Posted on M/A back in December as I was researching MINIs as a potential replacement for my 1996 Miata M, cross-shopping Turbo Beetles and Fiat Abarth 500s. After two test drives and 4 dealer visits...we ordered our 2012 Ice Blue / White / Polar Beige MCS Hardtop on February 4th. It was shipped yesterday 3/7 on the Tirranna, due in Baltimore on 3/15, should be in STL by 3/24 at the latest. Can't wait!
Having been there and done that it's a helluva wait. Awesome when it shows-up though. Definitely post pics when you get it. opcorn:
Thanks! It's both a blessing and a curse that MINI / the internet provides so much intel about these cars on order. Back in the day, you placed your deposit and the dealer would call you when it came in. Period. Now: check websites, call ASKMINI, call your MA, etc. With it on a ship, and enroute, there's not much to ponder until it docks in Baltimore about a week from now. My MINI dealer never had my car's exact combination in stock; a MINI dealer in Ohio had one fairly close and I grabbed a shot or two before it was sold (quite quickly, actually). This one: Of course, again, there are never any two exactly alike: I don't have a sunroof, is MT not automatic, I have anthracite headliner, etc. etc. But I did appreciate finding a MCS this close to my spec to have something to ponder while mine was being built.
:cornut: Congratulations(NICE CAR!) and welcome to the Mini Addiction Asylum,oops I mean MA. When you've had plenty of time to drive your new Mini, I'd like to hear a little compare and contrast the driving experience between the Miata and your Mini. Please don't get me wrong, we don't 'TRASH' any one around here(except for that dirty little..........woops,sorry about that:eek6::frown2::lol, I'd just like to hear your impressions as I gave strong consideration to a Miata but my 08 R56 MCS/JCWm BRG won out in the end although,I never test drove a Miata. Jason
Congrats! I like the color combo, too. My friend's just picked up an Ice Blue / White Cooper Hardtop.
Thanks!, mine will look a lot like that one, once it gets here in a couple of weeks. MINI of STL actually "checkered" one they had in stock after I ordered mine (they had Ice Blue / Black, and applied white checkers). Can't wait. Miatas. Yeah, they're great cars, really in every way. I bought mine off lease in 1999, just 36,000 miles on a 1996 M Edition, literally perfect in every way. They make great used cars, often purchased as a 3rd or "fun" vehicle by people who tend to pamper them, and the 90th percentile Miata owners (of a new one) aren't hot rodders / modders / ricers who tear them up. It's a lot of the same appeal as a MINI in some ways. Miatas, of course, are trying to channel that ye olde British sports car vibe, especially the first gen "NA" ones like I have. Do a side by side with a mid-60's Lotus Elan, for example, the Miata team took a lot of inspiration there, and from a Bugeye Sprite with the Miata's pop-up headlamps. A Miata windshield is more upright than it needs to be...like a MINI's...and for the same reason: they're trying to get the retro feel. They're sold (or were) with fairly small tire sizes, all the better to allow "drifting" of the 4-wheel, Stirling Moss variety and thereby be a blast to drive. They have "just enough" power to be entertaining; mine is 133hp, 1.8L, weighs 2280 lbs. Aluminum hood. It's actually a scosche longer than a new MINI (155 vs. 146.6 inches) but of course still: small. I'd owned mine about 3 weeks when I tried the "what'll she do" question on a very deserted 4-lane; I saw 125+ indicated, about 6300rpm on a 7000rpm redline, maybe a little left. They were rated 23/29, I've commuted in mine a long time, and 60-65 can net 32-33 mpg highway all day long. New ones are likely better. Mine has had to be a "real car" so it drives all year long, gets snow tires in the winter with a 80lb bag of cement in the trunk. The M Editions had LSD standard so it a) gets around in snow pretty darned well unless it gets really deep, and b) is a freaking awesome snow-drifting car...set it sideways in 2-3 inches of fresh powder and you can hold it that way for blocks. Much fun. Like a MINI, you can give excellent white-knuckle rides to friends or interested parties; I've done a few of those, often to settle the "chick / ghey car" BS that comes up about these once in awhile. They're really good at what they do. I purposely did NOT drive a new one in this last "time to buy a car" round as I figured it'd be irresistible, and we really needed one more vehicle that could travel with us and at least one of our German shepherds. No regrets at all, I spent probably an hour and a half across two test drives of Cooper S's and had an absolute blast. The MINI and Miata both attract active owners, I mean with club activities, bonding, it's a cult, whatever, perhaps even more strongly in the MINI's case. Miata folk like to run the Dragon, drive to eat somewhere, assemble, autocross, can