Nice to hear someone talking about winter driving that actually has a clue.

Todd, you are a real car guy. Both purist vehicles you own, drive them all properly, buy stick shifts and don’t worry about the reliability too much. It’s great to see people like you putting your money where it counts. I wish the Mini a good and long life.

The center speedo has two reasons for being there. The first is that it is simply where it always was in the original MINIs, so they kept it there on the "new" MINI. The second has to do with MINIs rally racing history. As you may know, MINI was dominating the rally scene in the early to mid 60s. In rally racing, you have a driver (who has never driven or seen the course at all), and a co-driver (who has seen the course and has taken great notes regarding the course). It is the co-driver who navigates the driver through the course, and at the fastest pace possible. Both the driver and co-driver need to know the speed, but only the driver needs to know the revolutions (i.e. tach). This is the reason that the "new" MINI kept the speedo in the middle and the tach in front of the driver (with a digital readout for speed). The big, center speedo on the "new" MINI was nothing more than a hail-back to its rally days in the 60s.

Unfortunately, too many people don't understand this one simple concept.... 4 wheel drive, while wonderful in slick or muddy conditions, do great things for propelling you forward, it does absolutely nothing for stopping you. This creates a false confidence in people as they haul butt down I-80 over Donner summit. On top of that, the additional weight of the large SUV's creates additional kinetic energy when it does come time to stop... well it just isn't going to happen. Sometime ending up on the roof. I live in Germany now in the foothills of the Alps. I recently bought a 2001 first gen Mini Cooper. 165,000 km with a couple small dings here and there, for 1,700 euros. It's going to be a project car next Spring, just to see how far I can build this car up, and still be reliable. But first I have to get through this winter. So far, so good. It was a 2 owner car, but the first owner only had it for 13 months. The 2nd owner has had it ever since, and had it serviced and repaired religiously. It is interesting, in the US, the mini cooper is a fun little car that most owners really enjoy, and all over the country there are Mini clubs etc. But over here, the Mini Cooper is a huge status symbol. I still don't understand why yet. But it runs right up there with owning a lower priced Porsche, say like a Boxster or so. One of the things that is very very common, is for businesses to buy a Mini and have it wrapped with the company names and logos etc, and then park it along the road somewhere near their business, as a mobile billboard. At the end of the day however, they don't drive the car home. It simply goes back to the company and is parked. Now you can have any car wrapped with a company logo, and doing that to a larger van, would seem to make more sense. Easier to see etc, but it's something to do with the status of owning a Mini, it's almost the only vehicle that this happens to. Strange to me as an American living over here. Regardless, I am loving my Mini Cooper. Even though it's not an S model, it has plenty of get up and go for me now that I'm older. And even though in my younger years, I'd owned many high output sportscars and muscle cars, this is the most fun car to drive, I have ever owned. A lot like a go cart, even when you aren't pushing it through the corners. And with the tiny narrow roads they have over here, it fits perfect... Bob in Germany

One of my friend has a 2004 mini, she's had it since new, Manual trans, and it is still on its original clutch at approx. 217000 miles. The car has been solid for her, other than the usual wear/tear items it hasn't given her any problems.

Been watching your videos and listening to the podcast for years. I think this is Todd's best video ever, you seem to be far more casual on camera...it seems like you're having some fun! This was a great video and I look forward to more on KZfaq/Velocity/Vimeo/Amazon/etc.

I got a '06 Cooper S GP, daily it from day one. 215 hp and supercharger whine in that little thing, will put a smile on anyone's face.

i like minis because they are beautiful....whats holding me back from buying one is the negative comments about the reliability.....but im almost at a point where i will just buy one because its beautiful

I absolutely agree with the dynamic you described about a car that you're more in-tune with. I haven't heard that worded the way you did before, and I finally understand why I keep this 04 Sentra around even though I have all wheel and "4 wheel" drive for heavy snow: it gives better feedback quicker...and it doesn't matter if I have to intentionally use the guardrail to get just the right angle to traverse bad ice. Jeeps do very well and can tackle snow that I probably won't encounter on any roads besides maybe a day or two every decade. Although it is significantly lower, the lil beater Nissan is more communicative; therefore I have more time to realize and react rather than feeling false security that delays reaction. You know you're sliding and controlling the slide sometimes too, which makes it less surprising when traction is lost; therefore, a safer correction can be achieved. Thank you for this video, cheers!

