What's up with MINI and the "wave"?
 

Just curious. When I bought mine I was told about the close knit Mini community and all the events and rally's, etc.

Coming out of Corvettes, I was accustom to exchanging waves w/ other owners as I saw them on the street. I also understand Jeep owners share a similar custom as do most bikers.

What's up w/ MINI? The cars are quirky enough and quite noticeable on the street, one would think owners would share a smile and wave.

Not a big deal, but somewhat of a disappointment. :roll:

I always wave at other MINIs, though I don't get as many return waves as I did a few years ago.
MINI is not marketing to car enthusiasts like they use to. Many new owners just look at MINIs as an appliance now.

It is no longer an enthusiasts car, therefore waves are mostly gone. Then of course Gen 1, 2 , 3 and other variants like Countryman cloud the issue. Can a gen 1 driver wave to an F56, doesn't happen.

Only wave action I ever got was when riding motorcycles when everyone waved unless they were on a Harley and you were on a Japanese bike, or the reverse.

I barely get any waves either, fact of the matter is 3/4, or even 3.9/4, of owners are not enthusiasts and don't care/know about the wave.

I only get waves from Gen1 drivers; so, that's who I wave to , "Gen1 Drivers".

Even then, I get looks like I have 3 heads when I wave... :(

The wave is no longer in the smilies here.

FWIW...I received a flash and a wave just the other day from a Gen 3 JCW BRG. Which I promptly returned with a nod and a wave. Received thumbs up other times from other Mini drivers.

I always wave and/or flash headlights and rarely get a response anymore. I agree about the 'appliance' assessment. Most embarrassing wave I got came from a jeep sumptin or other when I had to leave my li'l guy in the shop over night and the only available rental at the time was a jeep. I'll bet I made the jeep forum that day about being the moron who wouldn't wave back.

Back when I drove Jeeps and Defenders, we did the wave. I get no waves in the MINI. Actually, I find it more fun to drive without having to worry about waving and feeling like a chump because someone waved and I didn't wave back. Since nobody waves around here, I'm glad to give up the wave.

I do wave, but not too many returns

I always wave--at the MINI/Mini, not the the driver. If I get a return wave, it's a rarity. Today, however I got a thumbsup from a early seventies Opel Kadet stationwagon with an automatic. My faith in mankind was rekindled for the moment.

I know what you mean - having owned two vettes. Lots of waves.

Mini, no waves. :) Mini owners are too snooty, like mini BMW drivers haha. :)

I live in the country and most everyone waves at everyone else anyway.

But I was waved on the highway from someone in a non mini vehicle. My wife asked who that was .. I didn't know. Didn't wave back since I was going home just after buying it and was having a bit of hell figuring out what was where and didn't see them waving.

lol AnOldBiker.....ditto with me when I picked mine up last week......however, after returning home I have had some waves.....but some are small town type waves. Now that I have settings figured out, I do enjoy the Mini and to me the controls and instrumentation are nicely done (BMW style).

the wave died back in 2007

Enthusiasts will usually wave or flash lights...people who just drive to get from one place to another usually won't cause they don't get it....duh!

When I got my MINI back in 2010, "The Wave" was something MINI pushed in advertising. I believe that they even gave a leaflet about it with the car when purchased. For the first year or so I would get waves about 50% of the time. Now I have stopped even trying- no one does it back.

For awhile, in Southern California, if you flashed your headlights it was a signal for gangs to shoot. Seriously.

We are living in strange times and it's a hair-trigger world. Lots of folks wearing all their grievances on their sleeves, looking for any provocation as an excuse to go off -- even a friendly wave or light flash might cause some folks to snap. It probably even includes a small fraction of MINI owners, sad as that is.

But I still get lots of thumps up and I do wave.

Only in Compton!!:grin::grin:

Former home to Craig Corp, as discussed elsewhere.

I've only had my MCS for a bit over a month, but had heard about "the wave" and was a bit excited. The first day I drove it to work I got two waves, but only one more in the month since. Go figure. I still wave. :)

As a former JEEP owner I'd like to clarify their wave is very much between Wrangler owners. Additionally, TJ and older owners have a grudge against JK/JKU owners. Despite the grudge all Wrangler owners wave amongst each other pretty religiously. The joke was always to make fun of XJ owners who wave.

Just like some MINI enthusiasts think the only good MINIs are Gen 1, some JEEP enthusiasts think real JEEPs end at the TJ. It's pretty funny. I know a lot of people who own JEEPs and MINIs. The owner groups shares a lot of similarities.

The MINI wave has been on a steady decline since 2007 for sure. I pretty much only wave to a MINI I can see has been modded in some way. My R53 is crazy loud and very clearly modded. It draws more attention than most MINIs so I get waves occasionally. Still, the frequency of waves nowhere near when I had my Wrangler just a year ago.

Yes, when I mentioned "Jeep", I meant the Wrangler models (not sure why a Cherokee owner would). :lol:

A shame about Mini since they are so noticeable in traffic. Every owner has to notice another Mini when out driving. Unlike a Honda Civic or Toyota Camary.

Even the new Corvette owners seem to have forsaken the wave to a greater extend than before.

The world is-a-changin'. :roll:

Everyone on the Corvette Forum said the same thing when the C5 came out.

As a former Jeep owner myself, the real Jeeps end at the CJ. :nod:

Probably why I'm a gen1 Mini owner too and wave...