Is'nt it amazing how people can automatically decide what kind of person you are by the car you drive? The reason i say this is because of something that just occured to me while i was driving my mini home.
When i bought my mini a couple weeks ago...some people i knew were suprised at my choice. As they put it " you don't seem like the kind of person who'd drive a mini." To be honest, i can understand in a way. I am a pretty blue collar guy ( work in the industrial field..and drive a pickup lol )
Then i thought about everyone here at this site. At one point in your lives..you did'nt own a mini. ( i shudder at the thought also). But something made you take the plunge. Now i'm sure that all of you don't have the same occupation...and drive pickups. But something about that cute little car made you want it. It happened to me also. Maybe it was the sunroof,or the way it handled. Either way i was bitten by the mini bug lol.
So now as i drive home on a beautiful fall day, with the sunroof open, i notice the stares that i'm starting to recieve. Wondering what they must be thinking. To them, i look like a mini driver. To those people i know who think otherwise.......Looks like their trucks need washed

 

When i told my friends i was getting a MINI. They said they expected it from me out of the whole bunch since my current car is a 71' Bug. The other guys drive regular sedans but i guess i'll forever be known as the one that likes to have less room for people. But i'm sure they'll all fall in love with the car once it arrives

 

My getting a Mini was no surprise at all from anyone, except the usual, "Are you sure you'll fit?"

I've owned British cars all my driving life. NOT getting a Mini would have been a shock.

 

This may have been a good question in 2003. Today, MINIs are ubiquitous. I see more everyday than say .... Vettes. Drivers come in all sizes and shapes, all ages and all walks of lives

Although targeted at young professionals, everyone smiles at a MINI The demographics are varied and I've really never heard anyone say anything weird about owning one.

 

I went from a MommyVan to a lifted Jeep Wrangler (took it off road often) to a yellow Z3 (that was the car everyone said.. they couldn't see me in until I got it), and now the MINI... All this in 10yrs.. by this time everyone is more like.. "what next?"

 

I had a Porche 914, '68 MC, '84 Accord, '00 Volvo s70 and now the Mini. A pretty varied moticular (new word) past.
Whenever I told people that I wanted a Mini they would say, "oh, I can see you in that."

 

Depends on where you are - we have an interesting little ecosystem here in the Raleigh NC area - definitely the demographics to suggest massive MINI ownership - but due to MINI's slightly crazy franchise plan, the closest dealership is about 2 hours away. So here you see more of just about everything (including Vettes, and Hummers, and almost as many Ferraris...).

I had a '77 TR7 as my first "cool" car (the pinnacle of British Leyland / Lucas engineering, as well as The Shape of Things to Come). Then a bunch of Hondas, and most recently a Sebring convertible (most definitely a non-MINI) - so the MINI vert kinda takes me full circle.

And the folks who know me thought about it for about 15 seconds and said "yeah, you're the kinda guy who would have a MINI..." - I guess that's GOOD...

 

To the people who know me well...no big surprise. They would be more shocked if I didn't get one. After all, I've been talking about getting a MINI for years and even have pictures and a mini MINI model at my desk.

For those that don't know me well, it may be more of a shock. Most people think I am a fairly "safe" person until they get to know me.

 

I first sat in a MINi at the San Jose Auto Show in 2004. Then again last year. The first time it was sort of a novelty; we poked around at it, got in and out, and I put it on my mental list of "future cars to check out".

Last year, I sat in one, and my father-in-law commented "That car really suits you." He took a picture, and when I saw it later I knew the MINI would be my next car

 

I just got my MINI less than a week ago. Several people say stuff to the effect that 'it looks like you'... I have wanted one for at least 3 years ever since a friend planted a seed and pointed one out in NYC. I had never noticed them before, but couldn't not see them after that. You will see my recent car in my sig. I think its a fairly smooth transition.

 

I'm a 38-yr-old accountant, mom of teenager, conservative and kinda quiet. Definitely not the MINI "type" if there is one. Everybody was really surprised when I said I was getting a MINI. They were also surprised 5 years ago when I said I was getting a PT Cruiser. I guess I'm supposed to be driving a minivan??

I knew I wanted a MINI before I took the test drive. Once I got behind the wheel, that sealed the deal.

 

I own a 70' bug and recently sold my 68' type III Notchback.

maybe old VW owners are drawn towards MINI's?

all my friends didnt expect me to get a MINI. (although they thought it was a sweet car) Ive owned mostly pre-71' cars.

1963 Nova SS
1970 VW bug
1968 VW Notchback

Everyone expected me to get something older, probably a muscle car or another VW. My friends were a little confused when i bought a new 06' MCS. But then again...going from a 400hp 383 stroker to a 36whp VW also confused them.

