Hello all,
It seems,IMHO that.....
A great majority of the MCO population subscribe to some of the following:
- to see as many MINI's as they can on the road, and are thrilled to see the population of MINI's increase exponentially
- are thrilled when they see a MINI that...."looks like theirs"
- think a MINI owner actually fits a ....certain personality type.

Here's my 2cents...popular or unpopular as it might be....:smile:

I like that there are not many MINI's on the road...It makes the MINI's out there... that much more ...unique. I bought my MCS becuase of it's uniqueness and that it "stood out", kinda made a statement. When I see/pass a MINI on the road...it's just cool as hell . i honk, wave and usually act the old fool that I am :smile:.
When I drive into a parking lot and see (10 ) of em...I feel less enthusiastic for some reason.

I am trying to make my MCS ...as "indivdual" as possible. I changed the rims/moded/etc....because I thought it would make my MCS....different. I like when people roll down their windows and profess..." what the heck is that thing?"....rofl

I enjoy the fact that there to date has been no real....media blitz of MINI advertising.

I think there are "enough" MINI's on the road. I owned rare cars in the past (an Austin Healey & an / AC Cobra to name two), because I enjoyed what they were as auto's and as import to me....because they were "rare". In my heart of hearts I didn't think these MINI's would become as popular as they have. I'm shocked really and wonder how ....big ...this will become.

This is just MHO...
Please ....do not take this as a "dig" or "negative" or read more into this than ...my intention which is ..."just another topic here...to have some fun with."
I dig the car...it's obvious that is is a special vehicle.

I'm curious just as to ....what ...people are thinking....here on the channel??????

I enjoy going left...when the world goes ...right :smile:

Peace,
D


_________________
2002 MCS:PS/B, w/Lapis Int.

 

I agree with you that the unique factor lowers everytime you see another one on the road. I live in a small community and have seen three now in town. I am still waiting for my JCworks edition and it's like a shot through the heart everytime I see another! (Man I'll just die if one pulls into the parking lot at church!) I've got that covet thing down to a science!

 

I agree as well.

Let me add that from my perspective, I wouldn't mind seeing more if it means that I would be able to get a dealer closer to me. :smile:

 

>>Please ....do not take this as a "dig" or "negative" or read more into this than ...my intension which is ..."just another topic here...to have some fun with."
>>I dig the car...it's obvious that is is a special vehicle.
>>
>>I'm curious just as to ....what ...people are thinking....here on the channel??????
>>


I truly enjoy cars. I am not concerned what others think of my taste. I traded a Samurai for my Miata! I too have owned many vehicles for many years. No Cobra's damn any way I guess my little rant is that I don't care how popular they become. Even prefer very common. That would make parts and repair in years to come more reasonable. And aftermarket more varied.

As long as I can shift I will keep my stable of sports cars. When I can't shift I will get a wheel chair.

And I alway's like them small. Bring on the Micro cars from Japan. Keep the SUV's on the interstate where they belong

 

Personally, I don't mind seeing other mini's on the road, because that just means a new member of the Mini Cooper family! What peaves me is the people who buy the mini's because they're the "thing" or the "fad" and they don't understand the spirit & uniquity of the car... all they know is that they want one... they're not sure why, but they want one and it's cute! :evil:

Ooh well! If you've got the motoring spirit, that's all that really matters!

Cheers & Motor on!
Dave

 

I think the key is to just make your mini as you as humanly possible. Then it doesn't matter how many mini's there are out there, cuz they just aren't yours. I debated things like the checkerboard roof, bonnet stripes and rally lights, becasue they do make the car more unique. But in reality, those things aren't really me, so I opted for more subtly unique options(see my sig.). As it turns out, the day I gave my dealer the specs, he hadn't even heard of some of the options I wanted, and actually told me that he couldn't wait to get my car in there, so he could show other people first hand what a lot of these details were and looked like. That sure made me, and my car feel pretty darn special, and it seems to me that this is the whole point in being a mini owner!

 

In canada they only sell around 2000 cars (minis) a year. One of the reason to come to mini was for the exclusivity. My biggest fear would be mini saturating the market, which I doubt will happen. Two examples PT Cruiser and the Beetle you see them everywhere. I would have to move If my neighbour bought a mini. I like being the only one on the block.

Charles

 

I like the car being unique, but much more prefer lots of them on the road if being driven by the right type of people. People that didn't just buy the car to get from point A to point B....this shouldn't be a soccer mom car. I think unique is great, but I also want to customize the crap out of mine, and if there is less cars, there will be less companies making aftermarket stuff for the car. I think in this day and age it is hard to find a NEW unique car unless you are willing to spend 6+ digits.

