My entire life I've tread a slightly different path than most. It continues with owning a Mini. Over time I've developed a very effective response to people who feel they need to tell me I should be using "A" instead of "B". Conversation goes something like this:

Them: You should be driving what I drive, not that POS Mini.
Me: Did you pay for my Mini?
Them: No.
Me: Then shut up. When you start paying for my toys you can tell me what to play with, until then I don't wanna hear it.
Conversation ends.

 

Ive had a few fox body mustangs in my time, as well as a few other v8 american cars and even though the mini is my wifes car I take every chance I can get to drive it. I can honestly say the mini is a million times more fun than any mustang Ive ever driven, I do miss the donuts though. the problem I see is how focused most "gearheads" are with numbers like HP and tq. a miata or mini are much more fun.

 

Great point. I think this is why I keep my old Stang around. Plus, you can't drift in a MINI .

 

Last week I drove an '08 "Pony-Package" V6 Mustang. While there was nothing overwhelming about the 4.0 V6's power or smoothness (issues that have been very nicely addressed in the '11s' 3.7 V6), I actually was very pleasantly surprised by the balance, handling, and overall driver-feel of this car. I remember thinking "I could live with this"...unusual for me, and downright rare in an American car. Downsides? I was surprised at how small the back seat was for such a "large" car (large, relative to my MCS, anyway). Also surprised how strong the back glass is...I still have a knot on the top of my head, result of a speed bump, when it was my turn to ride in back!

 

I don't know why, but every punk teenager in a Mustang around here wants to race me.....

 

Invite them to an autocross event where you and your Mustang friends can get some times. Then see who's laughing. Or take one for a ride in some twisties.

Oh, and don't forget to remind them of the solid rear axle and the 1950's technology.

 

Did you even read the rest of the thread?

The new Mustang with a low-tech, outdated Solid axle is very competitive with new M3s in "the twisties" and the 14-year-old Mustang at a recent auto-x put up competitive times with Modded MCSs. (albeit with more power and more weight)

Again, older Mustangs definitely left plenty to be desired (I have 2 Mustangs and a MINI, so i can compare better than most) as far as handling, but some people are living in a dream world full of "twisties" and solid axle jokes where you demolish Mustangs on any track surface even though you are blindfolded and your MINI has 3 flat tires.

 

Hey, it's all in fun. I'm sure that a Mustang can handle the twisties reasonably well. But I believe it takes more effort on the part of the driver to do so and keep up with a Mini or similar small car. Heck, even the guys in the magazines wonder why the heck Ford hasn't gotten rid of the solid rear axle. (And as I recall, there are some other large American "sport" coupes that still run live axles. I just have to shake my head sometimes at American car technology. The manufacturers are capable of giving us so much more, but don't. Sad, really.)

 

Well, a professional driver is the one who compared the new Mustang to the M3 at a recent Motor Trend test and they ran very similar times, so it must not be TOO hard to drive it well enough to match MINI.

I'm all for good-natured ribbing, except that a lot of people aren't "joking" when they perpetuate the idea that Mustangs all implode when they hit the "twisties". I'll be the first to admit that my MINI outhandled either of my Mustangs (when stock) by a long shot, but perpetuating an overgeneralization doesn't really help anyone. It just makes more people misinformed.

Regarding solid axles, there really aren't any other sporty cars that still use solid axles, but low tech or not, Ford has made it work on the new Mustangs, just like Chevy has made Pushrod engines work in their vehicles when almost everyone else has 'progressed' to OHC.

 

I guess I just find it sad and disappointing that there's nothing mass produced in America that I'd really want besides a Z06 or maybe a Viper. (Big trucks aside.) I guess I'll just have to build my own someday. And I already know what it'll be. A lowered and slammed 53 Stude coupe with a completely new chassis and with Viper running gear and suspension all around. Or something similar.

 

Wow great thread i currenlty have 93 lx ran it in efi renegade for a few years best pass 8.51 pulled motor and trans built a whole new set up shooting for 7.90s then i bought an 2010 mcs project came to a screeching hault i took me no time at all to fall in love with the mini have been ordering parts on weekly basis lol. And the best part is a traded a 2004 f250 on 40s in on the mini.

