So I was talking to this kid I work with today, and the MINI came up for some reason. He goes:

"You're the only person I know who likes those things, they're so ugly."

Yesterday at shool, I was talking to a friend of mine and she asked me if I was still gonna get the MINI. I said yeah and she goes:

"Knowing you, I figured you would have got something sportier; the Mini is like a toy, not a real car"

...what gives?

P.S....I've also gotten many negative comments about the MINI as well, these are just a couple examples of negative things I've heard.

 

My sister told me that MINI's are ugly, then she goes out and buys a Honda Element Go figure

 

Your just hanging around with the wrong crowd, find some new people to hang with. I get just the opposite response.

 

May be you should hang are hanging around with the wrong people ! I get nothing but compliments for mine !!!!

 

Jealousy! Once you get it, don't you worry, it'll get lots of positive comments, questions and looks! If you know what you want, then you won't be affected by those people's opinions. Anyway, it wouldn't matter what you were getting, you'd still get negative comments, not everyone will like what you like!

 

I have gotten a "Its ugly" only once. Everthing else has been ! The people the say the MINI is ugly are the same kind of people that only listen to boring top ten pop music.

People that think the MINI is a toy and not sporty are simply uneducated and are probably equating it to a Beetle.

Dare to be different.

 

KRGMini05 - so, what does your 'friend' drive?

.. im chuckling already..

 

Some of the people I work with thought it was slow and such till I gave them all rides in it and they had to clean out their underwear.

For the few that thought it still wasn't that fast I did a about a 100 foot burnout in the parking lot.

 

I am sad to admit that i used to be one of those that thought the new MINI was ugly. But opinions change, as you can see. Some of my peers actually said "you're buying a MINI, are you gay?" That hurt. But i took them for a ride and as quickly as i got to 60 they changed their minds. When your friends see it, they will change their minds.

 

Living up here in the near tundra,I get kidded all the time about the MINI.
Then I plow into work in a snow storm,and they all give me a

 

but you're still a kid and you hang with kids and they have kids attitudes and opinions so you get kid type responses. It's a bit different with adults. Well most of them that I've dealt with. My daughter is 21 and loves my mini. Loves to drive my mini and all her friends think it's really wicked. Sounds like some of your peers are a bit less knowledgable and a tad more immature. *shrug* But they are just kids so you have to expect it. I would let it get to you.

 

Shortly before I picked up my MINI, a friend's girlfriend said I should get a BMW instead...if I wanted to impress girls. Mind you, her boyfriend had a Ford Escort when they first hooked up, so I'm not sure exactly what she was thinking when she said that. I've given her a few driving lessons in my MINI (just an MC) since then, as she and my friend end up arguing when he tries to give her lessons, and she still doesn't like the MINI. Although, in her case, I think it's the color she doesn't like, mostly, as she seems to think the red ones look cool. (Mine is LY/B.)

Secretly, I think she kinda thinks the MINI is sort of cool, but is unwilling to say so, since she's already stated her case against it, even before I got it. But, she sure doesn't mind getting weekly driving lessons in it...even though we could use one of her boyfriend's other cars to do the job.

On the other hand, many of my younger male friends are constantly impressed with the fact that someone they know actually has a MINI. They love the interior, and the speedo seems to impress them more than anything, though the heated seats seem to be running a close second in their minds. I use my MINI to make deliveries, and many of my customers are often times impressed with the fact that their deliveries are being made in a MINI. People often ask me how it's possible for me to afford it, and I point out to them that it's not any more expensive then a lot of very ordinary cars, but that never seems to entirely register with them.

Every once and awhile, people will walk by and say, "Nice car", or "Cute car". I've had a lot of trouble with this car during our particularly hard Winter here in Reno (new tires have helped a bunch), but people saying stuff like that has really boosted my morale when my spirits were otherwise low, and I was (God forbid) thinking about going back to an SUV.

Not everyone is going to think a MINI is cool, regardless of if it's an MC or MCS, just like some folks will never think a Hummer is cool. Personally, I think Hummers are kinda cool, but I just can't ever see owning one...even if I had the money to buy one. (I'd be more of a Land Rover Defender 90 type of guy, even though I'd hardly ever take it off road...like most people.)

