Just wondering what the most common mistake for the Mini has been. Today mine is one month old and I've had about a dozen, "Is that a Chrysler?" six "Who makes that, Ford?" and a couple "What kind of Chevy is that?"

 

... and after you say "Mini Cooper," you get a lot of blank looks, which leads
to an extended dissertation on Austin, the late`50s economic crisis in England
and "econobox" origins, John Cooper, Alec Issigonis, the Monte Carlo rally surprises, how many were imported into the U.S., Rover, BMW, etc., etc., which then leads to a ten-minute run-down of all the features, the opening of the bonnet and boot, and so on and so forth, at which point you've forgotten why you ever left the house, what errands you were supposed to be running, what time it is, and whether or not the dog (who was annoyed at not being allowed to motor, too) has all the while been watering the living room carpet during this time warp interlude.

--- MINI owners have tremendous burdens and responsibilities, don't you
think?!

----------
Chili Red/Black roof

 

>>
>> --- MINI owners have tremendous burdens and responsibilities, don't you
>> think?!


Yeah, but tell me it ain't all worth it... Personally, it's a cross I'm willing to bear.

-Pete

 

"What kind of car is that?"

Here's some answers...

1. "Read the back, moron."
2. "Nigel Powers'. I'm borrowing it for the weekend."
3. "A car that'll kick yours' @$$!"
4. "Without a doubt a better car than yours."
5. "A Mini Cooper." 'What?' "Mini Cooper." 'Yeah, but who makes it?' "Mini." 'Yeah, but who makes it?' "MINI! Parent company is BMW." 'Oh. What kind of car is it?' (I actually had this conversation with a bum at a gas station in DC.)

I know, I'm mean.

-Sprog

 

The only 'off' comments i've heard were a group of young teen boys yell out excitedly as I drove by "It's one of thoes Nissans!"... (they need to start hanging around the younger kids, as a group of elementary school boys identified it correctly "It's A MINI Cooper!"(well, i'll forgive them about the lack of S... )) and I've had one 'Is it a hybrid?' (rather insulting if you ask me...).. but most people around here are more apt to ask what it is "A MINI Cooper S", and when they don't know what a MINI is, I tell them it's like a Saturn is a Saturn, but it's owned by GM... A MINI is a MINI, but it's owned by BMW... and they usually either figure it out, or realize that they still don't get it, and clam up..

Rocketboy_X

 

the sound of the OOOOOH that I get when I tell them it's British is quite puzzling. It's as if, since the car is small and cute, it *has* to be British.

Still, my favorite of all time is....."Does it run on electricity?"

 

When I told someone that the car they ware looking at was a Mini she said, "a what?". I was dumbfounded, and finally I just said, "It's a Brittish thing, you wouldn't understand."


Cheers

 

When you do get to the end of the dissertation (which grows shorter and shorter over time) and explain about the parent being BMW, only then do they act like they understand - but I'm sure most of them still don't get it. (Instead of Saturn and GM my example has been Lincoln and Ford - although Saturn is probably a better parallel.)

My short answer has generally reduced to what follows:

Confused: "What kind of car is that?"

Me: "MINI is the make, Cooper is the model. BMW is the parent company of MINI."

Confused: "Oh. It's really neat!"

Me: "It's a TON of FUN. I really love it!" <GRIN> <GRIN> <GRIN>

Confused: "It looks like it would be."

Sometimes you just don't have the time to talk about it like you could. This works for me.

_________________
Pure Silver w/ black MC, Premium, Sports, and Cold-weather pkgs, CVT, + NAV system - and that little shark-fin antenna! (too much fun!)

 

When I turned in my leased 3/4-ton 4x4 Dodge Ram pickup prior to picking up my MINI, the Dodge salesman asked me what kind of car I was getting. When I replied, "A MINI", he gave me a blank look and then said, "Oh, a mini-VAN?" :smile:

 

>>5. "A Mini Cooper." 'What?' "Mini Cooper." 'Yeah, but who makes it?' "Mini." 'Yeah, but who makes it?' "MINI! Parent company is BMW." 'Oh. What kind of car is it?' (I actually had this conversation with a bum at a gas station in DC.)


