Beautiful thread! It's great to see that the love has not diminished. I feel absolutely the same way although it isn't a 1st gen.

 

I'm all for keeping those MINIs running but it's true, those who do so have to be ready to tackle a few issues that can be pricey. I envy those who have found an independent shop where repairs can be done, or who have the skills to do the same. I hope those picking up pre-owned MINIs now will, over time, help expand the network of shops that are familiar w/ MINIs and it's technical complications so it becomes easier and easier for MINIs to be truly kept going forever.

 

Molly ain't goin' anywhere...she's a part of our Family!! With only a little over 16,000miles on her I can already see the day when she'll hit the 100,000mile mark and I'll still be !!

 

This was topic at brunch today with a few of our MINI friends....I can not image parting with Cousteau. He is my first MINI and I really, really love this car! After 2 years and 14,876 miles, he still makes me smile every time I go in to the garage or take him out motoring. I think we are lucky, since I do not think most people get this much fun or enjoyment from their vehicles.

 

I plan on keeping Scoopie until Granddaughter #1 graduates from HS in another 4 years (at least, I promised it 2 her a coupla years ago). However, if she doesn't want it for some reason or other, I'm keeping it!

 

I've had Egan for almost three years now and I still enjoy driving it as much as when I first got it. I currently have no plans of getting rid of it, but it has nothing to do with the economic times we are living in either. For me, it's purely because it's a car I love to drive.

Currently has over 57k miles on it, so it has plenty of life left in it. And if I follow the simple rules of maintenance (fluids, brakes, tires, sea-foam, etc) It'll run until "the wheels fall off."

 

In contrast to many of the comments to this thread- I look forward to the day I can let my MINI go... for a new one, that is!

My first MINI was a 2003 Cooper- I had never given a rat's breath about cars until then, and well, you know how it is. The stars lined up one day and put me in a position to get a made to order 2006 MCS which I love even more!

R56? Clubby? Maybe... Someday.

 

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The MINI brought out the enthusiast in me. Having owned an '03 Cooper and an '05 Cooper S, they let me enjoy the best of both worlds of driving an NA and an SC car. The '05 also let me see the dark side of modding, and how much $$$ you can sink into it and never seem to ever stop until you take a step back and realize you could have bought another MINI or two with all that $$, though not have one as cool as that single modded MINI.

Due to financial and personal reasons, I thought I was going to have to give up my MINI recently, but fortunately, that thought only lasted a couple of days.

Although I've found another outlet for my passion by purchasing a 21 year old vintage Toyota MR2, an NA like my first Cooper, although rear wheel drive, handles as well as my MINI and all the joy I felt with the MINIs continues with the MR2, and that should extend its life by not putting on the 100 miles a day I was doing.

In short, I plan to keep my MINI forever as long as I don't drown in debt first.....

Richard

 

Good question! I've been wanting a Clubman - an erudite auto if there ever was one - but here's the dilemma. I bought my first Mini, an '04 BRG/BRG. Not too many bells and whistles, but she was the first love. She's a beauty! Then, when we quickly needed a third auto last summer (we won't mention my husband's Honda), I ordered a very snazzy ''08 MC PW/B, black lounge leather with every option except Nav. It's niiiiice.! However, it wasn't the one I really wanted - the Clubman. No time to wait that long last summer. I had to have the Mini here by August. The MC was much faster - and the only 'other' option I would consider. The Clubman would have to wait.

So, long story short, I'm nearly finished with a long doctoral program. The reward - my Clubman. Now - One of the auto's must go.

Of course (we all chime in) the Honda must go! After all, it's not a Mini. Since we only have a 2-car garage, the Honda has been parked outside for the past year. Really - it's a Honda, it was fine.

Since a lowly new (hopefully employed soon!) professor has limited means, the exchange, trade-in, will be important. Can't afford to keep all three and a Clubman. And seriously, since I'm not Jay Leno, I cannot be a collector...although I think it would be nice.

Here are the options.
#1 - Trade in the MINT condition, 40K miles 2004 British Green Mini (paid off since 06)....

