I'm curious. I have seemed to be almost unable to pull myself away from this website. Granted, I've had the flu and have had some time on my hands, but that's no reason to not return phone calls, let the dirty dishes pile up (not a good sign for a clean freak), or take a shower. I began thinking about my obsession with MINIs and am noticing that I AM NOT ALONE.

The first time I spotted a MINI (about 5 months ago), I hit the median, went through a blushing light, did an illegal U-turn, went at least 30 mph over the posted speed limit, followed the MC to its mall parking lot destination and interrogated the owner. Fortunately, she was thrilled with my intense interest. I've been hooked since. I've read books on the history of MINI (new and "classic&quot and know WAY more about its specifics than most women. I rattled off the engine specifics to a guy I know and he had the biggest grin on his face that said, "AWWWLLLLRIIIIGHT!!"

My question is two-fold:

1. What is it about YOU that makes you so drawn to MINIs? (I mean really, look deep).
2. What do you absolutely love the MOST about MINIs (not the top 3 things, the top 1).

Thanks for your answers. Can't wait to read them.

My answers:

1. I LOVE being differnt. I love being on the edge. I don't want to do with EVERYONE ELSE DOES. If I hear "Well, everyone's doing it",I count myself out. I like risks (to a point). I HATE SUVs and what they represent, and their waste. Unless, of course, they are being used in their intended purpose. The first line I read on the website (MINIUSA) was "The SUV Backlash starts now". It could've said "We love you" and I couldn't have been more hooked.

2. I love the feeling of being in THE ZONE when I was test driving it. Everything else shut out. I could "sort of " hear my motoring advisor telling me the details, but I wasn't listening. It interferred with the feeling I had of being at one with the car.



Okay, people, what makes you tick???



:smile:

 

My #1 favorite thing about it is that it brings together two qualities that are almost always mutually exclusive in the U.S. car market:
1) It's very small, and gets very good gas mileage
2) It's a beautiful car that turns heads, and that people actually prefer over much larger, much more expensive cars.

I can't think of a single other car that has been sold in this country in the last 20 years that fits both of these descriptions. Maybe the Miata, but try carrying a 30" TV in a Miata. MINI - no problem. Next closest thing is probably the CRX, and those weren't nearly as gorgeous as the MINI.

The reason that this is so great is that it really is an honest-to-god SUV backlash. Not only are people trading in their SUVs and other behemoths to drive MINIs, this car is actually making people realize that small cars don't have to butt-ugly deathtraps like the Geo Metro and the Ford Aspire. Hopefully other auto makers here will realize this, too.

_________________
2003 Red/White Cooper - Brookline, MA

 

Dear Needler,

I can only answer Question #1 - What makes you feel so drawn to MINIs? because my BVLGARI won't be partying with me until mid-Feb. (currently sailing the Atlantic).

The first time I saw the new Cooper & drove it I became intoxicated. I was so focused that I told my spouse that I had "not had that kind of emotional reaction to anything or anyone" since we had met 25 years ago. That is serious ... so much so that it feels slightly like how Richard Dreyfuss' character responded after the early alien visit in the "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" movie, minus the mud dome in the living room. If you don't get this, then you don't get this. It is wonderful to feel so delighted about a car.
I do love driving but over the last 13 years, with 3 new Mercedes 300 series and finally 1 new 528i BMW that I'm turning in next month, I haven't been so ecstatic about making the right choice and ready to be puttering, motoring and smiling. Maybe I haven't answered even Question#1, but I agree with all of your comments and add to it the joy of knowing, as you will too, that my car will be beautiful and well-loved. Thanks for the forum. Best to all. Ciao.

 

>>The first time I saw the new Cooper & drove it I became intoxicated. I was so focused that I told my spouse that I had "not had that kind of emotional reaction to anything or anyone" since we had met 25 years ago. That is serious ... so much so that it feels slightly like how Richard Dreyfuss' character responded after the early alien visit in the "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" movie, minus the mud dome in the living room. If you don't get this, then you don't get this.



Oh my God, YES! You've hit the nail on the head. That's how it feels... like falling in love and really "getting" someone. Perfect. Thanks for the image. Makes more sense to me now.

