Nov 23rd, 2004
What Car? (a UK car mag) shows that the US isn't the only place that has long wait times and high residuals for the new MINI. Here's an excerpt:
Waiting times (in the UK) are already as long as six months. Convertible buyers face particularly long delays because it accounts for just 25% of Mini production.
What Car's team of mystery shoppers is still unable to find any discounts, despite the fact that the Mini has been on sale since July 2001. Residual values are excellent, with Minis retaining between 66% and 71% of their value after three years depending on the model.
You can read the entire article here.
Nov 22nd, 2004
We’d like to introduce the MotoringFile 2004 Holiday Gift Guide downloadable PDF. Instead of just posting a few gift ideas like we did last year we’ve created a downloadable PDF that can be read off-line, printed, or emailed easily. Of course the best part; it’s much easier to print out and hand someone for gift ideas!
Within the guide we suggest over 30 different gifts for the MINI enthusiast from $15 to almost $800. Like last year we wanted to keep our suggestions within reason for most out there while maintaining a wide selection of gift ideas. From apparel to cold air intakes we’ve tried to include many different aspects of the accessories available for the MINI and the enthusiast.
You can download the file by clicking on the image above. Please only download the file once.
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Nov 21st, 2004
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p>For those that still haven't tired of reading reviews of the new MINI Cooper S Convertible (even after we posted our own) you'll be happy to note that the New York Times has finally weighed in with their thoughts. Here's an excerpt:
EVERY once in a while, I encounter a car so fun to drive that it demands I do stupid things, as if the remote clicker unlocks not only the doors, but also my inner adolescent. Before my rational side can intervene, I am throwing the car around corners, traveling at illegal speeds and shirking responsibilities to take impromptu drives.
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Nov 19th, 2004
Since the start of winter is almost upon us we thought it might be time for a little winter driving recap. For those in warmer climates you might want to skip this one. This is only for those hardy souls that can do snow induced hand-brake donuts in their sleep. The Tirerack has a series of winter driving articles for those that would like to know more about the wonderful world of oversteer and understeer. Here's an excerpt of one of the better ones:
To most effectively control your car on a slippery road, you should always use only one control at a time. While cornering, for instance, you should be off the brake and off the accelerator, coasting through the turn and using all available grip for steering. The proper way to negotiate any curve or corner is to brake on the straightway before the curve to adjust your speed; then coast and steer through the turn. When you start to straighten the steering wheel as you exit the curve, gently accelerate out of the turn.
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Nov 18th, 2004
Never one to rest on it's laurels, British magazine Autocar has a couple new photos of a testing mule that appears to be an early version of the R56 – the next generation MINI. This just a week after the previous photo and article. There's really no new info for the well informed MotoringFile visitor but the photos do give us a glimpse (you may need to squint) of the next MINI's overall shape. Remember… evolution over revolution. Here's an excerpt from the article:
With less than two years to go before the third-generation Mini is revealed by BMW, the first engineering prototypes are testing in Germany. Last week we ran the first picture of the next-generation Mini, but these new scoops reveal even more about the car.
The current car’s exposed wipers have been recessed to sit beneath the bonnet’s trailing edge. This is partly to improve pedestrian head protection during an impact, but required a major re-design of the car’s frontal structure.
You can read and see more from Autocar here. And you can read more on the R56 (the next generation MINI) in these previous MotoringFile articles.
Nov 18th, 2004
As several have commented recently it's been a long time since we've added anything to our desktop wallpaper section. I'm happy to say the wait is over. Dave Bunting, long a fixture at North American Motoring, has generously donated a fantastic photo he recently took for use as MotoringFile desktop wallpaper. So for those that need to spruce up the desktop a bit check out our wallpaper section.
[MotoringFile Wallpaper]
Nov 17th, 2004
[Update: Matthew was kind enough to substantially update his review with another day's worth of use behind him. Skip down to the end of this article for the update portion.]
For all of you patiently awaiting the official iPod adapter here is the first review of the actual MINI version of the product.
Installation:
The entire process was very painless at about 2 hours. (Bare in mind that this was their very first official 'consumer' install they have ever done aside from the demo MINI so they did spend time to make sure it was just right.) My guess is that it could be done in less than an hour if the glovebox & centre console area are already cleared. Wanted to do the install myself, but there isn't an install manual with the kit like many other oem parts.
The cable is just a bit over 62 cm from the interior glovebox gasket to the beginning of the dock module. Sadly, this isn't long enough to put my ipod in it's usual resting place below the e-brake.
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