Guest post by Stephanie from Where in the World Am I?.
Source: Miniusa.com
I chose a Mini Cooper as a family car. A 4-Door Mini Cooper Hardtop, to be exact. Here’s why.
Sizing It Up
About six months ago, I mused to a friend that I should get a Mini which may be enhanced with the help of companies like Auto Glass Replacement Plano, since my husband travels for work all the time it’s mostly our young daughter and me driving together. I started noticing other parents getting their kids in and out of Minis in parking lots and approached a few of them to see what they thought of it. For daily use people thought it was perfect. Some joked it wasn’t a problem until their children became teenagers and wanted to drive the car themselves. While the back seat is tight for three people (although there is a middle seatbelt) two children fit fine–and we only have one. When necessary, backpacks, sports equipment, and grocery bags fit in the trunk. I noted that a four-door looked easier for helping a child in and out of a car seat than a two-door and other owners confirmed that.
Source: Miniusa.com
Logisitics
For most of the last ten years I’ve been living overseas in some of the poorest countries in the world, which means road conditions are rough. I’ve driven a 1988 4-Runner, a 2002 Subaru Outback, and a 2004 Subaru Outback Sport. I was ready for a new car.
Now we are moving to the DC-Metro area and I wanted a car that could change lanes quickly on the highway and be easy to park in tight spaces. I am a die-hard Volkswagen fan, but for the cost, their current cars don’t compare in size and speed to a Mini. I’m a Subaru lover too, but since they don’t offer a small WRX hatchback in the United States, they don’t have anything that I really love right now. I also tested a Ford Focus and considered a Hyundai but they just didn’t grab me.
Mini Carbon Special Edition. Source: Miniusa.com
I thought about my family’s daily routine. I work from home so my commute is about seconds long. I run but I rarely go to the gym so I don’t have a bag with me. Our daughter will take the school bus this year, unlike this past year when I drove her every day. My husband has to get to his office on the weeks when he’s not away but he has a motorcycle that he rides nearly year-round.
As part of our overall lifestyle we’d like to be a one-car, one-motorcycle family. If I need cargo space because I’m going to Costco (or, more realistically, Total Wine), I can make those trips while my daughter is in school, completely freeing up the back seat, plus the trunk space.
The Long Haul
We will have some long drives between Washington, DC, and Rhode Island. But we’ve made that drive before, in different kinds of cars, and sometimes it’s a horrible drive and sometimes it’s not. There are factors other than the car itself that affect my mood during an eight-hour drive. The Mini does not have video screens in the back seat, but none of our cars ever have and our daughter has survived long trips, so that was never a consideration for us.
Source: Miniusa.com
The Future Is Now
For people who have been living in the United States and upgrading their cars every few years, the changes in technology have been gradual. Nothing prepared me for coming home last January and receiving a rental car with keyless ignition and a touchscreen panel that controlled everything. Rent unique cars from Exotic Car Rental in Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia #exocticcarrental #rollsroycerental #Luxurycarrental I felt like I was in a spaceship. One feature of the base-model Mini that I appreciate is the older-style radio panel that has buttons instead of a touchscreen. The keyless ignition still makes me feel like I’m forgetting something but I’m coming around to it.
Source: Stephanie @Where in the World Am I?
In the End
This car is simply fun to drive. I’m not an aggressive driver but this handles well and I feel safe in it. My husband and his friends take it out joyriding because even the base model has a turbo boost. It took me awhile to get used to the sport mode but now I love flipping it on to make a left turn while my daughter squeals, “Weeee!” from the back seat. It suits this family perfectly. If you decide to buy this vehicle, make sure that you also find a shop that offers Vehicle Starter Repair and other auto services it will require. And if you purchased a military vehicle that you need to ship to another location, you may look for a company that specializes in military car shipping services.
