Whatever.

p.s. I forwarded an email to Dr. Z telling him to get this damned inaccurate bit of the Daimler balance sheet off of his financial statement. Hope you approve.

http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/dccom...0-0-0-0-0.html

'Course once the PSA/BMW "Prince" engine becomes reality this month, maybe Dr. Z will unload this bit of his balance sheet to the Chinese.

One thing for sure...ten years from now, every sports car will weigh 5000lbs and die of it's own weight...

Look what happened to the Neon SRT-4's replacement...It's a frickn Neon raped by the Dodge Ram :impatient

Dang it!

Pigeonholed again! I actually HAVE had wine with a twist off cap that I thought was pretty good. Oh, well.

I'm now pretty much ready to concede.

I too am glad I got my 06'.
I like the way I can shine my headlights up in a tree.

For me, reading other Automobile critics review is just that, Reading.

Personally, the only way I'll be able to tell if I like the R56 or not is to get in it and drive it. Something I would bet 99.9 % of us haven't been able to do yet.

Until then, I'm going to enjoy what I have now.

I am anxious to take a test drive.... I am planning a "traveler" to replace my Xterra......

For all of this discussion all I can say is that we can't wait to take delivery of our 2006 MCS next week... I am sure the R56 will be a nice car for those willing to wait next year to take delivery...

Historically speaking, you guys do know that the original Mini was built to be a CHEAP car, right? I owned a 62 Cooper. I loved it. And I realized it was a cheaply built box. And I loved it in all it's cheapness. Buy what you want and be happy! And all you guys who are so wrapped up and worked up with this bigger/bad thing...if you were TRULY SERIOUS, you'd all own an ORIGINAL TEN FOOT BOX. :-) Drive what you want, and be happy! I just looked at production line photos of the 07s and personally I LOVE that new blunt nose. Embrace change, boys...you can't stop it. The 07's are coming to get you...bahahahah!
Tom

No. I said that the professional journalists called the suspension "harsh" on the 2002-2006 MCS, and now a professional journalist is calling the suspension on the 2007 MCS soft.

But not all professional journalists are the same, so you are unfairly putting them all in the same category. Not all of the journalists necessarily thought the suspension was too harsh in the R53, and not all of them think its too soft in the R56. I was just at B&N and I read the Automobile Magazine article but I also read an article in Top Gear in which the journalist raved about the new MINI. So even "professional journalists" come to different conclusions. Its like all those people who always complain about the "liberal media" as if all reporters, anchors, journalists, etc, are of one mind and agenda...

(note: the example of liberal media is meant in now way to set off a political discussion, its just an applicable example IMO, PLEASE do not take any more than that from it... )

So they aren't in the same category? Of course they are. They are professionals. They have much more knowledge of vehicles than the average person. They are critics. They make their living off of it. It isn't unfair, it's what they are. Yes, I understand that they have different opinions, but so do wine critics, or movie critics, or whatever. But the basis is that they are all suppose to be well educated about what they critique.

I was just saying that I read many reviews for the 2002-2006 MCS (by professional journalists) that said the suspension was too harsh. Many reviews, as in more than one professional journalist coming to the same conclusion. Now I think it's funny that one of the very first reviews of the 2007 MCS points out that the ride is too soft. It was just a comment. I think it's funny. No need to be too serious about it.

No worries, I understand what you're saying, and don't worry I'm never serious about these types of conversations, I just enjoy arguing

Its all cool...

[quote=MSFITOY]One thing for sure...ten years from now, every sports car will weigh 5000lbs and die of it's own weight...

Your crystal ball may need dealer service.

5000 lbs? Not as long as there's people like Caterham and Grinnall. My Grinnall Scorpion weighs 860s with over 100 hp. www.grinnallcars.com

[quote=surfblue]Can you afford one?

surfblue does have a point about the original mini...and you know, that may be next on my wish list (i'd love to own one of those old "boxes")! Although I've got to admit...that forthcoming traveller looks pretty damn great...it may end up next on the wish list! If this new engine pans out (and we'll have all of next year to see if it does before the traveller arrives in '08) the traveller could be one hell of a vehicle!

Chuck

I have been a subscriber to AUTOMOBILE magazine for a few years now ... and I have never heard them say many bad things about ANY BMW product in general ... sometimes making me feel that I am reading a BMW trade magazine.

So this little review leaves me a bit worried ...

Good point. In fact for the most part I get the impression that most of the car magazines are very biased toward supporting BMW. While I like BMWs, their praise for BMW has gone a little too overboard at times...

not sure about that ... BMW's are phenomanal machines at all the pricepoints they offer ...
and of all the mags AUTOMOBILE is pretty ballsy in telling it like it is in their reviews, so I tend to trust them a bit

I think they critized the Bangle Butt and i-drive.

As for the softer suspension....less chance of expensive "mushrooming" of the strut towers, especially with the 22 inch wheels and rubber band tires some will have to get.

[quote=MSFITOY] What part of MY GRINNALL SCORPION (that would be #151) don't you understand?

[quote=surfblue]What kind of gas mileage does that thing get.

[quote=resmini]
No matter how hard I thrash it it doesn't go below 35 mpg. Cruising the backroads I get 40-42. Remember, it wasn't built for economy. It's definitely a minimalist performance sports car. It gets sold only after I'm in the ground.

You guys are mixing up the quotes...:impatient

It was easy.