- History:
- My MINI story.
My story begins in the year 1999 (Age 13), the French teacher at my high school drive a bright yellow classic Mini to school almost everyday. The moment I saw it, I wanted one... someday.
2001 (Age 15) - MINIs were available in the US! I started seeing them around and my obsession was in full force. I didn't even have a driver's permit yet and I was configuring new MINIs on the website several times a year. I wanted Electric Blue.
I lost interest towards the middle of high school. I was busy and I didn't even have a driver's license yet. My MINI days seemed far away.
2005 (Age 19) - I graduated high school, got a job and finally got my driver's license. My parents gave me my mom's 1993 pearl green Honda Civic to drive, but I wanted a MINI. I began configuring them on the website again - now they came in purple! Purple Haze with white stripes is what I wanted... but I was stuck in a dull barely-green Civic with college to pay for.
The next year Purple Haze was discontinued.
As time went on I had my eye set on Laser Blue with white stripes. By then the car had a name, Mindy.
2008 (Age 22) - We went to the Pittsburgh Auto Show, as we usually do - My dad is a mechanic so I've always been a car-girl. I spent about an hour sitting in a MINI playing with the controls.
2009 (Age 23) - I graduated college. But couldn't quite afford a MINI yet. But I talked about Mindy constantly, as if I was picking her up tomorrow. I got a grown-up job that fall, complete with a 35 mile each-way commute. My '93 Civic just wasn't cut out for 70 miles of high-way speeds 5 days a week so I needed a 'new' car. A MINI was still in my mind. But now Mindy had turned from Laser Blue to Oxygen Blue - I didn't need an S. I saw an Oxygen Blue in person and loved it, such a unique color. I decided I'd buy a winter car, a 2001 civic, and save up to buy my MINI in the summer.
Valentine's Day, 2010 - My boyfriend bought me a MINI model to build which fueled my MINI obsession again. Summer was getting close, I had to plan! I joined forums and read them daily - and it is a good thing too. There was a rumor that Oxygen Blue was discontinued - I was devastated. I called MINI of Pittsburgh almost in tears to see if it was true. It was true. You could no longer order Oxygen Blue - but they said they might be able to find me one.
February 25th, 2010 - I went to the dealership to see what they could find. They were able to find 1 Oxygen Blue with 90% of the options I wanted. It was still in the factory but promised to another dealer in another state for inventory - But they could call and see if they could have it shipped to Pittsburgh for me instead. (I later found out that this is Mindy's official birthdate - so she was driving off the production line while I was putting down a deposit.) My MINI would be here in a month, three months before I had planned.
March 20th, 2010 - I picked Mindy up from the dealer. My first time driving her home was also my first time driving IN Pittsburgh - I was always afraid of driving in the city.
Mindy and I like to spend our time motoring to work, hanging out with the PittStopMINI Club, and participating in BRMSCC TSD Rallies.