I own a 2003 mini cooper S. I bought it for $3500 with 178k miles. I've owned it for 8 months and the only problem Ive ever had was the alternator went out. It's a great car. Super fun to drive and so far its been pretty damn reliable.

I'm impressed by the mileage on the Cooper, that's some decent running. You're totally right though Todd, a well serviced vehicle is a good proposition. Look forward to the next long term on this car!

I just bought a 2003 mini cooper s for $1500. It has 130,000 miles. It's been great so far. Headed into my first winter now. We shall see how I like it.

This was an excellent summary of driving in winter, and car choice when doing so. Super well explained. Thank you guys!

Thanks for doing this video. I currently have a MINI and I think with the weight and winter tires it is a beast in the snow. The only thing that hampers it is the lack of ground clearance for the deeper stuff.

Thank you for that mini KZfaq clip. I drove a mini a few months ago and loved the drive. Did not think it would be good to drive on the snow. Thanks to you I have decided to purchase a mini Cooper!

Your video popped up in my feed. Love the video quality, the editing, the energetic delivery, your vocal quality (no inter-mountain drawl). Yes, we are (YT) friends. Subscribed.

Oh look. At 7:12 a Mini speeds up in the left lane to get in the vid😂

Holy crap thank you. The FWD / RWD winter argument is something I find myself having with people multiple times per year.

I went for the same winter car, 2004 S with 90k miles, 1 owner, similar price range. Love it, money as the navigation which moves the speedometer away from the passengers. Great choice, great video

I own a 08 mcs and it hasnt been the most reliable but i love driving it. One of the most fun fwd cars ive driven, and its great in the snow.

These minis are a fukn blast too drive... Driving a small car fast is the best

Another great video. I really enjoy your down to earth, real world perspectives.

Literally have an R53 Cooper S that is specifically and solely a winter/storm car. It's holding up great and is perfect for this type of duty.

Got an 03 Cooper S with 57k for $4500. I'm approaching 60k now and so far it's been one of my favorite cars, it's actually very good in snow

Great Video I just bought a 2009 Mini Hardtop. A lot of Fun and learning about it everyday.

I used to drive my Mini over the Santiam Pass in Oregon in the middle of winter all the time. GREAT car for driving on snow and ice!

I got a 2009 Honda Civic EX-L with 220K on it for $4K OTR five months ago. I only did an oil change and got used winter tires since then. Good for commuting short distances and it works well even for longer commutes (40 minutes each way) that my wife has been doing lately.

Really interesting perspective. This motivates me to keep my Civic as a winter car after I get my engineering degree. Although, I've always been a huge believer in one car for every purpose. Either way, cool to hear you talk about your Mini.

Wonderful video and beautifully presented. Always loved those 1st generation new Mini's. Was apprehensive because I heard that they were mechanical nightmares. I guess 180,000 has proven naysayers wrong? I have a 2008 SAAB 9-5 FWD. With winter tires it's a mountain goat. Have been running winter tires since my bought-new 1991 Toyota Cressida RWD. Will never drive without them ever! From stopping distance to climbing uphill and descending downhill, they are lifesavers.

Bought one new in 2013. Love it. Just put a new set of shoes on it and it rides soooooo nice. Run flat tires are nice but, they are a bit rough and when they are down to the wear bar, they're very loud. Still, it's a fantastic lil' car in town, on the road and on those mountain curves (Glacier Park).

Absolutely love this video, by far the best review I’ve seen of the r53 and makes me look forward to the winter! I’ve noticed an amber light on the speedo... is that tcs or an engine warning light?

Having driven both RWD and FWD through Canadian winters, I hear you on the understeer -- until you learn to left-foot brake. Enter snowy corner in a FWD car with throttle still on, brake with left foot: more braking = more turning. You basically point the nose with the steering wheel and brake. Not only does that allow you to moderate the understeer, it means you can do it far more quickly than just lifting off the gas and waiting for the tires to regain grip. When you get it right, it feels great! Practice in an wide open parking lot first!! Also -- in terms of why people love FWD in the winter on snow tires - it isn't about handling balance. It's about low-speed traction ... not getting stuck. If you get deeper snow, FWD with snows is better. It's not that you go faster. It's that you go at all!

Awesome vid. Just bought a 05 r53. Too much fun to be had with clothes on. Absolutely love it. Got to go. Nor-easter starting to dump snow.

