The car which started it all! My very first car. I will be the first to admit I did not pay for this car (the only car I didn't pay for), it was my fathers old car which he "allowed me to use sometimes". Which eventually turned into it being my car after I modified it so much he refused to drive it.
My dad bought it pre-owned, and drove it for only a year before he upgraded to a BMW and gave me this car.
I had roof racks installed on it for snowboards (looking back, must have been funny to look at), an ECU tune, aftermarket catback exhaust, wheels, sound system, "cold air (aka warm air) intake" and more!
You would be surprised how well it did in the snow, (snow tires + front wheel drive).
This was just after the movie "The Italian Job" in 2003 and believe it or not, nobody knew what this car was wherever I went. Mini's were not popular in the US yet. I remember people used to ask me if it was an Aston Martin Mini (because of the emblem). Mini's were just becoming popular in the US and it was actually a "cool car", at least for a few years.
Out of nowhere girls started calling the car "cute" (as mini coopers became popular) and I knew it was time to sell it.
The engine eventually started having timing chain issues, so instead of fixing it, I traded it in for the BMW 335Xi. I did not yet have the ability to do much mechanical on my own (outisde of changing brakes, oil, tires, etc...).
My dad let me sell it (trade it in for the BMW) and keep 1/2 the money (put 1/2 towards the value of the BMW).
