I've recently decided to buy my wife a Mini Cooper for her 30th birthday (11 months from now)... and finally stumbled across this great website... it looks like a wonderful community (I'm a moderator at a medically-related website). So I figure this is the best spot to post this... hope I can be part of this community soon!

I have a few questions. I want to totally surprise my wife with this car next January (11 months from now).... however, one thing that is going to be a bit tricky is the *great* fact that each Mini is so individualized! How do you think I should go about finding which options she wants? My main concern is she is dead-set on what a car looks like in its color... she'll love some cars in certain colors, then see the same model in a different color and absolutely hate it.

I am thinking of renting The Italian Job and finding which one she likes best in that one and getting that one... since that's when she first fell in love with that car.... So I'm just not sure the important external visual options to consider...

Also, after glancing through several threads older here, it seems that MSRP is what you are going to pay for the car... is that still true?


Thanks for your help!
Q

 

Why don't you just take her to the dealership to see cars in person. You can tell her that since watching the Italian Job, you wanted to see the cars in person. That way you can check out the colors and different packages. This can be a sort of weekend outing just for fun.

 

MSRP is generally what you are going to pay.

an idea for seeing what color's she likes is, show her pictures of other mini's.

since you know she likes then, be like look at this cool mini and see what she likes and dislikes

 

Look for a local event in your area and then 'happen' to drive by it on the weekend and see which car she likes?

 

Thanks for your advice! I'm thinking this (after your tips)...

Mazda has this "RevItUp" thing going on, a nationwide event where you spend a few hours at a track, get a lesson or two on high performance driving, then get to rip up a Mazda RX8... I'll do that first, then tell her Mini has a free test drive, go test drive them, and hopefully thye'll have a few minis on the lot that I can ask her about as we walk by them. I'm SO psyched! I think the Mini is such a great car.

Thanks for your advice!

 

DrQuinn you and your wife won't be disappointed in the Mini. Your post caught my eye since my wife is a MD and her name is Quynh (different spelling) and I was hoping she might be getting me another Mini. I've had Cooper S for 7 months now and love it. I've owned a few other sporty cars in the past, but this one is definitely the funnest. The 0-60 might not be the best, but the handling is where it's at; it is just a fun drive, eveyday. Good luck and happy motoring.

 

Dr. Quinn, show her the miniusa.com website. Tell her you found this cool site where you can build the mini of your dreams and get her reaction as you build a mini in any color with any option. Tell her it's for your mistress and you need some advice.