Hey Guys (and gals), here’s the deal. I love, or at least want to love my MINI. But I’ve been really ripped up about a few things and now I', thinking about selling. I need some advice?!

My car was in an accident and out of commission for 6 months... because a lot of pieces had to be order, I swear I was driving a brand new car when I got it back. I've had to deal with a lot of insurance problems.. It was the other guys fault, and everything been taken car of for the most part but it's been a long frustrating road... I had decided to keep the car, though I figured with all the options I had the car was worth about 18-20 to an enthusiast... Plus I need to pay off the car..., plus my happiness has been a bit tarnish by the whole ordeal.. well this is all fine and dandy and then Sunday everything got worse..

I'm finally happy with the car for the first time in awhile and my fiancée open the car door... no big deal except that the gust that blew in over-extended the door and bent that metal up a bit (90o door which I now think is a design flaw over usefulness but Im a bit jaded) .. so now I have to get that fixed... (btw if anybody has ANY guess as to what something like that would cost I'd like to hear, I was suppose to get an estimate today but now I have to take a quick trip to the west coast and won't have time for a week).. The sound of the metal crunching just killed me.

I'm even ticked that I'm made over something like a car... I just really care about something that make me feel so good, but then again, it not doing that as much as it used too.. Finally I found out early that my fiancée was going to buy a bunch of mods for my birthday on the 13th and has even been reading this site to figure out what I wanted!!!! but she had to tell me ahead of time now so we could figure out what to do... Now you know where I’m coming from. What do you all think? Should I sell, do you think anybody out there would want to buy a car like mine.. (here’s the spec I figure yall will ask ...03 MC CVT BRG, Tan leather interior, chrome bumpers, white top white 8 spoke wheels premium and cold weather packages. 18kmiles babied the car.. except for the unlucky mishaps all warranties issues up to date...) or do you think I should keep it.. get the mods and continue on.. and if so what’s a good way to feel good about the car I purchased again... I don't want just a daily driver I want a car that makes me smile.. I can't think of any car out there that will, as much as this one.. I'm stumped and totally at a loss to figure out what to do... any comment will be appreciated...
-ME

 

Sorry to read this

Go on a *nice* long drive through some pretty/twisty/etc countryside. If you still don't smile, sell ...

 

Sometimes you have to deal with the pain to appreciate the pleasure. Other times, the pain is associated with the pleasure. Did I already divert to S&M? No, but the MINI can be a love/hate relationship. We love the MINI, and we hate when things go wrong with the MINI. In the end after everything is fixed we still love the MINI, even if it makes us a bit rougher around the edges than before. It's when the pain outweighs the pleasure that the love for the MINI turns sour. I've experienced more than my share of pain with the MINI (in more ways than one), however it still does not outweigh my passion for the car. It is still the best vehicle I've ever owned, despite its' imperfections.

Sincerely,
Ryan

 

Think about the possibility of trading it in. For the price of a load of mods you could be well on the way to getting an S. If you got a nice shiny new one, perhaps you can forget about the damage to the CVT. You never know you might get %80 or more of your money back....... A good deal for 18K miles.

 

I can sure understand being bummed....having a damaged MINI can sure take the wind out of one's sails. Perhaps the door fix won't be a huge ordeal. I've had mine to the body shop three times this year....once for hail damage....once for a bad door ding (...by some idiot! ).....and once for some minor vandalism. Each time was a trauma, although I truly can't imagine how demoralizing it would be to be MINI-less for 6 months!!!

Anyway, IF your MINI was fixed properly after the accident as you indicate....fix the door and have fun! That's what I'd suggest, but I sure feel your pain. If this just won't work...what about fixing it...trading it in...and getting a new one. (Seriously, I feel more comfortable with my MINI after a few mishaps....a brand new, shiney MINI can be pretty "high maintenance" if you know what I mean.)

Best of luck!!!

 

Right now MINIs have great resale value. But they're sprouting like weeds so this won't last long.

Maybe you should take advantage of the situation -- sell your MC and buy another one -- maybe even an S as someone suggested.

Fresh car, fresh warranty, fresh start...

 

If you've been jaded and a bit peeved, and also your girlfriewnd wants to buy you some mods....trade it in ( or sell it) get an "S" or "JCW", and get happy once again

 

What ever you do, don't trade in your fianc'ee. She's a KEEPER

_________________

 

>>My car was in an accident and out of commission for 6 months... because a lot of pieces had to be order, I swear I was driving a brand new car when I got it back.
>>... no big deal except that the gust that blew in over-extended the door and bent that metal up a bit (90o


Was any repair work done to the door that blew open? The door check should have kept the door from swinging that far out. If so, it is possible the the check was damaged in the first accident and the shop / insurance company should cover the damages.

 

I feel your pain, but not as intensely, I'm sure.

My poor little guy is so beat up, only had it since June 21, 2003. Went to the body shop even before delivery. Nothing major.

Took on a giant retread in August 03, damage to front valance, bumper, side skirt and wheel. Wedged everything back into place and felt better.

Shortly thereafter, was rear ended. Back to the body shop.

Blowout and damaged rim in September. Went to 16" V-spokes.

Windshield replacement, dashboard creaking.

Last November/December, sitting in front of my neighbor's house, a rock must have have flown up from a lawnmower and put a huge chip/dent in my door. Plus damaged the chrome piece near the window.

Just a couple of weeks ago, someone must have lightly backed up into my front bumper and scratched it and the paint is spiderwebbed.

Just last week the garbage man whipped a large garbage bucket at my car and put a large dent and scuff mark in my bonnet!!! What is with these people???

I love my little car, why do these things keep happening? I never had these problems with my ugly old Acura Integra!!

So, back to the bodyshop tomorrow to get estimates for the door and the bonnet. The bumper will just stay that way.

How does it drive and handle? If that is the way it should/needs to be, the rest is just cosmetic and impacting you psychologically. You will feel better about it.

Good luck whatever you do!!

 

Fix it, keep it, love it!

Nothing else will make you happy after driving a MINI.

or Fix it, sell it, replace with another MINI

 

>>I feel your pain, but not as intensely, I'm sure.
>>>>I love my little car, why do these things keep happening? I never had these problems with my ugly old Acura Integra!!
>>
>>How does it drive and handle? If that is the way it should/needs to be, the rest is just cosmetic and impacting you psychologically. You will feel better about it.
>>
>>Good luck whatever you do!!

Actually besdies teh door beign off kilter it drive jsut fine still..actually it drive better than before the first major accident (the 34 upgrade came out while it was in the shop)
that funny my last car was a honda too, it wasn't as unlucky as this car nda me have been. but It also didn't brign me neer the amount of joy.

I'd liek to hear any other comments, this is a really tough decision and I'm jsut so confused!

 

>>What ever you do, don't trade in your fianc'ee. She's a KEEPER

I'll second that!!

For what it's worth, I get "that feeling" again every time I do another good mod. I've had my MC since Jul/02 and I'm still grinning, but now it's not just because it's a MINI (though that would probably be enough in my case), it's because it's MY MINI. No one else (I can easily delude myself) has the same car, and it's carefully personalized to MY TASTE. Once you get the mod bug there always seems to be something else to look forward to, but don't do them all at once. Do a mod, enjoy the new feeling, grin, do another mod, enjoy the new feeling again, grin again, repeat until you're ready to start all over again. Just take your time and think each one through carefully before you do it and plan them out....that's half the fun!