[macncheese]

MINI had its first meal today. $15.90 to fill it up. I say it because its gender is still undecided. I'm leaning towards "Oliver" but the hood scoop is pretty umm.... yeah....ya know.... uhhh.... gender specific.

Observations:
1. Lapis blue leather is cool to look at but not so great for sitting on. I sure wish it was atleast perforated. My back is sweating like a fat kid at summer camp. Im not too thrilled with the quality of it either. The seat mechanisms.... I dunno, theres way too many knobs and levers. I just want to drive when I sit down so I havent figured it all out yet. Apparently, neither has Kurt who attemped to break my seats today.

2. Dunlops 9000s! Nicey nice. I was happy to see those on the car. The brakes make a nice mess of the 17s. For some reason the right side is 5x dirtier then the left. I guess they just need to wear themselves in.

3. I didnt think I'd like the white roof with the sunroof, even thought about painting eventually but I actually like it alot more than the black one they had at the dealer (and not just cause its mine!). Same goes for the white wheels. They look killer on the red, but I just didnt like look on the Dark Silver.

4. Girls, Ferrari drivers, guys walking dogs, 15 year olds on bikes, cops, everyone has something to say. For the most part positive with the exception of two "Im ****ed that my girlfriend is pointing at your car when shes sitting in my tricked out BMW" looks. One even had a "Type R" windshield header. No, I cant explain that.

5. Im a chump when it comes to driving manual. Havent owned a manual in two years so Im still shaking off the rust but it sure is fun. Man, you really need to pull to get into reverse!

6. Xenons are the coolest invention ever. I love driving this thing at night. The interior glow is way cool also but i have so many damned buttons I cant tell anything in the dark yet. Dont show off the equally cool headlight washers with the sunroof open.

7. Automatic climate control is stupid.

8. The radio has its own manual! Its still a piece of junk. Why is the volume knob so small? I love the steering wheel controls but again, im too interested in driving to figure out what all the buttons do. I think the salesman explained but i was like "cmon, i want to drive already" After an hour of listening, my head was starting to hurt. True sign of an inferior stereo.

9. The supercharger sounds neat and so does the exhaust. This is the first car I've owned that I wasnt itching to modify the day I got it.



--
Cheese

[kcollins]

Hey now! I can't help it if I can't figure out that your non-loop seat mechanisms work only slightly better than mine! :-) But then again, I didn't almost break mine.

For the rest of you that didn't witness mr. cheese's expression on his face when I stated.. "Uhm, Dave, I can't seem to get your passenger seat back in a normal position."

Heheheheheh.

Kurt

[Blue Thunder]

Quote:

Originally posted by macncheese
MINI had its first meal today. $15.90 to fill it up. I say it because its gender is still undecided. I'm leaning towards "Oliver" but the hood scoop is pretty umm.... yeah....ya know.... uhhh.... gender specific.

Observations:
1. Lapis blue leather is cool to look at but not so great for sitting on. I sure wish it was atleast perforated. My back is sweating like a fat kid at summer camp. Im not too thrilled with the quality of it either. The seat mechanisms.... I dunno, theres way too many knobs and levers. I just want to drive when I sit down so I havent figured it all out yet. Apparently, neither has Kurt who attemped to break my seats today.

2. Dunlops 9000s! Nicey nice. I was happy to see those on the car. The brakes make a nice mess of the 17s. For some reason the right side is 5x dirtier then the left. I guess they just need to wear themselves in.

3. I didnt think I'd like the white roof with the sunroof, even thought about painting eventually but I actually like it alot more than the black one they had at the dealer (and not just cause its mine!). Same goes for the white wheels. They look killer on the red, but I just didnt like look on the Dark Silver.

4. Girls, Ferrari drivers, guys walking dogs, 15 year olds on bikes, cops, everyone has something to say. For the most part positive with the exception of two "Im ****ed that my girlfriend is pointing at your car when shes sitting in my tricked out BMW" looks. One even had a "Type R" windshield header. No, I cant explain that.

5. Im a chump when it comes to driving manual. Havent owned a manual in two years so Im still shaking off the rust but it sure is fun. Man, you really need to pull to get into reverse!

6. Xenons are the coolest invention ever. I love driving this thing at night. The interior glow is way cool also but i have so many damned buttons I cant tell anything in the dark yet. Dont show off the equally cool headlight washers with the sunroof open.

