My Next MINI

Posted bydb 15 Comments on My Next MINI

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This post gave me some serious fits. If you wanted to comment but couldn’t, feel free to go ahead.

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As you know, Roxy is pushing some serious mileage (I will hit 120K miles today, watch the the Flickr). My car is my life and my life requires that I have reliable transportation. I must say, as reliable as Roxy has been, she is still an ’02 build and I won’t lie to you by saying I’m not nervous.

I’ve given this some serious thought. What I really need is a vehicle that is reliable, gets good gas mileage, and can haul me, some gear and more than 1 passenger. That obviously isn’t the MINI. But price is still an issue, as is the high price of fuel.

Plus, I still really love driving a MINI.

So I have ditched the idea, for now, of a low miles pre-owned 5 series (gas mileage) or a new X3 (price) and have decided to stick with getting a MINI.

Most of you are already familiar with my love of banks and the lending process, if not, feel free to read my posts from Jan. 03 to get an idea. What a crappy month that was. It’s my hate of the process that has kept me from doing this earlier. But now I’m out of time. I only have a few months to order to get an ’06. Not that I don’t want an ’07, but I’ve got a first year car already, and I really don’t want to take the chance of having software issues and other who-knows-what things that might pop-up.

So, I’ll make the call next month, I think. The spec (’cause I know you want to know) goes a little something like this:

  • Space Blue/Silver MCS – Don’t worry, I’ve got ideas to make the roof white
  • Chrome grill and mirrors
  • Package 1, 2 and 3. Unless I really decided I don’t want DSC or a sunroof. Then ala carte on the items
  • Chrome interior bits
  • Piano black interior
  • Space Grey Cloth
  • LSD

The more I see the SB/S combo the more I really like. When I was at the dealer this week they had one on the lot (SB/S MC) and it looked quite fantastic. There was also a checkmate on the lot that one of the guys owned, and I really liked it as well (except for the stripes and decals, just not my thing). They also had a Hyper Blue (with body painted interior) on the lot and while I really like that combo too, I think the Space Blue looks a little better.

So, that’s the plan. Just in case anyone was wondering.

15 replies on “My Next MINI”

  1. Piano Black dash and chrome interior (drool….)

    If you’re going w/ the PB dash, are you going to get the anthracite headliner?–that’d be a pretty nice combo. And since we’re talking–if I had that combination, I’d add the octagon seats.

    Wait a second–this is starting to sound like Gabe’s car (except for the PB dash, of course.)

    vin.

  3. >Wait a second–this is starting to sound like Gabe’s car (except for the PB dash, of course.)

    And the lack of JCW components ;). And the SB, not black color. Not sure on the Anthracite headline (can you believe I haven’t seen it), but it’s possible.

    I’m not a big fan of red seats. While everytime I see them I think they look awesome (including on Gabe’s MINI), I just don’t think they are for me. Besides, if I do the cloth seats, then I could keep the standard headliner and they’ll match.

    Hey Ian, don’t get too excited. I still have to contact the bank ;)

  4. You should shop your loan on-line. That’s what I did and got a good deal seeing as I am self employed, always a sticking point when it comes to loans although less so now after 15 years. I didn’t have to talk to a soul or deal with anything other than faxing a couple of forms with a signature. They FedEx’d a blank check with a max value listed and the dealer processed it no problems. That’s how I bought both the MINI and the xB and I may never darken the doors of a “bank” again for a loan.

  5. not a bad idea. But there is a small hitch. I am going to try to keep my existing MINI (my son turns 16 in less than 2 years) and wanted to add the new MINI to the existing loan. Not sure if I can pull it off or not, but I am going to give it a shot. Worse thing that can happen is they will say no.

  6. Having a preapproved rate and loan in hand definitely improves your bargaining position.

    I went through Pentagon Federal Credit Union, which requires a $25 donation to the NMFA if you or a family member aren’t already in the military in some way. They sent me a blank check similar to Todd’s situation. I then used their interest rate as a bargaining chip with my dealership’s financial guy, who ultimately found me an even better deal through Chase Manhattan (and the penfed rate was already under 4%!)

    https://www.penfed.org/howToJoin/overview.asp

    vin.

  7. For those “I wish I had a bigger car for those days when I need to carry xyx” delimma’s. here’s what I do: rent what you need for the day.

    I’m a regular renter (well, twice a month or more minimum) at a local agency when clients are in town, or I need to delivery crap (er, equipment) for my job. Often I get either a Ford Windstar van (quite utilitarian yet comfy, and they often ask if I want that first, now), or last time was a new Dodge Charger. I eventually got sick of my co-wokers moaning and groaning about my “small car” and said screw-it, deciding “my car is my car”, and not my departments run-about.

    Granted this only works (cost-wise) if the travel/gear/persons issue is “not a regular necessity” to one’s lifestyle/job, but I often meet people that never considered this as a fair alternative to solve the occasional recurring problem.

  8. Well maybe I’ll see your new MINI at the next SCMM meet as I just joined.

    Good luck with that banking stuff, never easy.

  9. Oops! Rejected by SCMM club membership committee.

    I guess my reputation proceeds me.

    Oh well, C’est la vie.

  14. ok, I don’t have the correct email address I guess. Email me at don@scmm.org and we’ll get this straightened out. Or, check the yahoo address you used here.

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