Ah this brings back good memories. I had a 2004 Mini Cooper S in the same color. Picked it up with 40,000 miles on it and daily drove it all 4 seasons in NY. Had that car until 100,000 miles. It's funny because my clutch went out at 90,000 miles too (throw out bearing took a dump). Must be a flaw in the clutch they used. I also had the power steering pump die on me around 80,000 miles. That ended up being a recall. Honestly I loved that MINI. Despite having the worst throttle programming, seats that killed my lower back and neck, and the lack of any normal sized cup holders up front, I will forever miss the little guy.

Can we have an update on this car please ?

I mentioned in my review of this car the traction control is really aggressive its almost impossible to drive fast with it on because it will interrupt you constantly and is unsettling but overall this car is still a bunch of fun to drive and that supercharger wine never gets old!

Subbed for fellow SLC car enthusiast! I'm considering a Mini of this generation as well, you found a great one!

Excellent review. Mini's a perfect at what they are, small little runaround cars. I own a MK2 and they are fun to drive.

Amazing review and driving tips explained extremely well! Cheers buddy!

I just picked up an ‘05 Cooper S JCW for daily duty. Still debating whether or not to track prep it or keep it a docile daily. Reliability is the main concern - though mine only has 48k miles. Seeing yours at 180k is definitely encouraging!

Completely agree about traction control. It also hinders power to prevent wheel slippage during the dry seasons and makes the car a lot less fun to drive in any mini.

Never quite understood the misconception about RWD cars in winter conditions. I got my first RWD BMW last year and, with the right set of winter tires, it’s a blast to drive in the snow!

I got a Mini cooper R56 for 5k with 119k miles on it a couple months ago. At first it did horrible in the snow but after getting new tires, it does great! Sure, it's not as good as my mom's Pilot in the snow, but it's still really good

That is a beautiful car! I hope you are taking as good a care of it as the previous owner!

Hey sir... Great Vid...we purchased a 2012 Countryman ALL4 S and loved the thing for 4 years... never owned one before I am total Toyota man... but the handling of that car and the handling in the snow and rain for my wife was amazing....@ 510000 miles we got the old...radiator is leaking into the oil syndrome and the dealer tried to hand us a 2k bill...my wife said that's it...they ate the bill because the 2011 was recalled for this very problem...we traded it in on Mercedes GLA 250... which has been awesome for 3 years she loves it.. My question is how is this mini riding.... I am in the Delaware area we get hit pretty bad in winter so my FJ Cruiser goes right through any of this stuff but I miss the handling of the mini and the manual drive. I am test driving Mini S's for sale in the area with over 100k on them under $5k and just want it for my 4 mile back road commute to work..so I was wondering how your clutch is holding up and timing chain because i have done the research and found the mini blogs have the R53's as the most fun with the supercharger but do have the expensive clutch problem. Thank you very much..

I've been driving a 2006 cobalt coupe LS manual transmission since it had 24 miles on the odometer. I've tried several different brand winter tires and the #Michelin x-ice 3's(the 2's kinda aren't that great and I loved the original x-ice's but can't find any to order any more) are the ones I've settled out on with almost all my other cars if I drive them in the winter or not. Yeah most of the time since the car is pulling me in the fwd I feel way more secure on the hwy grease and slush. Of course is live to have awd or 4wd but to get good mpg DD almost always fwd(much less driveline lose with the trans-axle) will take the cake. I unless it's super deep snow I'm almost always keeping up with any awd or 4wd car/truck. Glass ice kinda sucks in certain situations sometimes but I've made it work with no traction control, abs or any other electrical interference dodads. I've had so many people wonder why or how I could get around so well in the super basic of a car. A bit of driver skill and a lot of great tire engineering sure helped. P.S. I currently live in southcentral Alaska so we know shitty roads or two.

Let me tell ya. I'm in the spot in Canada where the winters are some of the worst... The prairies. Tons of snow. Extremely cold temperatures, sometimes reaching colder than -40 C (-40 F). I had a 01 VW beetle TDI for over nine years that I used as a daily driver/commuter. Just sold it this fall. She was absolutely AMAZING in the bad winter conditions. Put a pair of winter tires on, plug in the block heater the night before, and she always started and I could get through anything. That car could hammer through 8" of decently heavy snow super easily. (Mind you I did actually put a 2" lift on it) but if someone is looking for a good, bulletproof commuter, a Volkswagen Beetle, Jetta, Golf, or Passat TDI is a great choice. So reliable in fact, that I upgraded to another Volkswagen TDI. Now I'm rocking in a '13 Jetta high line!

