BajaNomad - a minicooper in Baja?

a minicooper in Baja?

maxboxa - 7-1-2010 at 08:51 AM

well, just got some bad news from my mechanic and aparently my jeep will not be ready in time for me to bring to baja. i can sit around and wait for it or i can bring my other car. a mini cooper. would it be a complete bonehead move to bring it? is it possible to keep it from becoming a see-saw on one of the topes?

wessongroup - 7-1-2010 at 08:57 AM

Not sure where you are going to be... but, have seen a few on the toll road between Tijuana and Ensenada.. if that helps....

DENNIS - 7-1-2010 at 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by maxboxa
is it possible to keep it from becoming a see-saw on one of the topes?

There are some big ones as well as deep potholes. You car would more vulnerable than most others...that's for sure. Can you mount some big tractor wheels on it? :lol:

bonanza bucko - 7-1-2010 at 09:06 AM

If you stay on pavement that isn't too full of pot holes you will be OK. But.....!!!...if you go anywhere south of Huerfanito on That Road, as one example of many, you will need to pre arrange for rescue. But, maybe, the rescuers won't have to go far because you will be very lucky to make it much more than about a half mile before stuff starts falling off and breaking.
BB

maxboxa - 7-1-2010 at 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

There are some big ones as well as deep potholes. You car would more vulnerable than most others...that's for sure. Can you mount some big tractor wheels on it? :lol:

if it were possible, i'd do it.
i'm begining to feel like baja don't want me. first the trip was cut short from 12 to 7 days. now this. with my luck, i'll get swallowed up by a sinkhole once i cross the border.

maxboxa - 7-1-2010 at 09:10 AM

i suppose i'd have to relegate my trip to hwy 1 and keep my eyes peeled. but are there any way around the topes? i guess that's my biggest fear. getting hi-centered on one of them.

[Edited on 7-1-2010 by maxboxa]

DENNIS - 7-1-2010 at 09:32 AM

You can handle the topes just like the Mexicans do...drive slowly at an oblique angle. It's the holes you should be most concerned about.
Hey...it's Baja. It's not supposed to be easy. C'mon down and don't sweat the small stuff.

vandenberg - 7-1-2010 at 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
Hey...it's Baja. It's not supposed to be easy. C'mon down and don't sweat the small stuff.

He has a "small stuff" he should be concerned about.
Right in front of the new Santa Fe hotel here in Loreto, they put a tope, that, no matter how I try to manage it, I cannot get over with my 2008 Camry, without bottoming out. :no:

comitan - 7-1-2010 at 09:42 AM

It will handle everything very well! I took a demo in one once and it was driven up onto curbs and down with no problems.

maxboxa - 7-1-2010 at 09:43 AM

thanks dennis. i'll get there one way or another. if you see a mini on the road, honk and pull me over. wait... that may freak me out. just honk and wave :lol:

maxboxa - 7-1-2010 at 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vandenberg
He has a "small stuff" he should be concerned about.
Right in front of the new Santa Fe hotel here in Loreto, they put a tope, that, no matter how I try to manage it, I cannot get over with my 2008 Camry, without bottoming out. :no:

no:

i can only hope to make it to that far south

bajaguy - 7-1-2010 at 10:11 AM

Put big flagpole and flag on the roof.....that way if you get "lost" in a pothole, someone will find you... :lol:

mtgoat666 - 7-1-2010 at 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by maxboxa
well, just got some bad news from my mechanic and aparently my jeep will not be ready in time for me to bring to baja. i can sit around and wait for it or i can bring my other car. a mini cooper. would it be a complete bonehead move to bring it? is it possible to keep it from becoming a see-saw on one of the topes?

you city slickers are funny. a mini cooper can drive on paved and unpaved roads.
have you ever been to mexico? you don't need a truck to drive in mexico. millions of mexicans drive small cars every day. they even drive small cars on unpaved roads! OMG!

Frank - 7-1-2010 at 10:55 AM

Cmon youve seen the movie The Italian Job right? You can do it! If you break down Ill just put your car in the back of my truck :spingrin:

capt. mike - 7-1-2010 at 10:57 AM

i'd can it - what's the big obsession and pressure? you only have a week and want to drive?? from frisco?? baja is nice to visit but it ain't the big end all to other fun places in the states especially much closer to norcal.
you'll spend 4 out of 7 days just getting there and back. that's the last thing i'd want to do.
you should book a flight to los cabos or la paz, rent a cheap car and drive and enjoy local color and flavor.
there are plenty of bargain places to stay, start with Mar De Cortez in cabo or LA casa Jalisco in La paz.

a mega drive is worth it if you have min 2-3 weeks i'd say.
many here will not concur and often drive 12 hours each way for a 3 day weekend - insanity i think!! :lol:

mtgoat666 - 7-1-2010 at 11:02 AM

capt cracker:
for some people it's more about the journey and not so much about the destination....

