for just changing their tires.

 

LOL , i know
i was reading some stuff

 

Congrats on the car first of all ...

As I am hating the R56 and will want to trade in soon (leaning toward a 3 series) but am looking at other cars, such as the IS ... if you can tell us (or PM me) ... what kind of deal did you get on the car for monthly payments? Did you lease it?

Danke!!

 

Very pretty Lexus.

But I could never do it. The thought of getting rid of my MINI literally makes me feel sad inside...

 

If anyone is interested in the car Lexus of Silver Spring's used car department has it up on their website.

 

I like it a lot!

I'm 20, so close enough to your age, and I dont think the IS250 is a stereotypical Lexus.

I almost got one. My dad really wanted my to go with the IS250, but I ended up with the MCS. I have an '05 Saab 9-3 as well, and really didnt want another sedan.

Love the white as well....always been one of my favorite colors.

Being a die-hard BMW fan, I'm still gonna go with the new 328Ci Coupe to replace my mcs....but the Lexus is awesome. Congrats.

 

The dealer has the car posted on cars.com if anyone is interested.

http://cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp...llerFirst=true

 

I get tired of the MINI sometimes too. When I do I get in my 96 GMC 1/2 ton, go around the block once or twice and I'm happy to get into the MINI for another month or 2.

 

Hey they replaced it's six speed automatic with a six speed manual! That's what was the root of all your ails!

 

I knew someone on this forum would have traded their MINI for an IS and I am thinking twice of doing so.

Yesterday, I test drove a brand new IS 250 - black w/ black interior, 6 speed Manual, 18 inch wheels, pretty stripped down. I am a chicken sh*t when it comes down to test driving new cars plus not being comfortable with the clutch and transmission of the IS so I didn't drive it like my MINI. I am debating whether to trade in my 05 MCS for the IS and would like all of your opinion especially Mark's.

My MCS is pretty stripped down:
Sports Package
HK audio
Multi function steering wheel
Black
Anthracite interior
Xenon lights

Aftermarket MODs:
Alta pulley
Alta CAI
(both installed by Randy Webb)

Problems with the MCS:
Windshield changed twice
Passenger's window changed once
Dashboard Rattles
Changed 2 run flats after 20K miles with one new tire leaking already.
Changed other pair of run flats after 30K miles

Mark, how much did you lose in the trade in with all of your MODs?

I am also looking at an 07 G35 Sedan but has 100 more ponies so more $$$ on gas.

 

I know this thread is over a month old, but I didn't see it the first time around.

Welcome to the masses. While it is a very nice car, you will now blend in with all the other sedans on the road, especially with the color you got. At least you didn't get a silver or pearl white Lexus SUV.

I wonder - do you have any regrets? Especially when you see another MINI? Or are you relieved that the headaches are gone? I hope that you will miss your MINI, but I hope you are enjoying your new car as well....

 

Almost 2 months of ownership later and 2300 miles on the odometer and I really like my new car. It is much quieter and more luxurious then the MINI.
The handling is crap compared to what my MINI could take, the auto tranny's auto-stick feature is slow and the sterring mounted paddles are out of reach. Other then that I have no regrets. But every other part of the car is spot on for me. Although with the AWD I do enjoy having my floor planted and taking turns.

I am in the market for a cheap MC or MCS to have as a toy/track car/week end driver for when I want a car that handles and drives more like a sports car again.

And this car doesn't get as many looks or stares as my MINI did. Some days that is really nice. I used to pull into the gas station and get everyone's attention now I just get ignored.

I'm still young and plan to have many more cars before I die.

 

Make sure not too spend all that money buying new cars, otherwise you will die poor.

 

you're really confusing me. You said you got rid of the MCS because it was costing you $$ etc. NOW you are looking for a used MC / MSC to toy around with. Getting an older car to toy with - that will cost money too - so I really cornfused - don't see the logic

Best of luck - as an ex-lex owner - once he warranty runs out - you'll dump it - way too expensieve to fix - oil chgs run 150, and my water pump went out - ekk cha ching - power window driver door - another 'cheap' fix.
~ enjoy - and good luck on used MCS - I totally can't wait for my 07

 

Is it that impossible to change your own oil? And water pumps should be changed with the timing belt.. which would be 60kish miles, meaning after warranty runs out.

I'm sorry to see another young mini owner ditch their mini. A silver one, no less. But you're the first i've seen to break the trend of leaving a MINI for an M something beemer! It's a pretty car, but after only discovering this thread 10 minutes ago, i knew you'd want another MINI. I miss mine everyday, and i loved the stares and compliments. All my friends and aquaintances know me by 3 things: My height, My Barbie, and My MINI. I still have two out of three, but the thing i love the most is no longer apart of me :P

I'd suggest not buying a mini until you want to trade that lexus for one. You wanted to save money, then spend it all over again.. and it'll be alot more than 110 a month! I'm enjoying no car payments as long as i can stand it. It's not so bad, i guess. But finding out about my membership with DCMM (or lack thereof) kind of stinks!I do have over 100 mini diecast models...

 

What he said. Why would you want another black hole? Haven't learned the lesson the first time around?

Pepper, whats wrong with a $150 oil change? Its a Lexus, isn't that supposed to be a luxary car? What you think your buying, a Chevy Cobalt? Seriously ... don't people know what they are getting into when buying a car.

If you won Lotto, dumped it all into a Ferrari, would you all have a shock when the first service cost $30K?

MDS wrote "I used to pull into the gas station and get everyone's attention now I just get ignored."

Whats wrong with being discreet? If, say, some beer belly, balding middleaged guy pulled into a gas station in a RED Vette with a young blond on his arms, wouldn't ppl say he was a Posuer .... wanting attention? Sometimes less is more