Too bad you didn't win rondon....

However.....


POST 901!!!!!

 

Finally hit 1250 miles yesterday. Woo hoo, except it's been raining steadily for a week, so the pleasures of winding the car out to readline are rather diminished. Cupholder is out, euro parcel shelf on order.

 

HA! You'll get no argument from me. I almost got hit backing out of my driveway this morning. Some idiot thought it would be better to keep up their pace and swerve around to pass me rather than slow down and stop. I was already backed fully out in the road. But the driver actually had NY plates, so...

 

oh yeah,

of note this week. i surpassed 1500 miles and received my first pebble to the windshield. So I've got a nice little starburst crack on the windshield that's conveniently hidden behind the rear view mirror. Should I replace the windshield or just wait it out?

 

Depends...in CT we have full glass coverage - no deductible. As long as your insurance covers it, do it!
And too bad that happened, and so soon. :(

As to that NY driver, well, figure, he's got the Jersey drivers on one side, MA on the other - he's doomed!!
(Of course, there are the perfect CT drivers as a buffer!)

 

You nor'easterners crack me up. All that talk of rain and idiot drivers. Out here in idyllic California, all we have is sunshine ... and idiot drivers.

I'll be rolling through 1250 on Wednesday. I don't know whether to celebrate or cringe. I'm putting miles on this car at a prodigious rate.

I finally got around to washing the car this weekend. She looks much better now.

Oh, I saw a Waggoner's truck this morning on the way into work. Thought of you guys.

Just a few random thoughts.

 

I've passed 1600 miles now... of course, minus the trip home I'd only be at about 750. I have to keep reminding myself of that as I rack up the miles since usually I'm a pretty low mileage guy - a purposefully short commute and I take the bus when I can, etc.

 

*Sigh*

I am only at 9 hundred something, and will be that way through the end of the week since I am stuck here in Salt Lake City for work. Bleh. I miss my MINI already.


oh, and my partner and dogs and cats. heh

 

Well you could have just brought him along in your carry on
So, were you in SLC on Saturday? There was a British Motoring Club event with many MINIs, both new and classic. It was divine.

 

No, unfortunately I just got in today. So far I have seen one MINI billboard and one MINI.

 

Well, there are actually quite a few around town, but sometimes I don't see one all day long. It was weird, I was in Chicago last week and only saw one the entire time I was there. I don't understand why EVERYBODY doesn't own a MINI. What more could you possibly want from a car?

 

I totally agree!!

Today I saw another one. BRG/B I think. I cant remember the roof color.

 

Anybody know any rental car companies in the bay area that rent out MINIs? I'm heading to SFO this Saturday and I've got a sweet ecomony car ride lined up (I'm being sarcastic), but would obviously be interested in renting a MINI out there if I can...

car related: I have an automatic and I've just started using the steptronic shifter and it's a lot more fun driving. Kinda making me wish I'd gone standard, but on the other hand it is nice smoetimes to just pop it into D and go.

 

I'm afraid I can't help you, AMW. I'm sure you could Google it, or perhaps give a local dealer a buzz to see if they know a place.

In other news, my baby is all broken in. Odometer read 1257 when I arrived at work today.

 

I know that Enterprise in Seattle has a MINI at their downtown location, You should just give a call around and see what you can find. Also, sometimes there are "luxury" car rentals and MINIs are sometimes included there too.

 

Despite being the first Mini owner in history to require help to remove the cupholder, I am pleased to report that it took me a mere 30 minutes to successfully install the "euro parcel tray" from OutMotoring.com.

If anyone else is contemplating this, I recommend using a mirror and a screwdriver to get the little tabs to hook over the crossbar -- I cannot image how you could do this blind -- and plenty of patience when dealing with those wretched blue speed nuts.

 

Mercy, mercy!! I am trying hard to stop spending money on this car...I convinced myself that I did NOT need that super cool parcel tray that reminds me of the great little euro cars I used to rent from the fly-by-night rental companies on my European vacations.
ANd now you're telling me how EASY the install was!

Aarghh!!!

(THanks for the tips!! heh heh)

 

I found the euro parcel tray very easy to install too. I just used some masking tape on the blue things to hold them in place. It all went in very easily.

I also put in the aux input into the back of the euro parcel tray, so I can have my iPod just stashed out of site there... very easy to just reach down and hit 'next' to skip a song and such.

 

The EPT is like $75 including the rubber mat from OutMotoring. I like it 'cause it reminds me of the under-dash tray on my '66 VW Bus. In fact the Mini as a whole reminds me of that old bus, but that's another story.

 

I love the parcel tray. I bought a tiny fold-up umbrella and stashed it in the tray so I always have one handy in case another sudden New England rain storm sweeps in. It leaves about half of the tray empty for other stuff. I haven't quite found a consistent use for the rest of the tray as with hills and turns and such, the things I put in there end up falling out eventually, but it's handy to put some things like cell phone or wallet. I had the ipod adapter hooked up, so it's in the glove compartment.

I've found the two small cup holders to be pretty convenient. The one with the lid holds quarters for parking meters and the open one holds the house keys. I actually like the big cup-holder. Ugly, yes. But it's a great cell phone holder when not holding cups/bottles and I often have a bottle of water in it anyway.

Also, I believe that the tray gives you a little more leg room up front.

Also, for those of you with sunroofs that drive on turnpikes, I put my EZpass (actually called FASTLane here in Massachusetts) transmitter under the rear sunroof (stuck to the glass, obviously). I got the suggestion from someone else on these boards. It's essentially tucked in the center of the car, as far forward on the rear sunroof portion as possible. Thus, it doesn't uglify my front windshield and you can't really see it unless you're looking down at the car or sitting in the back seats. It works perfectly well in the toll booths.

 

btw, thanks for the link to that thread, Tubwreck. Not that I'm going to remove the cupholder, but reading the thread, I've learned about light-in-sight, which I figure I'll try out.

 

I heartily endorse Light-in-sight!! EVEN with my new ragtop - it is extremly useful!
In fact, liberating!!! I am now so relaxed at lights - I can lean back against the seat...aaahhh.

I just got it for my 'vert, while kicking myself for not knowing it existed for hte 3 yrs with my MCS!

 

Had a kinda cool thing happen tonight on the way home from Starbucks. Pulled out into the road and could see some lights coming up behind me. Thought it looked like a MINI and sure enough!! He followed me for a bit, went fast around a little roundabout, pulled over to the side to let him pass and then chased him until I had to turn home. Good fun!!

 

Happy Fourth of July everyone!

 

Happy fourth to you too minitee!!

I passed 1250 on my way to work this morning! Woot!