Car2Go: Rental transportation transformed

By Jonathan Mellberg

photos by the author

Let me preface this blog by admitting I may not be the best man to report on this venture. Firstly, I’m a car guy; by that I mean I believe in owning a car at all times, and seeing myself without one is very difficult to imagine. Plus, I’ve never ridden a bus that wasn’t owned by a school district other than one or two Greyhound trips. And my taxi cab experiences number less than one dozen. So, I’m not all that used to public and/or alternative transportation. I’m not a downtown dweller; never have been and never will be. But I do understand a need for myriad ways fellows can get around, which is why I’ve decided to try Car2Go.

my silly friend Brandon, riding shotgun in the Smart car

Car2Go is the slick new wave of micro, rental transportation. In the MN metro area alone there are over five-hundred little Smart car rentals out there at nearly twenty different depots for pick-up and drop-off. All cars are clad in white paint with the same sash of metallic blue running across their sides with “Car2Go” scripted on it. What started in the German city of Ulm has now spread to sixteen cities in both Europe and North America, and I dare say the Minneapolis/St. Paul area is luckier for it.

I’d like to clear any possible confusion at this moment. Car2Go is the rental service, and has nary a thing to do with Smart, the micro-car company whose ForTwo (that’s what the model is called) is the only vehicle that Car2Go uses in its fleets. The Smart ForTwo uses a puny 1.0Litre inline engine utilizing only three cylinders. Output is a giggle-prompting 70 horsepower; torque is just behind that number at 68lb-ft. The ForTwo weighs just over 1800lbs without a driver. Wow. As a reference point, a Mini Cooper Hardtop weighs 2600lbs, a Cadillac CTS weighs 3600lbs, and the smallest, shortest Ford Super Duty pickup truck weighs nearly 6000lbs. Visiting Smart’s website (smartusa.com) doesn’t seem to clarify model names. The ForTwo apparently has four trim levels: Pure Coupe, Pure Passion, Pure Cabriolet (convertible), and Electric Drive. All are two-door models with only two seats. Car2Go assumedly uses Pure coupes and Electric Drive coupes in their fleets. 

the Car2Go Smart ForTwo outside of Cain's Chicken, St. Paul (MN)

Signing up as a member of Car2Go is streamlined enough. Their website is simple and easy to navigate. Normal signup fees are $35, but after contacting Car2Go via email I was gifted a promotional code that erased my $35 signup fee and gave me thirty minutes of free drive time. I suggest you inquire as I did when joining. The signup process involves surrendering some of your basic credentials: Name, address, phone number, driver’s license number, and credit card info. Your credit card is stored on file and is used to bill you whenever you use the service (my account was charged a few days after my usage of Car2Go’s service). Car2Go will check your driving record, hence the need to provide your driver’s license. I assume if yours is not up to snuff they could deny your application. As mine was not blocked, I have no way of knowing for sure. After being approved (and notified via email) I was mailed my nifty, blue Car2Go member card. This is an important piece to the puzzle as the card is one’s gateway every time you climb into a Car2Go Smart car.

How it works is this: Car2Go features several parking stations for their Smart cars throughout the MN metro area (see Car2Go’s website for stations in your area and/or state, where available). At any time you may view how many Smart car rentals are available. You may reserve cars in advance, too. Should you choose to rent a car, simply approach the Smart car and ready your member card. At the base of the driver’s side windshield there lies a card scanner underneath the glass. Hold your card up to the device. It will read your card, and, after a moment, electronically unlock the doors; you will then enter the vehicle. At this point the ignition key is firmly and safely locked in its port, near the radio on the dash board. There is a touch screen that will prompt you to enter your four-digit PIN number, which will release the key. The same touch screen will then ask you to survey the car for any damage, inside or out, and report it appropriately with simplistic emoticons: Smiley face (for no damage) and frowny face (for some damage). Once these steps have been completed you’ll be ready to drive. The key fits into the ignition slot, nestled on the floor between the driver and passenger seat.

