Ordered my Mini Cooper!

Egon · Apr 12, 2005

Pete:

There is a yellow with white roof Mini around town here. Looks good. Dissapointed it's not " RACING GREEN. "

Bo Peep would be a nice plate number. Then put a crook on the back as reenforcement of the plate.

Egon
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Jagmandave · Apr 12, 2005

Did you get a Cooper or Cooper "S" ? After driving both, I decide I would have to have the "S" with it's extra 50 hp!

Boondox · Apr 12, 2005

( Did you get a Cooper or Cooper "S" ? After driving both, I decide I would have to have the "S" with it's extra 50 hp! )

After driving both I got the regular Cooper. The S was a lot faster, but didn't handle any better and for me, on our twisty mountain roads, handling is the name of the game. Plus I was worried about something else that could go wrong with the dealer three hours away, insurance costs, and the loss of 5 mpg with the price of fuel heading north.

Pete

BigEddy · Apr 12, 2005

My parents bought one a couple of years ago. They absolutely love it. Mint Green with white top. Dad was looking at Civics at the Honda dealership and my Mom just kinda drifted across the street to the Mini dealer and didn't come back. British background - they both have fond (and not so fond) memories of previous versions of the Mini.

They've had a couple of minor issues with theirs - all have been taken care of extremely proficiently by the dealer. Not sure I recall them all - something about an oil seal, a new firmware load to fix cold weather starting / hesitation and something else similarly minor. It was gone for a couple of days for the oil seal, and they were leant a Beemer in exchange.

tracdoc · Apr 12, 2005

Congratulations Boondox!

You are going to love it. A word of caution...there is a sinister, as yet incurable 'disease' lurking out there, called Mini racin' fever /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. It makes one do very strange and expensive things, like gutting a perfectly good, plush new Mini Cooper S, installing hard bucket seats, roll cage and engine tweaks. The fever is only partially remedied by going 'round a race course at a high rate of speed. Once the race weekend is over....eeerrr, I mean once the treatment is completed, the fever recurs, and more money must be spent so that the car will go faster and faster in an effort to cool the fever down. The cycle continues all summer long. Only a cold winter can cool the fever for a bit of time.

For starters for this season, we removed window glass (very heavy, you know), installed an after-market limited slip differential (a great option available from factory on the '05s), Jackson header and KW coilovers (replacing the Spax coilovers installed by Mini North Scottsdale when they built the car to Mini's "factory spec racing series" specifications).

We now have a garage full of new/almost new OEM Cooper S parts ranging from sun visors to seats, brakes to catalytic converters to.... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Some day, we'll be able to build a new car.

Jagmandave · Apr 12, 2005

I'm sure you'll love it!
I've owned the original version and came real close to buying one of the new ones - and may yet. I'm waiting for the new Pontiac Solstice. I'm not a big fan of GM or even domestic vehicles, but this one has me intrigued, and I really like the looks of it. Driving it will be the real test.........

GerardC · Apr 13, 2005

I'm waiting for the new Pontiac Solstice. 

Saturn is coming out with a 2 seater that looks like it may be worth considering. Can't remember the name of it but it sure was sporty. Have you heard about it?

Junkman · Apr 13, 2005

I have also heard that MTD is also making one available that is outstanding.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

ByronBob · Apr 13, 2005

Don't go there Junk.............. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Moon · Apr 13, 2005

Now thats funny Junk!!!! Good to see you back!

Congrats on your new Mini Boondox!

I'm curious ...what was the original Mini? Any pics?

Thanks,
Moon of Ohio

Bob_Skurka · Apr 13, 2005

GeraRd, the Saturn you are thinking about is the Saturn SKY. It was a concept car in 2002. It is a 4 seater, not a 2 seater. And I'm not sure, but I think Junkman was right about assembly by MTD. I'm not sure if it will ever make it to production.

OkeeDon · Apr 13, 2005

I'm curious ...what was the original Mini? Any pics? 

