Habershons.com :: Meet the Habershons

WENDY -- HOME AT LAST		.
May 5th, 2003 A chili red Mini Cooper passed me and Wendy in the right-hand lane on Memorial today. The traffic was heavy and we were moving at about 20 mph. I waved and beeped at the driver (female). She completely ignored us. I couldn't believe it.
April 19th - 20th, 2003 Wendy does 105 mph without a shudder or a creak. I didn't intend to test her, but we drove to Dallas this weekend, and Callie and Kevin overtook us halfway there in Callie's Ford Mustang Cobra. I couldn't allow this, and so stepped on the gas. What a car! She did exactly what I asked her to do, but the only problem was that I was the one who shuddered and creaked. 105 is much too fast for me. John eventually called Kevin on his cell phone to tell him I surrendered. Callie didn't seem to have a problem with the speed and we didn't see them again until we reached Dallas. For those of you trying to picture Callie, she's about 5'2"/110 lbs. No hard feelings between the Cobra and the Mini. Here they are shooting the breeze outside the Elbow Room.
April 18th, 2003 Rather than take her back to the body shop, I decided to upgrade Wendy's side grilles to chrome (this is what was there before), and ordered a set online from Moss Mini. I think they look very snazzy. The right one didn't fit as snugly as the left one, but I think it'll stay put. Incidentally, the picture of Wendy in the Texas bluebonnets has been greatly admired. A Miniac even referred to it as the Sound of Music picture, so I'm going to put it here as well :)
April 13th, 2003 5000 miles
April 13th, 2003 Got some great pictures of Wendy amongst the bluebonnets while driving home from San Antonio today. Unfortunately, halfway through the journey, her side grille came loose. We stopped, and John removed it completely as the piece that was meant to hold it on was missing. Then, when we got home we discovered that the rubber part had gone, too. BLEAH.
April 11th, 2003 That's a new one. An SUV pulled up on my right at a light today and the driver rolled down her window. I was waiting for the usual questions . . . "where did you get it? how much?", etc., but this lady said: "Where did you get the Union Jack decal? I've been looking for one everywhere."
April 8th, 2003 She's home again and has a very shiny bonnet. Let's hope she is less chip-prone this time. After a month I have the option of fitting her out with Invincashield.
April 2nd, 2003 Wendy is back at U.S. Auto Connection having her bonnet repainted plus a few other minor touchups. They said it would take three days (she has to be taken apart again), so I hope to have her back for the weekend.
March 26th, 2003 I should be getting commissions. Just received this e-mail from a surfer: Ma'am, Thank you. The pages dedicated to the story of you and Wendy2 pushed me to ignore my better judgment and purchase a MINI Cooper S. I will clarify my "better judgment" statement in a moment. I was born and raised in the Motor City, knowing only Detroit metal all my life and despising Japanese cars. I entered the Air Force 8 years ago and have been stationed here in Anchorage, Alaska since June of 2000. In November of 2001, I was sent to Turkey for four months of temporary duty, but required training at an RAF base beforehand. I spent the best 16 days (only 3 working) of my life in the United Kingdom, and was introduced to the classic Mini. I do not recall seeing any new MINIs, but I enjoying motoring around the country with the best drivers on the planet, aside from those in my hometown of Detroit. Upon my return to the States in March of 2002, I decided to trade in my 1997 Dodge Ram gas-guzzler for a used 2001 Honda Civic, mostly due the Mitsubishi something-or-other (not sold in U.S.) that was my rental vehicle in the U.K. Had I known then that there were a new version of MINI, and that they would be making their way across the pond, I would have held out and not bought the Honda. I became aware the 2nd British Invasion had begun on my way home from a haircut last fall. I won't forget it. It was an Indi Blue Cooper S. I fell in love immediately. I find out recently that I am going to be reassigned to Miami, FL this June for a three year tour. Administrative reasons are why I requested this assignment over one in the United Kingdom, but a U.K. assignment after this one is my number one goal in mind. Currently, I could not get in trade-in on my Civic, what I still owe on it ($3,000 negative equity). With that in mind, it would be in my best interest to just go to Miami in my Civic, pay it off sometime in 2004, stash away money until 2006, sell my Civic prior to my departure and arrive in the U.K. and buy a right-side drive MINI with cash. That is what I meant by "better judgment". If I had an accountant he or she would advise me not to make that purchase, but that is why I don't have an accountant. So after seeing your page on Wendy2, I thought long and hard, and finally decided I had to have one sooner rather than later. Since I will be stopping off in the Motor City on my way from Anchorage to Miami, I called Motor City Mini to find out about acquiring a Cooper S. I was told they had 1 on the lot, and it was an ordered deal fell through, with fully loaded with unwanted leather and nav system, and to top it off they were in process of adding an aero kit to put the price above $28,000. So I called the Cleveland dealership, and was told that it takes 12 weeks for Cooper Ss to arrive, that would put it to mid-June, which happens to be the time I plan to be home. I knew all the options I wanted. Everything but Navigation system and leather, with white top and bonnet stripes. The only question was which colour. British Racing Green, Chili Red, Yellow, Electric Blue, and Indi Blue are all wonderful colours, which made choosing the most difficult thing. Since my truck was red, my civic is red, the Red Wings are my favorite team (and Michigan doesn't have front license plate) I chose Chili Red. Did I mention white wheels as well? Your pages are well written, and I nearly cried when I got to the accident part. I love automobiles and seeing one in such pain is unpleasant to witness, I am glad that the driver was ok was well. Thank you for your time, and the courage to jump in feet first on a car I have only witnessed on the road twice, and never actually touched. Take care and motor on! (Name withheld, unless he tells me otherwise)
