cmcveay

Is there anyone out there with a 2nd Gen (2007 to present) that has the Sirius satellite radio installed and you simply don't use it? If so, would you be intersted in selling your receiver? If so, send me a PM and we can discuss the details. Thanks, Craig

Denemy, Since I don't drive a 1st Gen (yeah, I've got supercharger envy when I hear that supercharger's whine), I can't address the pully question so I'll have to defer to Edge and the other 1st Gen owners on that. As far as the octane rating in the gas goes, I've got to agree with what everyone has said, the reliability and "care and feeding" factor outweighs the minor difference in price between the mid-grade and higher octane fuels. With regards to shifting? Edge pretty much nails it on the head. When I'm just commuting around town, I may not even get above 3k because I'm conserving fuel. When we get out on a spirited run, it's not uncommon for me to run the revs up to 6.5k or a little higher (like Edge, my rev limit has been pushed a little higher through ECU tuning) to make use of the full power band and I also use the engine/compression braking that comes from doing so to maintain distances and minimize the need for braking. As far as the choice in tires? As you can see, that's a topic that most of us love to debate. I'm pretty sure you'll find that any of us would be very willing to take you out for a ride so you can see/hear/feel for yourself the differences in the ride/sound of different tires and suspension set ups. The runflat vs. non-runflat debate is a topic of lively discussion but, in the end, it comes down to individual preference based on your driving environment, driving style and the level of comfort you have with the +'s and -'s of each. If you aren't busy this Saturday come out for the Spring Fling run where you'll find a big group of us and get lots of ideas for things that you might like to do to/for your car. You can find me by the license plate which kind of says it all "OCMMD" = Obsessive Compulsive MINI Modding Disorder... Next Saturday, we'll be at MINI of Annapolis for the monthly Meet and Greet so there will be another chance to meet up with us. P.S. I do wave at other MINIs/Minis when I see them.

As soon as they come in, I'll post the colors but if my aging memory serves me right, they include red, blue, green, orange, white, a couple that have two colors and I know I'm missing some of the colors. NC and TN do have laws about lighting that can be displayed and I'll see if I can get that info so we all stay on the proper side of the law and still have fun.

For anyone who may be interested in "pimping" your car for the Darkness run or Midnight on the Dragon, I just ordered glow sticks - enough to share... Hit me up in Fontana if you'd like to get some of them. I also bought a couple of strings of LED lights that are battery powered for the fun of it.

TVRGEEK sold his MINI.

Not much to add since there have been a few posts to your questions but I'll hit on one area in which Edge and I do disagree. I switched off of runflats almost 2 years ago and I haven't regretted it for a second. It DOES NOT handle like a Cadillac and it's not the least bit "mushy" while it still has the "go kart" feel in steering. The improved ride was the first thing I noticed and then, on the highway, it was the dramatic decrease in road noise inside the car. By going to a lower profile tire, I get a more comfortable ride and I keep the handling. I autocross my MINI which means I push it far, far beyond what would be deemed "safe" for public streets and it does everything that I ask of it. Yes, it's true, in some cases, run-flats will "get you home". That safety blanket isn't an absolute though. On a run about 18 months ago, one of our members with runflats did have a flat that required a tire change on the spot. Thankfully, another member did have a full size spare and the DCMM/HR MINI pit crew went into action. Several months ago, my TPMS light when off while driving and I stopped, found that my left front tire was low. I was less than a mile from home so I drove home carefully, repaired it and kept going. You can't do that with a run flat. Once it's gone flat and you drive to get it fixed, the tire MUST be replaced. Of course, if you drive on a flattened non-runflat, you'll destroy that tire as well. I personally carry tire plugs, a small container of slime and a small compressor and I have the skills to use them. Welcome to the world of MINIs and look forward to meeting you at an event sometime soon!