Thank you for your comments about rear wheel drive (and front wheel drive) in the snow! I'm new to the snow belt and was stunned how many folks just don't get it. I daily my BRZ year round with winter tires in winter and feel way safer than any SUV on all seasons would make me feel (TC off of course)

How to fix front wheel drive understeer: use the handbrake. Sometimes A simple tug when the front wheels have no bite corrects your line perfectly.

I love your taste in cars, they're all unique, sporty, and paint is not beige or green.

This parallels my used car story. My friend who is the head mechanic/technician at a Honda dealership and has serviced all of my vehicles for the last 25 years, has owned a classic Mini, a Gen 1 base Mini, a Rabbit Mk 5 and now a Gen 2 base Mini. He owned the Rabbit for 10 years before selling it to me for $3500 with two sets of wheels & tires plus assorted spare parts. It was meticulously cared for and has a Mini style front stripe on it. Knowing how he cared for the car, I bought it without even test driving it. It now has over 153K miles on it, has no leaks or other issues, and burns no oil. It pays to be at the right place at the right time. A local Mini owner has been trying to buy it from me for his wife because of the Tiptronic auto/manual transmission.

My Fiesta ST is a beast in the snow with snow tires installed. Whenever it stops turning I grab some e-brake and rotate the car KB style.

For all the people (predictably) saying MINIs are junk, unreliable, etc., this video CLEARLY proves you wrong. I've also got a 2005 and it has 145K miles on it. Just had it on a 3K mile road trip and could cruise all day at 70-90mph. The car has never let me down; it's never stalled, it's never failed to start. The 1.6 Tritec motor is an incredibly durable platform. The 2005-6 cars are the best of the first generation MINIs; any previous issues were sorted out by then. The second generation cars (starting in 2007) apparently had problems with the timing chain, and MINIs have just gotten uglier since then, IMO.

I learned the hard way that even with low miles, a Mini can be a maintenance headache. I purchased a loaded Clubman S used a little over three years ago with 45k miles. Since then, I needed valve cover gasket, oil pan, front main seal, thermostat, coolant pipe, timing chain and tensioner, water pump, oil pan gasket again. A lot of stuff is plastic and breaks easily. Routine stuff included: battery, serpentine belt, spark plugs, brake pads, air filters, coolant flush, new tires, oil changes etc. All this before 75k mles. It's starting to leak oil again a few weeks ago. Luckily I'll be selling it in the next two months or so.

I had a 2005 Cooper S in Electric Blue here in NH. Separate winter wheels and tires and the factory ski rack. It was a great little car. Eager little supercharged engine, fantastic shifter, comfortable seats (I'm 6'3" and it had plenty of room), super tight handling. The previous owner had put on an aftermarket exhaust that sounded fantastic. But it was my daily driver for over three years and the suspension wore on me. It was brutal. When I saw a pothole coming I squeezed my ass and gritted my teeth in anticipation. Ba-boom! Ba-boom! I read that the superchargers quit at 100K but mine had 140K and was running strong. It was starting to rust though. The doors and around the rear lights. I had the rust fixed once but it kept coming back. Once it starts there's no stopping it. So I sold it for like $4000. I miss it though.

Owned all Mini's. In my verdict, R53 reliable, R56 - STAY AWAY!, Currently got a F56 S - Very reliable 2.0 BMW twinscroll turbo, what else to say? :)

Just bought a 2009 Mini Cooper and I am enjoying it. I am learning more about it everyday. Can you suggest a blog where I can get questions answered?

I bought a 2009 Base Mini Cooper at the end October 2018 because my VW Golf wouldn't pass the emissions and it would have cost $$$ to fix, thus hello Mini. I have a 2005 Jeep Liberty for winter use (4x4). Well in late January the Liberty went into a ditch and lost reverse transmission. So the Cooper went into use with the winter tires which I got with Cooper all for under $5k. I totally agree the Cooper was a Trooper and made it through January-April Wisconsin Winter. The Winter Tires were a lot few saver!!! Plus the Cooper's gas mileage was almost double of the Liberty. Is it weird that I am more confident in the Cooper driving in snow than the 4x4 Liberty? Thumbs up for the Cooper!