 

All right guys this ain't a Mustang vs MINI thread. I'm sure martin was just replying directly to davisflyer post and you gotta admit the punk teens that wanna street race a MINI gotta be douchebags that prolly don't do A/X nor DE type events. Yes, new line of Mustangs GTs despite their solid rear axles beats the M3 in braking, lateral G's, 0-60, and 1/4 mile, the only thing it was 1/10 of a second on track times. Think if Ford plays with the oem tire compounds they can beat the M3s track times. But as far as MINI (172hp/177 lb-ft) vs. Mustang (412hp/390tq-lb) some one earlier stated it is apples and oranges and even the folks that like apple are a total different crowd that like oranges but they are all fruit heads that enjoy fruit. LOL

I had a 89 Mustang GT before and I was that 20 year old douchebag, so I know. I totaled that car within a year in a blaze of glory. I test drove the 2010 Mustang GT it was nice but my father which I need to take on weekends to stroke therapy could not fit in car properly and found it difficult to get in (stiff leg from stroke) so the Stang quickly is off the list. Ironically, he says it easier to get in the MINI than even my sisters new Corolla.

 

I smoked a group of mustangs on Palomar Mountain. They can't hang on the twisties. When I turned around, the whole group was pulled over and two of the stangs had their hoods up with smoke billowing out of the engine bay. Go Ford!

I just don't understand heavy cars that can't handle. If I wanted to feel g-force from acceleration, there's a roller coaster at Disneyland that 0-60s quicker than a Mustang and 125cc go-karts that do it even quicker than that. I once passed a heavy and powerful Aston Martin that full throttled it to catch up to me, engine thundering like a freakin powerboat. He caught up to me, but when he tried to make the 90 degree right hand turn at the same speed as me, he BLEW over the center line into the oncoming traffic lane. He was SO lucky there wasn't someone sitting there at the light. He was so mad at my MINI for killing his $100k car that he eventually used the center lane to pass me in traffic. Don't follow MINIs through turns; You might hurt somebody! =]

 

I vote this to be the quote of the week!

 

I know quite a few mustang owners where I live. Theyre all cool dudes and dont hate on my car at all. Maybe its a rare thing for mustang owners, but I find them to be cool car guys. Better than the kids who buy new GTI's and all of a sudden think theyre the coolest person on earth because they just signed up on vwvortex and own a "euro" car.

 

I've known a few Mustang owners on both sides of the coin. I work with a former 'stang owner and he said that you really can't compare the two cars. Mustangs are really designed for straight line performance, 0-60, MINI's are designed for the twisties, and even he knew about the go-kart handling lol.
I do like the look of the new 'stangs but honestly, I would never buy one, I am just not a fan of Ford. Besides, my MINI spoils me.

 

I still own my Mustang, but I have long since dropped my membership in the local Mustang Club.

It isn't just your local club, that kind of attitude seems to be in most local Mustang clubs. While there are certainly good people into Mustangs, most are total a-holes and they seem to encourage each other to act like that. I am sure that the guy who wrote that "gay" comment received a standing ovation and a lot of high-fives when he bragged about it at their meeting.

 

I went to an AutoX event about three years ago. The 2nd fastest car was a friend of mine driving an '03 SVT supercharged Cobra. He would have been the fastest had he not knocked over a cone, which cost him two seconds. By far the most entertaining driver out there the way he whipped in and out of the rest of the cones. Fastest was another guy I know driving a WRX STI.

 

Was heading to Mini thunder last week at Thunder Hill In CA. I the way south I came up on a new Mustang GT. I followed for a while and as he got hung up in traffic I went by him on the right. As I passed I could see he was all set up with NASCAR gear. Complete with Racing Jacket, Hat and DE Intimidator Sun Glass. I knew he was having none of of my JCW passign him. I see him trying to pass people to get at me. I stayed in the left lane as he approached on the right. We were doing around 75 already and he was coming hard.When his bumper was going past my passanger I down shifted to 4th and stood on the peddle to see what my MINI JCW had. I was expecting the torque of the Mustang v-8 to pull me on a straight pull. I was wrong. He was floored now and got to my front pumper at about 90 and the MINI started to walk away. Now were wer doing over 100 and slow left lane hanger was blocking my left lane. He figured I would back off and let him by on the right. I stayed in it as I approached red line in 4th gear. Now I was length ahead and gaining and I was closing fast on the hanger I figured he wouuld give me some room. Wrong. I was clear of his front end and pulling so I cut in front of him as I shifted to 5th around 115 and pulled away on the boost. He was not a happy camper. we were in the middle of knowwhere and
he got off at the next exist. Very impressed with the MINI. I have owned pleny of big v-8 muscle. 67 Mustang GTA with a 390 BB, 66 Vette coupe with a 427 4 Speed, Z06's etc. I have a Maserati GT Coupe which has been sitting since I got the MINI. You get the picture. The MINI is a blast to drive. Straight line ormore so on the curves.

