The other day I had my peak MINI ownership day to date. I know some of you MINI veterans have heard it all before but this is such an amazing thing to me, and I'm a newbie, so I have to pass it along.

I decently retired my old daily driver for a 2002 MCCR/W, so this was the first week driving my MINI on a daily basis. My fun-meter was already twitching.

I had to pass through security at one of the Marine Corps bases in the DC area, and as part of the process, they asked me to open up all the doors and exit the vehicle. When I pulled the bonnet release, one of the guards said ”how come the release is over on the passenger side?” (I have been waiting to answer this question !). Well, that’s because they are made in England ! “Oh ! I see, well that makes sense.” Which of course prompted me to share other sensible things about this car. Heh-heh.

Two ladies from work noticed me gettiing ready to leave the parking lot and stopped to say all sorts of “oh those MINIs are so cool”, and “I just love those cars” and “hey is that yours?, nice car !” . (Fun-Meter still climbing).

Later on I-66 got a nice MINI wave and smile from a fellow motorer. Very Cool, first wave Ive gotten on this road in 6 years and 230,000 miles. Thanks.

I had to stop at our gocal grocery store on my way home, parked right in front. When I came out , there was a Cadillac Escalade parked opposite me, so My MIINI and the Escalade were nose-to-nose (quite a picture). A woman was getting in, but stopped when she saw me getting in, “I just love those cars” she said, “that is my dream car, my man (her words) bought me this Escalade, but I told him I want one of those”. This gave me the opportunity to delight her with talk of actually how reasonable these MINIs can be, (all the while glancing at her 50K SUV) . She said something about liking convertibles, and there was no stopping me, “as a matter of fact, my wife drives one of these, I said, just like this one, but hers is (Astro) Black, and it’s a . . . convertible. She practically swooned – this woman really wants a MINI. We talked a bit more and I then went on my motoring way, Happy. Nice day.

 

Glad to see you;re embracing the experiance

 

I love your comment:
"first wave Ive gotten on this road in 6 years and 230,000 miles"

That is so true. You never get waves from complete strangers while driving a minivan.

 

I think you may have made a couple of sales there. Better talk to someone at MINIUSA about getting a commission!

 

 

I go on base with my SO fairly often, and have been waylayed by guards who ask about my MINI several times. The funny thing is, he goes through the checkpoint first and gets through quickly (in his MINI), then I sit there for a while while they ask me MINI-related questions, such as, "Do you feel super in your MINI Cooper?" (apparently that's a reference to a Madonna song).

I guess it must be fun for them to see 2 MINIs go through the gate after having to look at boring cars all day long.

 

i am starting to think people around here hate me and my mini for some reason. i never get people asking me about my car when i get out of the stores or anything, bummer. but it is nice it is happening to you

 

Guy RAN up to me from his car at the stoplight this week to say "I have just been at the MINI dealer for two hours looking at these, what do you think of yours?"

I said ", and it's my 2nd one after surviving being totaled by a city bus in the first one without injury", light changed and zoooommm...

 

Was she hot?.....LOL
(since no one else asked)

 

The first time I drove onto base after buying mine htey did the same thing. The gate guards made us pull to the side and they did a full "security" check. They admitted to just wanting to check it out, though.