Tomorrow is pick up day of the X3!

I can’t say it will be the most unique SUV in the garage, but definitely a different one.  Probably the most connected vehicle in the garage, for sure.

We saw it a week ago when it arrived at the dealership.  It looks gorgeous!  Note this is pre-PDI:

Our MINI.  Definitely the most uniquely styled car in the parking garage.  In a sea of bland colour choices.  Sedans and SUVs.  A car we specced out and had delivered from the UK to how we wanted it.

Tonight is it’s last night in our parking garage.  I’m saddened to see it go, yet I’m not sad to see it go.  I really do hope someone can love what is, for us, the most photographed car we’ve had.  A car that makes me smile every time I go into the garage.

But you know, the car issues really got to me with this one.

I think the trick to buying a MINI is, while it’s a car that should be a manual, the automatic is much more reliable.  Everyone I’ve asked who has one, who has said they’ve not had any issues, has had an automatic.

And then there were the space issues.  As amazing it is on space, it was definitely a downfall for us.  I’d have to keep to one side as Scott put his belt on.  In winter that’s compounded by big jackets.  Scott’s mum getting in the back a bit uncomfortably with her back.

If we had a need for a second car, I’d say, I would consider a MINI – an automatic.  I’d also consider a Toyota as well, maybe Honda too.

Two years and almost two months and 55580 km later.

I will be tracking the delivery of the new 2018 X3 once we know what the VIN is.  My guess is that it will take, surprisingly, longer for the vehicle to get here and I’m guessing that it will be mid-January before it gets here.  Why?

US Thanksgiving is this week.  We have a plant shutdown at Christmas for, at a minimum, a week.

Now, if we map it to the MINI.  When we ordered from MINI Oakville, it took:

• 6 days from ordering to get the VIN (October 16)
• 11 days from ordering and we had production day (October 21)
• Then it took 15 days from production  to get to Halifax from Oxford (November 5)
• It took 12 days to get from Halifax to Toronto (November 17)
• It took a week longer for the dealership to get the car ready to deliver (November 24)

The bonus of having an American-built car is that, it’s on the same continent!  Although, I wonder if the car ships by train or by car carrier into Canada?  I will have to find out.

So let’s map this –

• I ordered the car on November 16th
• Let’s assume it takes 6 days to get the VIN – That would be November 22nd
• Shutdown happens for two days on the 23rd and 24th
• I’m going to say that maybe, if we’re lucky, production would be in 13 days, bringing us to November 29th
• It takes time for all the import paperwork and all that, but I’d expect it to take less than 27 days.  Let’s say two weeks.  That means, we could have the car by December 18th.
• My gut feeling says January 8th or 15th.
• My dealer has an allocation.

Let’s see what a simple search says

• Two weeks from production
• They deliver by train
• How to track an X
• Production cycle started in August
• Ordered around the 14th, “Hopefully will get it by Christmas“

So we’ll see.  I’m tracking for January, given that’s what the dealer pretty much said.

I haven’t written much about our MINI Cooper 5-Door over the past year. This week is the 2nd anniversary of us picking up the car.  I’m very glad to have leased a MINI, more so because we will always wonder what it would have been liked.

It’s not been terrible, but I will say it hasn’t been as smooth as I would have expected from a subsidiary of BMW.

We replaced a rattle which had to do with the timing belt – The guide that holds it on was loose.

We then replaced a part that was causing a rattle of sorts.  That part was replaced but then another sound was heard which resulted in getting the Transmission replaced.

Some other noises fixed with a software update (which I do have to say is kind of cool).

Despite all this, MINI has been fantastic at the level of service they provide, although the three years/50,000km of oil changes has flown by.  Special thanks to driving back and forth to Kitchener-Waterloo although I also got mileage for that, so I shouldn’t complain. 🙂

That said, I would be concerned with all the work that was done on my car.  Is it going to be stable for another two years?  Am I going to have to sink a bunch of money into a car that shouldn’t have had the transmission replaced?  Honestly, it seems pretty ridiculous.

I wouldn’t say the MINI is a lemon – far from it, but I am concerned about the longevity of the car.

Beyond that, it’s pretty clear that while Scott and I love it, and it is funny to see two big guys getting out of a MINI and we’re kind of squished in it.  Betty, Scott’s Mum has a hard time getting in the back, our friends chuckle and have a mix of excitement and dread when getting in the car.

