I picked up a 2006 Mini CooperS convertible last week. It has 24K miles on it and is in beautiful condition. It has xenons, sport package, HK stereo, and the backup sensors. I then ordered new carpet floor mats and the mesh wind deflector from Amazon.
Yesterday I took a drive down to Mt Rainier national park with two friends for a picnic. Both Gavin & Mike have 2010 VW GTIs, and I really enjoyed swapping cars with them for part of the drive. Totally different cars, but each enjoyable in its own way. The VW felt very refined, quiet, and capable, but I enjoyed the raw feel of the Cooper. Anyway, a few pics for you.

Best,
James
Seattle, WA
2006 BMW X3 3.0i (manual, m-sport, premium)
2006 Mini CooperS convertible (manual, sport)

 

Nice looking MINI, interesting companions, did they enjoy driving the MINI?

 

Nice! I like the color

 

looks great..welcoem n congrats

 

My buddy Gavin used to have a CooperS hardtop when he lived in S. Africa. So, he jumped in and immediately felt at home. But both Gavin and Mike said that as their only car, the GTI was a better choice for them. The Cooper is more raw, stiff, noisy and the clutch requires more attention to drive well. I also have a 2006 BMW X3 (manual, sport, premium, etc.) as my primary and foul-weather car, so the Cooper is a fantastic summer car.

A few mods to get started:
I removed the extra large, American-style cup holder from the dash. It was easy using a Torx screwdriver.
I purchased the mesh, rear wind deflector and wool floor mats. The carpet mats look much better than the rubber ones that were there.
Lastly, I should receive my Multivex passenger-side mirror this weekend to address the ginormous blind spot with the top up.

 

Looks like a great drive with good buds. Welcome to our world!

 

Very true... my MCSc is my "fun" car, not a daily or long trip vehicle. The GTI is much better daily car. Chip it and upgrade the dampers to Koni or Bilstein and it'll be much more fun w/o giving up much of the ride quality.

 

I see a defect with your car........the top is not down. Shame on you for driving with the top up on such a nice day on such nice roads. Shame......

 

I love that color...and +1 about the top not being down.

Congrats on your new purchase. I hope you enjoy it for many years to come!