Picture attached. The original Mini was one of the world's first transverse engine cars, and one of the first to use what is called a "two box" design, one box being the passenger compartment and the other box being the engine compartment. Cars with conventional trunks are termed "three box". The transverse engine, of course, along with front wheel drive, enabled the engine "box" to be much smaller and less intrusive in the passenger compartment. The passenger area was surprisingly large considering the tiny size of the car. Engines ran from 850cc to 1275cc depending on when it was made. The wheels were 10" in diameter. The cars were outstanding sports sedans, corneriing better than almost anything on the market. Even though the engines were small, they were fast because they were light. Fast and nimble, they were the ultimate city cars.

They're still actively raced today. The SCCA has classes for them in H Production and GT Light; the latter are usually converted to tube frame and fiberglass bodies. They're also very popular in vintage sports car racing.

OkeeDon · Apr 13, 2005

Here's a little clip of a Mini in action. I'm not sure where it was filmed, but I suspect somewhere in the Caribbean islands. The type of event is a time trial, where one car at a time runs a pre-determined course against the clock, similar to what we call AutoCross. The clip runs about 54 seconds; not sure how long it takes to download on dial-up.

Mini Video

I gotta admit, I just love watching this one. I have my Windows Media Viewer set to endlessly loop the video clips, and I let this one run for several repeats.

_RaT_ · Apr 13, 2005

Pete, I know nothing about the Mini Cooper other then I sure see a lot of them out here. Heck, I did not even know they were English. I guess my next question would be, since their English, do they leak oil? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Looks like a fun car.

johnday · Apr 13, 2005

OkeeDon; Reminds me of how my F250 SuperDude handles. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gifNOT!! Looks like fun. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

GerardC · Apr 13, 2005

( GeraRd, the Saturn you are thinking about is the Saturn SKY. It was a concept car in 2002. It is a 4 seater, not a 2 seater. And I'm not sure, but I think Junkman was right about assembly by MTD. I'm not sure if it will ever make it to production.)

They just had it on Regis and Kelly about 1 month ago and it was a 2 seater. There are 2 humps behind the head rests similar to the old Cobras. I think they said it is going to be available summer of 2005.

Bob_Skurka · Apr 13, 2005

I wonder if changing it from the 4 seat concept to a less practical but more sporty 2 seater will increase or decrease the potential customer base?

Ford is discontinuing their 2 seat Thunderbird. The 2 seat Capri never sold well. Ditto the excellent but unpopular Honda. It seems like Miata and BMW have locked up the mini-sports 2 seaters. Chrysler has the popular 4 seat convertible, but Ford's Mustang, Volvo's C70 and MB CLK proves there is room for more than just one price point in the 4 seat convertible market as all marques have strong sellers within their market segments.

Moon · Apr 13, 2005

Thanks OkeeDon!
Good pic. I had seen them before, but didn't know anything about them. They remind me of the old Sunbeam car.
Great video. Sure makes it look like fun. Makes me want to start a mini ZTR-cross ... like the auto-cross but for ZTR's. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Moon of Ohio

OkeeDon · Apr 13, 2005

Oh, yes. The engines are the same as the ones used in the MG Midgets and Austin Healy Sprites, except they are mounted left/right instead of fore/aft. They are famous for leaking. They also had lighting and electronics from Lucas, the Prince of Darkness. True fans overlook these minor obstacles, however.

tracdoc · Apr 13, 2005

( Heck, I did not even know they were English. I guess my next question would be, since their English, do they leak oil? )
_RaT_,

While the original Mini was indeed British, the redux is German, though "country of origin" is still the U.K., since the cars are put together in Oxford.

BMW bought the marque a number of years ago, and from what I undertsand, just sat on it until they thought John Q. Public was ready for a re-introduction. Good timing, I would guess, as they are still very hot. When we bought our '03 S model, we were told we would have a 5-6 mo wait, until we expressed interest in racing in their 'factory spec series' w/ dealer support. Our race Mini S was delivered less than 4 weeks after we placed the order. Currently, the waits can still be upwards of 8-12 weeks, depending on what part of the country you are in.

Having 'gutted' a lot of our car for racing in venues other than Mini spec, I can confirm most of the parts are of BMW origin and bear the BMW marque. The engine is manufactured in Brazil.

We have not had any leaks yet, even after some 10K miles of racing ---a far cry from my old MG Midget and MG-B.