What about the costs? $.38 per mile, $13.99 per hour, $72.99 per day, and $.45 per mile after 150 miles (per use). For my test drive I took my best pal Brandon out to lunch at Cains Chicken near the Minnesota Gophers TCF stadium. Our drive lasted roughly 90 minutes before we turned in the car. With my free 30 minutes of usage, the total bill came to $17.06 for the remaining time. Not bad, especially considering the following: We didn’t pay for gas, and didn’t get charged for not re-fueling the vehicle. We didn’t fill out any paperwork at the time of the rental. And if we had been low on gas, Car2Go features a prepaid gas card in each vehicle; they encourage you to re-fill the car if empty, on them! How cool is that? Fuel charges are built into the pricing, as is insurance and any other little monetary annoyance that usually accompanies renting cars. When we were good and ready, we parked the little Smart car in the designated Car2Go depot (which just happened to be not 100 feet from our work office), locked the key back in place, shut the doors, and swiped the Member card in front of the reader once more, thereby finalizing our exchange. Once this is complete the Car2Go website will update, showing this vehicle is free again for renting, at this particular depot. Pretty slick.

one of Car2Go's several parking depots

About Car2Go’s choice of vehicles; Smart car is really an ironic moniker. This is not a vehicle an intelligent person would buy. While I set out to experience and review Car2Go as it was intended (as a rental), I must (inescapably) spend a few sentences thoroughly trashing the car itself. While the Smart car has a plus or two, it is otherwise riddled with minuses. The car will ride down the road nicely; that is until it rolls over any crack, divot, or any other road imperfection, whereupon the Smart will buck and kick like a green-broke philly. This of course is due to a wheelbase shorter than any other car on earth (probably). Acceleration is laughable, until you really need it, then it’s scarily absent. The little car tries hard but not hard enough; the automatic transmission shifts way too soon and much too slowly. It feels as if the car is being shifted manually by a driver’s ed student, automatically. The brake pedal hinge is infuriatingly misplaced; depressing the pedal is the easiest way for the pedal to slip out from under your foot. One wonders if the engineers actually drove this thing before releasing it upon humanity.

the EcoScore app encourages efficient (aka boring) driving

surprisingly spacious for two large adults

Naturally I’m being a bit hard on this mini-me auto. For its intended use and function, the Smart car fits the Car2Go business model quite nicely. The car is easy to handle, easy to see out of, easy to drive. Yes, one must acclimate themselves to its eccentricities (and preferably before joining the masses on heavily trafficked roads), but there are just enough positive attributes to make the whole Car2Go experience work. For one, there is plenty of room for two big adults (as Brandon and I proved). There is technically a trunk, but it’s only good for a couple slim, rolling suitcases or stacked duffel bags. The radio/navigation/apps screen is quick to be mastered, mainly because of its rudimentary layout and minimal options/functions. You can’t even adjust the audio controls (such as bass, treble, and balance). There is a nifty app called EcoScore that lets you observe how frugal you’re being with the acceleration. The navigation screen pictures a cute little animated forest, with three trees. The better you drive (a combination of acceleration, steadiness, and coasting), the more the squirrels, birds and bunny rabbits come out to play in these healthily growing trees. Frankly, it’s kinda dumb, yet somehow addicting to watch. Just what one needs while driving…

All in all Brandon and I had a very enjoyable experience. Sure, neither of us would ever consider a Smart car as a practical, everyday means of transportation. But for what it is, especially with Car2Go, I can’t think of a better vehicle for their purpose (and yet I can’t help but wonder why Ford or Chevy weren’t tapped for their entry-level autos). It is by far the easiest rental experience ever. No more dealing with rental agencies, hoping your reserved car is still waiting for you, worrying about purchasing extra insurance, or fretting over how much gas was in the car you rented or how much needs to go back in. Car2Go has fast-tracked the entire process, offering a very modern, technologically influenced way of getting from here to there. Do I see myself using Car2Go again? It won’t be often; my wife and I each have our own vehicles. But if mine ever needed to visit an auto dealer for repairs, I won’t be opposed to walking right up to another Car2Go Smart Car and swiping one for the hour, day, or maybe even week. I highly recommend anyone try it for themselves.