7. Automatic climate control is stupid.

8. The radio has its own manual! Its still a piece of junk. Why is the volume knob so small? I love the steering wheel controls but again, im too interested in driving to figure out what all the buttons do. I think the salesman explained but i was like "cmon, i want to drive already" After an hour of listening, my head was starting to hurt. True sign of an inferior stereo.

9. The supercharger sounds neat and so does the exhaust. This is the first car I've owned that I wasnt itching to modify the day I got it.



--
Cheese

Hey cool you got it!! Now you need to take it apart like I did. Don't call it Oliver! Next you'll be wanting to send it to private school. And don't give it a girls name!! My wife want to name ours BLUE BONNET!! Could you picture me cruising around Texas in a car called Blue Bonnet. I'd be tapping the top speed limiter all the way to the California Border just to keep from getting killed.

Have fun, good luck

[Little Bear]

Where to begin...

First of all, congrats on the receipt of the car. (Must be nice.)

My take: Coopers are girls. MCS are boys. (Stop looking at the bonnet that way.)

Adjust the seat and leave the controls alone.

Dunlops eh? Good I guess. (Brake dust on the wheels and bugs in the scoop...the price we pay.)

I got DS and Black with sun roof (if I ever get that car). Did the one you saw have white wheels?

If I was sweating like a fat kid at camp, girls in BMWs would be staring and pointing at me too.

Park on a hill yet?

Did they say anything about the auto-leveling Xenons? Are they stock or aftermarket? Not sure what I'm going to end up with. I've heard everything and nothing it for sure.

Automatic climate control is stupid because?

There's a thread on the radio controls. Someone said they pressed something and the bass suddenly started working.

Do you have the special grill in the back that is supposed to improve the sound of the exhaust on the inside?

Whew!

My dealer says he's going to call the dealer and put some pressure on them on Monday. Isn't that great? Apparently 30 days after the projected delivery date is a signal to ask about a customer's vehicle. NOW THAT'S SERVICE!

[macncheese]

Lil Bear,
Saw a white roof with white wheels. I thought thats the only way you could get them? It think the Dark Silver looks nicer with silver wheels because the white wheels break it up too much. Its a sort of "classy" color with lots of subtle variations as the light hits it and the white just draws your eyes too much. The red looks greats with the white wheels. Its loud and red but thats it. The wheels draw your eyes and I like that. Theres nothing subtle about it.
The headlights are stock autoleveling units. Funny to watch them try and keep up with the expansion joints on the cement highways on the island here.
Climate control.... i dont know what to say. I think there is a total of 10 buttons. You call that AUTOMATIC? Yeah, you just "Auto" and then select your temp but the fan doesnt blow fast enought for me, etc. Im from NJ, i've got no patience for it.
The radio is plenty loud for me, it just sounds horrible. So horrible that it hurts to listen to it for too long.
I dont think I have that grill but I doubt it has anythig to do with sound. My guess is that it makes it easier to close the hatch by giving the air somewhere to go. The exhaust sounds sweet.

BTW, I was talking to my dealer today and I asked him about your car and he said that they'd have to disclose to you if it was shipping damage but if they drive into a pole at the port, thats a whole different story. Hope it all works out for you soon! Its worth the wait!



--
Cheese

[macncheese]

Quote:

Originally posted by Blue Thunder


Hey cool you got it!! Now you need to take it apart like I did. Don't call it Oliver! Next you'll be wanting to send it to private school. And don't give it a girls name!! My wife want to name ours BLUE BONNET!! Could you picture me cruising around Texas in a car called Blue Bonnet. I'd be tapping the top speed limiter all the way to the California Border just to keep from getting killed.

Have fun, good luck

Blue Bonnet seems just right! My girlfriend wants to name it Alfred after Batman's butler. "Its got a grey suit and white hair!" she claims... silly art majors.

I cant afford to take mine apart yet. Im not even sure I want to... but gosh i sure do change my mind a lot. I decided to buy it at the last minute so I put a big chunk of money down and now Im broke again But when I can, I'll know who to call.


--
Cheese
and MINI

[DaveNagy]

Boy howdy, that "that grill lets the exhaust sound in" rumor really needs to be stamped out. It's confusing to us newbies!

MiniGuy already explained exactly why the grill is being added: It's to allow air to enter the boot area when the rear hatch is remotely released. There's been a problem with the "vacuum" trapped down there causing the hatch to be sucked back down onto its latch.

Unfortunately, right about the same time MiniGuy let this tidbit be known, some other fella let loose with the now notorious "I bet it's to the make the exhaust sound louder!" explanation. Even though I can't think of a plausible reason why exhaust sound that's already made its way in through several layers of sheet metal, plastic, and carpet would somehow be stymied by a flimsy parcel shelf, this explanation has caught on and is rapidly approaching urban-legend status!