Russ - 7-1-2010 at 11:10 AM

I love Mini's. Always wondered how they'd do. I think it would be a kick to run to cabo and back in one. Of course I also wonder about taller tires too. But they appear to be tall enough to handle all but the worst topes.

2010.mini.cooper.20311829-E.jpg - 30kB

wessongroup - 7-1-2010 at 11:15 AM

for what it worth, drove about 45 miles south of el rosario in a 1957 VW bug.. in 1968 it was pretty close to the ground.. and I made it ... but, then I didn't worry about anything.. at that time.. just if I had water.. and gas

Dave - 7-1-2010 at 11:22 AM

I have friends who live near Rosarito and own a mini. They love the car so I guess that says something. What's remarkable is that they're both big people. He's probably 6'4" and 300+ and she's not far behind. I'm always amazed when I see them get out of the car.

bajabass - 7-1-2010 at 11:33 AM

Those things have an amazing amount of interior room. They have rallied Mini's for decades, not to sure about the new ones. A little weak on the suspension for super rough roads. Low profile tires and square edged pot holes don't mix well! Great for my alignment/suspension biz though! Buy those 40 series tires, struts, and alignments, I'm retiring and need the money.

[Edited on 7-1-2010 by bajabass]

Russ - 7-1-2010 at 12:22 PM

Bajabass, Where in Orange are you? My Exploder needs a good going over and I'd like a real add a leaf spring in the rear. I'll be up end of Sept.

bajabass - 7-1-2010 at 12:50 PM

My shop is on Batavia, just a little south of the P.D. Russ. If you know the area, 1 1/2 blocks south of Katella. Accurate Alignment 971 N. Batavia #A Orange CA. 92867 714-538-1916 I can have the guys at Deaver's Spring dial the rear, and set up anything else you may need. Open invitation to all Nomads, stop by, say hi, no heavy sales pressure. Get it fixed soon, cause I'll be in La Paz A.S.A.P. :spingrin:

KAT54 - 7-1-2010 at 04:31 PM

Shoud I take mine?

[Edited on 7-2-2010 by KAT54]

fishabductor - 7-1-2010 at 04:40 PM

You SHOULD learn to spell!!

KAT54 - 7-1-2010 at 04:44 PM

I no longer have the need to tell people
what school I went to like you.
"Degree in Construction Engineering
Montana State University-Bozeman 2000"
Or correct a silly typo.
I would like to see your report card.
FFFFF

k-rico - 7-1-2010 at 04:48 PM

LOTS of mini-coopers in TJ, it's a very "in" car here. It would be a fun car to drive down the highway.

DavidE - 7-1-2010 at 05:33 PM

In my neck of the woods which isn't Baja mini-Coopers are -highly prized- and are at risk. A method needs to be enabled that would prevent a tow-truck from snatch-and-flee. I don't want to wreck your trip plans rather encourage you to explore ways to put your mind at ease at every small noise outside your door at night.

fishabductor - 7-1-2010 at 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KAT54
I no longer have the need to tell people
what school I went to like you.
"Degree in Construction Engineering
Montana State University-Bozeman 2000"
Or correct a silly typo.
I would like to see your report card.
FFFFF

You only have a need to continuously ask stupid questions, to try and tick people off.

Russ - 7-1-2010 at 06:34 PM

fishabductor ~~~ You've been trolled!

Marc - 7-1-2010 at 07:57 PM

Those topes! I get caught two or three times a trip. I should know all of them by heart by now.
Worse that a tope are the storm runoffs in Ensenda. Be careful! I busted open a new tire on my big Tundra on one. And I wasn't going all that fast either.
I think a sub compact would be OK as long as attention is paid and you drive on the main roads. Mex 1 is a better ride now, in my opinion, than it was 15 or 20 years ago.

fishabductor - 7-1-2010 at 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Russ
fishabductor ~~~ You've been trolled!

IQ54 or is it Troll54...I didn't know they had schools for trolls who live under rocks.

Mexicorn - 7-1-2010 at 08:16 PM

What happened to all those Topes south of Mexicali enroute to San Felipe?
Does the mini fare well well with them?

Tiomiguel - 7-2-2010 at 07:29 AM

We have a mini cooper S and the one pictured does not have the front spoiler that we have. We scrape getting out of our driveway and the car behaves like a snow plow if we drive it in the winter here in Canada.
If you have the S, your clearance is a little less than a standard Mini. If you have the spoiler on front, definately take it off before going to Baja as the spoiler won't make it.
If you are going anywhere onto dirt, as good as these cars are in Rally's I would not take mine down there for love or money. The ground clearance is just too low and if you do get into trouble, the mechanics will look at you as if you have a third eye. The Mini's are great cars but the S, or mine at least has minimal ground clearance and it would be easy to hang it up. It also does not have good towing points so it would get hurt badly if towed. With ours they only tow them on flatbeds.

