I think it was Road & Track that had a Countryman as a long term test vehicle and had to have the clutch replaced at 16,000 miles.. Not good PR for the brand..
Nothing happened..... He left Gnatster yesterday and drove away in a Ford Expedition.... M/A continued on without a hiccup....
Oh boy a ride in the M/A shuttle bus. Hope it is sporting M/A stickers. :wink: We are all here because we are car folks. Yes we have MINI's & that is what brought us to this great place to talk MINI's & car stuff here. My MINI has brought me many new friends & for that I am thankful. Has MINI lost it's way? Well I think they may be off course just a bit. :confused5:
!st gen. great car, great people, solid enthusiasm behind the first gen MINI, love it. 2ND gen. approaching a human and mod proof car playing on the success of 1st gen. MINI. The vision has been lost to marketing, but then thats what it's all about anyway. Think I'll just keep mine.
I love my R56, would probably enjoy an R53 as well. But the F56 so far doesn't look right to me. Maybe in another revision they'll go back to their roots, or do the Rocketman, only time will tell. As it stands, I'm planning on keeping mine until it's no longer worth repairing. That took 14 years for my old Subaru, so it may be a while....
That's just it, they keep changing it.. If you got something that is selling just tweak it alittle here and there.. That is how the classic became the classic!!!
Seems they went to far to catering to getting more buyers with the R56.... I went from an R50, to an R56, and now have the R53. I was disappointed how I lost that tight- go kart feeling going to the R56. I lost that connection I felt to the road (even if it was to every little bump in it LOL). So back a Gen I went. Don't get me wrong- there are great R56s on here with their owners But for me - I have to look somewhere else for my next car.
The first Gens will NEVER DIE! :lol: I bet if you asked people what MINI GP they would want I bet most would choose the 2006 first Gen. The 2006 GP was an instant Classic ,now known as the "Original". Sure people will want the new special addition 2013 Mini GP "sequel" but if you got to drive both most want the original. The "Original" GP is and was everything a Mini track car toy needed to be without any BS creature comforts. (Who needs back seats)
MINI back seats are far from a creature comfort. Ever sat back there? :eek6: Wish I'd bought a GP when I had the chance & the money....
+1. I still consider myself new to the MINI community and a little spoiled seeing my first was/is a GP, the "Original", which by the way is my DD. I have cringed everytime a new model has come out (except the Clubman) but at the same time given in with hopes of seeing more MINIs on the road. I just hope they keep the MINI appearance and don't dilute it to much. I would hate to see the MINI go the way of Studebaker (my all time favorite brand), and yes you can still get a hold of those 40+ years later.
Like I posted earlier, I have liked all my MINI's....but I'm still looking for the right '06 GP to put in the stable :biggrin5:
How many other car manufacturers sell one model of car? Wait, how many other car manufactures sell one model of car…and are still in business? Additions to the lineup are inevitable for the evolution of the brand and to keep up with the MINI demographic. As all you single, no kids, Cooper drivers get married, have kids, get a big dog, you will be seeking a larger alternative. Do you think MINI / BMW don’t know this? We just celebrated 10 years of the new MINI in the US and MINI with the German influence of BMW certainly planned this and knew they would have to expand the line up to keep those R53 owners in the MINI family once they needed more space. Now for many Americans who are hooked on their gas guzzling SUV’s MINI has a viable option to reach that segment, and in my opinion, has done so while maintaining a MINIesq styled option for the rest of us who really needed more room. Where the Clubman failed as a bigger option the Countryman has succeeded. The Countryman has not forsaken the brand but empowered it to a next level far beyond what a mere two seater could have ever done. MINI always was a game changer and a nonconformist even in its inception. While there may be some argument that the Countryman is an attempt to conform, it is also an attempt to survive. Corvette owners don’t stop buying Corvettes because GM makes some of the other hideous cars in their lineup, so why can’t the MINI brand stand a few more options for those who love the brand yet need flexibility from their vehicle. I would love to have a fleet of cars in my garage for whatever task is at hand that day but for most of us we own one or two cars and we work around it. The Countryman simply gives MINI owners more options. And personally, I am enjoying the “what the hell is that car†look I get from other drivers on the road when I am in my Countryman. It’s the same look I got in my first Cooper in 2003.
For now Jim...but that doesn't mean they don't rock!! They are smiles per miles!!! PS: Don't count me out of MOTD though, we may still be there with Blimey, Jan and another car if ya'll will still have me!!!