(thanks RB for writing this and allowing me to copy it here)
(see also RBs MCS / MC comparison)
[TRIP ONE]
About 4 weeks ago I decided that my 2002 MCS with 44,000 miles on it needed to be replaced. I searched the internet for a newer vehicle and found my 2004 red/blk MCS with low miles in Charlotte, North Carolina. I made the deal with a private party flew back and drove 2,400 miles to Altadena CA. I did the journey in 41 hours with 6 hours sleep included in my overall time.
My original ’02 MCS came from Ft Myers Fla.
First off, I noticed, for whatever reason, that this ’04 MCS accelerated much better and that my top speed was 10 mph faster than my ’02. I also noticed that this car, with almost the same equipment as my ’02, felt more solid, better built.
On my flight to Charlotte, NC I met a cross country trucker who told me of all the places where I could go fast, sorta fast, and where I should be very NON fast. He suggested Interstate 40.
I did 8 states, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas,
New Mexico, Arizona and California.
I felt like Kowalski in Vanishing Point and wished I had had Super Soul to help me through the long nites.
I had a near death experience at 1 AM in Albuquerque, NM in a construction zone, and a cool thumbs up from a Panoz driver while going through Needles Ca, my speed 135 his…..warp fast.
[TRIP TWO]
My daughter needed a car to replace her aging Camry so since she loved my car so much we found another sweetheart of a deal on a COOPER back east, this time at MINI of PEABODY in Peabody Massachusetts. So within 2 weeks of the 1st journey I did it again.
I tried to find a reputable shipper, as me BUM was still healing from the last trip. The whole shipper deal comes down this……..either being at the mercy of low life car carriers or spending large coin on rare car carriers who are very expensive, so much so it would have killed my deal with Peabody.
So I flew back to Boston, Ian graciously picked me up, stood by while Peabody and I ironed out one big glitch, which if not fixed would have nixed the deal, took me to dinner; and at approximately 8:30 PM Tuesday on the 21st I started my drive home.
MINI of PEABODY was the the best internet experience I have had in my 3 MINI buying adventures. The Glitch had to do with Massachusetts not allowing temp plates. Otherwise I can see why they [MINI of Peabody] are the number one US dealer.
This trip was done mainly on the Interstate 80 and covered 11 states. I dropped down to the I 40 going through Denver so I could stop in Santa Fe and eat at Pasquals. In or near Joliet Il I had a conversation with trucker, while eating at the counter of a “Gag-a-maggot”, about where to speed and where not to. He warned me about Denver and suggested even flying bellow the posted speed limit there. He was right in all his suggestions. My Escort Passport/8500 went crazy in Denver so I turned it off for that part of my trip!
I had one stretch where I did 17 hours and covered 1,300 miles. This trip took 71 hours total and covered 3200 miles. The journey was made easier by my Dension ICE Link mounted iPod and 900 + iTunes and my Escort radar detector.
SideBar…..Nebraska wins the BIG BUG contest, hands down.
Check out RBs “Coast to Coast” Homepage at http://homepage.mac.com/ballardini/ with lots more pics.
I want to thank those that made this journey more palatable, Jet Blue, Ian Cull, you’re a fine human, Joel Mesiti at Peabody MINI and all those drivers across I 80 and I 40 that got the hell outta my way. And of course my wife Kittie who has made my life better for 27 years.
THANX!
M&I / GBMINI 
Hey Ian thanks. How kool is this, never thought I see any more than my stinky little comments. Now I have stinky big comments.
RB, neat story. I’d love to do a coast-to-coast myself….bet you got your fill of ‘choke ‘n pukes’ along the way. MoP is definately an “A-class” dealership, glad it worked for you as well.
My daughter, who lived in the south for a while, told me, “Dad, stop in a Waffle House, you’ll love it.” Wrong! There may be good ones but I didn’t find one! The Route 66 Cafe in Albuquerque is a real Gag-A-Maggot. Avoid for your health.
My dealings with MoP were very good except for one glitch.
RB
There is a very nice Waffle house in Margarets home town (Norwich, England) – even further away and tricky to drive 😉
Oh no, I thought it was bad enough when standing in front of historic Windsor Castle and looking over at the Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, Burger King, and Starbucks….we’ve even exported Waffle Houses to the UK? LOL
Ian, I wonder if it’s the same chain? My daughter says the Waffle House near where she lived in Aiken, SC was very good, my experiences with the two I hit would suggest different.
“Sitting on a park bench —
eyeing little girls with bad intent.
Snot running down his nose —
greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes.
Drying in the cold sun —
Watching as the frilly panties run.
Feeling like a dead duck —
spitting out pieces of his broken luck.”
… oh … Aqualung 😉
The Waffle House in Norwich is a “one off”, not a chain.
After reading this the previous post makes a bit more sense. 🙂
Wow RB you are crazy for doing that…I certainly would have just paid the money to ship it! How much of a difference was there really of (airfare+gas+time$$) vs. shipping?
Quite a step from a toyota to a MINI, I hope your daughter is enjoying every minute!
Hey Josh,
Gas cost near $160, flight $222, food “Awffle House” and a like $65, Pasquals in Santa Fe NM $65, I splurged in Santa Fe with room and food otherwise 2 separate nites in a Super 8 motel not much.
I am self employed and my clients all were quite good about it.
I could have had it shipped but I didn’t trust the low end shippers and didn’t want to do the rare shippers at $1800 – $3000.
The car was a hell of a deal, 13,800 miles nicely equipped for $17,400. Couldn’t find near the deal out in CA.
I guess it’s all my Baja Racing experience that helped deal with long grueling days of the two journeys.
My daughter doesn’t have it yet as I am getting it registered 1st. She lives in SD I in LA. In the meantime she drives the MCS, UGH!