Two fun things today.

1 - Sitting at a stoplight, an Excursion pulls up to me and the guy looks down at me, smiles and nods. Our windows are open, and so he says "Man, I sure wish I could fit in one of those things!" I told him it's surprisingly roomy inside, and that I know a guy well over six feet tall who fits in with ease. He said "What about the floorboard space?" I told him it was all good, as well. He said that he was 6'4", and that he absolutely loves MINIs. I told him to take a test drive; he might be surprised how easily he fits in. He told me he would, and the light turned green. We wished each other a good evening, and took off. Good times!

2 - After rounding some nice twisties getting onto the main road coming home from work, I got stuck behind a line of slow-moving cars. Knowing all it would take was a little blip from my thumb, I used the paddle shifter to down-shift and pull away from the pack. Such power.... It's just so sweet.

 

It boggles my mind how engaging and fun motoring in a MINI is, even after several years.

Two airport stories...yup, I parked my MINI this week in an airport covered parking lot. Freaked me out the first few times I did this, but now I am a master at finding just the right spots.

1 - One time I came back to my car and the words "cool car" were scribbled in the somewhat dusty rear glass (construction to expand the parking garage was going on). I didn't wash it off till the next day!

2 - Yesterday when I came back to my car (little or no dust this time) there was the handprint of a small child on the driver's side rear panel. (I had parked between a wide, marked pedestrian walkway and some concrete posts...not a remote chance of a door ding there. )

Anyway, I don't relish the thought of people touching my car, but the idea of someone being unable to contain their enthusiasm makes such incidents much more bearable. What the little kid was thinking, who knows, but in my imagination he/she just couldn't help touching the pretty little car. Little kids love MINIs you know.

 

Aren't you glad that you didn't see a WASH ME or COOL CAR written on the bonnet/boot or side panels???

I agree though, if there's one thing for certain, MINI has done a great job at letting children know what a MINI is. When I approach a family in my MINI, almost everytime, I will hear a joyful child screaming MINI, MINI, and the parents looking in bewilderment--uhm what's that little thing???

 

On a recent road trip I was stopped several times by curious individuals. At a gas station, a couple in a giant SUV complimented the car and asked about the gas mileage and the HP. As they were driving away I heard the woman say to the man, "We should dump this thing and get one of those!" I laughed so hard they heard me. I just waved.:smile:

 

Ahhhhhhh! OctaneGuy, you just scared me!!!!!

I freaked out a friend of mine once who was about to rub my paint to see how dirty it was (it looked okay but I was complaining). I yelled, "Don't! It'll scratch!!!!!!" Anyway, as I said she freaked and told all my friends about it. They just laughed because they all think I'm nuts anyway!

 

I have that happen to me twice now in my new area of town. first a lady that wants one bad and then just yesterday a guy make me turn my music off and roll down the window to ask me questions about the mini.

Is it fast? is it roomy?... that sort of stuff. I've had my mini for 2 year and it never ends nor does it ever get dull.

 

My sister's had a Camry for 5 years and none of this has ever happened to her, but man has it ever been dull!

 

I get asked all kinds of questions about my MINI,all the time.I always let them know that it just so much fun to motor in

 

the most fun is pulling up behind a school bus full of kids, the reactions and waves that i get are amazing. the kids love this car

 

FINALLY!

After not having a single day off from work since I picked up the car, tomorrow officially begins my three-day weekend. Sunday thru Tuesday (my birthday!) will be rife with random drives all around NOVA. FINALLY I get to have fun in my car!

It should be noted that it takes me no more than seven to ten minutes to get to work from my house - I just crossed over the 200 mile mark going to work this afternoon! 1250 seems like FOREVER!

 

I hear yah on that. My car is just shy of 300 miles and its very hard to keep the car under 4500rpm. The tranny and the supercharger just make it GO and GO!!

 

As I sit at traffic lights, I like to watch out the corner of my eye, and count the number of heads of people passing by that literally turn. None of us likes to think of our MINIs as clown cars, but I often feel like a circus act when I drive the MINI. Its weird now to drive the totally vanilla Chevy pickup - nobody will look at me, what's up with that??

 

Exactly! My car is itchin' to get up there! Ah well. It will happen.

 

And the cool thing is that the fun doesn't wear off. I put 26k on the 02 MINI and have 18k on this one. I still get a kick out of the drive home from work.

 

I hate to admit this but sometimes I'm in such a hurry, that when I run down to the gas station to fill up a customers car, I run in and out really fast and jump back in the car. As much as I love talking about MINIs, I have been in 20 minute conversations about the MINI. When I'm on my clock it's a different story of course.

 

I'm sure you pass out a lot of business card though.

 

I got my MCS last Friday; since then, I've had two neighbors talk my ear off, and a guy in a PT cruiser at a stop light ask me about mileage. This is the most attention I've *ever* gotten! :-)

 

awsome story - i love it when little kids smile at my mini - they just make me love it that much more