-Thanks for reading The Wheelspin Journal-

photo by the author

Test Drive: Scion FR-S

By Jonathan Mellberg
photos by the author 

Not that I’m complaining, but this relationship doesn’t make any sense; two rather conservative, Japanese auto manufacturers, rivals, or at least competitors, joining forces to create (of all things) twin babes whose focus group is, at best, the niche market of young men (for the most part) who want a great-handling, naturally-aspirated, drift-happy rear-wheel drive coupe only suitable for driving outside of the winter months.  I’m referring of course to the Scion FR-S and its fraternal twin, the Subaru BR-Z. These doppelgangers are the love children of the Toyota-Subaru partnership; and their combined efforts have produced stunning results, not the least of which is the fact that neither Subaru nor Toyota are especially exciting automotive groups. Yes, Subaru has the WRX and its alter ego the STi, but Subies are best known for modern day hippy haulers; you’re far more likely to spot one of Subaru’s more popular cars (Outback, Forester, Impreza) at a local farmers market or Jack Johnson concert than at Monster Truck Madness or a Republican convention. As for Toyota, aside from the stratospherically sporty Lexus LFA, Toyota hasn’t produced a drool-worthy driver’s car in over a decade (Lexus RC-F notwithstanding. I didn’t count it because it’s A: a Lexus, and B: it’s not even technically on the market yet).

Scion FR-S

The reason doesn’t really matter; I need to stop whining and start smelling the roses while I still can. While I would’ve picked the Subaru BRZ for my first choice, the Scion FR-S is essentially the same, save for minor badge-engineering and a few style differences. And since I used to own a first-generation Scion tC, why not revisit the brand and see how far they’ve come?

Parent Toyota now has two children. Its first, Lexus, is the oldest, having been around (in the US) since 1989. It’s the snobby child, and strictly panders to financially-enhanced individuals. Scion popped onto the scene in 2003 as Toyota’s hip, fresh, youth-focused brand. Scions pan to the thrifty and/or monetarily challenged folks, like myself (or I suppose we could just call them Millennials). My 2005 Scion tC was a great little coupe (and the brand’s third offering). Standard features included auto up/down windows, power moonroof, a secondary rear sunroof, cruise control, CD/MP3 player, Pioneer audio, and a 2.4Litre inline-four good for roughly 160 horsepower. My spunky five-speed model was white, shod with Bridgestone Potenza rubber over 17” alloy wheels. It was a real looker, and all this for well under $17K.

Scion has evolved and grown, but incrementally. They now offer five models, two of which start well below $17K. My tC saw a major refresh a few years ago and is now bigger, badder, and more powerful. Oh, it’s more expensive as well; a new tC begins just under $20K. Scion’s most expensive model by far is the FR-S at around $25K. Standard features aren’t radically different (or better) from my ’05 tC, but the FR-S does have a tilt/telescope, leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth functionality, power-folding side mirrors, and dual exhaust. Yawning yet? Me too. After perusing Scion’s website I did come across a fun little factoid: free scheduled maintenance for the first 2yr/25,000 miles! I forgot Toyota was doing this!

Carlson Toyota/Scion (Coon Rapids, MN)

And so, I recently took a Friday off of work; and what a great day for it! Beautiful weather; it was the perfect day to mosey on over to my local Toyota dealer: Carlson Toyota of Coon Rapids, MN. One of their newer, hulking dealers, this Toyota/Scion lot had but only two FR-S models in total, and one was on the show floor! Steve, my salesman, informed me that they really don’t sell too many of these. Thanks for the tip; a rear-wheel drive coupe with back seats that even a car seat won’t squeeze into selling poorly in Minnesota. What tipped you off, Steve?

Disclaimer: Fifteen minutes is not enough time with a car, especially when your salesman is cramping your style in the passenger seat. While I didn’t lie about my intentions in driving the car, I could tell our test drive route was predetermined and over all too soon. I gotta find me a better way to get into these cars, stay in them longer, and wring them out a little more without getting raised eyebrows from my tag-alongs… And to that end, I’d invite any helpful suggestions. End disclaimer…

First impressions: As my salesman rolled the bright Red Scion FR-S off the outdoor concrete pad, I paid close attention when the car started to life. Nothing exciting, just a quiet burble (I wasn’t expecting much). He hopped out to switch places with me. I plumped down into the driver’s seat and one thing was immediately apparent; I need to lose some weight. I haven’t had a hug this tight since before my wife was pregnant. The seats are definitely sporty. You sit low in the cockpit; seat controls are manual only. While comfy, the side bolsters really pin you in; no telling how this would work out in the long run without an extended drive to test one’s comfort. For now it was just fine. The six-speed manual clicked into gear quite neatly, no rubbery feeling about it. Pedal placement was laid out fine and clutch take-up is easy and predictable. The FR-S may pack in 200hp, but damned if you can find it right away. Dig into the revs a bit more and the Scion starts waking up along with the exhaust note, but somehow I feel I’m being harsh with the powertrain even though I surely am not. My first sprint up the on-ramp was… uneventful. 200hp and 151lb-ft of torque equals a level of engagement just below my endorphin-creating threshold. Bummer. I think I know the problem. I’m a torque guy; that must be it. Like so many sporty little cars today, much of their power isn’t available until you climb way up into the revs. But I like my power now, immediately. It’s probably why I enjoyed driving the electric Tesla Model S so very much.

