I see 75 MINI's in a week . There are 5 major dealerships within 2 hours of my house. I easily see 5-10 just on the way to work in the morning.

I hardly ever wave to other drivers, most of them are 60 year old women in a CVT Cooper yapping away on their cell phones or doing their makeup.

 

Amen.

 

If I see someone with the new quilted Charmin in their cart and I'm rolling the old skool stylee, as usual, no way do I wave. No way.

 

 

Don't forget Clubman and the SUV they're adding.

 

i have a r56 mcs and used to have a r53. i gives waves to r53s and r56s, and usually get none back because the majority of them are just "cars" to them. the waves i do get back are the ones that mod them as i ahve modded mine. i guess you can post this question on a classic mini forum and see what kind of reply you get. what i am trying to say is lets stick together, where all mini's no matter what year. i'm waving no matter what---RESPECT!

 

I wave to 'em all and rarely get a return. Almost all are Gen 1.

I really have been disappointed. I automotively "grew up" when sports cars were young in this country, and everyone waved at everyone else, regardless of marque.

P.S. I did get a smile and wave the other day on a Houston freeway--about swerved out of my lane it was so unusual. I waved back, of course.

 

Well JD, I'm a 2nd generation owner and I wave at every mini, I'm going to say that about 90% R50 and R53's, but still have not got a single wave back, but I'm not giving up and I definitely don't want to start discriminating older and newer drivers. I think their are a lot of people out there that own Minis but are still not as passionate about their cars as we are.

 

I have 3 minis and I wave at all minis i see... however they don't all wave back... so i'll pass them, wave, then slow down so they pass me and wave again, then i pass again and wave until they wave back... if they DON'T wave i get mad and come home angry

 

This is starting to sound like the stalker tactics I've been known to employ (I hunt and get photos and post them )

Way back in the day when I first joined NAM, I stumbled across a post, of a MINI owner who said he would have no problem to pull over to chat, or buy you a cup of coffee and talk about MINIs just because you happened to drive the same car. But MINI, was a much smaller community then.

The MINI tends to attract an enthusiast crowd, enthusiasts share a certain bond, comradarie and bond. An understanding of the passion. MINIs are just the excuse to bring that together.

 

yep. me too. generally, most don't wave back now...

 

I wave at every Mini I see

 

PLEASE wave!!! I wave to all MINIs and Minis I see! Even when I'm driving my Saturn!

I love them all! Would have a classic AND a 1st generation if I could. Saved for 6 years to get Scoop, but think all makes are wonderful.

 

i wave at them all and thats the way its supposed to be right. my r56s is my second mini and it will not be my last.

 

Everyone should wave.

Here is an update for all of you pretencious R50/53 owners who look down your noses at R56's:

MANY(a considerable percentage), of classic owners do not consider any BMW built Mini a "REAL" Mini at all, they see them as fakes and frauds. Ever seen the sticker on a classic that reads 100% BMW Free. Some Mini clubs do not even allow BMW built Minis to join.

So wave people, even if they don't wave back, get off you high horses, and know your roots. It's really kind of sad, seeing the way owners of different years/builds look down on each other, I remain constantly amazed how some Mini owners are such snobs!

I try to wave to every Mini, classic or otherwise. I owned a R53, and currently own a R56 and a '66 Austin Cooper S.

 

I wave at all MINIs, even dirty ones

Mark

 

gen 1, Gen 2, Classic..........

Who cares!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wave at em all......Mini is MINI!!

 

Look out! 2nd gen driver responding to thread:

I spent the first 3 months with my R56 waving at every Mini I saw, 90% R53s...rarely got a return wave. I started to falter in my waving enthusiasm. This all got turned around just last week when the driver of a hot orange R53 gave me a solid wave. I waved back.

I love Minis and would consider myself an enthusiast...even if I drive an R56. Please wave--you could make my day!

 

I do own both a Classic and an 05 MCS.

Sadly,waving is becoming almost obsolete in my area as so many buyers today are just that and nothing more. The history of this fine little car completely escapes them.

Unless theres a motoring event in the area, waving is limited on my part to those who look like they may wave back. Believe me, I've studied this subject long and hard. You can tell if it's gonna happen after getting some facial expressions down.

Anyway, I have noticed more MINIs waving to me in my Classic then when I'm in the 05. Wierd Huh?

Classics being what they are (BMW FREE) is only an expression by some bone head who thinks the car could go another 40 years without change. I think anybody with an ounce of sense would know better then that. It's a classic now and forever, simply because change was mandated.

So too will the 1st Gen BMW MINIs hold more value then any others that follow. It just stands to reason, people will always refer to 1st Gen as the best, much the way I like 1st gen Camaros over any of the rest.

Just my .02 cents. I just LOVE this subject though.

 

Well said. "Real" classic owners love MINIs. We are all plainly nuts about these little cars, whatever their shape/size/gender.

I'm pretty sure Alec Issigonis would look at an R53/R56 and nod sagely, although the only thing he would have a problem with is the stereos in the cars.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by tazio
Do you wave at other shoppers in the supermarket who have the same brand of toilet paper in their cart? No, you don't.

I would wave to you! That sounds like some great TP!!

 

i got a wave yesterday from a dark silver r56s owner on the turnpike in south broward. he spotted me first so i gave him a piece sign. i had a really old couple give me a honk in a 07 mc once too. it was pure silver like mine. keep um comin mini people.

 

This is ridiculous. Just as it was ridiculous in 2002 when I got one of the first R50s in St. Louis. Some Classic Mini enthusiasts were acting all high and mighty (that's not a Mini, 100% Free of BMW parts, blah blah blah).

I took my Classic to a show once and had somebody come up to me and say, "Don't you just hate those BMW MINIs?" and I responded, "Not really, I have two of them."

If you drive a 1st Gen MINI watch it because you've got "real" Mini owners who may turn around and give you same attitude. Plus, how do you know those R56 owners didn't have an R50/3 first?

Seriously people, grow up.

 

...and stop waving at strangers.

 

I have an R56 and I wave to R53s, etc.