 

D-mini-ero,

I'm just curious...have you gone to many MINI events or had the chance to motor with other MINIacs? I've been to 3 MINI meets and must say that the participants could NOT have been nicer! MINI has attracted some of the coolest people! Just look at how cool all our friends here on MCO are!

Granted, I love the rarity factor, too....but, as MINI becomes a bit better-known, as mentioned above, more parts will be available, and we can mod our MINIs to the hilt! I have yet to see my twin here in El Lay, land of the car nut!! :smile:

Cheers!
Clover

 

I bought, and enjoy, my MINI for reasons that had to do with personal taste (size, styling, and the like) and my personal set of practical concerns (price/performance ratio, mileage, etc.). No where in there did I factor concerns related to what other people would think of the car. In other words, I care not a wit whether non-MINI owners like, dislike, or are totally indiferent to the car. I'm glad that I've found a community of others who also enjoy their MINIs (for whatever reasons THEY choose), but philosophically, it doesn't matter to me how large or small this community might turn out to be.

As one very practical concern, I do believe that more MINIs will mean a greater convenience in finding service, parts, and mods (should I go that route eventually) at a more reasonable price. So for those reasons, I'd like to see more MINIs on the road.

Maybe someday I'll be more concerned with a car as a statement versus transportation...but for now, I'm perfectly happy making my statements in ways other than with a car.

BTW, I'm VERY uncomfortable with the idea that MINI owners might share some sort of common personality (Dennis's third initial point). Fortunately, as this whole thread indicates, that's simply not true. MINI owners seem pretty representative of drivers in general...they just happen to be people who've all chosen to drive roughly the same type of car.

 

Nicely said, I strive to be different and leave my footprint. I'm not much of a follower...and the Mini is just that, its totally so out of the norm that I love it being so quirky and straight "w00t" at the same time :smile:
Now all I need is to wait 3 more months for them to get here

 

I don't think there are "enough" Mini's on the road. You kinda make it sound like you want no one else to buy them. I havent got mine yet, and have waited as long as anyone just to get my order in. I like the unique factor of the car as well, and no matter how many you might see on the road, none of them is really built the same way, so your Mini still is truly unique, even in a parking lot with 10 of them.

 

I didn't buy mine to be different, make a statement, or because it was the next 'fad' car. I spent much time in Europe working with the Government in the mid to late 80s. My counterpart (a German National) drove a MINI. I fell in love with it then and there. Although I always had a rental car (Opel Escona, VW Polo, mostly, YUCK), he always drove me around because it was easier than trying to tell me where we were going. And on ocasion, I even had to sit in the rear. And this was a smaller car than the one I have now. They were just another car over there.

When I found out that BMW had purchased MINI and was going to be importing them into the States, I knew I would have one. Just a matter of time.

Yes, I like the uniqueness of the car. I enjoy people staring and asking the stupid questions. But I could care less if I see another one on the road. Just enjoy the car for what it is...the most fun car you'll ever drive. And if you see someone else in a MINI, whether it is just like yours or the complete opposite, be cognizant that there ARE other people out there with the class and good sense to know a 'one of a kind car' when they see one. We're somewhat of a fraternity/sorority and I myself am proud to be a member.

MOTOR ON!!!!!

 

I totally agree. You can hardly drive down the road without seeing at least one PT Cruiser per mile. While a lot of people think this car is a good looking fun car to own, seeing so many of them on the road makes it less desirable for me. I guess there would be a lot of reasons to disagree as well as to agree, but I feel a valuable coin is not determined by how shiney it is but by how rare it is.

 

I agree with you d-mini-ero.......And the guy who thinks he is Ace Frehly from KISS....I do not agree with you. I don't want to see any more MINI's on the road. If that was the case I would have bought the PT or Beetle. :evil:

_________________

 

I wouldn't mind seeing more MINIs here where I live, because now there are none. Funny though, I think that is about to change with the arrival of a new, very local dealer which has brought the #s issue to mind for the first time. A few more, yes, maybe, but not much more than that, please. I do agree, the owners in this area are great and I enjoy the "followship" thing.

As for personality similarities, this is only an interesting question in light of the ad campaigns and the "target" market thing. I mean, the campaign projects a cool, unpredictable, level-headed ("put-away-the-middle-finger" reference), semi-zen motoring ethic. As far as I can tell, though, most of us just follow our own individual path. Period. Individuality may be, in the end, our only common denominator...and that's great. As for me, my Cooper will be unmodified for quite awhile...I ordered it just the way I wanted it. Best wishes to all...