 

As with a lot of other here, the friends that now me the best just say well that is KP.
After spending 10 years in the Navy those that know me the best really know me.
I have not actually owned to many Cars, mostly trucks so the people that do not know me
as well can not see me going from my BIG truck (1998 Dodge 1500 Quad-Cab Sport 4X4) to a Mini.
I have always like the Mini and just thought I would have to wait until the kids were bigger.
But I wanted to see if I could get a car seat in the back. Once that happend, during the test drive,
I said to my wife I was getting a Mini. After going through everything that I wanted I finally ordered mine,
this past Saturday. In production now. I got everything that I wanted and in the Car
I really could not get out of my mind. Did not help my cousin got one last year either.
I can not wait to get to drive home from the dealer with my oldest son
(he will be 3 in November) and see the smile on our faces just like the test drive.

Ordered:

2006 BRG/W MCSa
Cordoba Leather
Anhtracite Interior
Sports Package
Convenience Package
Auto A/C
MFSW
NAV
OBC
Rear Foglights
H/K Sound System
Saddle Bags
6 Disc CD-Changer

Hope to be motoring soon.

- KP

 

Nobody expects me to drive anything 'normal', I have always gone for what others consider to be the 'quirky choice'.

Recent cars include an MR2 Spyder (as a daily driver), which replaced a late 80's BMW 325iS, which replaced a Saab 99, which......

You get the picture......

Everyone thinks that mine suits me and cannot see me driving anything else

 

What makes a Mini Driver? Mr. and Mrs. Driver?


Oh wait, you're talking about something else!

Well, first a man and a woman fall in love, get married, and want to be a mommy and daddy...........

 

I'm new at my work. So people are just saying "nice car". They don't really know me...but they do now.

My family on the other hand were shocked that I actually got a MINI. So I guess they didn't expect me to get one.

People have no expectations about me....that could be a good thing.

 

All we kept hearing from people was 'why are you getting a Mini?....you have kids' and the wife and i had to explain that we no longer needed the Durango to schlep strollers and diaper bags around in. after bringing it home, everyone agreed that it was the right car for us...and our kids just love Mimi.

 

^That's what my parents were saying to me..."why are you getting a MINI, what happens when you get married, and have kids,...blah, blah, blah"

They didn't get it at first. Now they do. Thank God.

 

The MINI is absolutely the most enjoyable car I've ever owned, but it does fit with my interest "odd" cars...

I've always had a weakness for cars with "personality" - whether the old muscle cars (notably a '70 Dodge Super Bee) or the yellow Saab 900 Convertible I fell in love with when I first moved to the East coast in the 80s, or my last love - a '73 Volvo P-1800.

I think that the MINI (and the Mini before it) appeals to those with a taste for the unique, regardless of demographic.

It is not, and will never be, an ordinary or average car - no matter how many of them appear on the roads, they'll always attract attention.

And I like it that way.

 

Cheap Sportscars. That's been my past history.

'74 Capri (blew a bad blue smoke screen!)
'75 Chevy Luv pickup with 327 Covette Engine (scary ride!)
'87 Honda CRX si (my first autocross car)
'90 Mazda 2WD Pickup (lowered......waste of money)
'84 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE (second autocross car)
'97 VW Jetta GLX VR6 (fast car, but not good at autocross)
'99 Mazda Miata 10th Anniversay Edition (third and most competitive autocross car)
'06 Mini Cooper S (fouth autocross car.....haven't raced it yet)

 

When I told family and friends I was ordering a Mini, it was no surprise to them. I have owned and loved sports cars for a long time. People were most shocked when I bought an '81 Camaro and when I later got an SUV. Friends were amused and said "I didnt think you'd be a muscle car guy". The SUV was more understandable since I got it for its utility. I was doing a lot of skiing/snowboarding and wanted the 4x4 and interior storage.

I first went to see the mini in 2002. The MA asked me if I wanted to test drive it, I told him "no". He gave me a surprised look and asked why. I knew my weakness and I told him "because I know if I drive it, I will have to buy it by the time I get back." He laughed and gave a knowing nod. I couldn't resist and wound up test driving one anyway. For the next 4 years I have been plotting on how I could afford to buy one. The mini brought me back to the fun of my 914 days. Now my '06 MCS JCW is on order.

vehicles owned:

'70 Porsche 914
'73 Porsche 914
'91 Suzuki GSXR 750
'81 Camaro
'85 Bronco II
'91 Toyota 4Runner
'06 MCS

 

During a recent road trip through Oregon my back was aching from all the driving so I was sitting down low in my seat when a couple redneck wannabes drove by me screaming expletives about my alleged sexual orientation and my f@g car, etc. So I pulled up next to them at a light several minutes later - they about crapped their pants when I sat up and asked them if they had a problem, albeit in not such nice language!

 

My boss wasn't surprised that I got a MINI, she said 'well you're into cars'
At work I am known as 'The Mini Lady'
One of my friends recently asked "So do you fit in the mini, you aren't short you know!"

 

I wish I could sit up and get similar reactions.

I wonder if MINI gun racks are for sale anywhere.