Taking Betty and Bev back to the airport when they left after their vacation in October, they both sat in the back and their bags spread between the boot and the front seat.

I concede, the car is too small.

That said, I would totally buy a MINI as a second car for Scott and I to drive, if we needed a second car.

In March of this year, Scott and I did test drives of a BMW 5-Series and an X1.  We loved the 5, enjoyed the X! and we sat in an X3.  Scott had his eyes on the X3, I had my eyes on the 5.

We also looked at the Clubman and the Countryman – The Clubman is really just an extended 5-Door and while it has much better room in the back, it’s cramped.  The Countryman is pretty fantastic but doesn’t leave much room for cargo.

Fast forward to this past week.  I had no idea I was going to jump at switching our car, yet I did exactly that.  It’s dangerous for me to walk into a dealership, see the launch of a new vehicle and fall in love with it.

That’s exactly what happened.  The 2018 X3 now has all the gizmos and gadgets I want (not necessarily need – no one NEEDS a BMW or a higher end car) from the 5 and 7.

We test drove it, and it was awesome.  There’s not much more to say.

We’re switching from the smallest car we’ve owned to the largest car we’ve ever owned.  The X3 is longer and taller than the last Prius we owned, although the Prius was wider.

This is, also, going to be the first vehicle we’ve ever owned.  Staying true to my word, I said we were going to own our next vehicle, and hopefully we can keep this going for 8-10 years.  The longer, the better.

This is also going to be the first American-made vehicle.  Yes, the X-series are not made anywhere other than BMW’s Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina.  From there, they ship to the rest of the world.  Here’s a tour. from BMW.  Alternatively, here is another tour with actual guides.

I have an affinity for South Carolina, having been all over the state, having implemented their Campground Reservation System – Which was my first project as a consultant in a Professional Services context.

While Performance Centre Delivery is an option for US customers, it looks like it’s not for Canadian customers. *pout*.  We’ll be taking delivery at the dealership.  We will, however, take a holiday in South Carolina and we will do a tour of the plant.

I’ve always wanted to own a BMW, and I sure as hell hope the reliability is better the MINI.  Please don’t fail me.  Otherwise I’m going straight back to Toyota.

I’m on a new project through work and it’s brought me to New York City for the next two weeks.  It also happens to co-inside with the New York International Auto Show.  Since I missed the Toronto International Auto Show, I figured I’d spend some time there.

Yes I got my car geekery on, in New York City.  Ironic, given I would never even attempt to drive in this city,  If I lived here, I’d have no need for a car.

I digress.

Let’s start with companies that impressed me.

Genesis – My Aunt and Uncle had a Hyundai Stellar and friends of mine had a Hyundai Pony.  They weren’t bad cars, and I remember the Stellar fondly.  I’ve driven many a Hyundai in my time and more recently, I’ve had mixed feelings about them.  I have also driven a number of Kias with mixed feelings too – Some fantastic, others where I’m not feeling the road at all.

The interior of the Genesis shows just how far Hyundai and Kia have come.  In short, the Genesis feels more like a BMW killer than Infinity or Acura ever have.  Yeah, you can joke about Hyundai’s start in North America.  You have to start somewhere.  You can see the efforts of hiring German design gurus has had on Kia and Genesis.

Toyota – The look of the Camry and the Avalon blew me away.  Gone is the stuffy looking design, and in it’s place is a nicely appropriately aggressive look.  Hat’s off Toyota, you haven’t gone so ridiculous on styling, that I’d consider both of these cars in the future

MINI’s Countryman Plug-In Hybrid – My dealer will often skimp on loading up demo cars with the greatest and newest technology. I’m often left wondering, if I order another MINI and it’s a Countryman, how will the interior look?  The interior, and especially the technology inside has to impress me on a car.  MINI went all out on their Countryman Plug-In Hybrid, and I’m more than happy to say that, essentially, we could get the interior to mostly match our 5-Door MINI Hardtop – save for the upgrades that the Countryman comes with.

The newly upgraded MINI Connected infotainment system is very nice too, and I very much liked the design of the interface.  So there we have it – the Plug-In Countryman remains on our list.