#2 - Trade in the the 2008 PW/B with all the options (about 60% paid off and 9K miles) -
[both Minis always garaged and hand washed with only Prima products and thoroughly detailed 2x a year]

#3 or trade in the Honda - worth ~ $4000?
Worthy to note - there is only room for 2 autos to be garaged.

What would you do?

 

I bought mine new in '02 as soon as they came out and have loved her ever since. I had to let her go for 4 years as I got sick of the payments. BUT, I bought her back! Now I've got my original baby back (payment free) and don't intend to ever let her go. I think she's eventually gonna be one of those garage cars that gets driven once or twice a year when I get the money for a new one. Probably have 200K on her by then

Steven, your car looks amazing. And It's awesome that you kept the history of your own GP in your new MINI! What a great story!

 

mine's an 03 r50... not sure i'm going to keep it forever... but if i ever got another, i would go for another 1st generation, this time MCS tho.

 

jbkone,

Yeh, I'd be lost without my MINI's. If I didn't have them to keep me busy I'm pretty sure that with all the togetherness my wife an I would be enjoying there would be a divorce in our future. They keep me out of her hair just enough, but at the same time we have a lot of MINI club activities that we both get to enjoy. Mini's are much better (and cheaper) than marriage councilors.
All kidding aside I'm gald you got your baby back, but enough of that "hanger queen" talk. I'm not sure I could leave a MINI in the garage for more than a couple of days without taking it out for a spin.

Thanks for the compliment
Steven Tyler

 

The only way for me to let go of my MINI is if it gets totaled. And even then I'd look for another R53.

 

Im keeping mine no matter what!! even if I have to end up having to live out of it or live a normal life...Im not selling it!!! :D

 

Don't even joke about that!

 

+1

 

Im keeping my 2006 R50 forever and ever! even when i have kids! I am not buying a "mommy-van"! me and my pepper will have so much fun surfing and snowboarding until we get old!!!

 

OMG dont say those things!!! knock on wood!

 

i was going to sell my MINI twice because of money issues, but now it is paid off and I have been buying aftermarket parts for months now and my newest additions this week are front tower strut brace, ALTA cai v2.0, ALTA 17% Pulley v2.0, 535 belt, tens stop, boost gauge, auto dsc off mod, auto windows up mod, and led lighting for all of my lights from headlights to license plate lights and everything in between. i plan to keep my MINI as long as it runs. No reason to get rid of her now, Last winter I only had 1 issue on the ice and i had no tread on my old stock run flats, now i have all season bridgestone grid non runflats so I'm set. maybe even one day ill do an engine swap once it has too many miles, why not, i don't like the gen 2 MINI's; so no reason to buy a new one once this one dies in the future. long live the GEN1 BMW MINI COOPER S!!!!!!

 

I have 3 MINIs in the driveway. 147k, 47k, 6k. They will go till about 120k then a lot of $$ and work. Clutch, exhaust and hangers, brake calipers, front bushings, O2 sensors, park brake cables are among the items I replaced on '03 MC. It is in the $2000.00 range for parts if you also include a starter (since you will have it out to do the clutch) and brakes and rotors. Hope you can do it yourself- it is a lot of work. After that it should go a while. daughter purchased my '03 and it has 147K. Still have an '06 and a new Clubman so I am commited to keeping for a long time.

 

i'll be keeping mine beyond the time when she stops running.

 

MINI and I will be going to the "Home" together, in fact her last Mod will be to convert her into a really rad walker. Think of all of the tissue and Bengay I can haul around!

 

um, did you accidently pull the trigger on your loaded rocket launcher???? seriously, wth happened? that looks like an ira hit!

 

i fell in love with mine on the test drive and although it was difficult to part with my 330ci zhp (or the porsche 987 before that), the mcs has been the most fun. even when i can put another porsche in the garage, the cooper is gonna be sticking around (my 6 year old has already laid claim to it, but we'll have to see if he turns out to be a punk or not when he's a teenager!).

it's by far the car with the most character i've ever owned and since it's possibly one of the few in the states with the ac schnitzer body kit and wheels and the only one i've ever seen with my roof graphic, it's definitely a keeper! now, if i could just keep people from stealing all my aftermarket parts out of my garage....