I'll try to explain
 

At first I had decided to just fade away and not say I was leaving so there wouldn't be the follow up comments of "don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out" but I feel I owe an explanation to many of you that I've become friends with on our forum.

I'm learning there are gradual changes to a persons body as the aging process takes over. The one thing that became most notable to me in driving my car was the delicate co-ordination required between the left and the right foot when driving a manual transmission. What used to be purely intuitive in my driving a manual had developed to the point where it required a more determined concentration on my part to do things as smoothly as they should be done. Jokingly I now understand why you see a lot of old farts driving Buicks. While I wasn't ready for a Buick, and hope I never will be, the idea of driving an automatic became more and more attractive to me.

Next was the question of what to buy. Should I get a FR-S with an automatic? There's only been one car that I've ever bought two of at different times and that was a Miata. As I've said many times: So many cars, so little time. Still liking small cars I started looking at the options. Cars like the Honda Civic were quickly dismissed as I always liked something that was at least interesting and fun if not a little quirky. This past Tuesday I thought it might be fun to try out a MINI Cooper. I've always admired them but had never driven one let alone imagined I would ever own one. My wife and I went to our local dealership, drove one and without giving a second thought traded the FR-S in for a base hardtop with automatic. Finally I won't have to make like a pretzel when cleaning the inside of the rear window.

So there you have it. I'm still going to drop in now and then just to pull your chains.

:popcorn:

<3

Been fun.

Don't let the door........... lol. J/K. You gotta do what you gotta do. Congrats on your new car.

I'm saddened to know that driving manual is something that will get harder and harder...ugh. Enjoy the mini. When I'm older I keep seeing myself in something with a V8 strangely.

Sad to see you go, hope the next community treats you well.

You should get a Cayman with 7spd automatic. Good luck with your next vehicle.

A mini has been on my list for several years. The frs just tipped me enough to get off the dime.
A Cooper S or JCW would have been preferred, but they cost just enough more that I didn't feel it.
A friend has an '06 S that's quite nice.
Reading up on them last year, I've been seeing difficulties with the cam chain being too whimpy on the new motor.

Now that you've got that out of the way, you can trade in on a new auto monogram next year 8)

Minis are alot of fun for what they are. And there's alot more space in them than people expect. :D

I hope you enjoy it! And I was a member of a mini community, so if you'd like their website, just let me know.

Hope you continue to enjoy your mini!

DANG ..... @whaap ...... I was wondering where you ran off to ..... http://www.runemasterstudios.com/gra...images/doh.gif

I looked up your last post ..... and here you are!

Oh, my, you have 9 years on me and you've gotten past the shifter lever....I reckon my years are numbered....:(

Well, you enjoy that new machine of yours and come back to visit from time to time.

I'll try to keep the memories of carburetors, distributors, ignition points, timing lights, dwell meters, vacuum gauges and feeler gauges ..... alive..... :)

Good on ya, old timer ....... http://www.runemasterstudios.com/gra...ges/cheers.gif

Sucks to hear for ya man. I know aging affects everyone differently. I'm hoping I can be like my grandfathers friend. 93 and drives a ZR1 vette


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Mini are a fun drive but I hate how they are mini in any way and their design has been raped repeated to make other "Minis"

Have fun!

lol some of the mini I see on the road look about as big as a Mazda 5. :bellyroll:

:(

Ah, don't worry about it. By the time a lot of us are "old" there will be a very small market of manuals, I imagine. And if you really want one you'll find a used car.

Whaap, hope you enjoy the Mini. I liked the test drive of the S I took and they were asking a great price, but it had a timing chain and a bunch of other work that would be necessary soon, so I quickly found out why that great price was so and passed. :D

if I wasn't specifically looking for a light-weight-rwd-car-with-cargo-space, then a Mini would have been on the top of my list


choosing the right car for your lifestyle is very important and it is good that you chose based on your needs and not some idealistic fantasy.


enjoy your new toy!

Peace bro; congrats on the MINI

Well.. Way to bow out gracefully.. I guess..
I'm still fighting to stay in small sporty cars that challenge me with ingress and egress. I refuse to let my age make me the victim to buicks and Cadillacs. !!
I owned a 2005 MCS for a couple of years.. While the rear window was more accessible for cleaning.. The car rode like a brick with stone wheels. Running over a dime, you could tell whether it was heads or tails. And every time I got in or out of the mini, which was easier than the FRS, I was expecting clowns to follow. Never could get that clown car association out of my head..
Like the FRS, the mini is full of character and quirks.. But I prefer the FRS for its purity and looks! It's truly a capable performer..
To each their own.. Just say no to Buick!

Amen, brother. I plan to pop, creak, and grunt for several more years getting in and out of my FR-S. And to keep the spousal approval factor up, I usually walk around to help her out under the guise of being gentlemanly.