When that lady friend gave me crap about getting a MINI, as opposed to getting a BMW (as if I had the money to get a BMW, sheesh!), I just told her I was getting the MINI for me. And, that was the truth. I did get it for me, and only for me. Now...if some pretty gal out there thinks it's kinda cool too, and wants to take a ride in mine, well...I'm ok with that too!

Oh, by the way, some of those guy friends of mine are gay, and I have to admit that they do seem to PARTICULARLY like the MINI, so I suppose there is something to the idea of a MINI being considered "gay".

 

The closest I've come to a negative comment was from my 7-year-old son when he first saw it:

"Dad, your car looks like a TOY!"

Once he rode in it, however, he decided that it was "awesome". (I think he likes the big speedo and thinks all the interior lights are neat)

I overheard him telling one of his friends that "my Dad has the coolest car ever", so I think he's coming around.

That's ma' boy...

 

Sporty comes in all shapes and sizes and the MINI proves it both old and new versions.

There will always be people who think price and shape are the only things that make a sports car. How wrong they can be. Let these people think what they want and pay them no attention because it’s our secret what a great sports car the MINI truly is.

 

Funny thing about it though is when you actually get your car, the ones openly dissing it will want to ride in it. Scout around some good roads before hand and show them what a "toy" it really is!

Also you can quote the WSJ that did a survey and found that MINI owners were more cerebral people than other car owners especially SUV owners.
If the MINI area at the LA Auto show this week is any indication of coolness, it rates pretty high. There were so many people around the MINIs you couldn't even get pictures of them. And that was on a dead Tuesday night! I got a better pic of the Astin Martin and Lambourghini!

But then again, as they say in Harley Davidson world, "if i have to explain, you wouldn't understand!"

Once you get your MINI and become one with it, the comments won't bother you at all.

 

My teenage sons think it's cool that I'm getting an MCS (wait till they ask to drive it ). I've even had one of their friends (who's a "car guy") tell me he thinks it's cool that I'm getting one. Different strokes for different folks......

 

While picking up my 10 year old daughter from school the other day, one of the older school girls acting as a crossing guard gave me a thumbs up, and hooted something on the order of, "A Mini Cooper, yeah, alright man!"

That was pretty gratifying. (Too bad she's too young for me. )

 

I got a similar comment about my classic Mini being a "toy car" from my old neighbor so I asked him if he wanted to go for a ride. I took him through the hills by my house. I have never seen anybody turn so white so quickly. when we got back he ran into his house in a hurry. I bet it was to wipe! He had a newfound respect for both of my Minis after that!

 

Ok...don't laught too hard

The kid who made the first comment drives a 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage, and the girl who made the second comment drives a 2000 VW Jetta GLS.

 

I don't really judge people by their cars, so I was just kidding. :smile:
Those are great beater cars you listed. just as bad as my
Civic value package but heck, keeps my hobby cars clean.

 

I can understand how someone who hasn't been in a MINI might think of it as a "toy" -- I sometimes forget how really small it is compared to most American cars, and it does have kind of a 'toontown look. I don't understand "ugly", but hey, tastes vary.

I'll bet you get a lot of 's from friends and total strangers once you get your car. And I know from your prior posts that you did a lot of research and planning before getting this car, so the chances are real good that you'll love it once you get it--and that's what counts!

 

After motoring for almost 2.5 years, I still have strangers asking "what kind of car is that? It's so cute!" LOL!

My friends are very amused by what a car-nut I am. I'm the only one in my group of women artist friends who loves cars. What they are particularly intrigued by is NAM and the MINI community. They are very impressed by the fact that I have made so many good friends online here and have actually travelled cross-country several times in my MINI to meet y'all, whenever/wherever possible!

Report back to us what further your friends have to say after they've had a few rides in your MINI!

Clover

 

So they like BMW E46s and Jettas too?

 

The man who made the Russell "day long saddle" seat for my motorcycle and I were talking about form following function. I said I had talked to people who think his motorcycle seats are ugly. His response was, "Beauty is in the eye of the butt holder"

Don't wory if your taste is different from others...that is the way of life. Find what works for you and embrace it. Not all will understand, but you will be happy.

 

I've had my MCS since October, and every once in a while I hear a comment like those. Whenever I can I take such detractors for a ride to demonstrate the performance and handling characteristics of my MINI. I've found a repetitive demonstration of the turning radius is especially effective, I usually keep this up until they beg me to stop—because they are about to vomit. After that they generally will only dare to call the car cute. Although, a lot of people use that C word.