Saying Goodbye

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 5:44 pm

Conditions are everything. I can come up with a course that will bury the Mini, and
one that will make the larger 5-series have a tough time.

The real question is how safely, quickly, and confidently your vehicle gets the
job done under most reasonable driving conditions. Turning a tight circle very
quickly on dry pavement wouldn't be "normal" driving.

And among other things, bet you my Bimmer would hold more babes on the slalom
run than your Mini! Imagine the squealing!

- Bill

Van Canna · Post by **Van Canna** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 7:54 pm

Bill Glasheen wrote:Conditions are everything. I can come up with a course that will bury the Mini, and
one that will make the larger 5-series have a tough time.

The real question is how safely, quickly, and confidently your vehicle gets the
job done under most reasonable driving conditions. Turning a tight circle very
quickly on dry pavement wouldn't be "normal" driving.

And among other things, bet you my Bimmer would hold more babes on the slalom
run than your Mini! Imagine the squealing!

- Bill

Ha...a man after my own heart.

As to safety_

Air bags all round, [the right kind]

including head and side_ automatic door locking, auto low beams headlights on at dusk or when dark and cloudy, daytime running lights, high beams ‘assist’ that switches the high xenon beams on and off depending on oncoming traffic and dark roads ahead.

Rain sensing wipers, auto dimming rear view mirror and side mirrors. Plus adaptive headlights that swivel into each turn as the steering wheel is turned.

Then the cell phone blue-tooth integration with the idrive, so calls can be made and received through the radio speakers by pushing a steering wheel button, with voice commands if wanted.

Voice command navigation.

And the most important: say your car goes off the road while cruising somewhere on a mountainside in a dark night, with the driver completely lost as to where he might be.

As soon as an air bag is triggered, BMW assist, contacts the driver through the speakers, talking to him and telling him they have a GPS position, and help is on the way.

Or, if no accident/just lost_ or not feeling well_ one push of the SOS button above the rear view mirror, connects BMW assist with live operator who will talk as long as wanted and send help as needed, or give directions to police/fire station nearby.

And automatic calls to driver to notify when _ FREE _scheduled maintenance is due. Plus ‘concierge’ service.

Special ‘side lamps’ that can be used to illuminate the side of the road to park the car. Park distance control, audio and visual.

And there is more. The reason why this car is a true marvel.

Babes? The ‘cat eyes’ slanted headlights wink at them as they dance in the moonlight.

Van Canna · Post by **Van Canna** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 3:52 pm

Bill,

Here is a good read.

http://www.imakenews.com/bmwgallery/e_a ... 9,b4bqSt0w

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 4:07 pm

I can see how a vehicle like this could get addicting. Imagine having to go back to driving something "ordinary," like the day I gave up my motorcycle and started driving a car.

Those airbag systems are getting pretty sophisticated. Sounds like BMW is trying real hard to respond to issues identified by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

I remember when the X5 first came out. It just blew away the IIHS folks when they did the first crash test. Everyone scrambled to copy their success.

The brake systems in particular are amazing. Again, you could get addicted to those... Normal brakes just don't work that well. You learn to get used to typical weaknesses in brake systems. And then someone erases them all. And then you drive an average rental car...

- Bill

Van Canna · Post by **Van Canna** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 4:14 pm

like the day I gave up my motorcycle and started driving a car.

I still miss my Yamaha 750 special.

Van Canna · Post by **Van Canna** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 5:17 pm

Bill,

You may also find this ‘technically’ interesting.

http://www.imakenews.com/bmwgallery/e_a ... b4bqSt0w,w

And this on Winter driving safety.

http://www.imakenews.com/bmwgallery/e_a ... 9,b4bqSt0w

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 6:43 pm

Good articles!

I liked the piece about winter driving. One of the things I learned to do in winter weather is first to force my vehicle into skids in an empty parking lot or street before heading out on the highway. Unless you drive in this stuff every day, you lose you touch. By finding the limits in straight line and turning maneuvers, you learn to work within those limits. That can be tricky around here with the black ice we commonly see, but a little bit of "feel" for things is bettern than none.

Panther put it best once when he said "Four wheel drive does not mean four wheel stop." The stability and traction control systems along with ABS are better than ever. But there are no miracles out there. Even good drivers can get in trouble on a patch of black ice. Been there, done that. It even happened to me twice on a motorcycle. (I used to ride it 365 days out of the year. Crazy...) But having been there helps.

