Time To Move On... The End of Another Era
After 14 years- bidding farewell to a fantastic traveling companion
Since 2005 I’ve owned a MINI Cooper. I bought it because of its unique styling along with its irreverent ad campaign. What I didn’t realize I bought into was a community. The big thing was MINI and the community had some rituals - like naming your car. This little bit then created a persona for your car. My first MINI was named “Penfold” Danger Mouse’s faithful assistant. MINI also didn’t talk about miles, they talked about memories. Miles are considered bad on cars for most people. Memories are good. Your car becomes a place of shared memories and almost a member of the family.
After seven years and almost 100,000 miles, I had to say goodbye to Penfold. It was like saying goodbye to an old friend. A family member, not just a car. I was crushed. What had happened was repairable, but I’d logically concluded that this was the start and that it would just get worse. I had already decided to order a new MINI in a year, so I was somewhat prepared, or so I thought. I really wasn’t. Due to timing I dropped my order and bought a newly released MINI Roadster that was on the lot (it was the dealer demo). Named “Alfie aka Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All” he succeeded Penfold and for the past 14 years and around 187,000 miles has made a lot of memories with me. He went in Monday for a minor issue, but as the cost grew, I realized that it was again time. Sue and I had logically discussed our “stop and think point” and if repairs were more than that it would be time to consider other options.
Late Monday morning I got the estimate, and while a few suggestions were things I could live with, it was more than what I wanted to hear. Alfie was still drivable, still in good shape but I could see on the horizon more issues popping up. So, like with Penfold, I made the tough call and started the process of getting a new MINI.
Many might say,”Why? Just fix it.” The problem is what will happen in the future? It is an older car. Yes it’s a unicorn- one of the first Roadsters built, it even has a manual top! I just don’t have the expertise to keep up with the future repairs. I don’t have the expertise to keep up with my classic Mini, let alone all the electronics in newer models. The one time I brought it to a local garage instead of the dealership (because everyone complains the dealership is really expensive), the mechanic had to go to the dealership for parts and charged me just as much (if not more) than the dealership would have for the same repair! I’m afraid the problems would just keep compounding, and I don’t have a place to store another car.
Those of you with pets might understand. When we had to put Hemi (Bestest cat in the world) to sleep I was just as crushed as when I said goodbye to Penfold. MINI has created a world in which your car isn’t just a a way to get from Point “A” to Point “B” it’s your faithful sidekick on all your adventures. Time not measured in miles, but memories. Alfie has been my faithful friend through good times and bad. He’s been on every MINI Takes The States since his first one in 2012. In 2012 he went coast to coast on temporary plates! Every long roadtrip for almost 187,000 miles he’s been there. I’m sad, but I have enough anxiety in my life that I don’t need to be worrying about what might happen next. So it is time, and while I’m upset, I’m also feeling a bit silly about being so emotional about an automobile.
It’s been 14 years since my last car purchase and I feel apprehensive now that I’m retired. I’ve watched as people older than me spend through their retirement savings thinking that the money will be there forever or that once they get Social Security they won’t have a care in the world. They are now spending most of their time trying to figure out how to make ends meet and how to get the government to pay for most things. That scenario frightens me. I always go back to one of my favorite quotes- “One-half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it.” - Sidney Howard. To purchase a car I’m giving up a few things to get what I want. I’ve figured out finances, talked to my financial advisor, decided to cancel some future plans until I can make sure everything can work out.
For a while now I’ve said I’d only get a new car when MINI produces another Roadster… that hasn’t happened and I’m not sure if it will ever happen. So soon I’ll be making new memories with an as yet to be named new MINI. I wish I could just push a reset button on Alfie, then again, I felt that way about Penfold too.
As for the new car… it’ll be a MINI, I’ve been driving one for over 20 years. While some people think I do things on a whim, I’m more logical when it comes to the important things. I looked at the local dealership inventory and going price for a new and newish models. Decided then what I felt I could afford on my pension after paying for health insurance since I don’t live in a country that cares about its people enough to offer Universal Healthcare. So no super duper John Cooper Works model for me (see Sidney Howard’s quote above). Which is sorta good, because I really don’t know what I’d do with it. The current Cooper model actually had the same horsepower as what I’ve been driving, So I’m going that direction. See?!? Logical. After talking with Jim at my local MINI dealership I’ve confirmed an order for a Cooper C (I think the “C” stands for cheap) which is currently on a boat that should land this weekend. A lot of the stuff that were options on my current MINI are now standard on the new models so no needs for upgrades. Since I haven’t really looked at new MINIs I’m guessing there isn’t anything amazingly amazing that I absolutely need.
So if you can’t tell the problem with MINI is they make you love and care about a car. This isn’t as big a deal as it once was, but for me, it still is pretty big. You give it a name, a personality. You make it a part of the family. Knowing, even with the best engineering at some point you’ll have to say goodbye. For some people it’s “just a car.” I felt that way with my first few cars, but with my MINI’s. It’s been an entirely different experience. I still have all the memories from Penfold & now with Alfie I will always have those, and a wish that I still had them around.
For the record- The new MINI doesn’t have a name (I need to get to know it) and it only took like 11 years for me to decide to get Alfie wrapped, so don’t expect anything fancy like that for a while. Oh, and it isn’t a convertible. I tried to live out of a MINI convertible on a trip… I’ve been spoiled by the boot (aka trunk) space of the Roadster. While some have figured out how to travel in a standard MINI convertible, I don’t think I ‘d be able to put our meager weekly groceries in one.
I’ve been thinking about this… I think I’m suffering from Velveteen Rabbit Syndrome or maybe just Anthropomorphic Empathy.
Cars are family! When they misbehave you lecture them , "How could you?" But old age does come. For some your health insurance doesn't cover the hospital (as in this case) and a 'goodbye' is in order. I always left a note in the glove compartment saying what a great time we had. B rice, I'm shocked you didn't go for one of those 'JB Cooper' model. I asure you, you will really miss the convertible version.