Tell me about your Mini Cooper...

[GLC1968]

Did I mention that when I bought my 2004 MINI, I traded in a Saab 9-3 for it? No? Maybe I should have.

Actually, I hated the Saab. I hated the clutch. I hated the lack of visiblity (it was a convertible). I hated the 'image' it had in FL. I hated the turbo. I hated that when I went to trade it in, I got so little for it (no demand) that it was pathetic.

[ClockworkOrange]

Tell me about your Mini Cooper...

... in the snow and how you handle bike transport. Which Mini model do you have? What do you like about it? What would you do different next time?

In 2004 I wanted to purchase a Mini Cooper when the updated model first came out but there was a year's waiting list, so not being a patient person I opted for the Mini One, which was delivered January 2005.

Absolutely no regrets, I love my little car and so does my Grandson.

The ragtop is fun, especially with the English weather. Even enough space for two passengers, providing they are not too big. Although only a basic 1598cc engine, she is nippy, brilliant around town.

BUT the downside of having a ragtop, nowhere to put a bike rack! That was why I bought a Strida bike but that was a very unhappy ending for me, broken back blah blah blah.

Generally we have very little snow, so no problem.

Note IB sticker on my car, that confuses people over here in the UK.

[Blueberry]

the downside of having a ragtop, nowhere to put a bike rack! That was why I bought a Strida bike but that was a very unhappy ending for me, broken back blah blah blah.

Can you use a hitch rack on it? It is very cute (as is your grandson).

[ClockworkOrange]

Can you use a hitch rack on it? It is very cute (as is your grandson).

It would mean having a tow bar fitted and the way I drive, I might forget it's on the back and squash it when reversing.

Going off topic for a sec, my Grandson is growing up too quickly

[maillotpois]

Clock - he is darling!!! And what a great car!

I've been thinking of getting a Cooper convertible as my next car. Debating between that and something like an Audi A4 convertible. The Cooper is more in line, size-wise, with my current Honda Fit.

[Pax]

I would LOVE a Mini, but the closest dealer is two hours away. I made that mistake with my motorcycle, and it has turned routine maintenance into a never ending pain in the butt.

[zoom-zoom]

Friends of ours have a 2 door Mini...they love it, but don't drive it in the Winter much at all--BUT we generally get about 3x the snow on this side of the lake that you guys do in Chicago (except for this past year...I think you nearly kept up with us...you guys got a lot and all at once!). It doesn't have the clearance to handle our poorly plowed, semi-rural roads.

I've ridden around in theirs a few times. It's surprisingly roomy. I think a Clubman would be WAY cool!

[ASammy1]

Did I mention that when I bought my 2004 MINI, I traded in a Saab 9-3 for it? No? Maybe I should have.

No way! How funny is that? I am curious as to what you meant about the Saab's image in FL... You have me intrigued...

Clock-Your pics of your mini are great along with your now obviously much older grandson

Zoom-zoom-thanks for the input on your friend's Mini. I think if we end up with a Mini, it will be the Countryman which is a little higher off the ground from what I understand. And you are totally right about this side of the lake getting milder winters, plus I live in suburban Chicago where the roads are taken care of in the winter.

[nscrbug]

No way! How funny is that? I am curious as to what you meant about the Saab's image in FL... You have me intrigued...

Clock-Your pics of your mini are great along with your now obviously much older grandson

Zoom-zoom-thanks for the input on your friend's Mini. I think if we end up with a Mini, it will be the Countryman which is a little higher off the ground from what I understand. And you are totally right about this side of the lake getting milder winters, plus I live in suburban Chicago where the roads are taken care of in the winter.

Totally off-topic, but where about do you live? I'm in the western burbs, near Brookfield Zoo. Perhaps we've passed each other on the road, and didn't know it!

[TsPoet]

I think if we end up with a Mini, it will be the Countryman which is a little higher off the ground from what I understand. .

A friend is flying to Seattle right now to pick up her AWD Countryman. I can't wait to see it and compare it to my Clubbie.
My understanding is that the back of the countryman is actually a little smaller than the Clubbie - it's higher but not any deeper and the seats don't fold flat.
She is picking up her new MINI and heading directly out for a 1 week vacation to the Grand Canyon with it, so I won't see it for another week.
(and, it's a MINI, not a Mini)

[GLC1968]

The Countryman drove totally differently than the regular Cooper S. It was still fun and quite zippy, but definitely not the same car. The one I test drove was AWD, too, so I'm sure that had something to do with it.

Oh, and yeah, the cargo space was smaller than the Clubman - or at least, it *felt* that way...technically, I think it might still be bigger. It just didn't seem as useable in terms of how the space was configured. Really neat looking car though!

Our dealer said that sales of the Clubman have totally taken off since the introduction of the Countryman. The theory is that (like us), people are drawn in to try out the 'big' MINI Cooper Countryman, but end up realizing that the Clubman actually better suits their needs. Personally, I had no idea how large the Clubman was until I saw it up-close-and-personal at the dealer. So yeah, had we not been pulled in by the Countryman, we might not be picking up our new Clubman day after tomorrow.

ASammy1 - Saabs in FL are not in demand. Many of the things that make a Saab great (particularly the convertible) mean nothing in FL (like a rear glass window with a defroster). And the image is that only old people drive them. I lived in Tampa which was not as 'old' as some places in FL and yet I never saw a single person under the age of 50 in a Saab convertible (except me!). There is so little demand for them, that dealers cannot resell them and therefore trade-in sucks. Mine was in incredible condition (seriously, showroom condition - I bought it from my mom a year earlier and she hardly ever drove it!) and had hardly any miles on it and yet I got half of blue book for it! I asked in NC after we moved there what our local dealer would have given me for the same car and it was more than DOUBLE what I got in FL. Honestly, had I known we'd be moving out of state, I would have held onto it to trade it in!

[ASammy1]

Wow, I would never have thought that the Saab was an "old person's car!" Hmmm... I only see people around my age (33) or a little older driving them around here or in VA where I bought the car.