I've noticed that people either love MINI Coopers or 'hate' them. When I'm driving around town I either get people who look at the car with admiration, which are most people ....or people look away or have funny looks on their faces.

Has anyone else found this to be the case?

Also, I frequently get people who say "Oh, I would really like one." Or, "I was thinking of getting one, but it's just not quite practical enough." This was the case with me, but it didn't turn out to be so bad.

 

This happens with anything that doesn't fit the cookie-cutter mold. Others either admire or dislike people who don't go with the flow.

 

My Lady hated them ("They are ugly") wouldn't even go look at them. We were in a situation where we had to have a vehicle that day, we had been to 5 Jeep dealerships and just couldn't put together a deal that I liked( we've driven Wranglers for years and they are easy to tow behind a motorhome). I asked can we just go look at MINI's because we were really under the gun to get a car. LInda drives an '07 New Beetle that we plan to sell later in the year. We test drove the MINI and she fell in love with them, we bought "Squirt" and took delivery that evening. At the same time there was a PW Cooper Conv. on the showroom floor and it took all I could do to keep her from buying it and trading the Beetle in and still today we go look at Convertibles, she wants me to trade "Squirt" in on one.

 

Why not trade the Beagle?

 

Sometimes people wonder why it doesn't look like the original. I think it looks like the original, but I have to tell them that it's a matter of legality (size issue)- as well as selling a car big enough that people will buy in the US.

 

I had a friend who thought the MINI unattractive....she bought a Mazda 3!! OK car but......whatever!!! Many folks are just unwilling to step out of the norm...they are not MINI-worthy. They just don't "get it."

The biggest comment I hear is that people don't think they would be "safe" with all the bigger vehicles out there on the roads. I try to explain about MINI safety, but most folks are simply locked into a very limited mindset.

A real MINI-worthy owner will have nothing else. You're right...for them it is about love!!!

 

I bought my first MINI in Aug. of 2004 and no one has ever said they didn't like it. One elderly lady said, "I know my Husband wouldn't have one, but I
would love to have one". I offered to take her for a ride but she said she had to hurry home.

 

The safety comment is another one I get. Well there was a test done around 2003/2004 between the MINI Cooper and Ford F150. I think it was 35 mph head on collision test. Guess which was safer- the MINI. They're well designed and engineered cars people!

 

It doesn't look like the original because (1) it can't due to numerous safety issues, (2) modern enhancements (e.g. soundproofing, electronics) and (3) it wouldn't sell because, the market does not want an out-dated looking car; they want a car with a retro look. Note I said market -- not everyone. Personally, I like the retro look, but not the original look.

 

Modern MINI, July issue, page 7. MINI scored 13 out of 16 in head-on collision and 16 out of 18 side-on, earning it the highest safety scores (5 star) in the Euro NCAP crash test, which is more realistic and tougher than US crash-testing. "Child safety testing also produced excellent results." In offset frontal crash (most deadly crash) test the passenger cell remained intact. So safety is definitely not an issue.

 

Nope. That's the biggest misconception. The only thing that is definitely dangerous is the fact that any low car has the potential to slide under a larger vehicle- semis, etc. About 6 mos. ago a girl in an SUV backed into me while I was stationary. She took out the hood scoop! That's how low these cars are! I like low though.

 

Same thing though, with the vast majorty of SUV's. Unlike automobiles or mini vans, SUV's are not required by US Law to have unibody construction, so almost all American made SUV's are just a body bolted onto a truck chassis. If one hit a big rig, the whole body could get wiped right off the chassis, soccer-mom, brood, and all.

 

I never knew that....nice to know! I assume MINIs are of unibody construction then?

 

I wasn't aware there was a law requiring unibody construction in anything.

 

Mini's a definitely unibody.

Laws mandating "crumple zones" have been exempting pick-up trucks, and the big three took advantage of a loop hole allowing them to build SUV's on a pick-up chassis cheaply.

 

Every week there seems to be some new SUV on the road.

 

I used to give the funny looks and shy away from their odd looks.. but honestly, the more and more I have been seeing them, the more Im finding they are VERY cool.

Throw some mods into them, and they look even more beautiful. I really like them now.

 

SUVs or MINIs?

 

I think he was refering to MINIs. There are definitely some weird SUVs out there....B9 Tribeca anyone?? (thank God they discontinued its old styling!)

 

Yeah.. I was referring to MINIs.

SUV's are a waste of gas, parking spots, and our environment.

..Unless you actually use them for offroad purposes. Then I can see a point to them.

 

At least Ford came out with the escape hybrid though. Good longterm move on their part.

 

MINI are unique in their over all shape, configuration, grill, and big ol' headlights because........well, they are Minis. If folks know the Mini then all is well, but if folks don't then a MINI might look kinda bizarre/weird. It's basic ignorance. Now some people seem to think MINIs are cute...and they are (and always will be on some level) but only because Minis were cute. The apple didn't fall far from the tree. (although some tought a Mini w/ a hatch was all wrong...they must love the cabrio!!)

MINI's are also of a very different syling approach to what we commonly see in the many Japanese small cars out there. Here there seems to be a proliferation of "aggressive-looking" body embellishments that are meaningless and gratuitous....in a word, "yuck." I greatly prefer the cleaner look of the MINI...yet people are seeing a lot of this Japanese styling these days and so to them it may seem more the norm. Frankly, I wish the Japanese stylists would get a clue and stop this nonsense, but hey, that's their thing. MINIs have.....genetically.....a different thing.

 

Not likely, since the owner of MINI has been making their cars look more and more Japanese.......

 

I think BMWs are looking ricier by the second IMO. The 7 looks like a lexus, and the 3 looks like a corolla.

 

Really old news. No longer true.

That is pretty offensive. Lots of MINI owners also own SUVs. Every vehicle has a purpose. This SUV hating crap is really old.

MINIs are cute simply because their small. It has nothing to do with minis. Smart cars will be cute too.

I've never actually heard anyone say anything degratory about MINIs "in person". On web forums, there are some haters with the usual clown car comments but most enthusiasts have respect for them and, IMO, view them as cute and nice little runabouts for around town. This is nothing new. You can go to any car forum and somebody will be bashing "any" car. No car is immune from it. There is no perfect car for everybody.

The love/hate thing, I think, is more tied to reliability. Living at the dealer is not fun. I'm still hoping they get better over the years (and not any bigger ... its already too big).