MF Garage: From the Earth to the Moon
The distance between the moon and the Earth varies from around 356,400 km to 406,700 km at the extreme perigees (closest) and apogees (farthest). On 19 March 2011, it was closer to the earth while at full phase than it has been since 1993.[87] Reported as a “super moon”, this closest point coincides within an hour of a full moon, and it thus appeared 30 percent brighter, and 14 percent larger than when at its greatest distance
Depending on what number you look at (and how nerdy you want to be), the moon is between 221,456.69 and 252,711.66 miles from Earth. Or pretty gosh darned close to how far I have driven my 2003 MINI Cooper since I brought her home on March 6th, 2003. If the average driver (my age) drives 18,858 miles per year (via), then I’ve driven the equivalent of 13.4 years worth of miles.
And she keeps on going. I especially like it when I tell people how many miles I have on her. The look on their faces is usually priceless and it almost _always_ causes them to do a complete walk around the car for another look. And, for the record, the color **always** get compliments. Velvet Red, in my own personal opinion, is one of the best colors ever put on a MINI. It’s really too bad that I’m one of 3 people that agree and actually purchased it.
As previously mentioned, I just had my 2nd alternator replaced. I’ve got a brand new wish list started as well that I hope to start clearing out in a month or two, starting with replacing the right side axel (again) and all of the upper mounts (engine and transmission). I’m also going to be doing a front brake job pretty soon and need to start thinking about shocks.
The end game to all of this, of course, is getting Roxy to the big 300. 300,000 miles that is. I’m pretty sure she’s got it in her.
<p>Beautiful, and I agree on the color. I could still kick myself for selling my 04 B/W R50 with 55K miles on it. For shocks I really like the Koni FSD.</p>
<p>Congrats DB! Now right to the moon with you Alice…;-)</p>
<p>Congrats DB! Aim for Mars, forget about the Moon.</p>
<p>I think VR was an awesome color as well – but EB was my choice for my MCS!</p>
<p>Very cool. If I continue at my current pace (over 30K miles per year) I’ll be on track to reach the moon in no time…</p>
<p>My new favorite color! Great to know my MINIs can go this far.</p>
<p>Velveteen_MINI was my 2003 Velvet red cooper. She was traded in at 108,000km on a competition edition in chili red.</p>
<p>IMO velvet red is a much nicer colour than chili red and she always got compliments. If she had been an S I would still own Velveteen and she’d have 190,000 km on her.</p>
<p>Keep going.</p>
<p>Thanks for the comments everyone!</p>
<p>How many Transmission have you gone through? I have a 2004 with the Midland transmission with 70,000 miles and I am going on my 3rd transmission. the original went out at 67,000. The new transmission lasted for 2000 miles, and the new one I have now stopped shifting into 2nd gear after less than 10 miles of use. These were all dealer bought transmissions. </p>
<p>The transmission that’s in my car now was installed at 49k miles almost a year after I bought the car (March, 2004). Been pretty bullet proof since.</p>
<p>Don, you may remember me from remarking on your own blog, in which you chronicle your time with Roxy. I stumbled upon it one evening, and ended up staying up much of the evening reading entry by entry, year by year. It was a wonderful read, and I wrote to tell you so. As the owner of a 2002 MINI Cooper, whom I purchased from the same dealer that you found Roxy through, I feel a kinship to you and Roxy. Your love affair–no, your committed relationship with her is one of the great romantic stories to be found in MINI-dom. This, just like your other postings of your life and times with Roxy, is engaging, heartwarming and inspiring. Thank you for so generously sharing your life with Roxy, Don!</p>
<p>Yep yep. I actually reposted your note! Thanks for reading!</p>
<p>WHat is the link to that UK site? I can’t seem to find it anywhere…</p>
<p>What UK site? mini.co.uk/lunatics?</p>
<p>I am ready to buy my second MINI, only I don’t like any of the colours and am just stalled, waiting to spend my money. I want THIS colour, it’s beautiful.</p>