deeply bolstered seats; very sporty

The little Scion’s ride is firm, tight, and low. The FR-S reads the road and transmits all info; this is all fine and dandy on well paved roads. For less than impervious surfaces, prepare to let this Scion chatter your teeth for you. This isn’t a complaint, just an observation. Bends and curves mean nothing to the FR-S, it can take the best of them with little perceived body roll; and thanks to those heavily bolstered seats, there’s no swaying inside either. I love the thick, leather-wrapped steering wheel; it feels great in my hands and somehow instills confidence. I love when that happens. Aside from a brief freeway stink lasting only a few miles, I never really had a chance to push the FR-S into unlawful territory. What a shame. I should think I’d very much like this car out on some little-known back road, where the curves and elevation changes are plentiful, and the damn deer stay off the roads.

What I love about this car is its purpose in life. It was conceived and bred as a sporty little car: Rear-wheel drive, smooth-shifting six-speed transmission, four-cylinder boxer engine, and an attainable price to top it all off. I’ve been reading raves reviews from every auto writer since the FR-S and the BRZ first hit the streets a couple years ago, but without more quality time behind the wheel with freedom to explore its fullest potential, I unfortunately remain unsold as to how great this car truly is. There’s always next summer…

-Thanks for reading The Wheelspin Journal-

photo by the author

The Upgrade

By Jonathan Mellberg

We never had a new car growing up. Our modest means necessitated modest transportation. I’m not complaining; far from it. I’m glad. One doesn’t need a new car any more than one needs a new house. I’m proud of my upbringing; it’s (part of) the same reason my house doesn’t have cable, an i-Pad, or a refrigerator equipped with Wi-Fi and ambient lighting; if we didn’t need then, we don’t need it now.  Oh, and also cuz I can’t afford it.

Being the mechanically-minded man he was (and still is), my father was always making plays for another car to join the house of Mellberg. There were so many cars. Of the more memorable ones were Dad’s daily driver, a Chevy Chevette (please don’t confuse this for either a Chevelle or a Corvette. These couldn’t be farther from what the Chevette was), which after being rolled into the ditch was later replaced by a Geo Metro. Dad got close to fifty miles to the gallon in that little Geo. There was a Ford Escort, and a fine looking Mercury Grand Marquis. Mom once schmucked a full-size doe with the Merc at a cool 55mph. It merely cracked the front grill fascia, and we continued on our way to the grocery store. The deer wasn’t so lucky. Then there was a Chevy Astro, right around the time I began driving. I liked it; it had a nice, high seating position, and I enjoyed its upright nature. Of course, mom and dad procured the perfect car for me to buy off of them once I turned sixteen; my 1991 Chevy Lumina Euro Sport two-door. Oh yeah, it was red too.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grndmrqsroadsteredtn1989.jpg

(very similar to the Merc our family once had)

It was years later before I made my dumbest automotive ploy yet; I bought a new car, my 2005 Scion tC. I was 21-ish, living with dad in Annandale, MN, and willful enough not to consult my father about my purchase. Luckily, my surprise acquisition wasn’t met with scorn, and truthfully, out of the two of us, dad is the only one to peg the tC at over 120mph; thanks dad. But, my tC ownership wasn’t meant to last, and through a series of mismanaged money moves, the tC and I parted ways after 2½ years, quite bitterly. And there you have it, now everyone knows. My wife, Tate, had a very similar first car experience. Her parents helped her get a Chevy, roughly ten years old at the time (like mine). Her 1997 Chevy Cavalier wasn’t just a coupe but a convertible as well. And I’ll bet she loved it even more than I loved my Lumina.

