Excited? Damn straight I am!

Owen

I just bought my first car! Woot! I'm off to Scotland tomorrow to collect it, and no prizes for guessing what it is, it's a MINI Cooper S, but the goodies it has. My god, it's like letting me loose at 6 years of age in Smyths. Can-not wait!!

crosstownk

ned78 wrote:

it's a MINI Cooper S, but the goodies it has.

What sort of goodies..............?

fletch

I thought you already had a Cooper S?

Owen

That's my company car, in fact, that was my old company car, I'm driving a different work MINI now. But this one is mine! All mine!

prospect

Well done to you ned78.

cornbb

Congratulations, enjoy the buzz

My mom got one recently, by God they are indeed nice cars

fletch

After a drive in a Cooper S Works GP, the Cooper S I drove felt slow....although it most certainly wasn't. Good luck with it and post some pics once ya get her all cleaned

JohnCleary

ned - Congrats, I knew it wouldn't be long til you came out of the closet. Don't worry we won't think any less of you

Fey!

Congrats. Have a safe run back from Scotland in it.

mike65

How much are you saving? If thats not a vulgar question

Mike.

whippet

go on Ned tell us the extras!! Is this one you have had you eye on for a while or one that you just came across ?

demanufactured

go out and buy a spare wheel for it too lol

pburns

OK...AFAIK you work for a MINI dealership as a MINI salesman and have access to the many different flavours of MINI all day long(?)

I assumed when I saw the heading you had bought an old M3/Porker or such-like for private pleasure.

I'm sure there's a punchline and this is a concours original Mini or a MINI converted to a 4WD mid-engined track-car or...

unkel

pburns wrote:

OK...AFAIK you work for a MINI dealership as a MINI salesman and have access to the many different flavours of MINI all day long(?)

I assumed when I saw the heading you had bought an old M3/Porker or such-like for private pleasure

I thought the same! Why spend your own money when you can drive a company one?

pburns wrote:

I'm sure there's a punchline and this is a concours original Mini

OP is most consistent in naming minis (original) and MINIS (modern). He's not buying a mini

pburns wrote:

or a MINI converted to a 4WD mid-engined track-car or...

Must be something like that

Well, ned?

bazz26

Well having had a company car a few years ago I can say it doesn't have the same feel good factor as owning your own car.

Plus that is not much good spending your own money on customising it (which I'm sure Ned will do) if it isn't yours and at any time it can be taken from you.

colm_mcm

so that'll be 3 MINI's on the driveway now?

oleras

cornbb wrote:

Congratulations, enjoy the buzz

My mom got one recently, by God they are indeed nice cars

Sums it up nicely...........:D

E92

Congrats ned, sounds like fun, but why are you getting your MINI in Scotland when work for a MINI dealership in Cork?

Owen

Because I'm buying a used MINI. The choice and equipment of used vehicles is much higher in the UK than it would be here, as it would be with any second hand vehicle. The price is pretty much the same though when you factor in VRT, and logistics in getting there/back again.

I bought a 2005 MINI Cooper S, with the John Cooper Works engine kit, lifting it to 210Bhp. It's black all over, with a Panoramic Twin Sunroof, Chili Pack, Full Leather, Visibility Pack (Autodimming interior mirror, heated front windscreen, heated external mirrors and washer jets, Rain Sensor), Harmon Kardon Hifi, 18" Cooper Works Alloys, Cooper Works Steering Wheel (About the same size and profile as the Z4 M Roadster, comfy to use!), Darkened Glass, and Anthracite Headlining.

Going into it, as bazz26 rightly suggested, is a full Sparco Milano interior in Leather, again, from the Cooper Works catalogue, a Cooper Works Leather Dashboard, a gearshift indicator up on the dash, upgrades to the Harmon Kardon system, the additional front spotlamps, and the Cooper Works body kit. It may also get an MTH remap to smooth out power delivery, and decrease fuel consumption. Got it home from Aberdeen this morning after 1 flight, 4 trains, and a late ferry. 1 full day of no sleep, but it was worth it, it's tucked up now under a cover in the garage ready for the mods to begin next week.

Cheers for all the well wishes guys, when I get started on valeting it, and fitting the bits I have, I'll post some photos.

macshadow

WOW it sounds gorgeous,good luck with it.
How's the 0-60 with 210bhp?

E92

macshadow wrote:

WOW it sounds gorgeous,good luck with it.
How's the 0-60 with 210bhp?

It goes from 0-60 in 6.3 seconds and has a top speed of 143 mph.

Well I must say you have given a very good reason to go across the pond to buy that MINI ned. It sounds like a fabulous MINI. It will be a rare beast on our roads. No wonder you were so excited:D .

You say it is ready for the mods to take place next week:p ? I'm intrigued, surley 0-60 in 6.3 is fast enough? Or have you "other plans";) ?

Owen

E92 wrote:

It goes from 0-60 in 6.3 seconds and has a top speed of 143 mph.

With my lard ass in it? Thankfully my diet is almost over, and the belly's almost gone. That's one way of significantly improving the power to weight ratio!

E92 wrote:

You say it is ready for the mods to take place next week:p ? I'm intrigued, surely 0-60 in 6.3 is fast enough? Or have you "other plans";) ?

