Fun question, but genuinely asked: How will my driving style change in my new Mini? Will I start avoiding streets with speed bumps? Always park out of the way to avoid dings? Will I start speeding through curves?

I've been chugging along in my 2004 Scion xB for nearly 12 years now. My new Hardtop should arrive this week!

 

Just got my mini a few weeks ago, and all of this applies to me. Speed bumps are not too big of an issue, but I have been doing my best to avoid the very low spots in the road. My workplace has some pretty nasty dips at the entrances to the parking lot, and I just be sure to go very slow in/out of work.

Hope you enjoy your mini!

 

Try going thru deep dips as you describe, traffic allowing, by entering them diagonally. The 'nose down' entry into the dip will be greatly mitigated.
Defensive parking is a learned attribute, works most of the time except when an idiot parks next to you and does their worst.
Driving habits may not change. You're either attentive or not and new habits take a while to internalize. Best thing to do is to look at every other car on the road as being intent only on doing you harm.

 

I've been doing this, and haven't scraped anything. I'm worried about when I lower it though.

 

It will be difficult to wipe the smile off your face and especially hard to drive at or below the speed limit. You will make up excuses to go places. On and off ramps will be anticipated with glee. You will find that other cars will be drawn to yours, no matter how far away you park. You will dread the mere thought of shopping carts in the vicinity. You will have innumerable people ask "Do you like your MINI?" DUH!

 

I'm concerned about the lower ground clearance. My driveway will have to be very carefully navigated to not scrape pulling in and out. Also, the extension of I-370 into the Shady Grove Metro (for anyone familiar with the area) looks like a building-sized German Shepherd chewed on the road. I may start going in another entrance to drop off my wife in the morning, even if it takes more time. My Forester doesn't feel a thing, but I'm sure our MINI will.

I cannot wait any longer to zip through curves and own on/off ramps.

As for parking, I will be parking as far away from everyone else as I can, at all times. The problem is when that's not possible. My Forester was still relatively young when I started working at NASA, but now it's covered in dings and dents. It always shocked me how those folks could put a rover in a crater on Mars with a skycrane, but can't put a f-ing Prius in a standard-sized parking space.

 

This could be just the thing for your driveway.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/...page=2&refType=

 

Your in a small "toy" car, other drivers won't see you or they will just try to push the toy out of the way. Drive defensively, almost like when driving a motorcycle.

Turns = fun, there's a reason you can get badges, stickers, puddle lights that say "hold on, I want to try something."

You will discover new enjoyment on your daily commute, smiling with glee when you get to carve that on/off ramp, or take that turn at speed.

If you're in SoCal keep in mind that the police have caught on to what the Mini really is and what it can do, you will get the ticket over the other guy.

Oh, and get used to smiling all the time

 

Interesting, but my HOA would never allow that (or someone would steal it). My buddy has a BMW sports car of some type (damned if I can remember the model, but maybe a 6 series) that rides low. He was able to pull into my driveway very carefully at an angle.

 

HOA! A red cape. Burns my a$$ the idea that someone could tell me what I can or can't do on my own property. I'll never understand how that whole thing got started and home buyers bought into it.


On the other hand, it would really burn my a$$ if I spent that money on the gizmo and somebody walked away with it. That point well taken.

 

Unfortunately, in the area that we had to move, it wasn't possible to buy without an HOA. If there wasn't one, I'd just pay to have my driveway redone.

I understand that HOAs were originally to make sure people maintained their houses and weren't doing things to drive down the property values of their neighbors, but they've definitely evolved so far beyond that.

 

HOAs are one of those things that are either awesome, or terrible. They can be amazing to have when you have a neighbor with 3 hound dogs that never shut up, or a dude that thinks it's cool to leave a full set of living room furniture in the front yard. On the other hand, not being able to do exterior modification to your house without approval and other such things is a complete PITA.

Onto the OP question - Not sure if you got an S, but if you did, the power jump from the xB is going to be pretty substantial. I had an xA a long time ago and it was a dog and I heard the xBs were even worse because they were less aerodynamic. The handling, whether it's an S or not, is also going to be worlds different. If you're level headed I wouldn't say your driving habits will really change, but I wouldn't be surprised if you start making weekend plans to find out nice, quiet, traffic free twisty roads in the country just so you can enjoy the car. If you did get an S, and you don't have a lot of experience with cars that have more power than your xB, I would say be mindful of your throttle because in the time it used to take you to get to 60 you'll be nearing 90+.

 

I had my first evasive maneuver the other day w/ a tire in the middle of the road. All reaction, and it was like I was on a rail. I had a big smile on my face and threw it into Sport mode to play some more.

 

Weclome! Once thing is fore sure, you will start hitting the back roads more aggressively than before.

 

You'll want to take corners quickly! Otherwise, don't be too worried about it. Enjoy it and drive it like it was meant to be driven!

 

Thanks, everyone, for all of the replies! I took delivery just today. Here she is. Meet Emma Peel. (And yes, I have already noticed how easy it is to SPEED in this car!)

 

This, with one change from my experience "especially hard to drive at or even moderately above the speed limit".

Disclaimer: I had a heavy right foot before I got my MINI, it just exacerbated the condition

 

Congratulations! Emma is a beaut!

 

Emma looks great. Now, go find all the curvy roads in your area and really enjoy her!!!

 

Here's a great website to help you do just that.
http://www.motorcycleroads.us/index.html
They even welcome new finds.

 

I used to drive a mini van until 3 weeks ago and I second this post. However, I have found an interesting dichotomy. There are a metric crap-ton of Subarus here in Denver. They always seem to get angered when I pass them in my R60. It's hilarious.

 

I noticed a teensy bit of carbon on my Countryman's exhaust and the dealership essentially said "Oh, yeah that can happen if you don't push it a little bit. I like to take mine up to above 110 or so on occasion to make sure I blow all the carbon out". That, my friends, is awesome to hear. At least I know I'm not clinically insane when I am tempted to drive that fast. Then again I live out in the 'burbs of Denver and we have a lot of wide toll roads out here.

 

It's gone out of usage with the advent of 'drive 'em and ignore 'em' modern appliances but the old timers would refer to that as an Italian Tune Up. There are still many advocates who will swear by it's virtue. An even older old timer I knew called it 'blowing out the cobs'.