Congrats Mike and Tig, the waiting begins.

Nice specs. This might be the first most optioned MINI I have seen these past few months. Is that so?

Really looking forward to saying hi at MITM2.

What a ride, any mods planned for it/him/her?

 

Congratulations Mike & Tig! Its really cool to see (read) someone who's ordering their first new car. I know the wait will be worth it! You'll have so much fun, knowing how you love the MINI anyway, and then to have one just like the Dr ordered. What grand fun! Wishing you the best, and keep us posted. Here in the midwest all we do this time of year is motor and listen to the corn grow !

 

Congratulations, this was my first new car in 20+ years of motoring, pics when he/she arrives

 

And so the saga continues....we're almost 48 hours post-order, and the symptoms Mike is experiencing seem to be right on track with other R56'ers I've read about.

I was totally relaxed a few short moments ago, taking, what was, the second of my two regular Sunday nappies. I feel a tap, tap, tap on my leg. I slowly open my eyes and come out of my nappy happy place to see a very concerned look on Mike's face. Then I hear, "Honey, I'm very concerned. I am questioning the color choice on my order. I've called Blair (his best friend) and we're headed up to the dealership right now. We're going to put all the blue MINIs side by side and make sure that Lightening Blue is the right one for me".

I simply gave him the looks, knowing that resistance or efforts to disuade him from this endeavor were silly.

I'm sure it will be hours before he returns home...I'm SURE they are not only going to need to confirm the color choice, but to "re-test test drive" the R56, appropriately frighten his Salesguy, and spend some "bonding time" over the engine bay talking about all the possibilities.

I wonder what I'm going to have for dinner?

And so goes the life of a MINI-On-Order Widow.

 

Sorry. I send you my condolences.

 

Sorry,
I might have seeded the Oxygen Blue idea last Wednesday when I asked Mike if he'd considered it. But alas, it's only available in MC so no chance of that.
-kARL

 

A classic case...completely normal!!

 

Wooottt - Congrats....sounds like a beauty!!

Donna

 

Looking forward to today's installment, tigsie. What could MINI-mad-Mike be up to today?? Did he switch blues?? Did he loose sleep contemplating the same?? Great stuff!!!

 

"One year to build him, 2 months to get him back to stock. *sigh* Mod nights will become "de-mod" nights now. "


You may be the only person in NAM history to imply a 2 month wait will be short.. Congrats!!!

 

Little did I know that ordering an R56 would be a scientific experiment in the limits of sleep deprivation. Can a man really go without sleep for 2 months?

Mike walked in the door 3.5 hours after he left yesterday. He and Blair went to the dealership, lined up all the "blue" MINIs next to each other, decided that Lightening Blue is the right color and the closest match to Churchill's Indy Blue.

Once the color choice was confirmed, the re-test test drive phase commenced. Blair, also an '04 Indy Blue owner, needed to drive the R56 to make sure it was "good enough" for his best friend. As the Salesguy walks over to check on them, Blair is found in his usual position, laying on the ground under the R56 exploring its private parts.

Mike and Blair needed to drive it again...you know, just to be sure. As they are motoring through a residential neighborhood, a meek voice eminates from the back seat..."uuummmm, guys....this is a residential street...." He's earning his commission on this one, and his intestinal fortitude is being tested thoroughly. We're really just priming him for negotiations later.

Mike is more convinced than ever that this IS the car for him. Much to his glee, he learned that he was listed as "Priority 1" (something he's not used to at home - lol), and is in Prod Week 29. Fortunately, with all the things that will need to be installed once Churchill 2.0 hits the VDC, that doesn't move up the delivery date. We're still looking at mid-Sept-ish. That's a blessing really...we still have the challenge of de-moding Churchill.

It looks as though MITM II will be Churchill's "Farewell Tour". We don't plan to start taking him back to stock until our return. As I was standing outside a few minutes ago, admiring Churchill and LilTiger sitting next to each other, I think I saw a tear in Church's eye. I suspect he's heard the rumor that he will go to auction.

I too feel a bit of sadness...club members are calling and emailing, asking about bits and pieces. What is said, and what I hear can be translated like this...

"What's going to happen to Church's M7 exhaust"...translated, "can I have his intestines"?

"What's going to happen to Church's Alta CAI?"....translated, "can I get in line for his lungs"?

"What's going to happen to Church's UniChip?"...translated, "can I have Church's brain"?

We're in the position of handing over our first son's organs...and that's a sad thing to contemplate.

66 hours post-order, and the range of emotions is overwhelming. These little cars become such a big part of the family!

 

Wow! You really are in for a long two months!

 

No way. I live with MINI-MAD-Mike. There's not going to be anything "short" about the next 2 months.

 

I love this thread!

 

Poor Tig... she needs her own "R56 Widows" thread and plenty of NAMmers to help her through this time of tribulation.

Well she pretty much summed it all up...I was concerned that I got the right color and options on the R56 so I wanted to head up to the dealer and make sure. (Shameless plug for Brecht MINI in San Diego... The MA Sean Sunda and Sales Manager have been awesome to me).