And the advice about slowing down is soooo true.

I love watching the idiots skid out in their Jeep Cherokees in a Virginia snow storm as I drive by them with my lowly FWD van. I know my vehicle ***** in this kind of weather but... I learn the limits, and work within them. There is no such thing as a perfect vehicle when you hit ice. You do the best you can. You learn that you cannot violate Newton's laws of motion.

The best drivers win.

- Bill

Van Canna · Post by **Van Canna** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 6:48 pm

So true Bill.

'Black ice' fatalities always made up a good percentage of my investigations.

And it 'sneaks up' on you.

RACastanet · Post by **RACastanet** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:31 pm

Panther put it best once when he said "Four wheel drive does not mean four wheel stop."

This is true. But, having been driving 4WD for the last 20+ years there is some benefit in control and stopping vs 2WD. My experience is that it is at least as good as or slightly better than ABS.

The ones I own/owned were 'part time' systems where the transfer case locks the front and rear together without a f/r differential. With the manual 5 speed especially the effect is that when you apply the brakes the front wheels will not lock up! As long as the rear wheels are turning the front will as well. This improves braking and maintains steering. I have never ever lost control while in one of the 4WDs. I spent 8 years in Ohio where they have real winters and the old Blazer was up to it..

Black ice though is a different story.

Rich

MikeK · Post by **MikeK** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:37 pm

Black ice was how I lost my '69 Impala. Slid into the back of a tow truck that was looking for a car to steal.

chewy · Post by **chewy** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 9:52 pm

What I really get a kick out of is watching bad winter drivers trying to get up a hill from a dead stop (I had this situation near my recently sold house where there was a 4-way intersection at the bottom of a hill). Believe it or not, what do the majority of people do? Hit the gas as hard as possible and wonder when more gas isn't helping their tires get a grip on the road

.

Sadly I see this happen in Massachusetts all the time. I don't know if it is a latitude difference, but in Upstate NY I almost never saw this behavior. I also see tons of MA drivers flying down interstates in excess of 65MPH with 2-3 inches of slush, ice, and/or packed snow on the road

. Meanwhile I'll be pushing 50MPH in my Tacoma in the right-hand lane scratching my head while watching these guys zip by me.

cheers,

steve

Van Canna · Post by **Van Canna** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 4:26 am

She is at rest in my garage now

Difficult to find the words to relate the BMW delivery center 'experience' [Kingly treatment and gifts]

And to describe the feeling of this machine on the open road.

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 12:42 am

Steve

Apparently most people never took high school physics, and understand the concept of static vs. kinetic friction. We see that nonsense here as well.

Van

You lucky dog...

- Bill

CANDANeh · Post by **CANDANeh** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:14 am

"Conditions are everything. I can come up with a course that will bury the Mini, and
one that will make the larger 5-series have a tough time"

http://www.autofan.com/newsdetail.asp?id=1463

Mini won the big rally in Newfoundland...check out compitition

"Targa Newfoundland is the first and only event of its kind to be held in North America. The original ‘Targa’ rally event, the Targa Florio, was run on the island of Sicily from 1906 to 1974 as a road race. In 1990 the concept was re-developed by a group of enterprising motor enthusiasts in the Australian island state of Tasmania. Newfoundland International Motorsports consulted with Targa Tasmania organizers to create the Targa Newfoundland rally and the inaugural event took place in 2002. The 2005 event started with over 75 classic and modern cars from six countries competing."

Interesting rally and check out the cars and road conditions
http://www.targanewfoundland.com/2005photos_1.htm

I`m going next year, great place awesome people and the cars....

Van Canna · Post by **Van Canna** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:33 am

Bill,

Yes, I am indeed lucky to own such a car, really the dream of a lifetime.

Both in looks, comfort, ride and understated performance, this car feels more like a space ship.

Leo,

I can believe the Mini’s wiping up, especially with the JCW kit, same as I had.

I enjoyed the MINI immensely for the last year, and there was no car on the road that could compete with that speeding bullet, especially when taking curves. Many cars would try to take the corners behind me with the same entry speed, only to watch them fishtail in a panic.

Saying Goodbye

bad winter drivers

Well Bill

mini wipes up!