Since us MINI owners always love to hear how great our cars are (I'm not sure whether that's good or bad), I had an experience today that shows how MINIs are as equally loved as babies, kittens, and puppies.

This morning I was on crowded Metro train here in DC and a woman was sitting across the aisle with her young son (He couldn't have been more than 3 years old). As their stop came up, they stood up to exit the train and as they passed a Zip Car ad picturing a MINI, the kid pointed to it and yelled out "MINI Cooper, MINI Cooper!" He repeated it several more times before they walked off the train.

You can't buy that kind endorsement. It was yet another MINI ownership moment that massaged my ego and reinforced my decision to go with a MINI over other options. Somehow I can't imagine any kid pointing to a picture with a Toyota on it yelling out, "Toyota Corrolla, Toyota Corrolla!"

 

....that's precious!

 

I thought this was going to be a story about being alone in the dark with a MINI picture.... and not being Master of your Domain.


Cute story. I've had that happen several times over the last few years. It's always fun.

 

I had a similar experience one day after leaving work. I was stopped at a stop sign and waited to let a jogger pushing his 3ish year old daughter in a baby jogger cross in front of me. As they passed, I could see the little girl hanging out of the stroller pointing and mouthing "MINI Cooper, MINI Cooper!" She was adorable!

On the other end of the spectrum, Friday morning as I was leaving for work, approached a stop sign where a downtrodden elderly man was crossing the street ahead of me. He didn't look up at me as I approached the intersection, but once he crossed he turned back and looked at the car, got this huge smile on his face, started to turn to keep walking, then took a double-take with a huge smile. I smiled and waved at him as I pulled away and he just stood there smiling and watching me drive off. It was nice to indirectly brighten someone's day.

 

And I got on a Metro with obnoxious posters for Mitchum. If I used it, I would switch brands.

 

Kids do seem to love MINIs...and they are uninhibited enough to let it be known. Gotta love that!!

 

Unlike the old coot who lives a couple of blocks from me and has a MINI and gives me a pissed-off look when I drive by, as if "how dare you own one of those."

 

Yeah, that is pretty bad.