Please, it's MINI Cooper!!! :smile:

 

>>>>5. "A Mini Cooper." 'What?' "Mini Cooper." 'Yeah, but who makes it?' "Mini." 'Yeah, but who makes it?' "MINI! Parent company is BMW." 'Oh. What kind of car is it?' (I actually had this conversation with a bum at a gas station in DC.)
>>
>>
>>Please, it's MINI Cooper!!! :smile:

That's a whole other story Greatgro! Don't get us started! At which point she realized my steaming heap of sarcasm was directed at her and sheepishly backed away. HA!

R

 

What kind of car is that? My son and I have been trying to come up with the top ten smarta$$ answers so far we have

Small
Blue
Mine
Cool
Fast
New
Short
Paid for
Leased
Act like you cant speak english

Fatbob
EB S

 

Check this out:
http://classifieds.autos.yahoo.com/c...ime+2&cf=1

It's a freakin dealership selling a mini, and they don't even know what the car is! I bet they'd get a lot more interest in the car if they listed it as a BMW mini cooper.

 

I love the people that come in the showroom and ask that question followed by, "It's ugly".
By the time they've looked at it, sat in it, asked all the questions, poked and prodded around and found out it's owned by BMW, they leave saying..."It's sooo cute!".

 

Oh, that ad is pretty sad and yes, I succumbed to the temptation to email them and tell them they are nincompoops! I CLEARLY have too much time on my hands...

Cheers,
Leslie

 

From the ad in yahoo:
I bet someone didn’t go to Collage.
Dude buys a car magazine.
:evil: :evil:

 

>>Oh, that ad is pretty sad and yes, I succumbed to the temptation to email them and tell them they are nincompoops! I CLEARLY have too much time on my hands...
>>
>>Cheers,
>>Leslie

Don't worry, you're not the only one... but I sent it from their dealer site...

Rocketboy_X

 

I couldn't help it...I had to write them and tell them how silly they look selling a car under the wrong name!

 

Me too! I wrote them as well.

We all should - let them know: IT'S NOT A CHRYSLER!!!

_________________
=R=
My Sharona (Nov. Delivery): LY/B MCS, Stripes, Premium & Sport Packs. Cold Pack is included in Canada, eh?

Got ATTITUDE? Get http://ShitDisturber.com. THE email with Attitude! GO Leafs GO

 

75% ask where do you buy it, then who makes it and I think to myslef "Read the label" I had one guy ask if it was the new Ford and another looked surprised when I said, "No, the engine is in the front on this one".
A few ladies call it the Chevron car.
A trabant?
the new Corvair?

 

I just got this e-mail from the dealership that posted that ad:

"Thank you for bringing this error to our attention! Our company that puts our inventory on the web for us totally screwed up. We know that Mini is not a Chrylser! A Mini is a "Mini"! Thank you again! Lenny Canora-Internet Manager-Peekskill Linc-Merc-914-739-4000 ext 12. "

 

>>I just got this e-mail from the dealership that posted that ad:
>>
>>"Thank you for bringing this error to our attention! Our company that puts our inventory on the web for us totally screwed up. We know that Mini is not a Chrylser! A Mini is a "Mini"! Thank you again! Lenny Canora-Internet Manager-Peekskill Linc-Merc-914-739-4000 ext 12. "

Phew!!!!! Thank goodness they changed it.. I was getting very upset thinking about that! what a relief! ok.. i can relax now!
:evil:

 

Why
is
this
thread
so
wide??

 

I just e-mailed them too, freaking morons

 

>>Why
>>is
>>this
>>thread
>>so
>> wide??

I could be wrong, but I think it is the link on page 1 that isn't getting any "wrapping" in the frame. My bet is if the link title were shortened, it would put everything back to normal width.
:???: guessing.