LITHIUM for sale

I hear you there. In my neighborhood there are always Masarattis, A8s, and Austins galore.

But I've still got one of the only modified Mini convertibles that I've come across... it gives me a little comfort while surrounded by the high dollar high HP cars!

 

Stephen who writes the style critiques for MC2

made the exact same move, to a '10 Cayman S. If any of you haven't had the pleasure of driving a Cayman or Boxter (no matter the engine) do so. Really the chassis balance is as close to perfect as any car I've ever driven.

Matt

 

Let me start by saying that there are MINI people and Porsche people and as hard as I tried I simply cannot be a 'Porsche person'.

I drove the Cayman in a far more civilized fashion than I ever did in the MINI but would have people flip me off for truly no reason. I had people speed up to get in front of me and then deliberately slow down apparently to pi$$ me off. Snide remarks at gas stations. Any salesman that saw my car assumed I didn't need any discounts. I found that most people I came in contact with simply didn't know enough about cars to know that the Cayman was at the low end of the Porsche line (price wise). Several of my employees thought it cost well over $100k. (the same employees would never guess that a MINI can easily be optioned to $40K)

The cost of buying and maintaining a Porsche was at the edge of affordability for me. Modding, which I truly love to do, was too damn expensive.
So, after 2 years with the Cayman, my overall motoring experience wasn't anywhere near what I wanted it to be.

Financially, I was foolish to buy it in the first place and more so to sell it after 2 years. Honestly though, I haven't missed the Cayman or regretted the return to a MINI.

I'm not the first to do the MINI Cayman MINI jump and I probably won't be the last. Most that leave MINI never return.

If you haven't already, Do join PCA. I have always been treated well by PCA members even while attending a PCA DE in a MINI.

I know that you will enjoy the Cayman driving experience, I truly hope the remainder of the Porsche experience is everything you need it to be.

 

I owned

an 84, I think, 944 for six tanks of gas. I can honestly say no one thought I was rich in that!

It too had great balance. Torsion bars were tired, as were the dampers, but one of my techs had always wanted one of them so I sold it to him for the same $1750 I bought it for.

Matt

 

My coworker drives an '08 Cayman S. That car is a beast on the track. I can't tell you how many times we've watched 911 drivers walk up and comment on how well balanced the Cayman is.

The MINI's quick, but it's still a twitchy short wheelbase car with a peaky blown engine and the aerodynamics of a toaster. And don't get me started about the seats. I mean, I love my car but I can be brutally honest, too. The Cayman is two steps up in refinement, quality, and performance. The highway gas mileage is pretty comparable to the R53, too.

Once you get that Cayman broken in, I'm sure you'll come to appreciate it. Accelerate through an on-ramp in 2nd gear - it's a solid push on your kidneys, and up around 5,000 rpm the exhaust note changes and if you listen closely, you can hear the horsemen of the apocalypse thundering behind you. Shift into third near redline, and by then you're probably up around 80 mph. The speed comes almost too effortlessly.

 

PM sent

 

Happy for you and them... but little sad too. :sad:

 

Congratulations on the sale!

 

Congrats Phil, sorry to see Lithium go though...........

 

This car gives me a couple ideas for an R53 project, LOVE the Dark Silver with Black trim, wheels and seats