I drive a Mini Countryman and I'm so happy to see the minis getting love

a mini was accidentally passed on to me by my bestfriend who has a friend who wants to just get rid of it. i bought it for only $750 ive used it for doing some delivery and driving more than 100 miles to work sometimes..i just simply restored it because when i recieved the car it was really filthy from all of those years my bestfriend and his friend used for bartending..now it clean but still has some interior work needed to be done...still not bad..oh its a manual car as well it steers really good and the handling is great..with 1900000+ miles on it ive had no serious issues on it, btw i got that with like 1750000 miles but i already managed to add 15000 miles on it...its this type of mini that really lasts the manual 1st gen,, ive only had minimal maintenance on it moslty oil change and other basic fluid it needs...its really made to last i guess but im telling you this car burns oil especially when its due for oil change..adding oil is necessary but not a need after a long time...hes right w it being a winter car because i just love the heated leather seats i have as well...im just doin my best to restore it right now but overall my mini is a good reliable small car...oh btw just 2 weeks ago i ran it down south back and forth for 400+ miles 1 way is only $50 each way...lol..

Todd you are a hero man. In your T-shirt in a 20yo mini in the snow. Great video by the way

I've bought a lot of

@EverydayDriver, How did you manage to find this particular car? Do you have any preferred platforms/methods when it comes to finding well-maintained cars?

I have a mini and I used to daily drive a sc300 and I agree the rwd with snow tires is more predictable in the snow than the fwd

How do you feel about the "performance" winter tires, like the Michelin Alpin PA4?

I have almost the same car. Mine same colors JCW had 82000 mi paid 5400 needed 5700 dollars maintenance at Mini. Love the car hope to have it forever

Now I’m googling old mini Cooper’s

I took a chance (after a LOT of research) on my very first Mini: a 1st gen 2006 convertible supercharged S, 6 spd manual trans with 84,000 miles. Clutch is great. Had it 4 months now. No problems, FUN AS HELL to drive. Comfortable too. Had a 2017 Scion FRS. Like this better. Wife even likes it. As fun as my old 1976 Porsche 914 2.0, from 35 years ago.

Funny Guy! Great Video! Worth the watch, even if your not looking for a mini cooper or $5,000 winter car. Here in California we need "fire resistive cars" and, with all our fruits, nuts and flakes, seeing a car on it's roof is somewhat normal.

I live in India and I now own a 2012 Cooper S Turbo Petrol R56 Chassis. It’s Prince Engine was developed in collaboration with Peugeot. It is a heck of a little beauty. A daily driver and a total fun car. This car was launched in India in 2012 and bought by a person I know who hardly drove it the 8 years he owned it. He had done 33000kms! So I bought it from him and have had it for a year now and have clocked 8000 really happy kms in it. And it is fun. In India we only got the AT 6 speed from Aisin. No manual. But that’s ok. It is true that in developing markets like India these cars, which are considered mere standard cars for anyone abroad, are thought of here as luxury Marques and priced accordingly. That’s a bit wicked. And hence they are only achievable for a common man, if buying them used.

2:11 that is for sure! In the mini, if you go 70mph, it feels like 50mph... so I’ve had a passenger ask me if that was the actual speed lol it feels slow while the speedo is showing high rate of speed

Great video. That's what I say every day when I see an accident, how did you do that?

Just wait until you have to replace the front control arm bushings. First car I ever owned where you have to drop the subframe just to get access.

Yup in the 60's we the knew to accelerate out of a slide, when in front wheel drive... Inclination is to brake, makes the rear overtake the front.. Going down a mountain can be freaky, accelerating when sliding? In B.C. my method of driving, is now to use better judgment and not be in such a hurry? I use Toyo tires with the embedded walnuts. They're great, in all conditions. Fairly reasonable cost, with a mail in rebate usually. They wear well. ... Yes, those new old minis are nice. You got a steal? The second clutch is likely a better one? Given the owner was so good? Better installation maybe? I agree, Spot is overblown. The early minis had a key in ignition, then push button start. It was always drive those cars zipping in and out of heavy vehicles in London. may as well keep spot? Makes it easy to find in the parking lot. Cheers!

