A Mini Regret |
I miss my Mini.
I leased a Mini for a few years. It was a Cooper S (the “S” is for supercharged), silver with a contrasting black top and a sunroof. I ordered it with leather interior, a six-speed manual transmission, and the “John Cooper Works” upgrade, which tweaked the engine up a couple horsepower at the factory.
I built the car online, selecting each aspect of my creation carefully and whimsically at the same time. My Cooper S was built in England. I watched its progress on the Mini site, as it went from an order to a plethora of pieces coming together at the factory. Then I followed it (I call it “it,” but many of my fellow Mini owners named their cars) as it was loaded on a ship sent across the big pond, and slowly made its way to my dealer.
The car was not very sensible – or one might say rational – for where I lived, just outside Chicago: what with the more than occasional bumper-to-bumper traffic, my clutch leg would often get sore. Come to think of it, it wasn’t a very rational decision overall. The ride was firm-to-painful because of the super stiff suspension, and the backseat was a joke, especially if I tried to transport my wife and three kids at once.
But I didn’t care.
It was cool, sitting low on the pavement, unlike my neighbors’ assorted Honda Odysseys and Accords. And it was a blast to drive. With the six speed and the go-cart chassis and big round speedometer, I couldn’t help but whip around corners and in and out of freeway traffic with aplomb.
It wasn’t the fastest car around, or the most powerful, or the most comfortable, or the most spacious. It was just, for me, the right car.
Last year my son was getting his driver’s license, and I decided the Mini could get him in trouble with its unstated demand to be driven fast. I bought another hatchback – stylish but safe.
I can’t tell you what part of my subconscious the Mini tweaked, what particular feature makes a difference in the overall experience. But I can tell you this: I miss the Mini, and I’ll forget the car I’m now driving a week or two after I let it go.