Honda Civic Coupe – WOW, what a change, sporty… Everything you’d want in a Civic.  I really liked the LCD-based glass dashboard which many manufacturers are moving towards.  It really makes the Civic look futuristic.  Will we be saying that in the future when we look back?  We’ll see.

Ford F-150 – If I were a truck guy, I’d be lusting over a Ford F-150.  Annoyingly to my friends who have them, I’m not a truck guy.  I can, however, acknowledge, rightly so, that Ford is doing it’s best to make the F-150 more economical on gas.  After all, trucks are an important vehicle.  There are people that legitimately need them.    What really impressed me is the off-road monitor that tells you what angles your truck is at.  It’s fun stuff like that, that I like.

Nissan and Kia Ski Gondolas – Tank tracks on an SUV?  Sure!

Lincoln Continental – Hot damn!  Definitely a head turner in that segment.

GM Bolt – I don’t know what happened to GM, but again, another fantastic EV!

What didn’t impress me

Piano Black Interiors – Toyota a Honda, hear this – Piano Black is not sexy.  Sure looks great when it’s polished and dust free, but when it’s smudged, dusty and dirty, it’s not pretty.  Just don’t.  Stop!

Mercedes putting Smart into a corner – Come on Mercedes, Smart is a fantastic car maker.  Create the demand for them like BMW has with MINI.

Chevy Volt – The Volt is a desirable car for me, I love the concept, I love what GM has done with it – It doesn’t feel or look like a typical GM product.  In short, it’s the only GM product I would even consider.  However, sitting in the back seat – I sit OUT the back seat.  Out because there’s no headroom and with the lift gate open, my head sticks well out the car.  FAIL!

And finally, what I’m still wondering about

BMW – I’ve been focused on German luxury cars for a few months now because, honestly, I would love to own a BMW.  Always have.  It actually doesn’t have anything to do with status.  They’re phenomenal vehicles to drive, they have awesome infotainment systems in them.

There’s something that feels like it’s missing in the 3-series.  Yes, it’s BMW’s starter car, but there’s something that feels almost a bit cheap to warrant the expense in the interior.

Sitting in the X3 and X5, it almost feels like the leather interior hasn’t been cared for, or maybe it’s the plastic interior of the MINI looks so much better, that genuine leather no longer looks right.

And all this after having test driven both an X1 and the new 5-Series a few weeks ago and really liking both.  I guess it comes down to, what are my expectations?  What am I expecting in these cars?  It could be that some of their models are just, outdated…

Audi – I’m not sure what to think of Audi, honestly.  I really like the glass cockpit design, possibly even more so than BMW’s.  I like that Volkswagen Group is expanding that design to other brands, like Volkswagen.  I like the technology.

I’m surprised I fit in the back seat of an A4.  So maybe Audi should be in my impress me list.

Problem is, I was so soured by Audi at the Toronto International Auto Show a few years ago, because they were douchebags that wouldn’t let you sit in any of their cars.  When it comes down to it, they’re just supped up Volkswagens with slightly upscale interiors, but with some fantastic engines and technology.  They’re special, but they’re not that special, unless you’re talking about an R8… Now that is special and drool worthy.

Still, I have mixed feelings about Audi and I think it’s similar to how I feel about BMW, but they’re not outdated…  What am I expecting in these cars?

Volvo – I had a chance to play around with Volvo’s new Sensus infotainment system.  I can see the attempts that Volvo are making to combine safety, a large readable infotainment system that’s not flashy.  Problem is, the UI is not always intuitive.

It certainly is better than the too many buttons on the last of their current generation vehicles.  What were they thinking?  And to think, as a kid, I loved pushing buttons.  Even that younger version of me would have said, too much!

I did like the wood trim in the various vehicles, and generally, I liked the interiors.  Well thought out.

So those are my thoughts, from someone who isn’t an auto journalist, just a guy into the look and feel of cars.

While I was in Portland last week, I got an email from American Express – Test drive a BMW and get  $100 Starbucks gift card.

I couldn’t pass up getting $100 to spend at Starbucks.  Seriously.  Test driving a BMW to get it?  Oh pull my arm, please!

Scott and I are not in the market for a new car.  We have at least 2.5 years left on the lease of Stormer the Kumakart, our MINI Cooper.  That said, the MINI, while such a fun and amazing car, is a bit too small for us.  Scott does have some difficulty getting in, and Scott’s mum had ‘fun’ getting in and out of the back. Not the most practical car, but hey, if we had to live with it for a long time, we could.

