I picked up my Countryman a week ago today, and my wife still hasn't even sat in it. I can tell she has no desire to either. Oh well, at least she indulges me and let me buy the car. Is anyone else in a similar situation?

 

While mine doesn't share my unbridled love affair with my MINI, she at least understands why I do and she is totally cool with it.

It does seem a bit strange that a spouse wouldn't even want to check out her husband's new ride, regardless of what kind of vehicle it was, even if it wasn't a MINI.

The upside is that it usually only takes one ride to change someone's mind. Be careful, once she gets that first ride in your Countryman, you may be posting that you have a whole new problem!

 

Yes, but it's turning around.
DH refused to go to the dealership to even look or test drive.
He begged me to buy Japanese.
He even said I "would get tired of a Mini."

Now he enjoys going to Mini events like the Dragon and other club activities.
He has even admitted that my car is fun to drive.
He also realizes that my next car will be another Mini and so is springing for the extended warranty to hold that off as long as possible.

That said, he will never give up his Avalon, except for another Avalon.
It does suit him as he travels and his car is an office on wheels.
He calls it his "transportation appliance" and that is all he wants.

He did go into shock when he first saw the Black Jack on the roof, but nothing surprises him now.
He likes it now and knows it's right for me.

Just be patient.

Congratulation on the new CM.

 

YES..neither my wife nor daughter understand. I've had my '07 MCS since October and neither enjoy like I do. That being said I have convinced her that I need a new one so in about 6 mouths I will be trading it in on either a JCW Coupe or Roadster, Undecided yet. In case you are wondering how I've convinced her, i just spent X amount of dollars fixing timing chain issue and told her I don't trust the repairs now. Not True. But she doesnt need to know that.

Lil wing just wanted to say I like the black jack on your MINI.

 

Even though my wife's all V8-thunder focused (old ride: WS6 TransAm; new ride: Z06 Corvette), she enjoys my MINI and gets a kick out of driving it.

She "gets" the whole MINI experience also; Corvette folks are similar. A heritage / icon vibe that can be tapped, they love congregating, driving fun roads, finding great places to eat as an excuse to drive somewhere, are consumers of any number of never-ending "mods" from vendors who sell all manner of replacement and customizing parts for their cars.

 

I agree, I find it a bit strange also. And, I must admit, I am a bit hurt by it. At least the kids love it!

 

My wife doesn't get it at all. This is our first motoring season with our Clubman. She's gone to several events already and just ends up getting car sick and anxiety. She doesn't do well in cars to begin with, let alone in a MINI ripping through some back roads. I drive my MINI for a living 600+ miles/week. I've never been in an accident that was my fault and I've avoided several accidents other people almost caused with her in the car, but she'll never trust me behind the wheel. It really sucks. I also made the ultimate sacrifice and bought an automatic so she could drive both our cars. She's driven the MINI once and said she hated it. Definitely regret that compromise...

 

My wife hates my mini. She is a fan of big trucks and nearly always gets car sick when I take corners a little faster than she's used to. :D

 

My wife liked it when I got mine and now wants her own. She says her truck is getting traded for a JCW coupe.

 

Not sure if my husband "gets" my obsession or not. He insisted we attend the Dragon this year. We get there and he asks to drive her. I told him that road is not the best road to cut your teeth in a car you really don't know. He understood, but I felt bad. So, the next club run we had I let hime drive it. Well, he drove it like we were on a leisurely Sunday drive, with elbow on the door and only his right hand on the wheel...WTH..Totally ticked off the Minis behind us. He said he didnt want to be pushed out of hus "comfort level".....lesson learned...never again.

 

^ forgot to also mention he is supportive of my obsession and even put in the CAI and blacked out my beltline...:}

 

Take him to a few autocross events, it'll let him learn the car and raise his "comfort level" without having the chance of hurting himself or the car.

My girlfriend doesn't "get it" per se, but she does think the car is a lot of fun to ride in and, so long as we have enough money at the end of the month to pay the bills, she doesn't really care what I spend on the car....my parents on the other hand think I'm out of my mind for modifying what is, in their eyes, a perfectly good car as it is.

 

Get the Roadster

 

spousal unit has enjoyed driving the MINIs since day one - she was AT LEAST as interested as I when they were first announced

But has sat in the Mini exactly twice since we/I got it in 2004. She was VERY OK that I should get it, and has no complaints about time and money spent but has no interest in being a part of it . . .

 

Well I have to get a permission slip for my wife to let me drive hers. But I get to do all the maintenance and custom stuff and of course put gas in it. Just don't seem right.

 

I do not have any problem with the wife at all. We have his and hers MINIs.



His


Hers

 

Trust me, if ANYBODY is auto crossing in my baby it's gonna be ME!!!! all he talks about is how he used to race his Valiant in the '60's.... whateva....

I want to learn everything this Mini can do!

 

Ha! Sounds like us. I just recognize that we are each have different strengths were my Mini is concerned....

 

Take it from me, if your spouse/partner ever "gets it" you will definitely become a 2-MINI family.

 

I don't have that problem. The wife is if anything more obsessed. I was musing about maybe getting a Porsche, but she wouldn't have it. We had to settle for a JCW instead.

 

I don't have that problem. I have always been into cars, so when I met my husband 4 years ago, it was just meant to be And when he got his MINI, I hopped in it to learn how to drive it and I was HOOKED. Now I have one. He likes to tell people that I stole his car so many times, that we just got me one lol! My parents understand my obsession, mainly since they've driven the car(s), as well as my brother. But my 3 older sisters? PSHHH!! They could care less. Just the other day, they were ragging on me about my sticker "My other car is a MINI" cuz they couldn't grasp the fact that other MINI drivers would appreciate it. Although they did like the "WHEE!" sticker Anyway, it's impossible to talk about my car, much less ANY car with them. They don't even know how how a manual transmission works *rolls eyes* sigh*

 

My hubby was indifferent, though he indulged me and let me do what I wanted with the car. He started going to club events, and is getting acquainted with the people and really enjoying them.
So the other day we were discussing whether we should get him a little commuter car, since he drives a long way to work. It would save wear and tear on his truck (which gets about 17 mpg) and save gas. We discussed several options, and when we came home I caught him "building his MINI" on the computer. Of course, unlike my little base model Winnie, he wanted all sorts of packages and things, so the car ended up being more than we could spend....
But I think what happened is that he thought MINIs were 'girly'. It was this weird little car that his wife wanted. Now that he goes to the meetings, he sees all sorts of guys appreciating the MINIs, racing, autocrossing, etc. and he has learned to appreciate exactly what capable cars they are. Plus, when he does drive Winnie to work, he is beginning to like her!

 

How could you NOT fall in love with Winnie?!?

 

I don't have that problem. My hubby talked me into getting my current Mini (I thought it was too over the top and now that I'm close to 100,000 miles he has convinced he to trade it in for a new one

I have to say, I will be a Mini driver forever! So thank you hubby!!!

 

My wife hates my car. She did not go with me to the dealership and was not invovled in the buying process at all. I have my JCW for about 3.5 years. She has never driven the car nor asked to. She has been a passenger about 3 or 4 times. She taught me to drive a manual over 20 years ago.

And guess what... I like it this way. Its mine all mine.