 

I bought the MCS because I had an original mini for a brief time and it was one of the most fun cars I ever owned....the new mini is just as fun but much more powerful....I could care less what people think of it or how many of them are on the road...I have friends that think it is cool and I have friends that think it is ugly and wonder why I would buy such a small car (I'm sure some of then wonder why I think their purchase of a $55K Escalade SUV is strange just because it is a Chevy Tahoe with $20K worth of leather, wheels & tires).....but I really don't care, I bought it to drive and I drive it hard.....I actually have much more of an affinity with former classic mini owners or people who stop me who are familiar with the classic minis who I take time to talk with at length....I'm not really interested in giving people a history lesson on the mini who stop me and ask me what car is that? where did it come from? etc, etc....I just tell them it's a new model from BMW and that's all I know, laugh! I have met several mini owners like me who share the nostalgia factor of the original as well as the fun factor of driving it and being a car enthusiast...the tuners are fun to talk to as I have a friend now with the reg MC who has had it totally modified and it is a screamer....more so than my MCS, only mods I made was getting rid of the lousy runflats and lighter wheels, which made a big difference in handling....

 

I don't think that you'll have to worry about the MINI getting to be as "big" as the PT Cruiser or the new Beatle. The MINI's name alone will keep a great number of people away from the vehicle. When Americans, who are conditioned to buy everything "super-sized," hear the name MINI, they automatically equate the car with a confining experience - then they head off to buy their Uber-utes (Expeditions, Tahoes, H2's...). Think of the string we had about the "small" jokes that have been tossed at MINI owners.
If we want to keep the car relatively exclusive, don't do anything to disabuse others of their misconceptions about the MINI's interior. Let them think that they're far too small - we MCO alums will just have to chuckle behind our straight faces and tell the nay-sayers that we chose to make a life-statement - by buying a small, fuel-efficient car.
If your conscience bothers you...take a top-open run around the nearest set of twistees and and remember that we at MCO value the FUN!

 

>> If we want to keep the car relatively exclusive, don't do anything to disabuse others of their misconceptions about the MINI's interior. Let them think that they're far too small

I like this stealth approach...I'll try it!!

 

Nobody wants to see more of them sold...less is better!
Jim

 

>>Nobody wants to see more of them sold...less is better!
>>Jim

?? Huh? Yeah, I'd like to see no more sold, and that way MINI can go out of business and we all spend the rest of our days buying parts at swap meets and through Hemmings.

I'm not sure about that "nobody" part.

 

While I also get excited when I see another MINI on the road, I already know this car is already a classic and there is no taking that away. I doubt that the MINI will ever expand to the same popularity as the PT Cruiser or Bettle. Those cars were huge back when they were originally built. While the MINI was popular in Europe, it never had that big of a following here in the states. I think that alone with keep the car on the downlow.

It's not until people get a chance to drive it have a MINI experience will people begin to appreciate the car like we already do. It's such an awesome car and the more I motor in it, the more I love it.
:smile:

 

I agree with the not seeing a lot of them out there. I'm a motorcycle freak! I love bikes more than I love any car. Cars don't really get my blood going very often. I bought a Mini because I don't see a lot of them around and for the money no other car can offer me as much. On the other hand I would like to see Mini do well so we all don't get screwed on parts and labor. Owning a Mini gives me that same feeling of unity as a bike does. Who knows what the future holds. I guess we will see in the next year or two. I really hope that they don't become like the Honda's with the big wings, then I would have to put my Mini to sleep. :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile:

 

>>Nobody wants to see more of them sold...less is better!
>>Jim

 

I don't think it will be an issue, particularly since the annual US allotment is only 24,000. For comparison, I believe VW sold 100,000 New Beetles in the US in its first year. So at the current rate, it would take over 4 years of MINI production just to match this. The plant is operating 24/7 as it is. To increase output, they'd have to build or reconfigure a whole new plant. I like the 24k number - not too large, not too small IMO.

I suspect in many cases, because the car stands out from the crowd and is so different from anything else, some people THINK they see more than they actually do. They make an unconscious mental note of the number of MINIs they see and then suddenly (and mistakenly) think they're "all over the place". They should consider how many Toyota Camrys, Ford Foci, or Honda Accords they see each day but don't give a second thought about to gain some perspective.