Well, most of the mods about to take place are either cosmetic, or electronic. I have the seats, the dashboard, the shift indicator, and the sound upgrades, it's just a matter of my finding time to sit down and do the work. Engine wise, the JCW will be fine for the next few months, she'll eventually get a smaller supercharger pulley, and an MTH remap+manifold, bringing it to about 240Bhp. At that stage, you can go further (GTT Tuning in the UK do a 300Bhp conversion, and Fireball Tim in the states does a 500Bhp conversion), but it's ridiculous financial outlay to get there.

tvr

lets see the pics!!!:D slightly off topic but can you boost the aerial in the minis to get freeview from the north on the uk incar tv function !!

E92

ned78 wrote:

Engine wise, the JCW will be fine for the next few months, she'll eventually get a smaller supercharger pulley, and an MTH remap+manifold, bringing it to about 240Bhp. At that stage, you can go futher (GTT Tuning in the UK do a 300Bhp conversion, and Fireball Tim in the states does a 500Bhp conversion), but it's ridiculous financial outlay to get there.

500 bhp(or even 300 bhp) in a front wheel drive car:eek: ? I have images of Jeremy Clarkson's Opel Astra OPC test as shown here http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=gEUHm57a9DA where the car suffered from a dose of torque steer in my head, multilplyed by 2 at the thought of sending 500 bhp through the front wheels:eek: .

Anyway well wear with your car, and best of luck with it. You must be delighted with her. She sounds like a beauty.

Owen

E92 wrote:

Anyway well wear with your car, and best of luck with it. You must be delighted with her. She sounds like a beauty.

I'm like a child at Christmas, literally! Thanks e92! Here's some of the photos from the Pistonheads ad, but they do the car no justice at all, the previous owner was meticulous about detailing it every week :

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/221516.htm

E92

ned78 wrote:

I'm like a child at Christmas, literally! Thanks e92! Here's some of the photos from the Pistonheads ad, but they do the car no justice at all, the previous owner was meticulous about detailing it every week :

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/221516.htm

No bother,it looks immaculate to me from there! I suppose it will cost around €26-28k once VRT is paid. Considering that there are normal 05 Cooper S's going for €30k+ here on carzone, thats a nice saving. You'd better not tell too many people that, especially as you work at the coalface so to speak, otherwise MINI will be forced to sell their used cars for less:p .

fletch

Wow.....it looks an absolute beauty!

unkel

Now that really looks one of a kind. Well wear, ned!

optiplexgx270

Hehe love the was the plaes are hidden in 2 of the 3 pics you can see them on :rolleyes:

bennyx_o

Looks immaculate, ned. Good luck with it.

Mac 3

Slightly off topic, but I'd appreciate the help of the MINI experts

A friend of mine bought a cooper S the weekend and locked the keys in it last night. Any Ideas as to where to go from here. She had just brought it over from the UK, Spare keys and documents relating to the car all locked with her luggage in the boot.

I suppose it's a trip to the dealers for a replacement?

She'd rather not smash the window..

Thanking you,

Mac (aplogies for hi jacking)

bazz26

Mac 3 wrote:

Slightly off topic, but I'd appreciate the help of the MINI experts

A friend of mine bought a cooper S the weekend and locked the keys in it last night. Any Ideas as to where to go from here. She had just brought it over from the UK, Spare keys and documents relating to the car all locked with her luggage in the boot.

I suppose it's a trip to the dealers for a replacement?

She'd rather not smash the window..

Thanking you,

Mac (aplogies for hi jacking)

A replacement window will probably work out cheaper than a replacement key from a dealer. Though both may be covered under her insurance?

Owen

Get your Dealer to order a 'wallet key', thin, plastic, with no immobiliser parts, or remote, but it will open the driver's door for you. About 40 Euro.

Mc-BigE

Lovely looking car, but 500BHP in a MINI, are you mad! Hope you have enough for a funeral after all those mods (only joking).

Not good advertising for your BMW dealership, if their MINI salesman (not sure of your job) is buying his MINI in the UK.

Mac 3

The dealer has ordered a replacement key (The little Plastic one I think), so I think we're nearly out of the hole. Just a set of leads needed now as the lights and radio were left on...

Thanks for the advice

Regards

Mac

Owen

Mc-BigE wrote:

Not good advertising for your BMW dealership, if their MINI salesman (not sure of your job) is buying his MINI in the UK.

It has NOTHING to do with my Dealership, I wanted the highest spec second hand supercharged R53 S I could buy. That's something that was never ever sold in this country, expect by me, and that was to a lady who's planning to keep her S for a long time. I had to go to the UK to find the spec. Had I been in the market for a new car, I'd have bought here. Had I been able to locate a suitable used car here, I would have bought here, likewise, had I traded one in, I'd have kept it myself. It's got bugger all to do with what you guys are claiming, that it's 'better to go to the UK, and sure look, isn't the guy working there doing that, what a country we live in', etc, it's just about finding a car with all the boxes ticked, nothing more.

Mac 3

By the way,

The very best of luck wtih your motor Ned, mind you dont lock the keys in!!

Thanks again,
Mac