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Hours spent in your MINI a day??

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Old Nov 14, 2007 | 02:09 PM
  #1  
sancochojoe's Avatar
sancochojoe
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Hours spent in your MINI a day??

I know how much people love their mini...I haven't got mine yet but because I spend so much time commuting to work and weekend drives, the pleasure in driving was key to my decision in buying the mini. I spend no less than 3 hours a day driving back and forth to work and on some days as much as 5 hours a day in the dreaded Washington DC commuter traffic.

I made sure I had every luxury I could get inside that includes, but not all, a sunroof for a sunny day, satellite radio to listen to talk radio or my favorite genre of music and navigation just to have different commuting options.

So what say all of you. How much time do you spend or plan to spend in your mini on a daily basis?
 

Last edited by sancochojoe; Nov 14, 2007 at 02:27 PM.
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Old Nov 14, 2007 | 02:13 PM
  #2  
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From: Norwalk CT
You have a much longer commute than I do. But I usually spend about an hour and half in my car per day during the week. On weekends though, I travel a lot. Ski season is coming up and I will be spending most of my weekends going north from CT to VT and NH. Good idea with getting those added features....you will be happy you got them later down the road
 
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Old Nov 14, 2007 | 02:14 PM
  #3  
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On an average work day, maybe an hour? And that's if I go out for dinner. Weekends, though, lately, it's in the 3 hour or so range
 
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Old Nov 14, 2007 | 02:27 PM
  #4  
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From: Loveland, CO
My commute to work, if I choose to drive, is about 5-10 minutes. So most of my driving comes when I just can't stand it anymore and just go drive. I usually try to make some errand out of it, but usually take the long way home.
 
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Old Nov 14, 2007 | 02:34 PM
  #5  
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Gromit801
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From: West French Camp, CA
Average weekday: about an hour.
Weekends: anywhere from zero to six or eight.
 
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Old Nov 14, 2007 | 03:11 PM
  #6  
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From: Washington DC
Originally Posted by sancochojoe
I know how much people love their mini...I haven't got mine yet but because I spend so much time commuting to work and weekend drives, the pleasure in driving was key to my decision in buying the mini. I spend no less than 3 hours a day driving back and forth to work and on some days as much as 5 hours a day in the dreaded Washington DC commuter traffic.
I've lived in the DC area for 10 years, and since traffic is so bad here, every car I've had, must be a car that I'm in love with and love being in.

My commute also ranges from an hour to several hours, and the way I look at it, being in my Mini is like a sanctuary. Even though I have the full bluetooth prep, I try to avoid calling people (I will take calls, but usually will not call people). I listen to my music with my mp3 player plugged into the Aux. If traffic is bad, I'll ask the Nav system to take a new route. And with all those things, the length of the commute doesn't bother me. Some people have joked that next I'll burn aromatherapy candles and incense in my car.

Ok, so I'm a little more aggressive in the morning since I'm tanked on 6+ cups of coffee and I usually have to be some place by some time, but in the evenings, I just drive and it's the one time of the day when I don't have to deal with all the other crap that fills my day.
 
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Old Nov 14, 2007 | 03:34 PM
  #7  
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From: Stanwood, WA
My commute is almost exactly the same (75ish miles, 3-5 hours daily) through the Seattle area- not quite two weeks of driving the Mini so far and I love it! Even on the longer drive days, once I get closer to home I'll hit the back roads for a few extra corners

My reasoning was the same as far as options go too, as many nifty comforts as possible I did skip on the Sat radio though, since I'm okay with many of the public radio stations in the area, especially with the added quality of the HD radio.

I went with the leather seats too, for the lumbar support in addition to the other normal reasons.

We got one of the Unofficial Motoring Manuals in the mail shortly after I placed my order, and everybody that's carpooled with me had a good laugh at how it pokes fun at 'wallet fatigue' since I was always taking my wallet out because of it- hasn't been a problem with the Mini though. It's very comfortable even on the long drive days.
 
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Old Nov 14, 2007 | 03:54 PM
  #8  
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From: Boston, MA
Work day: 2ish hours
Day off: 45min to 4 hours (I get stir crazy and need to drive it)
 
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Old Nov 14, 2007 | 04:12 PM
  #9  
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From: Aurora, IL
My commute is typically 2 hours roundtrip, but I'm also in outside sales. So I can sometimes spend 8-10 hours a day (like yesterday) working in and out of my car when I'm not in the office. Even with how much time I spend in the car during the week, I still enjoy driving it on the weekends just for fun. Great car...
 
