Traded car in for a Mini Cooper, what jacket to get as companion?

[Carlos840]

You guys know nothing of driving in LA! A stick is really no fun if you can't go over 15 mph.

If you can't go over 15mph you don't need a Cooper S!

 

[GHT]

If you can't go over 15mph you don't need a Cooper S!

But if you want a Brit vehicle and you do want to go over 15mph, well Triumph don't just make bikes with an engine:

 

[nick123]

I rarely go past 40mph or 70 on the highway, sorry guys. Too much heat in the street. If I get a ticket, goodbye jacket prospects.

 

[JMax]

I rarely go past 40mph or 70 on the highway, sorry guys. Too much heat in the street. If I get a ticket, goodbye jacket prospects.

Have you tried showing some leg or unbuttoning a top button or two?

 

[GHT]

Have you tried showing some leg or unbuttoning a top button or two?

Better still, go topless:

 

[AeroFan_07]

Nick, in all honestly, I thought about razzing you on the automatic, but hey, my One time (so far) driving in LA I was awfully glad the Rental Cruze was indeed an automatic.

And with regard to the Original Mini, this is California, and more specifically the USA. So many people HAVE to drive over-sized, over-stuffed SUV's and Trucks, so at least the Cooer S 4-door has enough size to feel somewhat safe in all that traffic. I say good choice there sir!

As for jackets - Well, the Cordovan Steer Aero Zip-sleeve highwayman seems right about perfect!

 

[ton312]

The last vehicle I owned that was a stick was a '91 Toyota carolla that I sold after graduating from college (for literally $100). Point being stick doesn't automatically make it cool. Surprisingly, neither do plastic rims and a perwinkle blue paint job.

But I could easily match a jacket to it:

 

[Superfluous]

I hate to be the killjoy, but paddle operated dual clutch transmissions are considerably faster shifting as compared to stick operated peddle clutch manuals. All of the current hyper cars -- La Ferrari, 918 and P1 -- use DCTs, rather than stick manuals. Rowing gears is admittedly enjoyable, but at the expense of performance. Thus, DCTs provide the best of all worlds -- superlative performance, with ease of use during traffic.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

So Nick123:
What’s the decision?
Or at least the short list?
What’s the stork gonna bring??
B

 

[Jejupe]

I hate to be the killjoy, but paddle operated dual clutch transmissions are considerably faster shifting as compared to stick operated peddle clutch manuals. All of the current hyper cars -- La Ferrari, 918 and P1 -- use DCTs, rather than stick manuals. Rowing gears is admittedly enjoyable, but at the expense of performance. Thus, DCTs provide the best of all worlds -- superlative performance, with ease of use during traffic.

I doubt that many people who buy stick sports car buy those for performance (or if they do, they are rather uneducated on the matter). I think driving with stick (for some of us) is a bit like wearing leather jackets: there are technically speaking many better solutions, but driving stick / wearing leather bring some hard to explain pleasure.

So ordering a automatic Mini Cooper S is like ordering a Gore-Tex Himel.

 

[Mich486]

Automatic is still very unusual where I am from. Few guys would ever consider buying an automatic car. I see in the US seems like the default option. First time I drove an automatic was actually a rental car in San Francisco... I felt like i was doing nothing.


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[Seb Lucas]

I find any driving boring and a chore so an automatic is a must, even though I have owned many cars with a stick shift. I live in a huge and congested city - like LA, but without the charm. Unlike LA we have really strong public transport where I live so I am fortunate to only drive my car about once a fortnight. If I had Cooper S I'd get an automatic too, Nick.

 

[GHT]

I hate to be the killjoy, but paddle operated dual clutch transmissions are considerably faster shifting as compared to stick operated peddle clutch manuals. All of the current hyper cars -- La Ferrari, 918 and P1 -- use DCTs, rather than stick manuals.

There's at least one hyper car that keeps it's gear stick. At five litres and 629 BHP it's not what I would call an MG, but in keeping with it's predecessors, it uses pilot anology and comes with it's own jacket.

 

[red devil]

Can you even rent a manual car in the US?
In most of Europe manual is still the default rental you get.

 

[Edward]

I rarely go past 40mph or 70 on the highway, sorry guys. Too much heat in the street. If I get a ticket, goodbye jacket prospects.

Totally hear you on that. Mind you, in my driving days, I didn't like to go fast at all. After I passed my test, my dad encouraged me one day to put the foot down while I was out with him and it was 'safe' (backroads, well known, quiet,late at night....). I managed to get up close to sixty before I backed off - didn't like it at all. I failed my first driving test, incidentally, for driving too slow, or "proceeding with undue caution", as it is officially known. In all honesty, I've never really understood why some folks feel the need to buy huge performance machines when they'll never be in a position to (legally) exploit the performance capabilities - though they'll sure pay for it in both fuel consumption and hiked insurance...

Automatic is still very unusual where I am from. Few guys would ever consider buying an automatic car. I see in the US seems like the default option. First time I drove an automatic was actually a rental car in San Francisco... I felt like i was doing nothing.

My Dad, after years of saying they were an unnecessary expense and gave the driver too little control of the car, got a good deal on and ran a couple of Hyundai automatics in the later 90s. I drove one of them once - it was like driving a dodgem car. I can see why some folks prefer them. I did have a friend who did her test in an auto, but of course that then limited her that she was only licensed to drive autos, which are typically markedly more expensive here. My dad went back to manual later and hasn't run an auto since.

 

[nick123]

So Nick123:
What’s the decision?
Or at least the short list?
What’s the stork gonna bring??
B

The decision is I had to get a new phone instead as I broke mine. I was actually considering buying marmalademan's GW, though that doesnt match at all. In the meantime I think Handymike has the best proposition-some old cream/white deerskin jacket/coat that I can probanly nab for under $100.

But I like this convo a lot so keep it going guys.

 

[nick123]

Totally hear you on that. Mind you, in my driving days, I didn't like to go fast at all. After I passed my test, my dad encouraged me one day to put the foot down while I was out with him and it was 'safe' (backroads, well known, quiet,late at night....). I managed to get up close to sixty before I backed off - didn't like it at all. I failed my first driving test, incidentally, for driving too slow, or "proceeding with undue caution", as it is officially known. In all honesty, I've never really understood why some folks feel the need to buy huge performance machines when they'll never be in a position to (legally) exploit the performance capabilities - though they'll sure pay for it in both fuel consumption and hiked insurance...





My Dad, after years of saying they were an unnecessary expense and gave the driver too little control of the car, got a good deal on and ran a couple of Hyundai automatics in the later 90s. I drove one of them once - it was like driving a dodgem car. I can see why some folks prefer them. I did have a friend who did her test in an auto, but of course that then limited her that she was only licensed to drive autos, which are typically markedly more expensive here. My dad went back to manual later and hasn't run an auto since.

I think of "Fast Cars" by the Buzzcocks. I'm sure you're of the same mind, Edward.

 

[nick123]

Better still, go topless:
View attachment 136900

I saw one of these at the dealership. Didn't look right.

 

[danogun]

So this has become a car comparison sight now?


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[Superfluous]

There's at least one hyper car that keeps it's gear stick. At five litres and 629 BHP it's not what I would call an MG, but in keeping with it's predecessors, it uses pilot anology and comes with it's own jacket.
View attachment 136949

Very cool looking modified MG, but 11 years old and far from a hyper car. Today's hyper cars come stock with close to 1,000 hp and do 9 second quarter miles. Modified super cars are even faster.