Note: This not a done deal, but we came, we saw, we test drove, and now we're in the paperwork phase.
It's getting time to replace our 16 1/2 year-old Audi A4, and I'm considering doing something that I've never done in the 44 years I've been buying cars: Buy a used one. We are also buying a second car that's the same brand as the first.Basically, new shiny cars from both Audi and MINI (including dealer loaners) have a plethora of touchscreen controls on glass dashboards (Katherine's term is FGD — and the F is NOT silent.) Neither Katherine or I want controls you have to look at to manipulate; we want physical knobs and switches that you can adjust by touch while you keep your eyes on the road.
Given I don't drive much these days and don't need cargo space for more than groceries, I could look at getting a gently used MINI Cooper S two door. However, with our policy of one door per passenger, we don't take passengers in Pure More the Aqua (our 2019 MINI Cooper S 2 door convertible). So on my side of the garage we need at at least a 4 door MINI for passengers.
I have a candidate from the dealer we bought our last two new MINI Cooper S rag tops from, a 2023 Cooper S 4 door (not a Countryman) that's the same generation as Purr More.
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| 2023 Zesty Yellow MINI Cooper S 4 Door Exterior |
The obvious differences with Purr More are the color, hard top, four doors, DCT transmission, digital instrument cluster, no head up display, and no navigation system. (However, apparently Apple CarPlay will talk to Apple Maps or even Google Maps on my iPhone.)
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| 2023 MINI Cooper S 4 Door FGD-free cockpit |
And oh yes, it's ~two-thirds the price of a new MINI.
(I have to admit, the color sounds like a dipping sauce for Onion Rings at Burger King.)