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Old Nov 14, 2007 | 08:42 PM
  #10  
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From: Lincoln, NE
normally:
average weekday - 1.5 hours
fridays - 3 hours
weekends - 20 min. to 3 hours

right now:
Haven't seen my car in about 2 months. Stir crazy is an understatement.
 
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Old Nov 15, 2007 | 07:53 AM
  #11  
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From: Orlando, FL
During the work week, 4-5 hours per day.

Weekends, not so much because I'm usually stuck inside studying...ugh!

I spend too much time in the car to have a car that I don't enjoy being in.
 
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Old Nov 15, 2007 | 08:20 AM
  #12  
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M-F is about 2 hours per day... I love driving the car, just wish it wasn't in LA traffic.

The weekends depend on what I have planned, usually it's to wash the car and then study.
 
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Old Nov 15, 2007 | 08:22 AM
  #13  
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From: Washington DC/Northern VA
Originally Posted by FLMINI1048
During the work week, 4-5 hours per day.

Weekends, not so much because I'm usually stuck inside studying...ugh!

I spend too much time in the car to have a car that I don't enjoy being in.
Wow, is Orlando traffic that bad???
 
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Old Nov 15, 2007 | 08:34 AM
  #14  
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From: Orlando, FL | Native TX
Wow, is Orlando traffic that bad???
You'd be surprised. I-4 and the 408 are a nightmare. All them tourists!!

I don't spend that much time, 1.5 -2 hours a week day.
 
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Old Oct 4, 2010 | 10:38 PM
  #15  
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I am a sales rep. and I use my MCS for work. I am in it approximately 3 hours a day during the work week and maybe 1 hour a day on the weekends. Whenever I dread going to work, I remember that I get to drive my Cooper and my attitude brightens up quickly!!!
 
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Old Oct 4, 2010 | 11:48 PM
  #16  
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From: NJ
2 to 3 hours a day, longer on the weekends and the suumer months when commuting to the summer house
 
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Old Oct 5, 2010 | 04:51 AM
  #17  
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From: Baltimore, MD
5 minutes a day.
 
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Old Oct 5, 2010 | 06:57 AM
  #18  
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From: LI, NY
I spend about 3 hours a day round trip M-F. Then theres misc. errands after school, and the weekends. This car is the first one Ive owned in 33 years of driving that I dont mind spending so much time in traffic. I bought the car with the Premium and Sport Packages, the Premium mostly for the sunroof (I can set AC controls without needing 'climate control,' tyvm, but its nice to have). It took me a while to break in the 'sport' seat. The standard seat in the showroom was more comfortable, but I wanted the 5-spoke wheels (not shown in my avatar).
 
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Old Oct 5, 2010 | 08:17 AM
  #19  
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From: Ave Maria, FL
I spend 1.5-2hrs a day in my MINI commuting M-F. I do like to however add errands in like the library, gym, shopping, etc at night and on the weekends. I just love being in this car. Just to drive it makes me want to come to work and sit on NAM and talk about my MINI.
 
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Old Oct 5, 2010 | 09:59 AM
  #20  
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about an hour a day. a little more if i decide to drive to school. most of the time i ride my bike. i usually go blast through the twisties after work tho
 
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Old Oct 5, 2010 | 11:06 AM
  #21  
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Mat J Monk
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From: Central VA
About 2.5 hours for my "normal" commute during the week except on days when the open road starts calling our name on the return trip then it's about 3.25 hours!

 
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Old Oct 5, 2010 | 09:17 PM
  #22  
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From: Salt Lake City
I average 10 hours a week.
 
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Old Oct 6, 2010 | 09:44 AM
  #23  
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I will tell you how much time I spend in my MINI, not enough! It takes me between 15 to 30 minutes to get to and from work. The weekends here lately I have been going out every weekend so I could spend as much as 8 hours in it each day. I wouldn't trade ot fpr the world.
 
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Old Oct 6, 2010 | 11:41 AM
  #24  
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RllyDrvrIX
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From: Portland, OR
Weekdays:

Commute: 20 min each way (40 minutes total)
House to gym: 10 min each way (20 minutes total)

Weekends:

As much as possible if I'm not washing/cleaning her.
 
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Old Oct 8, 2010 | 09:46 AM
  #25  
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Im in NV/DC Metro area so i understand. I live in springfield and work in Merrifield and if i take 495 it takes me an hr to get to work. Back road trip gets me there in 20 min
 
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