I've had a lot of cars, from Triumph Spitfires to Vettes, to Jeeps, to Celica's, Talons, Preludes and Landcruisers.

But nothing evokes the "can't wait for delivery" feeling like the MINI. And the same is true in spades for those MINIacs that have taken delivery.

What is it about this car that makes us all crazed to drive? What appealed to you when you first decided to buy your MINI?

For me it was the bulldog look, yet cute. However, I think what sold me was the first time I sat inside an MCS at the Toronto Auto Show in February/02. Have you ever seen a dash like that before? Or a honkin' speedo in the middle - or that blazin' tach right smack in the middle of the steering wheel? It's one radical design - yet pays hommage to it's roots.

And supercharged to boot!

And how about rallys? This car is made for them. I can't wait to scream around corners, and (as the ads say) turn on-ramps into foreplay.

Have you owned any other cars that have a web-following like the MINI? I certainly can't find any forums for any other vehicles that evoke the passion of motoring the way MCO does.

What about you? What is it about this car?

_________________
=R= #3077
My Sharona (Now on the rails headed for Toronto): LY/B MCS, Stripes, Premium & Sport Packs, Sunroof & Leather. Cold Pack is included in Canada, eh?

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

 

My MINI is the car for me.....no other car has the personality that the MINI has (the Accord was just an Accord.....the Tempo....well that was just a piece of s$*%) And I feel like my car completely compliments my personality.....

The other day I was driving home and looking at other people in their cars.....all of them looked MISERABLE. When I motor, I sing along with the radio or a CD, and I don't care who sees me.....I LOVE MY MINI!!!!!!!!

_________________
<IMG SRC=https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/~sfiveten/L%20Mini%20Sig.jpg>
<a href ="/modules.php?op=modload&name=Messages&file= replypmsg&send=1&uname=l.mini">Sen d
me a PM</a>

 

The car you drive says a lot about you to other people..
When you drive a mini, you're telling the world that you WILL NOT be "one of the herd". You're saying that you don't need a $60,000+ gas guzzling exotic to run circles around most anything on the road. You're saying that your concept of "style" follows no trends. But most of all, you're driving a vehicle that simply can't be described, categorized or compared.
And you're having a hell of a good time in the process..

 

>>What about you? What is it about this car?

"For those who understand no explaination is necessary. For those who do not, none will do..."

The cover of this Month's Motor Trend is illustrative. A photo of the Pontiac Vibe, Volkswagen Turbo Beetle, and the Mini Cooper S.

The woman driving the Mini is clearly laughing whereas in the other 2 photos the people are just kinda grinning. That says a lot.

I agree with L.Mini; this is the funnest (I know it's not a word) car I've EVER driven, and believe me I've driven a lot of them. The first time I drove a Mini I belly-laughed out loud. That has never happened before.

The Mini is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. Period. :smile: It simply gives me a sour feeling whenever I see it. Thanks!

 

rygold,

I also live in T.O. and have a EB MCS on order...you mentioned that cold package is included in Canada....is this true? Also, is there anything we get that our neighbours south of the border dont???

By the way, I was attracted when I saw a picture of the MC in popular science 2 years ago!! Great specs and write up accompanied that sweet pic so I just had to have one...plus it was made by BMW.

THanks,

Luca

 

srry, correction....southe of the boarder don't *get*

Thanks Again

 

MINIs in Canada seem to have fewer overall choices than in the US. However, it seems that almost everything (except some esoteric accessories like park-distance sensor) are included between the Premium and Sport packages (exclusive of sunroof, leather, HK soundsystem).

Canada-bound MINIs get as standard the heated seats and headlight washers. I don't believe we get a choice of the heated mirrors. Maybe they're standard.

When are you slated for delivery?

_________________
=R= #3077
My Sharona (Now on the rails headed for Toronto): LY/B MCS, Stripes, Premium & Sport Packs, Sunroof & Leather. Cold Pack is included in Canada, eh?

 

I'm a regular car magazine junkie, and knew about the new MINI way back when it first hit the Frankfurt Auto Show. I like the design, but didn't ponder it too much until I got the first Road and Track review. I couldn't believe that handling numbers! The base Cooper could best any other car BMW makes through the slalom...and there was a supercharged version on the way!

I took a closer look at the design of the car, and realized that every detail was carefully considered. The only other car I could compare it to in that regard is the TT.

Anyway, when I got to the Chicago auto show in February, and saw the price and performance figures for the S, and actually sat in one...I was sold right there.

I was actually nervous when I went to test drive in June. What if it didn't meet my expectations? No worries, it totally exceeded them. My wife loved it too, and that sealed the deal.

Basically no other car can perform that well, for that price and look so good doing it.

 

This car makes me SMILE , YELL & it reminds me of the cars of my younger days.

I really think it is super to read how the New MINI is affecting the younger generation,my how history does repeat it self.

I haave owned , driven cars that most people only dream of .The MINI is like your FIRST LOVE there is never another one better.

You all Motor On...SMILE ,YELL .WAVE just have a wonder time

 

mini=Personality
MINI=has the same personality, but a little bit if "flair" since the HP is higher.

I love my car, everyone thinks I'm nutz, but i don't care. I'm so happy to get into my car everyday and that says a LOT. When you see the grinning idiot driving down the street, just wave!!

It was hard waiting for my car, but I knew that when she got here, I'd have such a blast and I was right, I'm still having so much fun every day.

