My wife can't stand how much attention I pay to the Mini. =)

 

Just about 3000 miles in a month and a half since I took delivery, and I love my MINI. Been wanting one ever since they came out, so happy to have it finally. It is my daily driver, and now commuting 90 mi/day roundtrip is really fun! No problems detected, just fun driving!
______________________________________
Pepper White/Blk top Manual MCS, Bonnet Stripes, Pac Blu Lthr/Carbon Blk Cloth, Prem, Conv, Cold, Color Line Blu Intr/Brushed Alloy, HIFI sys, Xenon HL

 

Doing this when I first acquired my MINI, I expected its to be just a symptom of new car infatuation. However, after all of this time I still do it with the same glee as Day One.

In fact, one of the joyful by-products of my OCMD habit of parking at the far, lonely ends of parking lots for ding-avoidance is the fact that I can turn around as I'm walking away and gaze with happy satisfaction at my MINI multiple times with views unobstructed by other vehicles. No way to wipe the grin away. Plus, it always makes for a great view upon return (except on those rare occasions when another driver has had the gall to violate my keep-out zone).

Thanks all for this therapeutic thread!

 

I've had mine since April and with 9600 miles on it, I still haven't lost the desire to drive just for the sake of driving. Even with the price of gas so high, I can still have guilt free fun with out breaking the bank.
My car has been trouble free, and with exception of a dash buzz/rattle, I've got no complaints. Just saw the car issue of Consumer Reports and they recommend the MINI and mention the trouble/repair rate is better than average.

 

Aye to that. If every person on earth drove a MINI and played the banjo, there would never be another war.

 

I had the stereo turned down this morning, and for the first time (it's only 650km old), I heard the turbo scroll up. A smile emanated from my face and I kept it until I got to work. Also, I used sport automatic for the first time today, I usually run in m/s, it was also quite good.

 

MINI.......

How do I love thee.

Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height and size

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight of thee large speedometer

For the ends of being and ideal grace as thee transverse thee twisty roads

I love thee to the level of every day's commute

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. and dahboard lights.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right solid shifts

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise and compliment the looks.

I love thee with the passion put to use and going very quick.

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith, I drive like I never drove before.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose with any other car.

With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, of thee the supercharged roar.

Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death as long as my new MINI always be with me.



Liz Browning could not have said it better

 

You know, for a split second before reading this thread, I just reflected on the POSSIBILITY that I'd gotten "used to" or bored of my MINI, and how it's just a daily driver....

then it hit me that that's what the MINI is all about, and what it was designed for. Maximum car for minimal space. The ultimate city car. And it is. Gets me to work and back. To the grocery store. And when I want, it's a helluva lot of fun.

It doesn't pretend to be something it isn't. It's not a race car on the streets, because those get old and tiring REAL quick. It's a city car that doesn't mind being fun.

+1 to luvin' the MINI!

 

* applause *

SuperMINIs poem is going on my garage wall ASAP...

 

The automatic has no clutch; when manual shifting, you just need to signal the car to shift, and it does electronically - no clutch needed, and you don't even need to lift off the gas either. It's not true manual.

But it is still fun.

 

It is undoubtedly true that for every "problem" post on NAM, there are many hundreds/thousands of quietly happy owners enjoying a brilliant motoring experience with their MINI. NAM owners tend to be an obsessive bunch who will typically post multiple threads for weeks over something as basically inconsequential as a rattle. Certainly, as with any car, both generations of MINI have issues, but their is little to date to suggest that the R56's observed teething problems are widespread, design-related or systematic. Rather, they seem to be isolated QC problems. For example, for every few dozen instances of transmission problems which receive high visibility and strident vocality on this board, there are thousands of - non-posting - happy owners grinning as they run through the gears problem-free.