Katie has been gracious enough to offer up the use of her driveway and water hose for a detailing party after the Meet and Greet! Here's the address, please RSVP so we know who will be there. 627 Old County (not CountRy!) Road Severna Park MD 21146

And Brian bled his brakes so now, he's got hydraulic brakes instead of pneumatic again! He doesn't have to be the leader of the pack now! Hurrayyyyyyy!

Yep, that's Ali. She stands out, even in the eccentric group that we all are!

Hmmm, don't all buns have glutens in them? Oh, wait, those are Glutes or Gluteus Maximus... Sorry, I got confused.

Ali, You know glutens aren't evil for everyone and the gluten anti-defamation league is going to be all over you for those remarks...

Ali, The idea of applying the black wow is three fold in nature. The first is that if you get a little on the paint, it'll wash off when you wash the car. The second is that you'll be able to wash off any excess on the black trim so it's not collecting dust and finally, the black plastic is very porous and when you apply the black wow, it fills in most, if not all of the "pores" in the black plastic so if you do get some wax on it, it's easier to remove. To keep so much wax off of the black plastic, it's probably easier to fix the "Horribly messy" part by taking your time and not being so messy in those areas! As far as applying it? I agree with Jim that the pea sized amount will cover a large area... Yeahhhh, that's never worked for me. I use a lint free cotton rag and apply the liquid to the rag as needed. Some areas will use/require just a little while others really suck the stuff up.

Allen, It's Shhhlanket, Shhhlanket, Shhhlanket!!!!

Many thanks to RickyR53 for setting up dinner last night! I think we had our biggest turnout - I counted 18 people and 11 or 12 MINIs and 1 Mini (thanks for driving the classic down for us to see John). With the Dragon coming, our next dinner event will be a little sooner but it's going to be posted soon!

Wooo Hoooo! I don't have to cook dinner tonight! Woooo Hooooo!

Awww, why did you have to dime me out like that! You know if I was a sensitive guy like Brian or Haemish, I might have my feelings hurt...

Jose Cuervo you are a friend of mine... But not Brian :rofl: I'm gonna be hitting the Dr. Pepper so you better look out!

Ali, how do you pronouce that? Is it just like the Shhhnuggie? So that would make it a Shhhlanket? Are you gonna knock the shhhheet out of me now? You guys have zero imagination (Jim, Enrique, Brian)... Attach static discharge straps to the bottom of your Shhhnuggie or Shhhlanket and you won't have to worry about shhhtatic electricity! You guys are old enough to remember those things, right? I'm trying to figure out how I can black out a Shhhlanket now...

You probably need to work that part out with Jan.

HEY DCMM! Who's going to the Dragon? At the request of members, here's an event on the calendar for MOTD so you can RSVP and we'll all know who's going.

Jan Brueggemann from Revolution Mini Works will be doing the tuning. Each tune takes about 1.5 hours, and costs $465 (R53 cars) or $640 (R56 cars). That cost includes dyno rental, air/fuel analysis, and Jan's tuning. You'll get before-and-after dyno graphs you can keep. PM Dan or call him at (571) 434-8333 to reserve a slot. We will take a credit card to reserve your slot, although we won't charge your card until the day of the event. (You can cancel up to five days in advance without penalty, but after that you will forfeit your payment if you cancel or don't show up.) Note from Events Coordinator: Please communicate with Dan to secure your time slot and I'll update the schedule below so folks know what times are open. Rough schedule: Friday May 13 9:00 am 2006 R53 silvrcelt 10:30 am 2010 Clubman JCW 12:00 1:30 pm 2007 Cooper S lasernate 3:00 pm 4:30 pm Saturday May 14 9:00 am R56 Bigprfed22 10:30 am R53 Claymore 12:00 09 R56 1:30 pm 2003 R53 drsilvermini 3:00 pm 2007 Cooper S MiniCuse 4:30 pm 2005 R53 briann0758 --Dan Mach V FastMINI.net

Hey Q, I've got a 3 day next weekend if that's soon enough for you.