 

When I returned from my un-chaperoned test drive, the first three words out of my mouth that I spoke to another human being after being asked what I thought were "Better than sex"

 

Your right, it is better than sex. Never thought of it that way. The pleasure sure lasts a lot longer! lololololol

 

 

What does it for me is the unique styling, as you described. I like the attention it gets, and I LOVE the way the car behaves on the road. I have owned many cars, like you, but have never owned one like the Mini.

 

Thanks Rygold,

Ya I think that the Americans get more bang for their buck in terms of packages. This annoyes me since we are technically paying even more for the base (lousy exchange) and on top of that they get better deals with their packages. I have a friend in the States and he said that he got his MCS wit ha sunroof that came with his premium package? That flips me out, my dealer charged an extra $1300. At first I thought it was a hoax or some extra dealer fees but I called up Mini in Quebec and trhey said the same thing.

As for arrival, they say anytiome in January so I don't really know when to expect it...I've heard delay excuses for just about everything.

See Ya,

Luca

P.S. Im loving the rotating bus shelter ads for mini but I think that the T.V. commercial lacks bigtime....they just don't show enough of the car or its capabilities.

Motor Hard.

 

I think that this is the greatest thread here! I think it really gets at the heart of why any of us are even here reading/typing/becoming members!

I agree with everythign Calvin77 says!

I sometimes pride myself on my ability to express my thoughts in written language, but I have such a flood of emotion when I try to answer the question, that I can't bring myself to put any comprehensible thoughts down.

So, I will just leave it at this:

 

It's the greatest thread - but it's gone dark!

Next opinion.........??????

_________________
=R= #3077
My Sharona (Now on the rails headed for Toronto): LY/B MCS, Stripes, Premium & Sport Packs, Sunroof & Leather. Cold Pack is included in Canada, eh?

 

I can't believe this thread is such a sleeper! :???:

 

Yoo Hoo - Yeah You - time to WAKE UP!!!!!

 

I don't think I'm quite as euphoric about the Mini as the average MCO lotus eater, but I definitely like to drive this car. After a few thousand miles in a Cooper, I've already got S on the brain.

For me, it's not about aesthetics - I think the basic design concept is great but the final execution is a bit, uh... baroque, to put it nicely. It does remind me a bit of the stance of one of my favorite q-ship compacts, the Renault R5 Turbo, but the Mini is a liitle too frilly for my taste, especially the interior.

No, for me it's not how it looks but how it feels. It's just a very engaging, rewarding car to drive hard. I'm no engineer, but I think it's a combination of the following:

- the mini is fairly lightweight by today's standards and very sitff
- it's got a superb, no-compromise sport suspension right out of the factory
- has the best FWD steering I've driven: light, direct feel, good feedback, quick ratio
- nice exhaust note for a stock system

I just roll down the windows, keep the revs above 3k, and push it hard. Can't say it's better than sex, but maybe I've just been fortunate in that department

 

Mini2Go and Rygold.

Thanks for reviving this thread, I think it went into a rest mode because there are only so many ways to describe why each of us love these cars. At the risk of repeating other people's comments I'll add my few pennies worth here:

What is it about this car?

It was originally purpose built to be a low cost, fuel efficient city car. Those of us that owned and loved the original Mini's are even more in love with these new creatures that have all of the power from the factory that we tried to create after market. It is so nice to have all of the creature comforts that weren't even dreams in the originals. See other thread on what is your favorite option and why.
The MINI is in a league of it's own when it comes to driving fun for the money. What other car in it's price range is described as steers "like it's on rails" or "go kart like"?
Mini's were always fun to drive, now they are FUN TO DRIVE!!! I'm sure that a portion of the fun is watching others watching you, knowing that they are thinking I wish I was having that much fun driving that really cool little car.

 

>>
>>But nothing evokes the "can't wait for delivery" feeling like the MINI. And the same is true in spades for those MINIacs that have taken delivery.
>>


I'm a certifiable MINIac! Things I thought I'd NEVER do:
-first sight of a MINI, brain says "got to have one!" (impractical)
-be part of an online community (MCO-here I am)
-be emotional over an inanimant object...joy,exitement,
and impatience (thanx rygold for the "can't wait
for the month club&quot
-buy a lot of MOTORIN'GEAR and MINI paraphanalia (I now
have an account w/ MINI of Hawaii)
-buy vanity plates...tryin' to let go of my Cali roots(MINIAC
on order)
All of this before even taking delivary of our MINI...I guess never say never!

 

>>Have you owned any other cars that have a web-following like the MINI? I certainly can't find any forums for any other vehicles that evoke the passion of motoring the way MCO does.

Although it wasn't a "web-following", the Mazda Miata had a substantial following through the Miata Club of America Magazine. As R-Speed can attest, the Miata generated similiar aftermarket enthusiasm and the "go-cart handling" and and friendly attitude the Mini inspires exactly describes what was written about the Miata 12 years ago. I must say, however, that the web is a much more enjoyable forum for enthusiasts than a quarterly or monthly print magazine!

 

I'd agree w/ the other members in that what we drive suggests who we are:

1) A visionary

2) A risk-taker

3) An expressive

The car's bonnet was what really got me when I first saw it's picture in a magazine. When I saw my first, it was the interior that was SO unique. Now, it's everything single thing, down to the reflectors on the wheel flanges.

Jim

 

6500 miles and still grinning like an idiot......