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Old Jul 19, 2009 | 07:03 AM
  #101  
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Originally Posted by J_'09s
First off, I'm an American stationed in Spain. I bought my car through BMW basically direct, here in Spain. Its US specs and all, ready to be shipped home when i get out of the military. The weekend after i took the delivery of the R56 i went to Cadiz, here in Spain. Its one of the oldest cities in Europe. Well i went into the inner city, where all the streets are one way and super tight with parked cars everywhere on the sides. Super tight even for a Mini, i had to fold my driver's side mirror up just to get through one little area! I went around this one turn and there was a family walking up and this little girl turned around and her eyes lit up and her jaw dropped! It was adorable, i knew then that i got the right car. I can't wait to get this car back home next summer

Thanks for your service and your right when you get your car home and see the look on the faces its classic. I remember seeing a lot of "nice" cars in Spain when I was hitting port so the Mini should fit right in.
 
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Old Jul 19, 2009 | 02:08 PM
  #102  
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Originally Posted by J_'09s
^^ sneaky old geezers haha
Yepper and don't leave out underhanded too.

Jim
 
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Old Jul 20, 2009 | 11:09 AM
  #103  
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Originally Posted by jbewley
Yepper and don't leave out underhanded too.

Jim
And grumpy ;-)
 
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Old Jul 20, 2009 | 11:38 AM
  #104  
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Originally Posted by Tron Chief
One or two cars running together is fun MORE is better if you doubt me just be one of the last cars and watch the reaction of drivers going the other way.
I agree! We went to a gathering in Cleveland in June around 160 MINI/Mini's in attendance! We went for a drive together through a park and the reactions of people in the park were awesome! Waving, stopping in their tracks, smiling, we even heard one lady say "Look at all those Mini's"! Seems like the spectators enjoyed it almost as much as we did!
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 03:07 AM
  #105  
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GREAT Happy thoughts so far.....

I want to see some pictures of your car in Spain? I'd love to see a shot of the car in a tight spot, mirrors folded, and see how tight it really is.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 09:29 AM
  #106  
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From: Bama


Not really in a tight place, but i'll post some more when i get them
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 09:38 AM
  #107  
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That looks COOL, next time, crop the image so that the light pole and garbage can are out of the photo.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 10:09 AM
  #108  
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Originally Posted by Kimini03
I agree! We went to a gathering in Cleveland in June around 160 MINI/Mini's in attendance! We went for a drive together through a park and the reactions of people in the park were awesome! Waving, stopping in their tracks, smiling, we even heard one lady say "Look at all those Mini's"! Seems like the spectators enjoyed it almost as much as we did!
I have never had the chance to go to AMVIV and plan on being at next years I heard they have large runs like that. It is awesome to look at other Mini's as no two are exactly alike and often you see mods that either your glad you did not do or that you want to do..
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 10:13 AM
  #109  
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Yeah, but even the garbage cans in Europe look cool. I'm surprised to see the fender reflector lights on a Euro MINI, I thought the US and Canada were the only countries with those.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 10:20 AM
  #110  
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Originally Posted by drewstermalloy
Yeah, but even the garbage cans in Europe look cool. I'm surprised to see the fender reflector lights on a Euro MINI, I thought the US and Canada were the only countries with those.
It's not a Euro MINI though...it's IN Europe, but American specs....
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 10:23 AM
  #111  
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Originally Posted by mini cooper mini
That looks COOL, next time, crop the image so that the light pole and garbage can are out of the photo.
Thanks, i'm still getting into the world of photography. I just bought a new camera. Thanks for the tip!
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 10:27 AM
  #112  
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Originally Posted by x uh oh x
It's not a Euro MINI though...it's IN Europe, but American specs....
You can buy American spec cars in Europe?
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 10:44 AM
  #113  
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Im us military stationed here, we have a deal through BMW here to buy factory direct. I paid MSRP and no tax woohoo!! But anyway it's a great deal because i'll be able to take it home when i get out next year. The only problem i've run into is that I dont have a dealer to take it to, so if i have a mechanical issue, im kinda screwed! Here's the cropped pic mini cooper mini


and another

 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 10:49 AM
  #114  
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Lots of companies such as Custom Mini Shop ship world wide and with over 60K Mini owners and vendors on NAM your never alone I tried to see if Overseas Auto Sales was offering Mini's when I was on my last deployment and they were not selling them at that time I'm glad to see that they finally got with the times.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 10:55 AM
  #115  
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I think you may be talking about a different program, i bought this through a MINI/BMW showroom just off base here in Rota. You just go in there and make your order. It's very convenient process! The wait was about 2 months from order to delivery..
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 10:57 AM
  #116  
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Originally Posted by drewstermalloy
You can buy American spec cars in Europe?
YUP! That's how I got both of mine, too. I was assigned to Germany. You want to talk about happy motoring!! My average speed was about 90 MPH on the autobahn - which is legal unless you're in the restricted zones. Twisties and some serious scenery.

