TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES
By Jamie Ipsen

Neil Evans sits across the table from me at his ambiance charged brew pub, The Albany Pump Station. We’re here to celebrate his 200,000 mile relationship with his MINI Cooper S. You don’t just drive 200,000 miles in a MINI, you experience them, all of them. “How many zeros is that?” I ask him. He simply grins.

After a lot of investigative questions about his car and those miles I begin to realize Neil and his MINI are indistinguishable. I’ve heard, ‘We are what we drive’ but in Neil’s case it’s, ‘We drive what we are’.

In 2004 Neil was looking for a car with great gas mileage, with enough room to transport kegs and was fun to drive. He had a long daily commute and lots of beer deliveries to make. A test drive in a “justa MINI” left him very interested, but at the suggestion of the salesperson, a test drive in the “S” made it clear a MINI (S) was the car he needed and wanted. He ordered one that day in Liquid Yellow with a black roof and black bonnet stripes, a cool sunroof for summer and heated seats for winter. Soon after receiving his new MINI, Neil found that with the back seat taken out (back seat delete), five kegs could fit on a delivery run. (I imagine the MINI was regularly airborne on the trip home sans kegs.) Neil said there was never an occasion when he had to say, “Darn, we have the MINI!” Everything he needed always seemed to fit. In addition to using it as a daily workhorse, the MINI has enjoyed excursions to Boston, Montreal and Michigan’s outer peninsula. For the last two years Neil and his MINI drove up Mt Washington, NH participating in the Make-A-Wish fundraiser, MINIs-On-Top. No matter how far the distance the MINI never felt cramped or uncomfortable.

Neil says he isn’t an aggressive driver but definitely a “spirited” one. With thousands of miles on back roads and thirty track days under the bonnet, obviously the spirit is alive and well. “What prompted you to track your MINI?” I ask in wonder. Apparently, the local MINI dealer was sponsoring a ‘demo day’ at Lime Rock Park. If you bought the John Cooper Works kit (which provided an additional 43hp) you were eligible for track time at the ‘demo day’. This was too good to pass up (and yes, as a bonus, the beer could be delivered faster if the MINI was a JCW!) Eight weeks after his car came home, it went back to the shop for its first mod. A month after that, Neil was driving at Lime Rock Park. Although the track time was essentially a parade lap at forty mph, it was enough to spark the fire that would take Neil and his MINI to driving schools at Watkins Glen, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Monticello, Lime Rock Park and Calabogie Motorsports Park (and a MINIless detour to Laguna Seca.)

Neil and his MINI have a strength and a calm about them. They have a just-keep-going attitude. The MINI has only required two significant repairs, a new power steering pump (because a stone got stuck in it) and a new clutch at 180,000 miles (because it was time). The MINI has also suffered three accidents. On two occasions it was hit while parked (in the same spot!) and once it was hit head-on by a Jeep Cherokee that was going the wrong way on a thruway ramp. (Interestingly, the Jeep sustained $6000 worth of damage, the MINI $2300 – no people were hurt). Neil has had two major surgeries that would have taken most of us down (and probably out), but he just viewed them as a short detour on the highway of life. Neil and his MINI aren’t out to beat the world. They simply want to provide it with happiness, good cheer, and a great beer, perhaps in return for a brisk wind over the bonnet. “MINIs just make people smile. Why wouldn’t I drive one?” He laughs, then adds “I think it’s the sexy rims that really turn heads.”

“So out of all those miles, which were your favorites?” I have to ask. There is no hesitation in his answer, “That would have to be the last track day we did. It was the (Patroon/NYC Chapter Driving School) – The Longest Day at Watkins Glen (June 13, 2011). I drove from 8am to 8:30pm – almost ran out of gas – twice! There was late passing, the weather was beautiful (a sunrise & a sunset), the MINI was at its best, the camaraderie was excellent – what a day!”

“What will happen next, Neil?” (I’m thinking trade-in). A tremendous smile lights up his face. “We’re just warming up ~ I can’t wait to see 222, 222 then 300,000 miles. Eventually, the MINI will become a dedicated track car.”

Actually, his MINI is already dedicated. 200,000 miles is a lot of time spent with your alter ego.