I do not regret the lease of our MINI in anyway.  I’ve always wanted one, and if we had not got it when we did, we would probably have never had experienced the joy that it actually has brought us while driving.  I still grin when I see it and say, “This is the most ridiculous car I have ever owned”  I jump at the chance to drive it when I can.

If we had the space, I’d buy it and get a second car. – despite it’s flaws – mainly, the size.  I adore that MINI so much, after all, we designed it and ordered it.  It’s OUR car.  I’ve never felt such passion about a car – maybe our first car.

Four vehicles were on our list to test drive today, with six total to sit in:

• BMW X1
• BMW 530i
• MINI Countryman
• MINI Clubman
• BMW 3-Series
• BMW X3

I am going to group together sizes of cars in my comparisson.

BMW X1

The X1 was, I think, the perfect height for an SUV.  It was very nicely appointed and drove smoothly.  It’s what I was expecting in a typical BMW – responsive and could be a lot of fun to drive.  I really liked the HUD – Given we have an HUD in our MINI, I’m a big fan of the technology, and even more so on the BMW line.

The back leg room was okay.  It felt a little cramped, but we may have also had the seats back a bit further than we normally would put them to drive.

BMW X3

We sat in the X3 and didn’t test drive it.  Between the X1 and the X3, the X3 would be prefect for us in terms of back seat room, and it’s not so high up you’re having to really reach up and step up to sit in the vehicle.  The prefect size for an SUV for us, and I know it would be a quality drive.

The X3 is getting a refresh soon, so when the comes out, I look forward to test driving it.

MINI Countryman

The MINI Countryman is built on the same platform as the BMW X1.  We fit in the X1.  We didn’t fit in the Countryman.  A serious let down.

One of the most important tests that we do on any vehicle is sit in the front seat, adjusting the seat for where we would normally sit.  I then go sit in the back seat.

I couldn’t sit in the back seat.  There was no where for my knees. There just wasn’t any room!  I can sit in the back seat of my MINI Cooper 5-Door behind Scott.  I couldn’t sit in the backseat of a Countryman.  What kind of bonkers big MINI is this and based on the X1?

We had every intention of test driving the Countryman to see how it feels relative to the X1.  Sadly, it was a no go from the start.

MINI Clubman

Now, unsurprisingly, if I can sit in the back seat of a MINI Cooper 5-Door, I can definitely sit in the back seat of a MINI Clubman.  I knew this would not be a problem.  Successfully behind Scott as well.  It was a no-brainer, we took this for a drive.

The Clubman is definitely wider than the MINI Cooper 5-Door that we have and, probably appointed nicer with some nice design changes for the interior.

It drives the same way as our Cooper, just slightly bigger.  Not overbearingly so.  It was peppy and fun.

I am concerned that Scott did have some problems with the height of the door opening. He often hits his head getting into the car, and certainly did on the Clubman.

Betty, Scott’s Mum, would have no problem getting into the front of back of the car with big door openings.

We know the brand, we know what we want in the interior, and our friends would appreciate the room in the car.  We love the trunk space.  All taken into consideration, this car is, hands down, on our list to consider.

BMW 3-Series

A BMW 318i was the first car I attempted to drive.  In downtown Toronto on Harbord St, in a manual car I had no idea how to drive.  I was shitting myself at the time.  My uncle was a bit silly to have done that to me, bless his heart.  The next time, we took it to a parking lot.

We sat in a 3-Series just to see how we would fit.  The car was definitely too low down.  I felt like I was lying in it, maybe even more so than in my MINI.  That said, we fit and Scott said it would be acceptable, but would, “Just be okay”.  All in all, the 3-Series is a sport car, hands down and it exudes that.  I know they’re fantastic, I’d probably enjoy driving one just as I enjoy driving my MINI.

Back seat-wise, not too bad either.  BMW did a great job of raising the ceiling for us tall people in the back seat, and not in a noticeable way that Volkswagen has done in either the Golf or the Jetta – I can’t remember.

The 3-Series could be a consideration, though I’d say the 4-Series Gran Coupe would be more apropriate.

BMW 530i xDrive

If heaven were a car, then this must be heaven.  I can’t gush more about the most expensive car I have ever driven in my life.  The car we drove was easily worth between $64,000 and $71,000.