My recommendation - General Altimax Arctic winter tires. Cheap, reliable, and should last me another season or two (this winter being my third driving ~5,000 miles each winter). Paid ~ $370 for a set of four 205/55/16 tires.

this video was very satisfying to watch

When you saw the "incident" a green MINI convertible went by ya. I bought a 2006 Mini S convertible and gotta find some rims for my "new" baby so I can mount some winter tires! I'm hoping calls to junk yards for rims to fit is in my future...

I got a mini copper clubman she has 2 owners but the catch was it was the same dealer that got 10 years ago even though there some quirks in my mini copper I love it and the dealer was very happy to see it go again

Todd - you own that "Spot" Mini name! My wife christened my current MX-5 "Mickey" upon her first sight of it and the name has stuck and now we all refer to it that way. Don't be ashamed of the name! ;-)

i have had my 2007 R56 mini for 4 months its done 74,000 and its never needed anything replaced (apart from standard service parts and brakes) its got full BMW service history, neither me, or the previous owner have had any issues with reliability

Curious about your next winter car now that Spot is gone. BTW I too live in a resort town and am "that guy". Great video. Thanks!

I love that generation Mini too. I'm not sure if I would touch one for 5k for a winter beater...

I would love to drive one of these but was afraid of the repair costs. So we got a Scion tc and the alternator went out in 2 days. Lol

Had a 2005 Mini Cooper S and drove it for one year in the Canadian winter. Amazing fun little car but let me tell you everything just started to break. The exhaust system had a leak got a quote for $1500 from a shop. Rear main seal leaked, $3200 to replace. The seal was $50 the rest was labour. They have to take the whole engine and front end off to replace it. Gauges started failing, heavy rust on the rear lights and this thing creaked like mad. But hey it was my favorite car that I have owned so far. Your choice, minis are fun cars to drive but you loose out on reliability.

I have a 2009 corvette z06 in my garage and my winter beater is a 2008 Mini Cooper s !!!! This is a great car for a daily

Make more videos about the Mini please!

The rear seat delete kit is money! I lost count of how many people commented on what we were carting up to our MINI at the hardware store and, subsequently, how many people walked away schooled. If she didn't have so many nitpicky maintenance issues, I'd say she has been my favorite (US market) car to own.

180k miles, I assume the supercharger has been replaced, or at least removed and the oil serviced one or more times? In case you aren't already aware of the potential supercharger oil loss issues, look it up. I didn't pay attention and mine ate itself up. I love my R53 mini, it's very similar to yours, but red, and with rear seats. Oh, and a new sprintex supercharger. :)

We love our Mini Countryman S. People are always surprised how much we can pack into it

When people ask me to recommend used cars, I never recommend anything between $5-10k. That is that middle ground where a it's a used car but still expensive. What I tell people is to buy either a 2 year old car that's already done most of its depreciating but still relatively new, or buy a $1000-3000 car because most are still good, and if it breaks you won't be out too much money. I just found a 2008 fully loaded Buick Allure CSX with only 70k on it for $3000 certified, for my mom. Its in like new condition. I also found lots of 2008 Honda Accords for around $3000-3500.

Parking brake turn will give you that oversteer. Especially with the traction control off

I miss my old R53. It was definitely the most fun car I’ve ever owned.

So far I’ve had an equal, if not better, experience driving a RWD Grand Marquis with winter tires, ABS, and traction control over a FWD Dodge Stealth with winter tires and no assists. However the Dodge was low to the ground and light weight so I got pretty familiar with how it handled and could let it slide out and bring it right back. The only problem I’ve ever had with the Mercury is getting a big heavy car like that to come to a stop/crawl going down a snowy hill.

i have 155K on original clutch. 2008 MINI R56 Base. 6 speed. Love my MINI and have snow tires for winter. AWESOME car.

I own a R50 Mini. 180k and it's still going strong. 👍

Would you mind sharing how much did you FRS depreciate over the two years?

"Incident management, how focus group does that sound?"

This guys gives me Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs vibes. 😭However, I just drove my r56 base mini in a snowstorm. The only thing I’m missing is snow tires and she’s good to go ! Thanks for the recommendation!

180K for $5K, you got took. I bought an '07 S last fall from a dealer with 105K for $5K. It has been a very good car. The only thing I've done to it was tires.

Great video! Very spot on explaining the importance of feeling “connected” to your car. That’s exactly how I feel in my 2011 E350; and has given me much more confidence during our NH winters. The 4matic certainly works great but feeling the road transfer from tires to steering wheel makes determining the car characteristics much more predictable.