The wide dissemination and high visibility of posts on this and other boards can indeed create the quite erroneous impression that the R56 is a poorly-built, problem-plagued car. While some problem cases undeniably do occur - especially with a newly-introduced model - I would venture that overall reliability statistics for the entire R56 fleet on the road would very likely show that the R56 has relatively high build quality and few problems for a first-year new design. And quality will certainly improve with subsequent model years as teething problems are resolved by the factory. So one should thus beware of forming premature conclusions about MINI build quality based on the statistically small sample of "problem" posts which appear on NAM. That's what boards such as this are for - to give people a forum to air problems. What we don't read here is that most MINI owners are happily motoring rather than posting about issues.

My experience, I believe, is probably typical of the vast majority: With over 9000 miles on the clock, I have yet to find the slightest problem - not even a rattle or buzz - with my 2007 MCS. It shifts and runs like a dream. As a lifelong motorcyclist, I must say that my MINI is the most fun I have ever had on four wheels. What a great car!

 

Bravo ! Bravo !
Only another fellow Systems Engineer could appreciate Elizabeth Browning's Ode to MINI.

 

I have never enjoyed a car nearly as much as my mini. My mini is going on 3 1/2 weeks since delivery and she already has over 2600 mi. on her. My car has been an utter joy to motor in. I get questions all the time especially when I fill up at gas stations. I just had the windows tinted and they look great!!!!

 

It nice to see that so many people enjoy their MINI's as much as I probably will. When I test drove a MCS for the first time, I couldn't stop giggling!! I can't wait to get one!! I will probably go order mine some time soon!!

 

I do the same thing.

I love my car, it's awesome and I can't wait to get in it every morning and go for a drive.

 

I love walking up to my MINI in the driveway. Just sits there waiting for me!

 

I have 22,000 miles on mine & I still get that faraway look in my eye when gazing at my MINI! I see it as one of those little perks in life.

 

Yahoo for man on MINI love!

I <3 my MCS more than I ever thought would be possible, and I'm a car guy who has "loved" all my cars, even my beaters. There's something special about these little cars indeed!

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this! People in parking lots must think us MINI owners are C R A Z Y :impatient

 

There 's nothing that could be gloom and doom about owning a Mini.Took delivery about 3 weeks ago and haven't looked back since.This car is just to much fun and yes just puts a smile on on your face everyday...and yes you do turn back to look at it everytime you park it....Enjoy

 

We are!

This is my mid-life crisis vehicle--I'll be 57 in a couple of weeks. Of course, we've always been car crazy--we've owned lots of interesting cars, ranging from a SAAB Sonett (mine) to a Porsche 356 SC (his), various BMWs, etc. It's been fun, but the MINI is the "funnest" of all!

 

You may even find yourself thanking her! I thought I was sacrificing so my hubby could drive (medical reasons can't drive a stick) I have always loved a stick! The manual mode is great. It is especially nice when taking tight twisties. You can get on it out of a turn, shift with the paddle shifters and still have both hands on the wheel when the torque steer grabs you! You are going to love it!!

My baby did have some problems... turned out it was some loose wires. She's back and so far so good. The time in the rent-a-dents truly created MINI appreciation. When I went out to the parking lot I couldn't figure out which grey box was mine without clicking the key fob!

And for our midlife crises think of the extra exercise we are getting from the boondocks parking! Soooo many blessings from such a cute little package

 

My MINI is OK. It's my Porsche. I like it. I like driving it. I like touching it. I like looking at it. It's alright. It's my little Ferrari until I hit the jackpot.

 

Ditto on all the love. Almost 14,000 miles of a great ride with Molly.

 

I haven't had a chance to get on NAM since I started this thread 2 days ago. Wow ! So much Mini love! Makes me grin even bigger.

I forgot one key thing on my list of things I love about my Mini, and then just last night I was reminded again...I can park anywhere!! I parallel-parked my Mini in an impossible spot last night right in front of the restaurant to which I was going--everyone else had to circle the block repeatedly. The world is my parking oyster.

I'm getting ready to drive my Mini 3hrs down to Monterey this weekend...can't wait.