MTTS 2016

[Jims5543]

Nah, they embrace their past, they don't discriminate like many of the Mini folks do about the MINI.

The way the R53 folks complain about the R56 and F56 reminds me of when the 911 first came out, and it was even worse when the 924 and 928 hit the market...then you should have heard the wailing and gnashing of teeth when Porsche announced they were going to make a *gasp*.......... SUV!!!!!

For the record, I buy what I like to drive, I have heard amazing things about the newer Minis and how well they drive. They are just not my style, if I want something big, I drive my FJ Cruiser.

If I was shopping for a Porsche 911, and I did, I decided I wanted an Air cooled one, then I decided I wanted a Turbo 930, then found out engine life on them suck (3 failed PPI's later) then decided on a hot rodded 911, which happened to be a 1980 SC with a 1990 3.6 stuffed in the back and tuned nicely for over 300HP.



I am not interested in a modern Porsche 911 model, I do however love the Caymans and will own one someday.

The Cayenne, I was excited to see what Porsche would do to make a SUV, they did not disappoint. 

I love all cars, I make jokes about certain cars, yes, the new Mini's out should be called Maxi's there is nothing Mini about them anymore.  It is all in jest, I was making jokes earlier in this thread because I knew I had a Bini on the hook and was about to purchase it. 

I could not give two shits what anyone else loves or drives, I just buy what I want and drive what I want, and sometimes you may have a car that makes me want one too.

... and yeah, I am one of those R53 guys, when the car kept growing they lost me. I was going to grab a newer Turbo model Mini but just could not get myself to like how it has grown. Anytime I see a 1st gen Bini on the road I smile. I love the look.

My first JCW

[Jims5543]

Oh and one last thing, I am what Mini owners hate, I was a Bini owner first then got a Mini after the Bini.

In case you cannot tell, I am not a Mini purist by any stretch. Again, just drive what interests me at the moment, from Mustang GT's to Porsches to RX7's to Mini to whatever shiny thing I see next.

A Nissan GTR (Godzilla) is on my radar, as is Lotus Elise, and whatever new Rotary Offering Mazda is conjuring up. Unless it is as bad looking as the RX8, I liked that cars drive, was not fond of the looks.

Hi, my name is Jim and I like cars, it has been 4 days since I purchased one.

[Willie_B]

I recall seeing the coupe. Looks wicked with the flat black finish.

[MiniDave]

Jim, I think we all fit your description - we all like our cars - no matter what brand - and all have a fond, soft spot for Minis/MINIs - I had an '03 JCW and now have an 09 Clubman S that I ordered new. I've been looking at Cherokee's lately!

Anywho, back to MTTS....

today they left Green Bay for Mini-apolis, where our KC contingent will meet up...some KC folks met then in St. Ignace and some in Green Bay so I've been getting Buzz sighting messages from all over Facebook now! They all look to be having a blast! Justin is only planning to go as far as Sturgis before heading south to Texas again but that will be about 4-5K he's driven in Buzz for this trip!

Also, it looks like at least one other classic has joined up....

[MiniDave]

Heading across the flat plains of western Minnesota today, going to Sioux Falls, then on to Sturgis tomorrow - that will be a LONG day tomorrow, driving across the entire state of NoDak......weather is perfect Justin says, 72*, clear skies with a few fluffy clouds.....

Yesterday my friends took a pic of the crew taking a pic of Buzz as he drove along the route...... ;D

I hate to jinx it for Justin, but I'm encouraged by the fact that there hasn't been one shot of Buzz with the hood up!

[Willie_B]

Wish it would have been that cool for the day I drove. It was 99 degrees that afternoon. But it was a good time and I enjoyed doing it. It will not be on my to do list again for a long while though.

[MiniDave]

On roads like these those ultra tall gears I put in Buzz really pay off - 3500 @ 75 mph is a good cruise rpm

[MiniDave]

Wish it would have been that cool for the day I drove. It was 99 degrees that afternoon. But it was a good time and I enjoyed doing it. It will not be on my to do list again for a long while though.

Are you doings Guido's classics only run in October in Tennessee? Weather will be much cooler.....

[Willie_B]

Wish it would have been that cool for the day I drove. It was 99 degrees that afternoon. But it was a good time and I enjoyed doing it. It will not be on my to do list again for a long while though.

Are you doings Guido's classics only run in October in Tennessee? Weather will be much cooler.....

Yes. Already have the hotel room reservations made. But just found out I have to work that Saturday so I will miss that day. Will head back home too early that morning.

[MiniDave]

Guess where MTTS is today?   4.gif

This may be the end of the tour for Buzz, unless he's changed his mind he'll be heading back home to Texas now, on the way he'll be driving thru the same sort of temps that Willie B did on his trip to Abbotsford last summer.....but he doesn't have a "cool seat". Hope he does OK. Hope Buzz does too, but he said on the hottest days he only saw 190* temps with the aux cooler open so I think he'll be OK.

[MiniDave]

Montana! Just like the Energizer bunny.......still going!

Now that I look at the MTTS map he'll probably do at least one more stop with the Tour - Cheyenne Wyoming - since it's "on the way"

[Willie_B]

I used three bags of ice in the first day of MTTS in the cool seat. It did the job and at least kept me from sweating.

[MiniDave]

Well, Justin and Buzz made it home to Texas tonight, road weary but with absolutely no issues.

[Jims5543]

Awesome, what a great trip!

I hope I can do this someday too.

Thanks for keeping us non facebook types posted.

[MiniDave]

Justin says he drove just over 5K miles on this trip alone, plus he did over 4K before he went just to get confidence in the car and himself driving that distance, so he's done almost 10K miles in Buzz since March! I did about 10K too, before I sold Buzz.

So much for classics being unreliable......

[Jims5543]

Someone does not use Haggerty's insurance.


I do not either, I looked into insuring as a classic / collector and did not like the rules. The rules are for sad cars that sit and are never driven.

[MiniDave]

I use Grundy, they don't restrict the miles either......I don't know who Justin uses.

[MiniDave]

Follow up to Buzz's adventure on MTTS, he only used less than a qt of oil in the 5K miles driven, never ran hot even in the mountains or coming home in 100* temps (he did have my aux cooler open on the hotter parts of the trip) and had no mechanical problems whatsoever.

He's now in the planning stages to do MTTS 2018 and go all the way!