Blair and I looked over the "Lightining Blue with JCW Aero kit" on the showroom floor and Blair agreed the kit makes the car . Yes he was crawling around under the car on the floor of the dealership getting wierd looks from the MAs since the car sits in front of thier desks... not to mention the people that were sitting down getting ready to purchase

Then the test drive. Blair hadn't driven one yet and wanted to feel what I was talking about when I told him it was the same...but different... I kinda feel sorry for whoever buys that S... because it will not have been broken in properly after Blair's spirited drive. He got on the freeway and took it up to about 6,200... and I think the "New Car Smell" was gone in about 4.3 seconds.

About 2 miles down the freeway we take the exit to the dealers local "Twistys" and Blair hit's the sport button... he immediatly felt the change and looked at me promptly flooring it. As we're flying through some corners the MA's Comments of "This is a greasy corner coming up" and "You do know this is a residential area?" got Blair to calm down a bit. I did smell the telltale scent of a dairy farm... however there were no cows in sight...

Back at the dealership I spoke the the Sales Manager again, found out my car was placed in as a Priority 1 order, and told I have until this morning to make any changes as it's a Production week 29 Build.

I got home, and logged into the Owners Lounge and was glad to see that my order changed from a Pepper White to a Lightning Blue with all the goodies.

The saga will continue...

 

I will say that my friends did not foresee the relative ease with which I parted from my beloved '03 Indi Blue/W Cooper. I'm a bit shocked too!! We did have time to say farewell...I think the de-modding process will be a bit of a catharsis for Mike, kinda like sprucing his MINI up for a new home that will love and care for him. My Cooper went to my daughter and still gets lots of play time w/ it's new, more youthful owner. So who knows what's in Churchill's future...but the prospect should be exciting!!!

 

I think all MINI owners should sign up for an ( MINI ORGAN DONOR PROGRAM) that way we can help each other.

 

So as the story unfolds..

I was lying on the floor in the dealership .. only because I knew I would be there soon after the new R56 arrived (name PAD - picked after delivery) .. and I was curious... No Bently manual out yet.. So I had to see first hand..

As for the spirited driving.., I was just reliving my experince with my MA when I bought my MINI. My MA took me out on some back roads and drove the snot out of the MINI.. then handed me the keys and said enjoy.. So I only felt obligated to return the favor

The rest.. well .. lets just leave it be..

 

You're the engineering genius!! My MINI lubs you. The twin to my Mike. Though I'm not really sure...are you the good twin, or the evil one?

 

I am going to have to keep up on this one, we have three (no...five) key players in this SOAP. I'm loving it.

TIG, SDMike, BBCooper (Churchhill and the new R56). I wonder if Churchhill knows he is doing public service (doner) work in SD County.

This is a great thread, keep us up to date.

 

2 words: Emotional Turmoil

Mike goes through phases of and .

everytime he talks about his R56. And with every PM, email, and phone call about parts off of Churchill. I see him gazing out the window now and then, with a far off look in his eyes. I know he's wrestling with giving up Churchill for a new R56.

What amazing little cars MINIs are...no doubt about it.

He still hasn't slept. No, I'm not kidding. Well, OK, he's taking what I call "naps" to survive. Last night, we were both tired, or so I thought. Head to bed at 10...watch some TV...and I'm nodding off by 11. Mike usually reads to go to sleep.

I wake up at 12:30, no Mike. He's in the office surfing NAM and reading the R56 online Owner's Manual lol: . I go back to sleep.

I wake up at 2:30, Mike's just climbing into bed. Alarm is set for 5:30. I just look at him...he says, "hey, I'm not tired!". LMAO mmmmkaay.

Today he sends me an instant message..."We have a problem" ..."I saw that someone in the Prod Week 31 thread is getting their R56 in August!!" "If we're not planning to pick it up until mid-Sept, and it arrives at the dealership in August...you can count on me being home from work late every day! I'm going to have to go visit my new baby at the "impound yard" at Brecht...bond with him and everything, you know - even if it's over a fence".

I didn't really feel like pointing out the obvious...if it arrives early, you get it early! I must admit, watching the emotional upheaval in my manly man is somewhat amusing. Does that make me evil?

I find myself asking noone in particular..."Where is my husband, and what have you done with his brain?"

 

Church's buddies are going to miss him dearly. But those on the receiving end of his "organ donation" will have the gift of fuller, happier, motoring lives; as well as knowing a little piece of Church will always be with them.

 

Since it has been said that Mike & I "share" a brain sometimes. -- you know finishing each others sentances, finishing a joke the other starts.. handing a tool over just at the right time, and wierder yet.. we start to hum the same song at the same time - when the radio is not even on -- oh no I just realized we are a "couple"...

breathe.. breathe.. it will all be ok ..

how did I get off track . oh yes.. sleep or lack there of.. maybe my less then normal sleep can be attributed to some ESP bond with Mike and his restless night of excitment & worry...

I guess the experiment continues.. how many more days !!!

 

Too many more days BB... lol you should add my R56 to your sig file as a "Uncle to be"

Anyway yeah I was pretty restless last night... I had to stay up and re-read the Owners Manual again... when I read it the first time I'd get all excited about something and start to describe it to Tiggy... and she already knew it

I'm not sure whats worse... a thread poking fun at my hysteria from the woman I adore... or the fact that she knows more about my R56 than I do

 

Took you long enough... the rest of us have know this for months.

Poor Tigs is a "MINI Widow" even though she has her own and is highly involved with the club, mods, etc!