Alas, like most really good stories, it's not true.

Congrats on the new S! I'm only, uh, 10 months behind you!

-Dave

[Blue Thunder]

Quote:

Originally posted by macncheese



Blue Bonnet seems just right! My girlfriend wants to name it Alfred after Batman's butler. "Its got a grey suit and white hair!" she claims... silly art majors.

I cant afford to take mine apart yet. Im not even sure I want to... but gosh i sure do change my mind a lot. I decided to buy it at the last minute so I put a big chunk of money down and now Im broke again But when I can, I'll know who to call.


--
Cheese
and MINI

I haven't had Blue Thunder on the road for about 2 weeks! I've got to get it back together, I miss driving it!
All I can tell you, you give it a girls name. She'll be unpredictable, moody, and the on board computer will be telling you to take out the garbage!!

[Little Bear]

My car will be named Alice. My entire family agreed that was the obvious name. And it it is a male name.

I've been an Alice Cooper fan since I was 13 years old.

"No more Mr. Nice Guy" will be playing on my drive home.

[Little Bear]

Quote:

Originally posted by DaveNagy
Boy howdy, that "that grill lets the exhaust sound in" rumor really needs to be stamped out. It's confusing to us newbies!

I understood that's what it was for (the vacuum problem), I've just been told that it also seems to have the effect of making the exhaust sound a little different.

In either case, Mac and I have May builds, so I was askin'.

[Blue Thunder]

Quote:

Originally posted by Little Bear


I understood that's what it was for (the vacuum problem), I've just been told that it also seems to have the effect of making the exhaust sound a little different.

In either case, Mac and I have May builds, so I was askin'.

Where in Chicago did you get your car?? I got Blue Thunder at Knauz up in Lake Bluff.

[Basil]

Quote:

Originally posted by macncheese
Dont show off the equally cool headlight washers with the sunroof open.

Cheese

He he he. Good advice

[Little Bear]

Quote:

Originally posted by Blue Thunder


Where in Chicago did you get your car?? I got Blue Thunder at Knauz up in Lake Bluff.

I thought you got yours from Patrick?

I got mine from Bill Jacobs. I live close to them. The others couldn't get me on the list high enough.

I would have bought from Knauz (since they're closer to work).

I've almost got my car. It's been at the VPC since 5/20. They've been telling me it's delayed waiting for a Xenon fix and a new seat latch. I'll be asking for a vehicle condition report when it arrives. Something tells me there is more to this story.

If it was something more, I'll be cancelling the car and buying a 2002 Indian Chief. The MINI will have to wait until another season...

[Blue Thunder]

Quote:

Originally posted by Little Bear


I thought you got yours from Patrick?

I got mine from Bill Jacobs. I live close to them. The others couldn't get me on the list high enough.

I would have bought from Knauz (since they're closer to work).

I've almost got my car. It's been at the VPC since 5/20. They've been telling me it's delayed waiting for a Xenon fix and a new seat latch. I'll be asking for a vehicle condition report when it arrives. Something tells me there is more to this story.

If it was something more, I'll be cancelling the car and buying a 2002 Indian Chief. The MINI will have to wait until another season...

I got my car fron Eric and Dave at Knauz, Hang in there! Don't buy a Motorcycle? You would get tired of that, Wait for the mini,I've done the bike thing, it's fun for a short time, and weekends. But everyday gets too tense. Besides with the bike at ever stop you have to put your feet on the ground or they fall over (I know!) The mini doesn't have that problem.

[Little Bear]

Quote:

Originally posted by Blue Thunder

Don't buy a Motorcycle? You would get tired of that, Wait for the mini,I've done the bike thing, it's fun for a short time, and weekends. But everyday gets too tense. Besides with the bike at ever stop you have to put your feet on the ground or they fall over (I know!) The mini doesn't have that problem.

I've been riding bikes for more than 20 years. I've been a fan of the Indian since I was a kid. I was even born in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of the original Indian (and Smith & Wesson, basketball, and Kurt Russell). They just came out with a new engine all their own on the latest Chief.

I'm a month past the delivery date. I've got several cars now. If they can't manage to deliver a car to me soon, I'll probably drop it for now. I'll probably go get on the list at Knauz next time, but will wait til next year.

I kind of feel like an afterthought at Bill Jacobs right now. We'll see how they do to make this right.