March 22nd, 2003 Five of us met today at Diedrich's Coffee House to discuss plans for the Houston Mini Motoring Society. Pictured is Wendy behind Louis' and Mike's Minis. I rarely see other Minis in Houston, but amazingly enough, a green one drove by while we were talking, and then I saw a chili red one parked one block away from home. In other news . . . I went back to U.S. Auto to make an appointment to have Wendy repainted. She has several nasty chips on her bonnet now. Steve told me that was quite normal for cars, especially in Houston. He has, however, agreed to repaint the bonnet. It's going to take three days (agony) and I can see myself putting this off like a dental appointment. Meanwhile I'm checking out something called Invinca-Shield. Quite a few Mini owners have had this fitted. It's expensive, but will prevent any chipping. Other stuff (bleah). I sent a "diminished value" claim to Farmer's Insurance, saying that if I wanted to sell my car now I wouldn't get the market price because it had been in an accident. They denied the claim, saying that ". . . if the vehicle has been restored to industry standards there is no diminished value." I called an attorney and faxed him all the documentation. He hasn't called back yet. As for health? I have not seen the back surgeon for three weeks now and have been completely off medication. My baby toe is still numb but otherwise I feel fine. A yoga place has opened at Waugh and Allen Parkway. I talked to them yesterday, and they suggested I attend one of their "Restorative Yoga" classes. May just try it out tomorrow.
March 5th, 2003	The rain hasn't stopped all week, and this afternoon I drove back from Hempstead in drizzle and thick fog. I had to get off the freeway to fill up with petrol and the road was very spooky. The gas station I drove into was even spookier. Just as I was inserting my credit card in the pump, a voice boomed out over the intercom: "And how many clowns can you fit in that"? I jumped about five feet in the air.
March 4th, 2003	I took Wendy to the body shop, but was told when I got there that I needed to bring her in when it wasn't raining. That was something like going for a root canal and finding out that the dentist went on vacation.
March 1st, 2003	Wendy is returning to the body shop on Tuesday for repainting. At least, that's what the appraisal report recommended. The appraiser estimated her diminished value at $4,657. The good news is that I got reimbursed by Farmer's Insurance for all three rental cars. I hope they don't keep her too long
February 17th, 2003	William (good nephew :) sent me a couple of pictures he took of Minis in Notting Hill. Is this really a pink one? Or does he have a cheap camera?
February 16th, 2003	To the left is a picture that MINIcat took this afternoon. He definitely has a better camera. Wendy is twelfth from the right. Meanwhile, all the way from Virginia, is a picture of Scooter in the snow. Scooter belongs to Donna and Mike, who are well known in the MINI community for looking after stranded MINI owners. Scooter was rear-ended recently but is now back home. One day I'd like him and Wendy to meet.
February 16th, 2003	Didn't think I was going to make it, but couldn't stay away. There was a Houston Mini meet at Fuddruckers at lunch time. John and I decided to go at the last minute and now probably every Mini owner in Houston will wake up with a sore throat tomorrow. Our camera is fairly useless, but I'm posting a few pictures. No doubt some more of the owners will have some better ones. There had to be about twenty there.
February 15th, 2003	Put in about 200 miles this week and everything seems to be working fine. I did, however, take her to an appraiser in order to start the process of filing a diminished value claim. For $250 he checked her out thoroughly and took pictures, and in about a week I should receive a report. He did find a couple of air bubbles that I hadn't noticed, but more disturbing is a chip on the bonnet about a quarter the size of a dime. It certainly wasn't there when I left the body shop last Friday, but the appraiser said that the paint shouldn't have chipped in that way. I'll take a picture tomorrow. I'll wait until the report arrives and then decide what to do.
February 10th, 2003	So far, so good. We drove from home to work to school (see left) to home today without a rattle. Tomorrow will be a good test at higher speeds as I have a work assignment in Conroe.
February 8th, 2003	The sun hasn't appeared in a couple of days so these pictures are rather dull. But I did want to record Wendy's first day home. Why the picture of the wheel? Well, if you enlarge it you'll see her new Union Jack valve caps. These arrived in the mail the day of the crash. I wonder how long it'll be before they disappear?

Welcome!