Originally Posted by J_'09s
Im us military stationed here, we have a deal through BMW here to buy factory direct. I paid MSRP and no tax woohoo!! But anyway it's a great deal because i'll be able to take it home when i get out next year. The only problem i've run into is that I dont have a dealer to take it to, so if i have a mechanical issue, im kinda screwed! Here's the cropped pic mini cooper mini
You might want to check out the policies with the BMW dealers - as I was leaving in 2007, BMW was trying to work out the policies of ANY BMW dealer could also work on MINIs - especially for things like mechanical trouble shooting, oil changes, etc. I only had a BMW dealer near me in Baumholder, GE (MINI dealer was about an hour away) so that's where I took mine from 2004-2007.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 10:59 AM
  #117  
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Originally Posted by J_'09s
I think you may be talking about a different program, i bought this through a MINI/BMW showroom just off base here in Rota. You just go in there and make your order. It's very convenient process! The wait was about 2 months from order to delivery..
Sounds like your correct the program I was looking at shipped the car to the nearest port to your duty station and you picked it up there. However they usually only offered the standard US car dealers and right at the end they finally had the BMW's however no Mini's So I ended up going three hours and picking one up from the dealer
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 11:04 AM
  #118  
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From: Bama
Originally Posted by x uh oh x
You might want to check out the policies with the BMW dealers - as I was leaving in 2007, BMW was trying to work out the policies of ANY BMW dealer could also work on MINIs - especially for things like mechanical trouble shooting, oil changes, etc. I only had a BMW dealer near me in Baumholder, GE (MINI dealer was about an hour away) so that's where I took mine from 2004-2007.
Thanks for the heads up! I'm actually going to be moving back just down the street from the newest MINI dealership in the WORLD!! In Birmingham AL. But yeah there's little police force here. We don't have the autobahn, but then again, all you have to do is watch out for the marked cameras. Its hilarioius. But i drive about 90 everywhere too! I'm getting it out of my system before i come back home to hiding cops with radar guns! Oh and i bought it through Pentagon Auto, is that who you went through?
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 11:21 AM
  #119  
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From: Petersburg, VA
Originally Posted by J_'09s
Thanks for the heads up! I'm actually going to be moving back just down the street from the newest MINI dealership in the WORLD!! In Birmingham AL. But yeah there's little police force here. We don't have the autobahn, but then again, all you have to do is watch out for the marked cameras. Its hilarioius. But i drive about 90 everywhere too! I'm getting it out of my system before i come back home to hiding cops with radar guns! Oh and i bought it through Pentagon Auto, is that who you went through?
Yes, Pentagon. And becareful of those cameras!! The ones the Germans were using were so good, you could see the freckles on your face! You didn't know where they were because they were so small and well placed...AND they kept moving them - so once you thought you knew where each one was...they'd MOVE it. Actually, i can't be mad. I DO admit to pushing the speed limit (husband likes to tell people I pass my own headlights )...but Hubby (who drives like Ms. Daisy!) was always the ones to get tickets. Still does. It makes him very mad.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 01:04 PM
  #120  
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Today as I was getting off the exit to work, I passed 5 or six MINIs going in all different directions. Every single one gave me the EXACT same expression. A huge goofy smile and a thumbs up. I felt like I was on the Truman Show. The last one I passed had his window rolled down, and he yelled, "Your blackout MINI looks SchaaWwweeet!!!"

Wouldn't get that kind of fun attention with any other car.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 01:07 PM
  #121  
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Duh. i wanted to see paxton with his friends.
 

Last edited by mini cooper mini; Jul 21, 2009 at 01:40 PM.
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 01:10 PM
  #122  
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Originally Posted by mini cooper mini
we wanna see PAXTON..........
Page 1 of this thread haha, did you get your MINI yet??
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 01:41 PM
  #123  
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NO, two weeks.

What is funny, i have every upgraded item here now or will be here in the next few days and still no car.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2009 | 08:00 PM
  #124  
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Originally Posted by drewstermalloy
Today as I was getting off the exit to work, I passed 5 or six MINIs going in all different directions. Every single one gave me the EXACT same expression. A huge goofy smile and a thumbs up. I felt like I was on the Truman Show. The last one I passed had his window rolled down, and he yelled, "Your blackout MINI looks SchaaWwweeet!!!"

Wouldn't get that kind of fun attention with any other car.
It's days like this one above that make you glad you drive a Mini
 
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Old Jul 23, 2009 | 05:28 AM
  #125  
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What happened to more HAPPY THOUGHTS? Anyone go for a fun drive this past weekend or have plans for one this weekend?
 
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