So I'm leaving Home Cheapo, and going to my MINI. An attractive young woman parks right next to me, in what appears to be a brand new MINI. Of course I waited for her to exit the car, and I said hello, and how do you like your MINI. What a mistake! She was almost in tears, and said I HATE it. It rides so rough, and I feel every bump in the road. I'm so sorry I traded in my Beetle. I asked her if it drives differently from the one you test drove with the dealer. She said "I never test drove one before buying this". I replied sorry you don't like it, have a nice day. Moral of the story, at least to me, If your purchasing any car take it out for a test drive, and as much as I like mine, MINI's aren't for everyone.

 

Lesson learned, dont buy a car without ever driving it? hahahahahah

your right, mini's are only for people who know any thing about cars!

 

Wow that woman doesn't sound like she knows much about buying a car...

 

She will get used to it then love it

 

I hope so Porthos, but it seems a MINI is not for her.

 

Probably but one can hope

 

Would've recommended she at least change the tires and maybe go to Koni FSD's. C'mon, man, there was your chance to be a hero.

 

I can fix that for you! Tell you what, you pay for the parts and a nice bottle of wine, and I'll make all your problems go away! How's Saturday night for you!

When the new Minis first came out, lots of people bought them because they thought they liked them, the look, the buzz about them whatever. More than a few of them found they didn't like the experience. Cars with very very low miles were not uncommon. But with the waits for the cars when they first came out, sometimes they even made money by selling the car to someone who had to have it NOW!!!!!

Matt

 

Hate to admit it, but you're right. Had a chance to shine, and maybe meet a new lady friend, but I put my tail between my legs and drove away. No excuses, I didn't rise to the occassion, I was just dumbfounded that anyone would buy a car they never drove. Where was my head?

 

Damn... How often is it a case of not thinking with the "lower" head gets a guy in trouble!

Matt

 

And for years I thought it was the other way around.

 

She needs to lose the runflats, and do something about the crappy stock suspension (FSD suggestion was a good one). Even check her tire pressures, there's a decent chance they're way high if she's so uncomfortable. I think they'd sell a lot more cars (to the people that actually test drive them!) if they did some serious work on the suspension and ditched the sorry runflats.

 

That is a definite possibility. But imagine if she did take a test drive in a MINI with non run-flats and then drove hers with run-flats and too much tire pressure. Then I could understand miserable... Yep, a deal could have been made on that MINI!

 

dang... that sucks. any big purchase like a car definitely requires a test drive. i love my mini!

 

While buying a car without driving it may seem odd, my wife has done it twice. She had signed on the dotted line on a Honda Civic SI before I got to the dealership in 1980 and repeated that move again in 1988 with a Subaru Legacy which she had commited to buy however agreed to wait on signing until at least riding in it with me driving. She hates cars and particularly buying them. I have had the MINI for 5 months and she has yet to drive it and only ridden in it twice. Go figure?

 

On the other hand, do you really want to get involved with someone that dumb?

 

Good point Robin.

 

I bought my Mini without driving one! So dumb isn't that bad....

Matt

 

Hi Matt:

I didn't start this thread to any make judgemental comments. I just hope you're happy with your MINI, I know I am with mine. I also have a couple of bridges for sale, any interest?

 

and in my past I've found some benefits to dating women both smarter and dumber, vive la difference!

But unlike the lady who didn't like her car, I'd done tons of research. Only surprise I had was how much fun the car was! I laughed all the way home....

When I bought mine you had to make an appointment about two weeks out to even do a test drive! I'd planned on doing one, but never got around to it. Then I got the call that my car was in!

Matt

 

I sold Mitsubishis for all of 2 weeks in Atlanta in 1986. A woman bought one then came back days later demanding that we give her new different seats under warranty because she found them uncomfortable. Sad thing was, last i knew they were trying to accomodate her.

Good PR I guess but damn, people need to accept personal responsibility.

 

When I got my MCS I hadn't driven one yet. Just a Cooper. So before I took delivery I test drove an MCS. Freakin awesome. Glad I got one. (No offense to Cooper owners. They're nice too. )

 

WTH?!? There are actually people out there making a MAJOR vehicle purchase w/o test driving it 1st? That's the 1st I've EVER heard! OMG! *totally confused*

That is an interesting story, tho ... wow ...

 

Wow. I still think it's a little ridiculous that dealerships expect us to base $30K+ purchase decisions on a 30-minute test drive. By the time we decide to sign on the dotted line, everyone at the dealership usually knows us by name... it's a good 6-12 month thinking process for my family.

 

LOL The dealer knew me for 4 years before I got my Mini....