The wife and I went to the MINI dealer yesterday and took a base model and S out for a spin. I had no complaints of course but the wife had a few reservations. It was smaller than she imagined even after seeing all the pics. Thing she didn't like the most was sitting in the front passenger seat she felt she was jammed up against the door.

Anyone else feel that way? I felt it to be a little cramped in that spot but not terrible.

Anyway, being the wonderful woman she is she wants me to get what I want so as soon as I sell my Galant I'll be ordering a 2005 MCS with the auto transmission.

Wish me luck selling the Galant!

 

If your wife thinks the Mini is cramped she should try sitting in any british roadster like the MG, Triumph, Austin Healy.,etc.. She would get used to the car quickly unless she feels that she needs the extra space

 

To a great extent, what you consider to be roomy is based on what you are used to. I find most BMW's lack shoulder room, and their door openings are too small for easy entry and exit. By comparison, by New Beetle has huge doors and lots of shoulder room.In fact, I would bet that the New Beetle is more roomy than a lot of bigger cars.


The Mini is pretty roomy for a car its size. My old Triumph Spitfire was not very roomy, and Opel Kadette and Lotus Europa were definitely not. If you buy a car for room, this is not it. But I am a big guy, and have driven on a 600 mile trip in mine without a lot of problems, so I'm O.K. with it.

 

Was her seat cranked all the way down? You can ratchet the seat up or down, and when it's closest to the floor, perhaps that would be more suitable for her. Also, try moving her seat a bit back, closer to the backseat. Her reaction is pretty unusual. Most people are surprised by the spacious feeling of the MINI's front seat. :smile:

So? How did you enjoy driving the demo? Good luck selling the Galant!


Clover

 

Well this is our first car that is this size. I have owned an 87 Chevy Camaro, a 99 Dodge Neon, 2000 Galant and now a 2003 VW Passat. All had ample room. The wife has owned a couple Camry's prior to the Passat.

After the test drives I gotta say that the base model didn't seem anywhere near as sluggish as I expected based on the reviews I read. Yeah you had to get on the gas pedal from a dead stop but as long as you hit it the little thing hauls ***. I technically didn't get to drive the S because they only had manuals and you guys know I am getting the auto (read: girly man who can't drive stick). I didn't need to drive it to feel that additional power though. Oh and my sales guy is an excellent demo driver. He put that thing into some turns and stops that had me grinnin' like a fool.

The thing that surprised me most was the braking. We went from 60mph to a dead stop and it stopped flat, no nose dive at all. Very impressive. While I don't think the MCS is a necessity over the MC I definitely want the extra power. It's going to be delicate negotiations with the wife to allow me to get that 15% pulley though.

I'm aiming for a March delivery time as long as I can sell the Galant by the end of January.

 

Get a copy of the 2005 Consumer Reports guide for new cars. There you'll find that the MINI has more legroom and headroom even than most new cars in the market today, including ALL full size SUVs.


I think your wife has a "thing" against small cars. I never felt cramped or "pushed against" the side door in neither of my 2 MINIs. My father in law whose is 6'1", full frame and 225 pounds rides extremely comfortably either front and back.

The MINI may look small in the outside but it is a pretty big car in the inside. The MINI is as wide as most midsize sedans.


Your wife needs to take a look at a classic Mini with 10" wheels to see a REAL SMALL car. The new MINI looks like a Hummer right next to it.

I think the wife is jealous and making up excuses. Go ahead and order your new MINI. Once it arrives and she fights over the keys, watch and see that complaint go away.

Women make up junk sometimes, so don't listen to her.

 

Pardon me, but if your wife doesn't think a '03 VW Passat is not cramped when it comes to shoulder room, I think she is just bluffing...

 

Hey now let's not bash my wife for her opinion. She won't be fighting for they keys because I always drive where ever we go regardless of who's car we go in.

Second, I think the Passat has excellent shoulder room.

Third, she hasn't tried to talk me out of it...she still says get it if I want it.

Just gotta sell my car first.

 

Hey no bashing intended!

While she has the right to make all the comments she wants, but I think saying that she felt pressed against the door is a bit exagerated, that's all.

Same here, I do the driving wherever we with the wife go regardless of whose car is it, but since we have 2 MINIs is always fun!


Accept my apologies and hope you have an enjoyable MINI experience. Any questions, just ask.

 

No harm done - it's just that you guys don't know the wife. Bluffing is not her game. Our relationship works so well cause despite the fact that we disagree on a bunch of stuff we always are straight up with each other.

I think the crampedness will go away once she gets used to it. On the ride to work today I was checking out shoulder room in the Passat (3" from driver or passenger to door and 5-6" between driver and passenger) and I realized that it felt tighter when we first got it. Now that we're used to it it feels roomier.

Now I must have that agonizing wait while I sell the Galant.

 

Interesting. With the exception of the driver's foot well (which constitutes a different thread) and the rear seats , I've always described the space in the front of a Mini as "personable" -- enough room without being cramped but with the benefit of everything being close at hand.