be OCD detailers, etc. just like MINI folk, as I'm discovering. So I'd recommend one to anybody who's looking for a fun, 2-seater. I've had nothing but wear items to replace in the 140,000+ miles I've put on it. Tires, a muffler, brake pads, oil changes, new battery every three years (it's about the same size as the one in your garden tractor, AGM, mounts in the trunk). A clutch at 145,000 miles, and I replaced the top (the plastic back window clouded, but didn't fail, some a$$hat poked his fist through it) in 2007. They're hard on plug wires, for some reason, I'm probably on set #5. A couple of clutch slave cylinders. A rear axle seal. Never stranded, never towed in. Most parts from AutoZone, cheap. I never replaced the struts, they're not leaking but are shot, it's not the car it could be with new ones. Still doesn't use oil between changes, just passed Missouri emissions and safety inspection with no issues. Pretty good for a 16-year old! I'm so interested in driving a new Roadster to see how *it* compares to a Miata. I've told many people that one outstanding thing about MINIs is their solid structural feel...they're nimble, yet seem like little tanks machined from billet. NA Miatas aren't like that, more lithe and supple, and I'm sure that's on purpose as well to make them...well, like old Brit sports cars. Will be fun to compare. Thanks for asking about it, it was actually good to remember how good this car has been. We're handing it off to a good friend of ours who's just getting back on her feet and needed something dependable to drive for a while, so I'll be able to keep an eye on it still.
If yours is half as gorgeous as the sample pics provided it will be awesome. Congrats and welcome to the Asylum. I'm new around here too, but I can tell already its a "Cuckoo's Nest". :drool
Some updates: I tracked WW's Tirranna, onto which my MINI had been loaded at Southampton, into Baltimore on Friday, it finally docked Friday night about 11-1130 CDT. WW's site showed my MINI as "released from vessel" on Saturday, 3/17. Then: my MA called this morning, once again got a kick out of how much info I had already, and then said my MINI has cleared the VDC and is ready for a truck. He does not yet know the truck or it's arrival date/time. I'm still hoping for this weekend 3/24, that'd be sweet! A mere 800 miles away at this point.
More updates: my MINI is in St. Louis! It started truck transport on 3/20, arrived late Thursday 3/22. Checking with my MA today, they have work to do to put on the checkerboard top (not too bad) and install the JCW tuning kit (allow most of a day, sometimes the computer updates take a while). So delivery now slated for Tuesday, 3/27. I'd gone by the dealer to buy just-after-break-in oil change supplies, on the way back, I spotted a shiny-new Ice Blue / White MCS with a zillion "I'm new" window stickers driving the opposite direction. Bingo! My MINI, alive and in person. I made a quick u-turn and went back to the shop, where indeed they'd pulled it into the lot, and got a couple of crummy smartphone photos: Their lot was a little crowded, so it didn't make for great photo taking. Can't wait to bring it home...and do something about that fender/wheel gap!
Great looking MINI! Also, the car probably still had the shipping blocks in the suspension, so the gap won't be quite that bad when you take delivery.
I have indeed...but haven't had an oppty to meet members yet, I just joined online / through email. We're hoping to get to a HH, Coffee 'n Cars Saturday, or something soon to get acquainted! Nice that MINI of STL offers a discount to members!
I am new myself attended the meeting at the dealer earlier this month. Looking forward to some of the social events myself!
I have to applaud you for waiting fo your car. I would not be able to sit still. The mini shipping update site would be constantly on my phone and updated every 5 min. Nice looking car btw. I also have a miata in my background a 94 m. I agree with your analysis of the miata. I think they are great at what they were designed to do and fun to drive. I have come to love driving my R50 hands down more then my miata. Good luck waiting the next couple of days and welcome to the asylum/ obssesion!
Updates! So my MINI has been captive at MINI STL since Friday. They'd hoped for a Monday delivery, but they got hung up applying new JCW tuning kit software and needed an answer from MINIUSA. I paid them a visit last night on the way home, just to do some "bonding" even though it couldn't come home yet. And: take some photos! The service guy escorted us to see my MINI...safely tucked into this corner. Everything but the software's been done...checkered top looks great! Looks all buttoned up after installing the JCW stuff...just need that small engine/serial no. plaque Polar beige dash + English oak...turned out really nice! Can't wait to bring it home! Update: MINI STL just called...it's ready! Picking up today, 3.28.11!