my 2005 Scion tC

When I first met Tate I had just lost my Scion. Dad helped me get a sweet deal on this early nineties Oldsmobile 98. The thing was a tank, rode on pillows, and could really take a hit. I was broadsided one time, and a month later, monster-trucked by a grandma in her Cadillac when she mistook her gas pedal for the brake pedal. Yeah. After that I rotated cars about once a year: There was the 1996 Mercury Tracer, the 1996 Chevy Corsica, the 1992 Honda Accord, and now my current car, my POS 1997 Pontiac Grand Am. All the while Tate’s Cavalier soldiered on with relatively low maintenance costs and repairs. It was a couple years ago we realized it would really help to have at least one newer, reliable vehicle between the two of us. We decided to sell Tate’s Cavalier; it was time to upgrade. We briefly considered buying new, for about two seconds. Once we sobered up we started to narrow down what we wanted: midsize sedan, V6 power, front-wheel drive, non-luxury marquee, and lower miles if possible. We started searching and eventually test drove about ten different cars before setting the Nissan Altima in our crosshairs.

my 1996 Mercury Tracer 

my 1996 Chevy Corsica

I’d always loved the Altima, in almost every generation. I had wanted one for years, but I didn’t really know it until we drove one. It was the only car that met my expectation of how much power was readily usable; incidentally it was the only that whose four-cylinder engine was perfectly acceptable over its beefier V6 counterpart. A big selling point was how smooth the Altima accelerated. For the 2008 and up model years Nissan gambled and introduced the CVT transmission in lieu of a standard 4, 5, or 6-speed automatic transmission. The gamble paid off. The Altima drives seamlessly with no traditional, perceptible shifting. Beyond that, the Altima is (at least in feeling) one of the larger midsize cars out there, yet it drives (and parks!) smaller than it is. Its back seat is generous as is its trunk. Its styling is, well, midsize sedan-ish. Personally I find it quite attractive, for a “boring” car.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chevy_Cavalier_Convertible.jpg

(Chevy Cavalier Convertible, not unlike my wife's previous car)

It was a tough decision at first. Neither Tate nor I were currently saddled with a car payment. And while taking on a $265 per-month payment seemed like a lot, that’s definitely on the lower end of many peoples’ payments (for instance, a base 2015 Nissan Altima stickers for roughly $23,705, and is $395 per-month if purchased over five years at 0.9% APR). But the test drive definitely helped change our minds. Driving a nice, newer (our Altima was only a year old at the time), modern car with a robust and smooth powertrain was quite addicting, as were the modern amenities, one of them being keyless entry and push-button start (Tate’s car key never leaves her purse).

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2011_Nissan_Altima_--_NHTSA_2.jpg

(Nissan Altima, virtually the same car we upgraded to)

I suppose by know, if you’re still reading, you’re wondering whether there is a point to all this. Yes, silly, there is. Some of us will always have the means for a new car, and some of us won’t. Most of us, at some point in our lives, fall somewhere in the middle. Tate and I were lucky enough to be in stable jobs with low rent payments which helped afford us the chance to upgrade. There’s nothing wrong with older cars; the majority of the +dozen cars I’ve owned have all been past their prime. But there is something to be said for that new car smell, the fact that the slate is still relatively clean, that you have the chance to properly car for and live with a newer car. You’ll be amazed how different it feels to drive around and not have to worry about the alignment, the head gaskets, the transmission, the struts, and all those little annoyances that only plague a car more as it ages. I’m not saying you need a newer car, but it’s worth looking to…

Test Drive: Mini Cooper Countryman

By Jonathan Mellberg

There are really only a few cars out there that scream FUN when they catch your eye; and it's not even an issue of price. A Ferrari can be fun; so can a Hummer. So can a Maybach, a Mustang, or a turbo-diesel Dodge Ram pickup truck. But none of these are a singularly-focused representation of FUN; and even if they were, they’d still be nowhere as close as the Mini is to embodying it.

There’s only one other car I can think of that is as innocently playful as the original Mini Cooper, and that’s the original Volkswagen Beetle. The people’s car was born in 1938. In 2003, production of the Type 1 Beetle ended, with over 21 million cars sold worldwide. It wasn’t until 1997 that the New Beetle took the reins, fully reincarnated; much the same as its spiritual cousin, the Mini Cooper. The first Mini Cooper hits the streets in 1961. It, like the Beetle, enjoyed a rebirth near the turn of the century when BMW fully acquired the brand in 2000. And ever since, Mini’s jubilant style has continued to evolve and proliferate beyond the original, singular model, the Cooper.

