I just drove my new MINI Cooper S home from Phoenix Arizona on Saturday. I've never been in somthing that made people so happy in my life. I've got a G35 Infiniti which is a new model of car and a few people look at it, but most of them are car geeks like me. In the MINI Everyone from grandma to truckers is looking and waving and giving the thumbs up. People at rest stops just stand and giggle and smile. At gas stations people ask about it. Its like nothing I've ever seen. I told my wife that we've managed to put a smile on the face of more people in two days of motoring than the've probably had in a year. Its like they are seeing a new baby or a cute puppy.
What a great car.
Fatbob

 

I just find it funny how kids LOVE MINIs... Most of the 'Nice Car' comments from people on the street are from little kids...

Also, it seems that where ever you go in a MINI, you have a friend. Driving it around looking for a good photo op, I had an elderly couple ask me about the car (the gentelman once owned an Austin Healy), and later when I went to get custard, I was chatting with quite a few people in line... Quite a funny experience..

Rocketboy_X

 

Rocketboy_X , I see you picked your S up the day before I did. I have over 600 miles on mine because the dealer is 450 miles from my home. My 18 year old son "helped" me drive it back and had a blast.

FatBob

 

FatBob, Congrats! Here in L.A., many "adults" are waaaay too cool to really openly admire the MINI...they sneak little sidelong peeks at her! Many kids shout out how much they love the car! I've never seen anything like it in 34 years of driving!

Cheers!
Clover

 

It is funny how people react. Like MINIclo, when I was down in LA people are too cool but I did get some in Orange County waving, honking the horn etc. I had the MINI on a trailer when I moved out from the SF area to Denver. The truck was slow enough with all the household items than pulling the MINI. People would slow down and look at the car as they drove by, no matter how slow the truck was going. My wife couldn't believe it. At a gas station outside of Parker Utah, a group of Harley’s was meeting together and they were swarming the MINI getting up on the trailer to look at the MINI; Ended up talking to them for some time. It is interesting to see people her in the greater Denver area, they point and stare at the car but they don’t honk or ask questions. The only question so far came from the Thornton Police in the parking lot as I am asking directions to find some stores.

 

It is amazing how people react to the MINI when I toled my kids I was getting a new MINI they asked if it was like the circus clown cars. Now that i have it they now call me clown man and laugh and giggle but every time I fire her up the kids are the first ones to ask if they can ride along in the CLOWN CAR LOL

 

Hey FatBob.. no fair cheating... my dealer is less then a half an hour drive away from me.. :>

But it just bugs me when my MINI attracts Too much attention... I think someone was following me yesterday (Although they were in the left lane, they took the right fork (the one I took), and turned up the same road i did... grrrr), I have people speed up when they see me , and I also have people pass me and slow down... irritating...

Rocketboy_X

 

Isn't life Grand!! :smile:

 

Yesterday I pulled in a parking lot and their was an origional VW Beatle there so I parked next to it. The MINI is real close to the same length and height. The guy who owned the Beatle came out and was asking about the MINI. It's cool to have a car that has some roots somewhere.

FatBob

2002 MCS Electric Blue, everything but sunroof and xenons.

 

I agree with your statement about "Roots". Our cars have both a British and a German heritage. In fact, parts for this car are made in locations all around the globe. It's a very international car.

Motoring along the other day I popped in a Beatles disc. When Strawberry Fields came on, I was transported to another place and time. It was magical.

Now and then you meet someone who remembers the original Minis. They have things to say about those cars that can help us MINI owners understand our DNA.

I think it's great the way original Minis and MINIs get together at the various meets around the country. I have to thnk the new MINI's popularity is raising the visibility and recogniton of the original Minis. And that's a good thing.

The German side of the heritage shows through in functional ways. The way the shifter, brake and steering feel. The taughtness of the body and cabin and other features are clearly German in their performance and feel. But the look and the personality are British. I am completely pleased with the combination.

 

I agree. We just picked up our new '02 MINI Cooper on Saturday 9/7/2002. I never seen a car that can put so many smiles on people as they see it go by. We drove 30 miles from our dealer back home and it was a very awesome maiden drive!.

I have to get some Beatle's CDs and pronto!

_________________
On order: '02 MINI Cooper, Pepper White, Black roof and mirrors, CVT, Multifunction Steering wheel, 8-Spoke 15" Wheels, STD black leatherette seats with Silver Gray door panels, STD painted bumpers (No Chrome accents). Can't wait!!!

 

I have really enjoyed learning about the history of the Mini. I usually do not follow cars, but the Mini's history is fun. Plus I love telling people the Mini skirt was named for the car.

I have had my Mini over 2 months and still get smiles. Yesterday, a I went through a green light, a man in a big old american sedan from the 70s (not sure of model) was waiting at the red light. He honked and waved like crazy at me.

 

I can't wait to show my Mini to my little brothers! Kids do love this car! My brothers are 8, 6, and 4 and my father said that they have already seen one and went nuts....I can't imagine how crazy they will go when I take them for a ride in it!

Have any of you ever noticed how when you look at people in other cars on the road and the vast majority of them look completely angry or depressed? I am always singing in the Mini when I am motoring around....it is definitely a feel-good machine!

L.Mini

 

Here in Dallas the minis are very few so all your comments are ten fold for me. I mentioned this earlier but tuesday there was a british bloke waiting for me in the parking lot with his camera. Somehow our conversation changed from Minis to King Crimson and Robert Frip...'

 

>>I have to get some Beatle's CDs and pronto!
>>
>>_________________
>>On order: '02 MINI Cooper, Pepper White, Black roof and mirrors, CVT, Multifunction S

Naa.. skip the Beatle's... you are in a MINI, not a Mini... you gotta update the music, but still keep that retro-feel.. you need some Fantastic Plastic Machine, Fantastic Everlasting Gobstopper, Pizzicato Five, Round Table, etc... basically, this car screams out for Shyubya K music... (P5, and FPM(i think), both have had music in the Austin Powers movies...)

Rocketboy_X