end of an era, new beginnings

Traded in my MINI this past weekend...surprisingly hard to say goodbye to him. He was the first custom order the Mountain View dealership took after it opened; I was there on their second day in business, with my order all configured online and ready to go. He held up very well over the next seven and a half years, especially considering the big chance I took on the first model year of a basically totally new type of car. We went on rallies together, had a blast on Thunderhill Raceway, motored north, south, to the coast, to Vegas, to Hoover Dam, all kinds of places. Quirky, unique, very fun, different. Definitely my kind of car, which is why...

...I traded him in for a brand new one. Brand new MINI Cooper S [only 7 miles on the odometer when I picked it up]; red with white roof and mirrors, white bonnet stripes, 17" black rims, premium accessory packages, sporty leather seats, red leather details on the interior. Much sportier, much more powerful, and a total blast to drive. Named him Sparky, for his resemblance to a fire engine...trying to get a personalized plate now.

Soooo hard to sit at work when all you want to do is go motoring... >.<