Hee hee!
 

Okay, I'll try to keep it short:

We were down in Findlay, OH. My wife's parents may move there, so we were visiting them while they checked out the town.

Sat. night we checked out this hot air balloon festival thing. Pretty cool - like 30 or so balloons, I got a helicopter ride, etc. :)

Amngst all of the food tents and crap was a Mini Cooper, which was being raffled off by the local health-care system. Amber loved the car, so we bought a ticket for $25. We figured that a thousand to one odds weren't too bad. Then, while talking to the lady who was selling the tickets, Amber noticed that the car was a 5-speed. I told her, don't worry, I'll teach you.

The lady selling the tickets said that, actually, she had a problem. She was the last person left with the car, was done in five minutes, and couldn't drive a manual - so she couldn't get it back to its home.

:D

Long story short, I got to drive the Mini. What a cool little car. I have my complaints, but they are few in number and relatively minor. Basically, the car feels like it's machined all in one piece. Very high-quality build and still has loads of character. Best shifter I've ever felt. The heavy steering was pleasantly surprising.

Initial torque was sorta lacking, but what do you want? Get the revs up and it's pretty fiesty.

I loved the car and I loved driving it. Is it practical? Not really. We fit a card table in the back with the seats folded, but only barely.

I would want the nav system, and only for one reason: get rid of that stinking center-mounted speedometer. Not only is it in the wrong place and too big, it's also not displayed in enough increments.

Anyway, overall I really liked the car. I didn't think I'd get a chance to drive one, so I was really happy to get the opportunity.

the vet i work for just bought one of those cars for his wife. she likes little gas savers. that car is like a PT Cruiser and a funny car. lol. i have seen a few in the area one baby blue, red and hers is silver. would never want one, but what were they thinking when they put that speedo in the middle of the dash??? she let me take it for a spin one night to go to the post office with her kids. the car didn't have much on the go, but i got more looks than i would get if i drove my svx


Kelli

I don't think it's fair to put the Mini on the same level as the PT Cruiser. The Mini is reminiscent of specific car with a great deal of history. The PT is supposed to be 'just retro-looking.' The Mini has high build-quality from BMW. The PT is...well...a Chrysler.

The Mini, in my opinion, is a far better value. Sure, the PT is more practical - but with the Mini you get so much more car.

As for the looks you got, yeah I can relate. Although I was at a stoplight and four guys in a Blazer called the car 'ugly.'

Anyway, it gets the looks and the deman right now because it's the latest, newest thing. The Beetle got the same a few years ago - remember when those were selling above retail???

I'm looking forward to seeing the resale values. I'd love a used one once the novelty of the thing wears off a little and they sell for a realistic price.

Sounds like a fun drive Pockets! There are a few sprouting up around here the last couple weeks and they do get the looks. Like you said, with that newness and uniqueness comes the inflated price. Like the no longer new Beetle and the Part Time Cruiser. Wonder if the SVX started out that way?

Funny PT Cruiser story: Remember how they were such a big deal before they came out and on backorder, selling for too much, etc? The funny local story was how one of the Seattle Supersonics basketball players was one of the first to get his when they finally started filling orders. He of course could afford to just blindly put money down on something he had never actually seen in person before. The story goes that he got down to the dealer to receive what was probably one of WA state's first PT C's, opened the door, and only then realized that there was no way his 6'10" frame would fit in the driver's seat!!! :rolleyes: I suppose it goes without saying that he probably wasn't on the list for the Mini! :D

The Chrysler dealer here has half a dozen of the new PT Cruiser convertibles (one even has the woodgrain sides). In my opinion they look pretty silly with the top up, but kinda interesting in convertible mode. Four doors with the cabriolet(sp?) bar running up over the top between them is definitely unique nowadays. (words like "interesting" and "unique" are not necessarily the same thing as good though!:D )

They put the speedo in the middle of the dash so it will be easier and cheaper to make the car left or right hand drive.
That new Toyota ECHO is the same way, very ugly car buy the way:)

Someone in my building has one of those things. YUCK.

-Mike

I think that I can say with some degree of certainty that it did not. :D

FYI the engine in the mini cooper is a CHRYSLER engine so lets not bash ignorantly now, shall we? :P

- Ca$h

PS: It really is a chrysler engine. You can argue if you want but I'll just have to prove you wrong. :D

Who was bashing? :confused:

Chill, dood. I know you've run into some stubborn people here, but I don't argue with facts, okay? :P

I didn't know that the engine in the Mini was a Chrysler. Any documentation on this? I'm interested in finding more.

Also, incidentally, that makes me like the Mini a little bit less, given the apparent frequency with which Neons blow their head gaskets. <cough> No offense. :D

Edit: According to Edmund's, the Mini's engine is "built jointly by BMW and Chrysler in Brazil." No mention of whose design it is or who owns the factory.

Oh no. :rolleyes:

Perhaps it is the PT's Mini Me. :D

eh, yeah, go to www.allpar.com and search for mini information, thats where the only article I've found on it was located. Anyway, the neon engines/pt engines/dodge razor engine/razor engine is pretty good engine, the problem with the headgasket was just a badly designed gasket. In 1997 they FINALLY redesigned the headgasket and came out with a MLS (multi layered steel) headgasket that fixed that problem completely.

- Ca$h

Ah, so it is actually a Chrysler engine build in a Chrysler plant, I see. Didn't know that...

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mr. Pockets
[B]

I don't think it's fair to put the Mini on the same level as the PT Cruiser. The Mini is reminiscent of specific car with a great deal of history. The PT is supposed to be 'just retro-looking.' The Mini has high build-quality from BMW. The PT is...well...a Chrysler.



i am not putting it on the same level by any means...the shape is kinda the same, but that is about it. i hate PT's. the Cooper is actually a kinda cool car. my boss's wife had to special order it from a BMW company, they are shipping them over from...i forget where...but the car isn't made by BMW

did you see the YES car? that is a awesome car...only it isn't street legal.

i saw a lot of ugly car designs like the Saturn Sky...that is ugly..um, the speedo in the middle of the dash is coming out on a lot of cars...i think Kia has one coming out too. i saw these and much more at a NY car show last winter. i can pull the papers to see other goofy cars soon to be on the road...lol.. better watch out for the new neon, this one is actually a buy....got some engine work done to it...;)

Kelli