Now, I am 6'2" and north of the other poster's 225 pounds. I have been on several test drives with a fellow co-worker who is of, how shall I say it, equal stature. And we both felt like there was more than enough room when we were both up front.

Yeah, but then I drive a Miata a lot as well. So who knows.

HunterBoss

 

Tell the missus that you wear a MINI loke a good Savile Row tailored suit. She'll get accustomed to the cabin in no time. However just for comparison purposes the MINI interior is HUGE for a car of its size. Other cars I've owned of similar external dimensions (MGA, Lotus Elan +2) are in another league when it comes to interior space, or lack thereof. Sure the MCS is no Passat, but then a Passat is no MCS either. Congratulations on your choice. Give us an update when it comes in, especially regarding the auto tranny.

 

Will do.
Wanna buy a Galant and help me get there sooner?

 

PassatDoTd - good luck on your purchase.


As far as being cramped in the car.. give her a little time to get used to it. One week after we got it, my wife and I took my MCS on a vacation that started with a 4 hour road trip. We had the back seats down and packed the car with luggage. We never felt cramped at all, and we were perfectly comfortable being in the car for 4 hours. We have take a bunch of 2 - 3 hours trips since then.. and she has never felt cramped at all.

So just give her time to get used to it... and I am sure she will love the car in the end!

 

:smile: Good point, wmba! I took Wanda on a solo 6-week, 10K+ roadtrip when she was a week old, packed to the gills, and it was incredibly comfy (and incredily FUN)!

Be sure to get the seatwarmers! They're wonderful for keeping your back limber on long motoring trips!

Clover

 

Nissan Z and Infinity G35 have less room than MINIs..so Pay less and get more rooms!

 

Also the near vertical side windows in the MINI can help contribute to any feelings of being cramped, as most cars have curved side glass and door frames.

How about a convertible then?

 

A convertible is not an option for me, mainly for 2 reasons:

1. I'm am one WHITE man. I sunburn real easy and have a shaved head. I'd have lather up on sunblock whenever I had the top down.

2. My eyes are sensitive to light. An open top would be murder on them.

 

Honestly I am very suprised she thoguht it was cramped...every car I have been in that is american...ESPECIALy the slowmaro ...I mean camaro is very cramped...of course they have a laid back seating position....but my legs are always squished...even the H2 I sat in the other day my buddy just bought...I am not a tall guy by any means...I am 5'10" and my head hit the roof...I was like WTF this is a hummer right...LOL...anywho...make sure you rachet the seat down and move it all the way back...I have friends who are 6'2 - 6'6 that drive this car...adn one who is 370 lbs(mostly muscle)...he didn't feel cramped...is your wife a large person?...no offence...LOL....good luck...go for it....

 

My sister recently rented a brand new 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix sedan. That thing is one of the most cramped and claustrophobic cars I have ridden in recent times!. It is a wide car (Planty of shoulder room) but the room practically caves into you head. I am 5'10" and I had to drive it with the seat back more reclined than what I am used to. Any person over 6 feet height can't fit comfortably in the new Grand Prix.

Nice, smooth and decent car but the low roof is aweful and you bang you head easily going in and out of the car

These problems are non-existent in the MINI. The MINI is such an airy car inside, its amazing!

 

The recent F-body Camaros are aweful in interior space (Big *** car with a tiny cockpit). Once I rode as a passenger in a '95 Camaro and the passenger footwell has a huge hump that forces you to put both of your legs sideways and your body in a totally uncomfortable seating position.

Good rideance GM got rid of the old F-bodies!

 

You sure the 95 was an F-body? I thought my 87 was an F-body and the bodies are different between 87 & 95. I miss my Camaro a bit.

 

That front seat is kind of cramped if you have the Minifini cup holder there,
I think.

My wife kept kneeing it (especially when she was pregnant), so I ended
up taking off the cupholder and just use the rear cup holder when
carrying drinks.

 

Yep, they are still F-bodies. The last "radical" (For GM) redesign the Camaro/Firebird received was for the 1993 model year (Changes made to the body/interior mostly). After that GM left these pony cars to die slowly (Totally opposite to what Ford did with the Mustang).

The previous Camaro was also an F-body and was built from around 1982-83 until 1992. The underpinnings were the same, just a different body and interior. Your '87 Camaro was the first or second generation F-Body. The '93-2002-03 was the third and final rendition of the F-body.

The outgoing Mustang was based on a RWD Ford Fairmont platform from the year 1978 (When John Travolta and Disco were still on the charts). Basically the same platform was used from 1978-2004 and engines, bodies and interiors were changed. The 2005 Mustang is a significant car because it is the first truly all-new Mustang in 26 years!.

Detroit is known for juicing old platforms for years and years. Just look at the outgoing Chevy Crapalier.... it was build on the same chassis from 1981-2004. Auch!

 

PassatDoTd - My wife also feels a bit cramped in the MINI. Whether it is psychological or physical, it doesn't matter - she still doesn't like the feeling. Since she has agreed to go to the MVIV event with me this year I hope she can enjoy the 9-hour ride down and back.