Next day at Willows Thunder Hill I ran in the intermediate group for the track day. First time at this track and first time in my JCW. My only other track experience was 2 weeks prior for 2 days with Phil Wicks in his full on MINI Race car at CMP in SC. There was a very bad *** Shelby Mustang there thatw as far from stock. It had the huge lope to it so it had a big racing cam and it was running race fuel. On one 20 minute session at Thunder Hill he waved be by twice in the same session. Now it was a cold day and it was hard to get heat in the tires but MINI's were going around him like he was standing still. I heard he has lots of experience at that track but the Stang was a hand full. I better driver would have given the mustang a better showing but the MINI's rocked. Only think fast than a MINI through the corners was a Mini Classic. Not much power but man are they fast through the corners. I diced it up with one classic and had a blast. I had more power and speed so I could get by him coming out of the fast corners and on the straights. But coming out of the slow corners he would motor on by with 10 more MPH coming out of the slow corners. If I made a small mistake he was all over me or going by. Way too much fun. After the first day I had Jan put his tune on my car. Wholly crap. Say hello to 30 new HP! They tried to recruit me to the advanced race pre group as I was pretty fast on day one. I resisted as I wanted a safe trip as I had 650 miles to run back home. Getting off track in the mud damaged a few cars over the weekend. I thought about running int he back of the pack but I figured I would push to hard to play and
over cook a corner. Last 2 sessions with the new tune were outstanding. I was very fast on corners 1, 7, and 8 taking them flat out, not lifting and using all the track available. Last session of the day no one was staying with me and passed the field and was lapping back markers. Advanced Group from now on. The MINI rocked at the track and the new tune is off the hook. At 2 MPG on my return trip. I went 650 miles and never got out of the car. Stopped for Gas on OR (They fill the tank)-and hit drive thru at Taco Hell. Spent 15 minutes talking with a trooper for doing 66 in a 55 coming down a pass straight and dry- I was in N. I got a warning(Very Cool) and averaged 72 MPH and got 29 MPG. After 1700 miles and 2 tanks of gas at the track I love my new JCW. What a sleeper car. With the Jan tune it is so much faster too!

 

Sounds like you had a blast at the track. I know that there were some people at Sebring that were surprised by my MINI, too.

Regarding the new Mustang, you may want to edit that story to comply with forum rules, but in general, a new Mustang GT shouldn't have much trouble with a JCW, especially in a straight line. The '11 GTs with the new 5.0 are 12-second cars right off the showroom floor. Of course, anything can happen, but i would lean toward it being a 4.6L GT rather than a 5.0.

Regarding your track experience, I'm guessing the guy in the Shelby wasn't happy with all the MINIs passing him. Any idea what year that thing was? GT500? Shelby GT?

I may have to check out that Phil Wicks school... Sounds awesome.

 

I agree with "BIMJO". I also have always done things my own way. Driving a MINI fits me.

We all must be honest. We love the fact that our MINI's are different and perform well. We are not following the crowd.

Dorks that say it is a "Gay" car, feel threatened. It does not have 400 horsepower. It is not a 4 wheel drive that is jacked up and requires a ladder for entry . Most importantly, it is small, fast and cute and they have no idea how to categorize it.

Life is way to short to worry about what these people think. To be honest, if everyone owned one, I would buy something else anyway!

 

I agree, it was probably a 2010 model, as they look very similar to the 11's. I know that my modded JCW can easily pull on the stock 4.6, especially after hitting 4th, much to their chagrin!

Also, on a side note, I've noticed that that stock Mustang brakes fade very quickly on twisty tracks, much more so than Mini's!

 

Yeah, the '10 Mustangs are the same bodystyle as the '11s, so the best way to tell the difference is probably just whether or not it says GT ('10) or 5.0 ('11) on the fender.

There are a ton of different Mustangs and brake options, so there are a lot of variables, but the Mustangs' weight is obviously working against it in that regard, especially the ~4000lb GT500s. My Foxbody Mustang, however, only weighs about as much as a Clubman, but has 13" brakes, Brembo rotors, etc.

 

One thing I just don't understand is why the new generation of US pony cars are so large. They're huge. Pigs, actually. If they'd just scale them down to about 3/4's of their current size, they'd have something. Heck, comparing them to the originals, they just look big and bulbus. Trim them down, make them at least 500 lbs lighter (or more) and then they might have something.

 

some more replies to the thread....


"I bet your husband loves the comfortableness of the seats as he plants it in your ***. Nice car, little girl."


"Id maybe get one if i were british....but here in the states they just look gay going down the road....but good to hear they are a blast to drive!!"