Today we still have the Cooper, in both naturally-aspirated and turbo-charged offerings. But the Mini family has grown; the Cooper now has several unique iterations: There’s the Countryman, the Paceman, the Convertible, the Hardtop, the Coupe, the Roadster (a drop-top version of the Coupe), and the high-performance variants of these models, called John Cooper Works. Need to read that again? Me too, and I had to write it!

Mini Cooper S Coupe

Mini Cooper S Hardtop

Mini Cooper S Clubman

Mini Cooper S Hardtop

For the love of Pete, they all look the same! Well, only until closer examination. While I won’t get into the thick minutiae of model differentiation, I will say that every Mini is unique but familiar, just like a real family. Brothers and sisters may look alike and talk alike and even walk alike, but they are still individuals. Today we’ll be focusing on only one member of the Cooper family: The Countryman. My curiosity in Mini was piqued after a long-held perception regarding the brand was recently erased. Mini’s can be affordable! Sort of, at least. This revelation was in part due to my ignorance regarding Mini’s price point; I assumed that since they are in cahoots with BMW (and until recently in MN, sold at BMW dealerships) and imported from across the Atlantic that they must be too expensive to ever seriously consider. And to a certain extent, that is still true. They are a niche brand with niche cars. But they’re actually quite a bit cheaper than I realized. A base Mini Cooper Hardtop stickers for $20,450, and the Mini Roadster stickers for $26,100 (on the other end of the scale). Not too bad. Of course, prices only go up from there.

Mini Cooper S Countryman

The bigger piece of the dilemma as to whether I’d ever want to purchase a Mini primarily has to do with our lovely Minnesota climate: Winter. Kill me now. I’m only (half) kidding; it’s not really that bad. But a good “you-betcha” snow storm can be treacherous enough when piloting a big, four-wheel drive truck with a foot of ground clearance. There is no way you’ll convince me that the go-kart Mini can even begin to compete with that (especially when the roads are blanketed in five inches of snow).

Insert segway here: The Mini Cooper Countryman. It’s relevancy? Available all-wheel drive, higher ground clearance, more room. Now this is a little more Minnesota-friendly. Like is two-door brother, the Mini Paceman, the Countryman is the Mini for grown-ups who are ready for true all-season weather, if equipped. The Mini Countryman comes in three flavors: Base ($22,750), S ($26,100), and ALL4 ($27,850) trim levels. The base comes with a turbo-free, 16-valve 1.6Litre inline-four engine that rounds up 121hp and sends power to the front wheels only. The S and ALL4 models slap a turbo to that same 1.6Litre motor, and the result is an additional 60hp. You can shift yourself with a six-speed manual or let the six-speed automatic make light work of gear swaps. All Countryman models come with four doors and five seats. They’ve been an IIHS top safety pick for the last few years; no doubt the seven airbags help out. Standard equipment includes a CD player with AM/FM radio, USB/i-Phone/i-Pod hookups, and six speakers (Navigation, Sirius XM radio, and a more robust Harmon Kardon stereo are optional). Alloy wheels come in the 17” variety, with 18” wheels optional. Curb weight is just under 3000lbs on the base model and just over 3200lbs on the ALL4 (thanks to engine modifications and the inclusion of the all-wheel drive system). Not unlike BMW, Mini offers free scheduled maintenance for 3yrs/36,000 miles (BMW’s free maintenance is 4yrs/50,000 miles). The Countryman is the first Mini to offer all-wheel drive (followed by the Paceman), and is a three-time Dakar End Race champ (endurance racing). Just in case you needed to know, which you don’t. What I care about is this: Is the Countryman still quick? Yes, according to Mini’s website (0-60mph in 7.0 seconds in the FWD S model). Is the Countryman capable? In all-wheel drive mode, I’m sure it is. But what about functionality?

