Ferrari Mailing List: Re: NFC

Larry,
In three words - GET A MINI!!!!!!!!!
I've had a factory John Cooper Works car for a little over a year and  
almost 20,000 miles now.  I modded it up just a touch (over the  
standard JCW specs - reprogramed the chip, lost the cats, opened the  
intake, K&N - total cost less than a grand) and have dyno'd it at  
over 200 hp at the crank - over 150 hp at the wheels.
Even with 26 exotic cars sitting in the warehouse (that I really need  
to get out on the road), I choose to drive it everywhere and  
everyday.  You can drive it hard or soft.  It is a mighty, mighty  
tool for carving Florida's (two lane - with a @#$%^&* [at] ! RV holding up  
the 'passing lane') traffic.  I am often relieved to get back into it  
after a day behind the wheel of a Miura, Countach, Corniche, or XK  
whatever.
It is quick, nimble, comfortable, easy to sit in, get in and out of,  
see around you from -- oh, and it always starts and the A/C is always  
ice cold, and gets a reasonable 23-24 mpg even with my lead - shift  
at the red line everytime - foot.
FWIW, the Harmon Kardon system is pretty good (at least as far as car  
audio goes - personally, I am more of a tube amp, two channel, home  
system maven), that is unless I am on the highway with the sunroof  
open and the windows down - when I find that it could use just a  
touch more oomph.  On the plus side, they have it set up so that even  
full volume is pretty much no distortion, so I have no fear playing  
it turned all the way up for hours at a time, when necessary.  There  
ain't no 26 hz bass going on, but I never took you for one of those  
bass thumping dudes.
All I can tell you is that most people that drive the MINI love the  
MINI.  My buddy Fred drove it a few times and now has an ongoing,  
open, offer to trade it for his Challenge Stradale for the day, anyday.
Only potential downside is that they say that the new convertible  
will come out by the end of the year, although given their history it  
is more like early next year, so it remains to be seen if that may  
hurt resale.  The new body has, so far, not hurt prices on the older  
cars and my JCW is still worth most of what I paid for it - that is  
at least until their is a JCW replacement sometime next year.
Am I gushing????  Too bad, MINIs are freakin' great.   I am freakin'  
coo - coo for MINI puffs!  Whooooooo Hoooooooooo!
Scottie

On Apr 24, 2007, at 5:24 PM, Dennis Liu wrote:
Larry ruled out GM/Ford/Chrysler (but I tossed the Sky in there  
anyway).
The Boxster IS fast, particularly in S trim.  0-60 in well under 6  
seconds,

about the same as the 350Z, Honda S2000, etc.  Heck, it may be  
among the

fastest of all the convertibles I listed.  Sure, it's no Corvette,  
but it's

faster than most Ferraris up to the 355.
Vty,
--Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Fellippe Galletta [mailto:fellippe.galletta [at] gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 5:14 PM
To: Dennis Liu
Cc: The FerrariList
Subject: Re: [Ferrari] NFC - Mini Cooper S Convertible Advice
On 4/24/07, Dennis Liu <bigheaddennis [at] gmail.com> wrote:

Used BMW 3-series convertible, easily had for under $30k - too showy?

Really?

Used Audi A4 convertible, easily had for under $30k Used MB CLK

convertible, a few can be found for under $30k Used MB SLK

convertible, easily had for under $30k, but you're better off with  
the

CLK Audi tt, but then you could never ever drive it, Larry Used  
BMW Z4

convertible, easily had for under $30k, but very impractical - and,

ok, it's showy Honda S2000 - fast but hugely impractical, and all the

torque of your Norelco

I like the S2000...drove one and felt it was fun even though it had  
all the

torque of a Norelco's newborn...
:)
Here's one chicks like - a used Jag XK8 conv

Hehe - I could probably find you a used Maserati Spyder...  
Bwahahaah!!!

(really showy)

Nissan 350Z conv - surprisingly fast, but heavy like a pig and not

very practical

But the overall style of one is cooler than a lot of the other cars  
on here,

and unique...blk/blk with some rims is sweet.
Boxsters can be had all day long at $15k-$40k, mostly reliable,  
wicked fast

Wicked fast? Dennis, between the Boxster and the S2000 as "fast"  
cars I'm

starting to question your Ferrari ownership experience...
;)
SAAB 9-3 conv, women love them, but boring to drive

Saturn Sky - really, you should consider it Toyota Solara conv - the
most boring conv avail (short of the Chrysler
Sebring)
VW EOS - hard top, but, ugh, why would you want one?
VW New Beetle Conv - like the tt, but even worse Volvo C70 - again,
women love it, but puh-lease.

Yeah, but most C70s came with the Dynaudio sound system...I'll go  
out on a

limb and say better sounding than everything else on this list, but  
with

factory systems that's often not saying much.
It did sound nice and natural sounding when I heard it a dealer..
And of course, the Miata.  Classic.

Vty,
--Dennis

I like to talk trash about the Chrysler Crossfire when viewed in  
masculinity

context, but what about this car for Larry's wife? (I also threw  
out the

Pontiac Solstice as well)
There's also used Lexus SC430s...
Dennis put up a comprehensive list, but we're gonna need more input  
on Larry

on what matters and what doesn't...
FG

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Re: NFC - Mini Cooper S Convertible Advice	<– Date –> <– Thread –>
From: Ferrarisimo [at] hotmail.com (ferrarisimohotmail.com)
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 16:14:06 -0700 (PDT)