Long-ish distance driving in a MINI...

Discussion in 'MINI' started by caseydog, May 2, 2016.

  1. beken

    beken Well-Known Member

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    #21 beken, May 4, 2016
    Last edited: May 4, 2016
    I did get a ticket in Utah last time I went to AMVIV. For having slowed down to 92mph in a 60 zone. :blush2:

    [​IMG]
     
  2. caseydog

    caseydog Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for all the responses. I'm more confident about long-distance drives, now, but still think I'll leave the MINI home for long trips on boring, crowded interstates.

    Basically, Interstates here are just not fun, and my MINI isn't going to make it fun. Not to mention having to dodge truck tire carcasses and people texting and driving. I'll stick to the full-size Hertz rental for that kind of drive, and use the MINI when I can get off the Interstates and enjoy driving.

    A few years back, I was driving down to cover the Houston GP in a Dodge Magnum SRT8 press car at night. I hit a truck tire carcass at 75 MPH, and ripped the front air dam nearly off the car. Luckily, the car was painted a silver that was a perfect match to duct tape. :D

    CD
     
  3. ZippyNH

    ZippyNH Well-Known Member

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    If you are talking comfort.... Then it's hard to compare one MINI to another....as folks have customized them, the comfort level usually sacrificed to try to get more performance....
    I've ridden in a few that were not so comfortable for more than a short jaunt... Usually due the exaust drone, tire booming, or ultra-stiff suspensions....with tons of tramlining..
    But some are pretty good highway cruisers...only you know your car!!
    Just pick your rental carefully.....:devil:
     
  4. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    My first MINI was a daily driver for 8+ years, for 150k miles. This included lots of travel all over the Carolinas and Virginia. 6-7 hour days on the interstate were not uncommon. More than once, the MINI's handling saved me from VERY ugly situations. One was when a semi decided to occupy my lane - the leftmost - in the rain at 75mph. I'm pretty confident I would have been a statistic a couple of times, in an average rental. Just food for thought.
     
  5. caseydog

    caseydog Well-Known Member

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    I got my drivers license in 1976 -- that's 40 years ago. I've driven hundreds of different cars and trucks, including some whale-size Crown Vics when I took the Police Academy driving course for a magazine story.

    If you can't avoid an accident in a Hertz rental Hyundai Sonata, you probably won't avoid the same accident in a MINI -- or a Porsche, BMW or Ferrari.

    More food for thought.

    CD

    PS: That Police Academy course was a blast. Those Crown Vics sucked, but I came away a better driver.
     
  6. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    We'll agree to disagree, then. Got my license in 1981, so you have 5 years on me. I'm pretty confident my 1968 Galaxie 500 wouldn't have dodged that truck, on that particular day. Having been there, I feel qualified to make that judgement. But free country... drive what you want. ;-)
     
  7. caseydog

    caseydog Well-Known Member

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    I'm not renting a 1968 Galaxie 500.

    CD
     
  8. mrntd

    mrntd Well-Known Member
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    I had a %$#&* Chevette in '81. It was over 3k rpm with the 4 speed at 60. I drove it from Cincy to Florida then Cincy to NC that year. Chevettes were junk compared to a 100k mi MINI. Okay they were pretty muck junk compared to anything. But you get my point.
     
  9. Zapski

    Zapski Well-Known Member

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    I think I had your used Chevette in '85 ;)

    I drove a '84 Renault Alliance (60whp on a good day) back and forth across Ohio a lot back in the early '90's usually at speeds unknown (the spedometer only went to 85). I would not call that a well maintained car, but I got thousands upon thousands of long distance miles on it. 'Twas the electrical system that did it in. No airbags, no real brakes (I think they were made out of milk bottle caps) and no real survive ability in a crash.

    My '08 MINI has over 125,000 miles on it, and I'm planning a driving vacation in a few weeks that will include a lot of highway miles between the hills. Yeah, highway driving is no fun, but put on the cruise control and sit back and it'll be fine. I regularly make long highway drives in mine to visit family, at least twice a month, so I can say with confidence that it's fine.
     
  10. Razone23

    Razone23 Active Member

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    The mirror will not lie, trust me they appear closer than what you think.
     
  11. whaap

    whaap New Member

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    It's all relative. After riding motorcycles for 65+ years, driving my Mini is like being in paradise.
     
  12. caseydog

    caseydog Well-Known Member

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    Yes sir, it is definitely all relative.

    That Mercedes S-Class I drove to Houston a few years ago made that abundantly clear. That, my friend, was Interstate paradise. Would I want one for my daily driver? Not a chance. But, for four hours of mind numbing driving in a straight line on a highway that has seen the effects of numerous tax cuts, it was pretty awesome.

    BTW, Mercedes and Jaguar have adaptive cruise control down to an art. Does a real driver need it? No. But on a four hour mind numbing drive in a straight line it is pretty sweet.

    If the only tool you have is a hammer, every task is a nail... of something like that.

    CD
     
  13. melissa26m

    melissa26m New Member

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    Had my mini less then 24 hours. Bought in sac drove to crescent city/brookings Oregon... Speed trap in town. Boom ticket. Damn you red chili.


    Motor on #kcco.
     
  14. beken

    beken Well-Known Member

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    Everybody knows red is faster even when standing still. Just ask Dave.0. Happy motoring! and welcome to Motoring Alliance.
     

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