Hi there,

My name is Brendon, and I just picked up a CR/W 2005 MCS for my wife as her new daily driver. We're currently living in Canada (a couple of hours across the border from Buffalo,NY) and I picked the car up from a Navy Colonel in the DC area. With the difference in pricing between the US/Canada, we just couldn't resist! Our Mini, currently being called "Coops" by my wife (which I think may stick - the wife as well as the car!) has Sport/Premium/Cold Weather as well as some nice two tone cordoba beige leather...

I'm currently looking for a baby seat for our daughter (which I've found threads for) and some shading for the rear; I'm torn between tinting and buying the velcro shades that I've seen advertised - if anyone has any input on either items, please let me know...

BTW - had a great intro to the new Mini; landed in DC at 11:00 AM on Friday, and was on the road by noon - arrived home around midnight after a nice long drive home!

Brendon/GTC

PS - Guess I should also mention that we're looking for some intro to rallying or AutoX in the SW Ontario area, if there are any Canucks lurking around the forum!

 

Welcome to NAM. AutoX is a blast in these cars, if you get a chance try it.

 

Welcome to NAM, it appears you found a new love for your wife Since you mentioned autox, are you both going to co-drive the MINI in the events?

Sounds like a great buy. Glad you had a good first intro drive, too.

Enjoy and drive safe and fun.

 

Welcome to NAM, and congrats on your wife's new car!

 

Thanks for the welcome draggonman & old81! We'd probably co-drive a rally, but I'm not sure how excited my wife is to try AutoX. I've been around a track in my BMW 330Ci and while I enjoy it as a road car, it just isn't a very quick track car (no mods and it's a pretty heavy beast!) - though the driver probably leaves a bit to be desired as well.

What she's really dying to try is a "Mini on ice" event (winter handling and a race track on a frozen lake!); I know that there was one a couple of years ago in Québec, and I'll have to keep an eye out for one this year...

 

Welcome to NAM! Glad to have our friends north of the border getting into the motoring act! Enjoy the experience!

 

Welcome

 

MINI on ice, that might be fun if it is run on only standard tires, no ice spikes. We have had a club or two do an ice race on the lake up in Georgetown. One of my older Jeep GC managed to take the race with another driver. It was a hoot to do and watch.

Good luck and be sure to take pictures if you get the chance to ice-race.

 

Congrats on the wife's new Mini and welcome to NAM.

We will be making a visit to Niagara Falls after our Mini arrives. We are planning on focusing on the Canadian side since we hear it's much nicer than the US side. Any pointers or other places to visit while there?

 

Welcome aboard - from So Cal... Congrats on the purchase. And that "MINI on Ice" thing sounds pretty cool...

Donna

 

Thanks for the welcomes everyone!

Mini S Pilot - Yes, the Canadian side is a little nicer right around the falls themselves. Unfortunately, I haven't been right downtown for almost a dozen years - generally I skip through at the Queenston/Lewiston bridge which avoids the town (and traffic) entirely as I'm driving back & forth. You'll obviously want to actually see the falls - and if you have time I enjoyed the last boat tour which takes you right up to the base of the falls - you'll get wet, but you can get some interesting (and often funny pictures of your spouse!) as you get right close to the falls. Other then that, I'm not sure what to mention - I'm just not down in town that often...

If you like wine, there are about 50 some odd wineries within a half hour of the falls area on the Canadian side; my wife and I took "Coops" for a little tour through the wine country yesterday! I've found the prices of buying directly have increased substantially (even when they were cheap, they were only roughly on par with buying in the US!) but the free tours are generally enjoyable. If you are going to stay over night there are also a bunch of B&Bs up in the Niagra-on-the-lake area...

 

Howdy and welcome!