Ok. So I told my 21-yr-old son that I had ordered a mini. He laughed and called it a "chick car." Of course, he drives a fuel guzzling Mustang that has to stop at every gas station. So what are the demographics of the average mini owner?

 

From the runs I have been on we cover the whole range

Young, Old, Male, Female in no particular order

I fall in the older male stage with the young heart

 

Hmm, 21. You may still be able to straighten him out!

I'm just about a mile from Mt Vernon myself. You should come by the DCMM cookout here in August.

 

Tom,

I own both a V8 Mustang (1995 GT - I've had it since new, and modified it a great deal) and a MINI. Tell him that I'll be happy to take him for a ride in my MINI that will scare the crap out of him.

I love my Mustang - particularly its ability to power oversteer... but on any road that actually has turns & curves in it, my MINI will wipe the floor with it. So will yours. This is after I've extensively upgraded the suspension in my Mustang, too!

Your son is uneducated on this. Time to teach him!

 

like what other was saying... i will just tell him... ppl who buy MINI have good taste for good european car....

 

I'm sure an afternoon at FedEx watching MINIs whupping butt on an autoX course would change his mind.

 

And he doesn't think a Mustang is a girly car. One of my daughters just walked through while I was reading this thread and told me that all the "pretty little girls in H.S. drive a mustang." Hee, Hee, just keep teling him he looks cute in it.
Back in the day Mustangs were a muscle car but now?

 

I'm 23 and I drive an 07 MCS. The car might be a little cute, but I don't care, it's very quick, gets awesome mpgs, and is an absolute blast to drive. Don't worry about what your son thinks, just laugh at him as you get double the mpgs and never let him drive it. You can always tease him that he drives a girly car too.

I just have to ask, is it an automatic, red, v6 convertible 'stang? Cause that's the ultimate chick car.

 

I'm 29, male, and while owning the Mini I've owned a 1996 Camaro, 2001 Ford F150 Supercrew Lariat 4x4, 1995 Ford Mustang GT Convertible, and a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.

When it comes to fun "on-road", none of them come near the Mini. And the Mini has more interior room than both the Camaro AND Mustang!!!

I'd be willing to bet also, that more men own Mini's than women. Now I'm not talking married couples, because that's a shared asset. I'm talking single bachelors and bachelorettes.

I got into a debate about something similar. The other party and I agreed that we couldn't think of normal sub-50k ragtop convertible that wasn't a "Chick Car".

 

Insecurities like that help lead to the SUV craze - nothing more macho than 14 mpg! I don't care at all what others think or say about my car.

 

I agree with your son the MINI is far from being a "Manly" car in appearence....its just too cute.

But it is not a "chick" car either, the statement about girls in Mustangs seems to hold more water. I've never heard the song "MINI Sally" better slow your MINI down but there is one about mustangs. It was always said that in the 60's / 70's girls drove mustangs, guys drove GTO's, Torinos, Chevelle's, 442's and such.

The great thing about the MINI is it is "Unisex" appealing to both, and you cannot argue with the handling ! My old worn out 88 GT would have stomped Wensley in a drag race but in the turns, I take the same turns 10-20 mph faster than the Mustang at its limit.

 

(A few of these will push the 50K margin now in restored condition, but almost all are avail sub 50 as drivers)

Hmmm. MG, MGA, MG T's, Truimph TR6 & Spitfire, all Austin Healy's, Jaguar XKE, Alfas, Morgans, Porsche 356, spyder, older 911's ('older' just to keep $ down). Yeah, all chick cars each and every one. You probably meant new current cars though! Oh, and MINI S convertible!

Funny, now that I think about it maybe all hardtop MINI's and MINI converts without the aerokit are 'chick cars' and only a convert S with Aerokit is manly... Yeah that's it.

The 'chick' car or 'gay' car thing have been hashed on NAM quite a few times. It all depends on the person of course. To some only 60's muscle is cool. Others think any asian car with a type 'R' decal added to the back and a huge wing is it. What? You don't have hydraulics and spinners? Get outta here! I like Jay Leno's attitude. He says he'll do Pebble Beach, a low rider show, and a steam show on consecutive weekends and love them all.

I find right here in DCMM is a perfect example of what a wide range of people are MINI fans. At any DCMM gathering I've noticed you really can't find one tag to describe everyone there, other than outgoing and friendly.

 

I am a 37-year-old male with an R53 MCS and an E46 M3. I recently drove the Mustange Shelby GT Convertible for a couple of days, and I couldn't wait to get back in my MINI. I really don't care if people think the MINI is a "chick car" -- car enthusiasts know that the MCS performs better and is a better value than a Mustang. More fun for MINI lovers!

 

After all this time, folks who haven't figured out MINIs to some extent must live in a cave.

 

Its not as cute as my Miata....

 

Them's fightin' words my friend

 

while some may think a mini is a chick car.( i have owned a mustang as well ) why dont you try this...have your son take his car and you take the mini. find a spot for a drink that has a large patio facing the parking lot. park them side by side and see how many girls stop/look/comment on the mini VS the stang. Some may think its a chick car but if chick car means all the girls want to ride in it and talk to the guy who owns it....thats fine

 

You forgot the "aging hipster" demographic...*ahem*

 

YES! That's why i love my '05 GT. It's complete inability to handle the stock
power under the hood! My wife's '06 S is the opposite type of fun.

Even Steve McQueen had a mini right?

 

 

I agree that Mini's get lots of attention. I've been told that Starbuck is cute several times. Since I got the rims, she gets more compliments. She's also been called a "clown car" . Someone I know with a 350Z definitely thought it's a chick car until I showed him what she can do. No, it's not as fast as his 350Z, but he was very impressed, particularly with the handling being better than his.

What's really nice about a Mini is that they are very classy cars, and because there aren't as many on the streets as a Mustang, they are a little more exclusive. At least your son isn't drinking the JDM kool-aid.

What someone defines as "cool" or "classy" or "tasteful" is an individual matter.

 

Okay, yes the Mini is cute!

Hubby and I own a very cute and fun to drive Mini S and an over the top modded out 2007 Shelby GT500 sitting at 560 RWHP (that's rear wheel horse power folks ).

Both cars have their place. Hubby drives the Mini with pride and has a blast with it. Last weekend he had the Shelby at Virginia International Raceway for four days. He's ready to take the Mini now. He even mentioned both cars going. He says that I can out do him in the Mini with the twisty turns and curves and he'll have the upper hand in the straight aways with the Shelby. Therefore we'll be right with one another beating it out.

Now do I really want to discuss the difference at the gas pump?

 

Please.... Make me feel better about my 26.3 MPG....

 

I'm 24 and own a 08 MCS and a 94 Mustang GT Convertible.

None feel or drive "chick" like.

They don't even look chick like!

 

I hear that on the civic forum and the SLK fourm and the mustang forum