It was so smooth.  The HUD was amazing.  The glass dashboard.  The new gesture controls made me feel like Miranda Priestly telling the car, “No no, I want the volume up.”.

I let my foot off the brake, and I’m used to a car starting to move forward . The car was stopped dead, no rolling forward, no anticipating the light.  Whoa!  It was so smooth in it’s ride.  Switching modes, the pick up was quite something in Sport mode, and Eco Pro mode definitely didn’t feel like Green mode on my MINI.

The new entertainment system with BMW Connected Services – Just a joy to use, as one would expect from BMW.  I’m so glad they’re keeping the iDrive dial along with adding the gesture controls, and touchscreen.

Scott reversing the 5-Series, with the rear camera and obstacle detection system, it brought a degree of confidence in parking such a large vehicle.  Maybe, just maybe, Scott and I can own a large vehicle and be confident, that we wouldn’t hit the back passenger quadrant on a concrete pillar – like we did with both of our Prii.

I can say, hands down, I would buy this car in a heartbeat, and Scott would too.  What a gorgeous ride.  I cannot say I have sat in a more luxurious car, other than the classic Bentley that my cousins rented when they got married.  The level of technology – This is a serious geek car.

In Conclusion

The best words out of Scott’s mouth when sitting in a MINI after the BMW experience: “This looks kind of cheap!”  Oh dear, MINI.  I know you’re definitely a Premium brand.  You truly are, but… yeah there’s a certain degree that the interiors do have a degree of cheapness to them in some of your base models.  But hey, that’s why people upgrade the interiors.  Compared to other companies, alright they’re premium.

Our perceptions were definitely skewed for a brief moment by the sheer beauty of the new 5-Series for sure.

I can only imagine what the 7-Series is like to be driven around in.  Maybe I should leave that for the ride from Munich’s airport to BMW Welt in 2019 or 2020.  Can you say, European Delivery?  Oh yes.

A boy can dream, right?

Now that I’ve had the MINI for just over 36 hours, I’ve been learning heaps about how to drive the car and drive efficently.

MINIs include “Minimalism’ which is the Green mode on the car, which includes tips to help you drive more efficiently and there’s also a bit of a game where a little fish riding on top of your car scores you with stars based on shifting, acceleration and anticipation.  Green mode, itself, on the car manages the throttle and also guides you in when to shift to a higher gear.

Now some people would say it’s  bit of a gimmick.  Yes, Blinky the Fish, as I’ve named him, isn’t something I plan on looking at all the time, but hey it’s helped me to refine how I drive.

The drive computer which is below the speedometer also tracks how much extra mileage you saved on the tank of gas.  46.1km is not bad!  I can probably do better.

It remains to be seen if there is much difference between Green mode and Mid mode.  I can guarantee Sport mode definitely will use more gas.

You definitely feel differences between the three modes.  They’re quite stark, where on the Prius (Eco, Normal and Power) you felt the differences but it was not quite as dramatic.

So, what have I learned?  Well, the obvious things being starting off slow, not starting off like a jack rabbit, ease the gas when accelerating.  Makes sense.

Turn off the seat heaters.  I only plan on using these when needed in winter, obviously to help contribute to warming the car.  Turn off the heater in the car as well if it’s not needed, and leave it on auto when using the system.  Also enable green climate control which will often reduce heating of both climate control and seat heaters.

Finding that sweet spot to maintain speed.  I think ultimately, owning two Prii helped me learn how to take things that little bit slower, and be more responsible with gas mileage.  Yeah, funny given the MINI is relatively a gas guzzler.

The MINI kind of takes what I learned from the Prius and kind of kicks it up a bit.  Putting the car in Green mode, beyond the bells and whistles of Blinky the fish, on the trip computer there is a meter that identifies energy being returned back to the car battery by coasting and braking and then how efficient you are actually driving.

Shifting into a higher gear than I normally would contributes to better fuel economy, especially given that driving a 6-speed is new to me.

Auto-stop is a double edged sword.  For a longer stop, it’s great – longer than about 10 seconds.  If shorter, you’re probably going to waste more fuel, so in stop and go traffic, turned off the auto-start.

I am really liking seeing the gas mileage savings increase over a single tank of gas.  So far, I figure I am about 20km short of the Prius in efficiency.