so, this past saturday i picked up my mini. here are the important stats:
Mini Cooper S Convertible
hot orange w/ blue top
orange and blue cloth/leather seats
alloy patina door and dash trim (was supposed to be orange)
premium package
convenience package
limited slip differential

the dealership screwed up, but did a few things to make it up to me. after looking it for a bit i decided that i'd rather stick with the alloy interior than a) wait forever for a replacement car or b) have them pull apart the dash and doors to replace with orange panels. there is too much of a chance that i'd end up with all kinds of rattles and squeaks if they did that.

i've got close to 500 miles on it already and it is tough in this break in period.

thoughts so far:
- the handling is so weird compared to my old car. it is strange driving a car with such a short wheelbase. it is taking some getting used to, though this is not a negative at all. it is just something i didn't really pick up on during the test drive.
- the handling is great. once i get it out of break in, i want to find a big parking lot and put it through its paces. i like to know how far i can push a car to know what my limits are.
- i love the harmon kardon radio. it sounds really good.
- the car looks amazing.
- the car is faster than it feels. i find that i'm hitting 70-80MPH before i even realize it. i find myself going faster than i want to most of the time.
- being in a convertible takes getting used to. it sounds like i have a back window open all the time, though not for wind noise. i just hear a lot of sounds around me. this is with the top up.
- the car sounds great. a friend of mine has an '03 mini and he changed his exhaust to get a better sound. i know they tweaked it a bit this year and my car sounds like his does. i like the burbling when i let off the gas.
- the power is so accessible. at 70, if i'm in 6th gear and hit the gas i can actually excelerate.

my previous car was a WRX sport wagon. i loved that car too, but while i didn't notice the turbo lag then, i definitely notice the lack of lag in the mini. i'm so impressed with the power delivery.

last thing, my wife doesn't drive stick. she hated my WRX because she said it looked like an old person's car (because it looked like a station wagon). so, she never wanted to learn. the salesman asked if she drove stick and then told her to come to the dealership to learn. he said they could teach her better than i could and that it would be better for her to learn on a demo car than on my brand new baby. you could only imagine the smile on my face at the time.

 

Congratulations! Sound slike you are having a blast

 

I right there with ya. I picked up my killer in Feb. I've experienced much of what your talking about and it does take some getting used to, but it'll happen quick. It will loosen up some.
The day I picked mine up I drove 3 hours to my mother's house and by the time I got there I thought I was going to **** blood. It was quite a beating. Now I take long trips and its a lot better, and I only have 6000 miles on him.
Getting used to the road noises with the top down took some getting used to (never mind the interesting smells), but top up or down you'll accomodate.
It's brilliant that your MA offered to teach your other half. My GF needs lessons, but I'm reticent to let her butcher my ride. She'll have to get her own.
Wait until your able to open it up to 5000+ RPM. I've only recently felt comfortable doing that and it put the car on a whole other level.

 

Great report, trouphaz! That's really nice of the MA to offer to teach your wife how to drive the stick using a demo! I bet she'll learn REALLY fast, too!

Please post some pix of your new MCSC!


Clover

 

here is the only pic so far.

 

oh, i did forget to mention my one complaint. everything looked fine when i picked the car up, but then my wife and i stopped for lunch on the way home and she was having trouble getting out on her side. i came over to look and realized that the silver ring that is around the door handle and tweeter was popping out and blocking the handle. i was trying to push it back on, but couldn't get it to click in. i ended up just taking it off for now. i have it in the glove box for when i get a chance to go back in and have them fix it. it is not a major deal, just an annoyance.

 

Congratulations!
There is less than 2" difference in wheelbase between those two cars, so the difference may be the new car actually goes where you point it NOW instead of taking a moment to roll a bit first!

 

Congratulations! MINI convertibles are incredibly awesome!! Especially orange.

I never had to deal with getting used to the handling of the car since the MINI is my first car. I rarely drove when I had my permit, and when I did I drove my mom's Acura 03' TL. Never really settled my feel for handling with that car. When I first drove my MINI I just knew it was a great handler. I'm such a lucky kid to have the MINI as my first car. Oh, and don't worry about me getting into reckless teenage accidents, I'm pretty confident in my abilities and the MINI. (I'm even goin to the Dragon this weekend!)


04' MCS JB/JB

 

Please post a photo of the smile on your face after the aforementioned exercise.

 

I hope you guys enjoy it. It is going to be a blast

 

Congrats.
I am also comming from a WRX Wagon... (04) not the buggie one.
For straight line power and accelation, my MCS can't compare the WRX. For taking corners, the MCS give me more joy then the WRX.. Even I already have the STI Springs, the car still sit too high and don't have much confident on corners. I really like the MCS much more then the WRX.

 

The dealership broke mine when they took my door apart to fix my passenger window... fixed it for free under warranty. Take it up there and complain, they should replace yours too Not to make you worry, but my particular dealership said they break them alot, but when they replace them, they actually put it back perfect. Why can't they do it right the first time?

 

i had the '03 and put some aftermarket 17" wheels on it along with a different set of rubber and it handled a hell of a lot better than it did stock. i think it may be that the mini steering is so much tighter. i can't really put my finger on it, but it just feels different. again, not different bad just different. i'm getting used to it.

 

More pics please. Want to see how the blue roof looks on the orange... :smile:

 

Awwww...you should give your gf a chance.My boyfriend taught me how to drive stick the first time in his Honda S2000. Though I am sure he was nervous the whole time :smile: