Archive for April 2003
Apr 30th, 2003
This post is meant to be a place one can go to find all the latest info on the MINI Cabrio. It will be updated as new information comes in. Enjoy!
[UPDATE 1.22.04]: The MINI Cabrio is Officially Released!
[UPDATE 1.22.04]: More Cabrio Shots From London
[UPDATE 1.19.04]: Orange Inside and Out
[UPDATE 1.16.04]: More MINI Cabrio Details
[UPDATE 1.10.04]: Striking MCS Cabrio Gold in Central London
[UPDATE 1.1.04]: The 2005 MINI Cabrio Interior Revealed
[UPDATE 12.23.03]: 2005 MINI Face lift Revealed
[UPDATE 10.16.03]: More MCS Cabrio Spyshots & Video Footage
[UPDATE 10.13.03]: New MINI Cabrio Photos
[UPDATE 9.15.03]: MINI Convertible Spyshots Page Updated
[UPDATE 8.25.03]: The MINI Cabrio… One Year and Counting (A general update on what to expect from the new MINI Cabrio/Open in a year's time.)
[UPDATE 8.16.03]: New Getrag Gearbox For The Cooper In 2005
[UPDATE 6.25.03]: MINI Cabrio Color & Trim Information.
[UPDATE 6.12.03]: MINI Cabrio Launch Update
[UPDATE 5.28.03]: The MINI Cabrio May Be Built By Pininfarina.
[UPDATE 5.23.03]: MINI has shown official photos to the dealers .
[UPDATE 5.15.03]: MINI has now confirmed the new convertible models.
As we get closer to the late summer '04 roll-out of the MINI Cabrio (or the MINI Open as it maybe called) new info seems to be coming in weekly. So in response to all these photos, videos, facts, and figures I thought I'd create a post with all the current Cabrio information that I have on my site. Here are the various posts:
Another MINI Cabrio Video
Spy Video of the new MINI Cabrio
Yes Virginia… there will be an MCS Cabrio
The MINI Cooper… Open?
The New New MINI (rumors)
And here are the original pictures (not photoshopped as like most out there) from AutoExpress:
the new MINI Cabrio
If anybody has heard something that isn't listed here feel free to add it in the comments section.
Apr 30th, 2003
Once again AutoExpress.com has come through with a video of next years MINI Cabrio. This second clip is much better than the first in terms of clarity. Check out AutoExpress.com's spy video section for all the details.
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Apr 29th, 2003
As you may have noticed those of us in the Chicago region are in the process of forming the Chicago MINI Motoring Club. Officers have been elected, a name has been chosen, and our first official event is being planned. But that being said there is some work to do before we start taking dues and giving out stickers.
Up until now owners in Chicago (and I imagine other areas as well) have simply had informal groups loosely held together via mass email or some yahoo group. Now it seems the time has come to create something with a bit more solidity - something that is bigger than just 2 or 3 people. If you're not familar with what a mature club can offer just take a look what the BMWCCA or the PCA. Certainly any MINI club would have a long way to go before ever reaching that sort of level but we must start somewhere.
It would seem a car like the MINI is just begging for some sort of organized owners group. It's one of those rare cars that seems to bring people together in positive ways. In fact there are a handful of clubs (listed in the links section) already established and more on the way everyday.
So here are my questions for those currently in MINI clubs or interested in them: How important do you think local clubs will be for MINI owners? What would you want to see a local club offer in terms of benefits or giveaways? How much would you be willing to pay in annual dues? And finally what type of events would you like to see local clubs offer?
Here's a list of currently operating MINI clubs in the US:
Chicago MINI Motoring Club (coming soon)
MINI5280 | Denver area club
Michigan MINI Motor Club | Michigan area club
MINIOKI | Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana MINI club
PDXMINI | Portland area club
Pitt Stop MINI | Western PA area club
SCMM | Southern California area club
STLMINI.com | St. Louis area club
(please feel free to add to this list if I missed one)
Apr 28th, 2003
It looks like Sunday's Indianapolis MINI Rally yesterday was an absolute success. The reviews and photos have been astounding. Here's a review from Steve R.:
The ride was an all day 200 mile loop from the Dealership south and east to Nashville for lunch, and after a short break, back west and north to Greencastle for dinner. After dinner the ride continued back to the dealership.
There were over 80 MINIs, all colors and options imaginable, and 160 or so people in attendance. The dealer provided drinks and doughnuts, and a nice goody bag that included maps, a road quiz for passengers of the ride, MINI pens, MINI pins, and discounts, as well as a chance to buy clothes and accessories before the ride.
Rich Rubin, an Indianapolis area MINI enthusiast worked with the dealership to organize the entire event. He did an incredible job. He picked a route that included plenty of interesting roads that ranged from highways to residential streets to higher speed curves and hills to very tight one lane twisty hilly sections. Due to traffic we usually wound up in smaller groups, but we stopped every 30 miles or so for a quick photo-op, and a chance to re-group.
Lunch was an all you could eat buffet at the Brown County Inn where they had an entire area reserved for us. We had an hour of so afterwards to shop in the area, or wander around and meet other MINI people and gawk at all the cars. Some cars broke off back for home after this point, but the tightest, twistiest and most interesting part of the ride came afterwards through the Cataract Falls area. A brief stop at a sleepy old General Store and we were off on the next leg for dinner at the Walden Inn in Greencastle. The results from the road quizzes were scored, and many nice prizes were awarded to the winners (MINI radio controlled cars and clocks), as well as awards for the newest and oldest Indiana MINIs, the person who showed up earliest and latest for the rally, and the longest distance award (which I missed by 11 miles).
I ran into a quite a few people who have joined us on previous Chicago area rides, and met bunch of new MINI people who I hope to see again soon on other rides.
My ride started out with a quick 200 mile early morning cruise down from the Chicago area, 160 miles for the part of the rally I drove on, and another 200 miles back from Greencastle. I haven?t checked my fuel mileage because my current tank is at 363 and hasn?t gotten to the red light yet.
I had a fantastic day, and hope to make the next rally that they plan in that area.
I swear I'll make the next one :) Congrats to all involved and a big thanks to Dreyer & Reinbold MINI for doing such a great job hosting it. For further photos of the event check out this gallery.
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Apr 25th, 2003
By popular demand here's the rumored new Orange Metallic MINI. I've heard it's coming out sometime during the '04 model year but haven't seen this confirmed anywhere yet.
I believe this particular car made the rounds at the 2001 autoshows.
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Apr 24th, 2003
A friend of mine is picking up his Cooper tomorrow after the agony of debating, ordering, and waiting. Thinking about his process has got me relfecting on my own… If I could go back and reorder my car what would I change? What am I very happy with? And what might I drop? Of course this doesn't include any aftermarket mods that you might have done - I'm talking about straight from the factory.
Actually I managed to snag on of the pre-spec Coopers that was speced & built before the dealer system was launched. But that being said I ended with pretty much getting my dream car. So while it wasn't truly ordered to my spec it could be considered what I would have gotten if given the chance.
Things I wish I had:
- Sports Suspension Plus - I never would have imagined it made a difference, but it does)
- Cold Weather Package - this wasn't available when we got our car but to me it would have been worth it for the heated mirrors alone. There were countless times this past winter they were useless from to being iced over
Things I wish I didn't have or could do without:
- While I enjoy my multi-function computer, if I had to make a cut that would be it
Things I'm really happy I got:
- Xenon lights - you really can't spend enough money on lights when it gets dark at 4pm during the winter months.
- Sport Seats (with the Sport Package) - from my experience if you want an MC and don't want to slide around during heavy cornering either get the Sport Seats or wear some cords!
- A white top!
- Chrome Line - this car has taken my love for well designed chrome accents to a new level
- Heated seats - guys, if you have a special someone in your life they're highly recommended.
- That Blessed Sunroof! (with the Premium Package) - even if it means I have to battle the occasional squeak on a cold morning I absolutely love how it turns the cabin into a very bright and airy enviroment.
I get asked this sort of question all the time so I thought a post like this might help someone out there on the fence about some options. Feel free to add feedback disagreeing or ageeing with anything I said. One of the great things about MINI owners is that we all seem to have opinions and we're not afraid to share them :)
Apr 24th, 2003
Thoughts?
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Apr 23rd, 2003
UPDATE 2: Another source has now told me that a typical dealer should be able to get around a total 20 kits for 2003. Aparently many dealers are already sold out of their initial allotment.
UPDATE: I just received some more info from the same source:
My info yesterday was “lite” on the numbers.
Now the source says “150 kits for 75 dealers”. I am stunned! Hopefully they can gear up and get
a bunch more produced.
This is an amazingly small amount. I wouldn't be surprised if this is just the initial spring production. (the original post is below)
I just received this from a very reliable source:
Don't tell anyone where you heard this….but the availability of these aforementioned kits is going to be VERY limited! Dealers will only be able to get just a few initially. It seems to me HQ has underestimated the popularity of this upgrade, and supply is extremely limited…1500 only. Parts deptartments have 'em on backorder now.”
So unless MINIUSA changes the allocation numbers all you JCW hopefuls may want to get on the phone to your dealer sooner rather than later. Pricing will be $4500 + an estimated 8-10 hours of dealer installation. No word yet on how much the JCW accessories like 18″ wheels and sport seats will cost.
Apr 22nd, 2003
Okay it sounds better than it actually is. I got an email a week ago from a Crains reporter wanting to ask me a variety of questions for a story they were writing on the MINI phenomena. So I offered a number of names of area owners that might be good to talk to. As it turns out Victoria Landau and I were the only ones that actually made the article. Nonetheless it's an interesting piece that generally retraces most of what's been written before. Here are our respective quotes:
“You really do stand out from the crowd when you drive a MINI” says Ms. Landau who owns an indie blue model with a black roof. “I get dirty looks from people in Hummers. But then, some people roll down their windows and say, 'What's that? It's so cute.'”…
…Obviously some people aren't convicted that bigger is better. MINI owner Gabriel Bridger is one of those people.
“When you get a big, flashy car, you're just flaunting your supposed testosterone.” Mr. Bridger says. “When I drive my MINI, there's no pretense there, no overbearing connotations…People actually smile at you rather than scowl.”
I swear I don't remember saying “big and flashy”. Anyway the article is online but only available to premium subscribers of Crains Chicago. The magazine is available at finer newsstands across the Chicago area.
Apr 20th, 2003
This weekend I invested in a new bike and Yakima bike rack. I was very opposed to drilling holes in my roof and didn't trust the roof racks that attached to the black plastic rain gutter. What I found was the Yakima “Mo Joe”. It fits the MINI perfectly, holds three bikes, and retails for only $130.
I'll give it 4 out or 5 stars for it's good fits and easy installations. The only downside is that it's not as secure traveling at highway speeds during windy conditions as it did tend to sway just a bit over some larger bumps with two bikes. Other than that the car doesn't seem any worse for the wear after a three hour trip.
Apr 17th, 2003
To all those higher mileage MINIs out there…
Have you taken a look on the bottom of your hood recently? I was cleaning out my engine on Sunday and found something fairly troubling.
The images show that the hood has been in contact with the rubber surround in front of the engine and has caused some interesting issues. It's worn through the paint and primer down to the bare metal on one side and is getting close on the other. #1 is the top right, #2 is the top left (where it's worn to bare metal), and 3 & 4 are the respective sides of the rubber molding. Has anyone seen or heard of this happening before?
My dealer is having MINI regional rep come out and take a look in the next couple weeks to determine what exactly is going on. While I have no concern that MINIUSA won't take care of the problem I'm alarmed that it happened in the first place. I suppose there's a very good chance that this is an isolated incident and there's nothing to worry about. But that being said I'd be interested to know if others with higher mileage cars out there are seeing similar symptoms
Update: Thanks to these photo (which were passed onto MINI engineers) we’ve got ourselves an official response and bulletin. Details can be found here.
Apr 16th, 2003
This report comes courtesy of BB Mykal and an unamed Chicago radio station:
The radio spot announced that the MINI was “Retro Modern” (if that's possible).
“The car that is turning heads” A special deal of $199/mo Lease, and $16,075 for the Cooper. I guess they may have a number of Coopers in stock.
Wow - this is an interesting turn of events. I had talked with another Chicago dealer that told me things were a little slower during the colder months but that was to be expected. He assumed things would pick up once the warmer weather hit. Judging by the couple times I've been by the dealer since I would have to conclude he was correct. But this new radio ad would seem to indicate that not all dealers are seeing the same sales.
Apr 16th, 2003
From BB Mykal:
The only MINI in the Import Revolution, Chicago was MINE! Import Revolution features mainly Aisan Imports but really any import is eligible.
I had one AWESOME time! My brother (Silver 98 Beetle) and I setup our space and prepared for the what had to be 20,000 people that filed through 4-11:30 on Saturday.
At the end of the night, 10:30, they announced the winners. There were other classes but my interest was in “Street” basic modifications, and “Other” that includes imports like Kia, Hyundai, Daewoo, and imports like the MINI that are not listed normally. I did not hear my name on “Street”, but did on the “Best of Class - Other”!!!
Let me say again I had so much fun! The best part was watching people smile big as they walked by, and see their mouths go M-I-N-I cOOp-ER.
I would like to thank the Academy, oh sorry, actually MaxMINI for his support, as he did the same show in CA and helped with some support issues and general questions. :))
Apr 16th, 2003
As we've mentioned in a previous post We'll be meeting to discuss the formation of an official Chicago New MINI Club (for background info read this previous post). It seems like we've come to a consensus regarding the where and when part of the equation so I wanted to post the details:
When: 12 noon Saturday the 26th of April.
Where: We'll meet at the Highland House in Highland Park on Highway 41 (the same place we met for the January drive). The address is 2635 Skokie Valley Rd / Highland Park, IL 60035. Their phone number is: 847/433.0961
Who: We'll be putting up the cornerstones of this new club so anyone is welcome to join us who might be interested in either playing a founding role or just joining this proposed group. If you are a regular on our drives and can't make this meeting don't worry - there will be other opportunities to chime in with thoughts about the club on this site and at future meetings. Even if your MINI is currently on some ship crossing the Atlantic you're welcome to come out.
Things to Bring:I'm going to bring an agenda based on the feedback from this post to discuss and work through. Otherwise I'd recommend bringing a notebook, pen, all your best Mini apparel, and a smile.
I'd be interested to hear some thoughts as to what everyone would like to discuss at this first meeting. The things that come to mind right away are:
- Deciding on a name ( Chicago MINI Motoring Society and MINI Motoring Club of Chicago seem to be two frontrunners)
- Discussing legal/tax issues (if anyone has any experience in this area let me know!)
- Discussing the level of annual dues we'd prefer and…
- Deciding what type of events and club freebies we want those dues to pay for
- Appointing interested people in intermediate positions to get the club off the ground
Feel free to add to this list in the comment section below. Further if anyone from outside the Chicago area that has been involved in car clubs of any kind has any advice please feel free to post it here or email me.
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