There will be no parts, or mechanics that understand these sophisticated great little cars and you will be stranded.

Rent a car, fly, or do something else so you don't muck up your beautiful Mini.

Good luck

bajabass - 7-2-2010 at 08:22 AM

Very good advice to heed, from an owner!

MitchMan - 7-2-2010 at 10:34 AM

FWIW, drove from Orange County, CA to La Paz about 6 weeks ago and encountered virtually NO POTHOLES accept for a handfull of really small ones that I didn't really even have to slow down for in a couple of places between Loreto and La Paz. I don't believe it has rained at all since that trip.

Took the Cuota roads as far as I could and I stayed on Highway 1 all the way.

[Edited on 7-2-2010 by MitchMan]

Bajatripper - 7-2-2010 at 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike
i'd can it - what's the big obsession and pressure? you only have a week and want to drive?? from frisco?? baja is nice to visit but it ain't the big end all to other fun places in the states especially much closer to norcal.
you'll spend 4 out of 7 days just getting there and back. that's the last thing i'd want to do.
you should book a flight to los cabos or la paz, rent a cheap car and drive and enjoy local color and flavor.
there are plenty of bargain places to stay, start with Mar De Cortez in cabo or LA casa Jalisco in La paz.

a mega drive is worth it if you have min 2-3 weeks i'd say.
many here will not concur and often drive 12 hours each way for a 3 day weekend - insanity i think!! :lol:

Given the time constrains, that's the best advice given. Unless your point is to have bragging rights to having made a mad dash down the peninsula and back. If that's the case, that mini out to be a lot of fun on the curvy stuff.

Bajatripper - 7-2-2010 at 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidE
In my neck of the woods which isn't Baja mini-Coopers are -highly prized- and are at risk. A method needs to be enabled that would prevent a tow-truck from snatch-and-flee. I don't want to wreck your trip plans rather encourage you to explore ways to put your mind at ease at every small noise outside your door at night.

So David E, when do you get to the part about setting his mind at ease over every small noise outside his door at night?

Its the edge of the road thats gonna get you

BajaDanD - 7-2-2010 at 10:42 PM

I drove a Toyota Echo all the way to Cabo and back. We drove all over the East Cape and Cabo Pulmo area too. But we had 2 weeks. Its not the topes I'd worry about, its pulling on and off the road. In some places the drop off just to get into a gas station can be way higher then most topes.

Las Arenas lighthouse

scan0001.jpg - 16kB

wessongroup - 7-2-2010 at 10:49 PM

Ditto's... :lol:

maxboxa - 7-12-2010 at 09:19 AM

well, i made it to los cabos and back and the cooper s is in one piece. i have to say, i wasn't expecting to have that much fun driving. most of the roads were awesome! gonna do it again soon, but with more time and in my jeep. all of baja was great, but have to agree with most that the magic starts once you get into bcs.

BajaDanD - 7-12-2010 at 06:47 PM

Glad to hear you made it there and back safely. How about a trip report

DavidE - 7-13-2010 at 11:14 AM

Bajatripper, that's HIS issue, not mine or anyone else's. Of course he could take no action, wake up some morning then start making plans to hop on a bus and return home. Mini-Coopers are RETAILED BRAND NEW in Mexico. They are extremely popular with los socios (the members) if you catch my drift, because they can flat-out outrun any police cruiser in the country. Whomever said that parts are not available is speaking from a perspective of not knowing that Mini-Coopers are made and sold in Mexico s well as the USA and are subject to exactly the same repair and replacement parts criteria as any foreign made motor vehicle.

Robbers do NOT need to hotwire. They call a towtruck buddy, and then with incredible silence move a car far enough away to attach the hook and off they go. If "caught" they swear up and down that they got a telephone call asking them to remove an "illegal" car.

All the interlocks and gizmos on the face of the earth fall like a house of cards when a stolen car reaches a taller.

A LOUD alarm is probably the simplist way to thwart thieves. I would choose a real screecher that would wake the dead. Something to penetrate the thick skull of a crooked tow-truck driver from taking the car if the owners were too far away to hear the alarm.

I live in Mexico 24/7 365 for years at a time (meaning short trips are taken to go to the USA every few years). I get to hear the gossip, see the news, and experience things that few casual visitors ever get to see).

My suggestions are just that. Chit-chat. Offered for whatever they're worth. If determined to be worthless, save time and skip to the next subject.