Hey. This is my first post, but I look forward to contributing to this forum in the future.

This goes out to teenagers and young adults who had to consult their parents to get the Mini Cooper:


My parents are driving me nuts. I know that it is a safe car and that it got a best pick in its class by the Insurance institute of highway safety, but they are concerned that it is just to small. They think that it is unsafe because if I get hit by a car (i am a good driver, but regardless) with a lot of metal on it (suv) that there is no hope.

What concerns did you parents raise?
How did you counter them?
Where they concerned?

Anything related to this would be nice. I really LOVE this car, but this is a factor that my parents think is important (me too, but just not as much, I am careful). So what should I tell them, and what is your experience. Please respond.


Thanks to all of you who respond in advance and I think this is a great site that I will be contributing to alot.



Peace,

 

Welcome to MCO BadAndy!

Hopefully your parents will see the light about the safety issues, show them visual comparisions between the Ford F-150 and the MINI, and if they don't think the MINI is safe after that, they're being ignorant and illogical. Physical size is irrelevent with quality engineering (and that's no bullsh!t)

Best of luck!
Ryan

 

Thanks for responding.

I have made them well aware of the safety issues of the mini and their concern is the sheir mass of the car going up against say a suburban, or a navigator.



Thanks for responding. Hoping to get a good point to tell them!

And, thanks for the welcome

 

hmmm... let's see.... give a new driver a great handling car with 6 airbags or....

a big moster of a vehicle that wobbles down the road, is barely large enough to fit in the lanes (and parking spaces) and barely meets saftey requirements.

More metal does not mean it is safer. If I were you I'd head over to ntsb's web site and do some research. I mean don't get me wrong, I have a pickup truck and I think *certain* larger vehicles do have a place but not for a new driver. I feel much more in control of everything with my MCS than my truck. The MCS is so much easier to drive. Good luck!
-Chris

 

Someone who deliberately chooses a massive unweildly vehicle for the sole purpose of killing every innocent bystander they happen upon along their semi-controlled journey is a sick person indeed.

Oh, whoops, I just described every man woman and child in North America. Sorry, no offence meant. But maybe some counseling wouldn't hurt.

 

I've driven the car since last August, and I can say that the handling has helped me avoid at least one accident that might have had other consequences. I won't get into any accident data, your parents can read that. Have your parents test drive it.

 

You might tell them the mini is the auto equivalent of the tick. It may be small but it's tough to squish!

 

I talked my dad into getting the MCS for himself, and now that I will be able to drive in 2 1/2 months, he has decided to give it to me. He is giving it to me, because he knows it is safe, he has never been scared that it is going to get loose from the road, and he says that that makes him feel comfortable for me to drive it.

 

We have two schools of thought here. We have the better to avoid the accident and drive a nimble car group and the better off in the vehicle with the most inertia group (the parents). Both are right, it just depends on your preference. BadAndy's folks aren't wrong, but aren't showing a lot of concern for everybody else.

 

>>Thanks for responding.
>>
>>I have made them well aware of the safety issues of the mini and their concern is the sheir mass of the car going up against say a suburban, or a navigator.
>>
>>
>>
>>Thanks for responding. Hoping to get a good point to tell them!
>>
>>And, thanks for the welcome :smile: Drive a cheap used car, save up some cash and do whatever the heck you want to then. :smile:

 

If you get hit by Hummer at a stoplight, you're toast in just about any car. If you buy a Hummer to be safe and you hit someone at a stoplight you're toast. It doesn't matter how good of a driver you are, you can not avoid all collisions. And if you're a bad driver, a big car will make you feel invincible, and put you in a bad situation.

There is no right or wrong answer. Have your parents do the research and make their best guess.

 

Hey. Thanks for all your responses. You bring up great points

Supermini03- I am SO happy for you. You are so fortunate. Good luck with your Mini!