Mini Cooper Countryman

nifty hatch release

After a splendid morning at Cars & Coffee (at the Automotorplex facility in Chanhassen, MN), I headed back into the metro interior and stopped off at the brand new, stand-alone Mini dealership. I’ve never seen a dealer like this. The entire structure is painted black, save for a splash of playhouse colors that pinstripe and border the structure in a few specific areas. Why’d they do this? It was a question that my ever-so capable salesman Charlie Wyffels was more than prepared to answer. In our conversations regarding the cars and the philosophy that is Mini, Charlie helped me realize something that was so obvious I’m embarrassed I forgot it. Mini is FUN, always has been.  And since BMW strategically distanced itself from the Mini brand, so now is their dealership. I can dig it.

new Mini dealership in Golden Valley, MN

And how about the car? Well, I did want to sneak behind the wheel of a new Mini Countryman ALL4, but as none were currently on the lot, Charlie tossed me keys to a Countryman S, which is basically the same car (and same powertrain), sans all-wheel drive. Which was fine, since there was no snow (and since we wouldn't be hitting any dirt tracks during on drive), AWD isn’t a requisite for me. Charlie offered me a model with a six-speed manual, which I gladly took. Our white Countryman S was more garden variety than others; it didn’t have a moonroof or navigation or leather upholstery. All fine by me. Firstly, I’ve never felt the need for a moonroof. Secondly, leather is only nice when it can be heated and cooled, not just heated. Thirdly, I’m a guy; I don’t need navigation and much prefer arguing with my wife when it comes to giving or taking directions.

Mini Cooper S Countryman

The first thing I noticed when Charlie handed me the key is the key itself. A solid, hefty, circle-shaped medallion, the “key” inserts into the dash to the right of the steering wheel and immediately below the cute, little “start” push button starter. Inserting this key also charges it; no more hoofing it to Radio Shack every five years for a new battery. Though a small car (still bigger by Mini standards), the Countryman easily accommodated my 6’2” frame. The rear seats were OK, but I wouldn’t recommend extended trips for long-legged passengers like myself, especially if you’ve got a tall driver in front of you. Mini has grown up over the recent years but never takes itself too seriously. There are still plenty of cool fighter-jet toggle switches, and this modern Mini even features a built-in Mini sunglasses case. Cool! The parking brake reminds me of the throttle handle on a 747 jet and its lever action sort of feels the same too. A giant, circular speedometer is still front and center in the Countryman’s dash; a smaller look-alike gauge that features the tachometer readings sits above the steering wheel. Fit and finish and quality are above segment standards, and considering Mini’s parent company is BMW, they should be. The Countryman is a handsome fellow whose big-eyed headlights and upright stance work very well together. Though I must say, I’m a really big fan of the Countryman’s twin, the Paceman. With two doors instead of four and a sloping roofline, the Paceman is instantly sportier than his more proper brother.

As for driving impressions: the Countryman isn’t loud even in S trim. Its six-speed manual transmission clicks through gears nicely enough, though shift action is just slightly rubbery.  The Countryman rides on a wheelbase that’s inches longer than your standard Mini Cooper Hardtop. The result is a more forgiving ride which goes a long way when debating on making a Mini your daily driver. Power is peppy but not outrageous. As an owner I wouldn’t regret not having more oomph, as long as I upgraded to the same turbo-charged S model of which we drove. Though taller and longer and with more ground clearance, the Countryman can still channel its inner go-kart; zipping through turns is fun and fancy free, with very minimal body roll. The whole package, which seems a bit silly from a distance, really gels together once you’re behind the wheel. The bigger Countryman is adult enough to accommodate you and passengers with a little room to spare. Its optional all-wheel drive coupled with its taller stance means that Minnesota winters aren’t out of the realm of possibilities. And the interior, with premium-feeling materials and an upscale feel, lets the owner feel good (and smart) about his choice. The car is definitely fun; and I’m sure that’s the whole point. My reservations mainly stem from concerns over costlier repairs (due to its BMW-sourced underpinnings, its chassis is shared with the BMW X1), but if bought new, scheduled maintenance is free for the first 3yrs/36,000 miles. Hooray! That leaves one nagging worry; will I get tired of the Mini’s excessive personality? With all its cool interior toggle switches, its porthole-sized speedometer and tachometer, and its airliner-style e-brake? I think I’d answer this question the same as the next; do I ever tire of having fun? No, I sure don’t.

Mini Cooper Paceman (the Countryman's better-looking brother)

Post Script

I'd like to take a moment to thank my salesman, Charlie Wyffels. A man who knows his product through and through, what's equally impressive is how easy Charlie was to talk to. He being a fellow auto-enthusiast sure helped. If I ever decide to embrace my inner-child I'll be heading back to Golden Valley Mini (known as Motorwerks MINI) to see Charlie about a new go-kart, i.e. Mini Cooper.

-Thank you for reading The Wheelspin Journal-

photo by the author