Needler

 

1. I would say that I am drawn to the bold and fluid styling of the vehicle. The curves on this car give it such a strong yet elegant look, and the layout of the car from interior to exterior give it a classic touch. The car just screams at you in such a little package, it's enough to excite the senses without numbing you in over load. The English heritage coupled with the solid Teutonic engineering is also a great plus. Oh and the attention this little marvel gets is a great boost to the ego, not that I need it cause I'm very confident...I think.

2. I love the way the car inspires the need to just motor (great advertising gimmick, but I'm a sucka) The MINI is the next best thing to riding a motor bike for myself, I just feel that wanderlust whenever I'm driving and sometimes catch myself thinking should I exit and go to my original destination or should I just keep going and see where the road takes me.

_________________
no alarms and no surprises

 

I cannot explain it. The first time I looked at a Mini I was skeptical. But then I drove one, and the magic began. I have not had that much fun driving since I bought my first VW in 1965. It is a wonderful little car and a blast to drive. And I too spend an inordinate amount of time reading this list- partly because the weather is too crappy to get out and motor. They really grow on you and before you know it they become an obsession. Happy motering!

 

>>I cannot explain it. The first time I looked at a Mini I was skeptical. But then I drove one, and the magic began. I have not had that much fun driving since I bought my first VW in 1965. It is a wonderful little car and a blast to drive. And I too spend an inordinate amount of time reading this list- partly because the weather is too crappy to get out and motor. They really grow on you and before you know it they become an obsession. Happy motering<<<<


i didnt have to say anyting..he said it all..and brought a tear to my eye :smile:

 

Easy question!

It's "tuff cute", a blast to drive and the MCS is fast.

Two months and counting, and each drive is better than the last!

However, I still don't like the sport seats.

 

How can you only choose one thing. I love the whole damn car.

 

2 reason why we love our Mini:

1) The machine's technology that alllows us to, at will, beat the crap out of the sexiest high performance go-kart that exists on the road.

2) The amount of stranger's unabashed smiles this damn cute thing evokes :smile:

 

>>However, I still don't like the sport seats.

Oh-oh. What is it about the sport seats that you don't like? I bought them without really looking that closely and without riding on them. (My car gets here in Feb). I was concerned later because one of the descriptions mentioned something about being "cradled" or something like that. That's exactly what I was afraid of. I don't want to feel pinned in.

 

MADCRAW,

Beeeautiful car! I haven't seen a pure silver MINI before now. Nice!

 

Sport Seat Blues!!

There is at least one other thread on MCO where we discussed the good, bad and ugly aspects of the sport seats.

I find the seat part too short - but the real issue is that no matter how many of the zillions of ways I adjust the seat back, or slide forward or backward, or raise or lower it, I'm always fidgeting.

It's weird, I've never had this much difficulty getting comfortable in a car seat before. And I go on lots of long drives, so by now you'd think I would have the settings down pat.

Others on this board have commented that they think BMW cheaped out on the seat design, that the seats suck compared to other BMW seats. Others have expressed hope that future MINIs will have improved seats.

My last car was a 2000 Celica GTS. Absolutely killer seats - the best "race style" seats I've ever had stock.

Anyway, not to worry, there are some on MCO who love the seats. You may get lucky.

 

1. I'm a life long car nut. I've had fast ones, not so fast ones, expensive ones, cheap ones, ones I've loved, and ones I've really loved. The MINI is interesting and hits my "car nut hot buttons". It has "IT". Whatever that is.

2. It keeps me interested and amused, my 10 & 11 year old boys think dad's cool for a brief moment in time.

 

For me I was hooked on the new MINI looking at the FEB 2002 cover of Road & Track. I'd seen earlier pictures in European Car, but they didn't have the same affect as that big yellow picture staring at me. As I read the article I was even more excited, loved the interior, was hopeful about the price.
I was standing in the crowd the first time one rolled off the truck at the local dealer. It looked even better in person. The car just fits my eye as to what lines look right on a car.
There are some cars that just look right.(to me)
Jaguar XK-e roadster
1963 Corvette split window coupe
Porsche 911
The MINI to me falls in that group, it looks right.


:smile: :smile: :smile: :smile:

 

>My question is two-fold:

>1. What is it about YOU that makes you so drawn to MINIs? (I mean really, look deep).


I am living my life in reverse so to speak. I did all the "responsible" things when I was young and have been trying to even the scale in those years on the back side of 40.
Quit a "responsible" job when I was 47 and rode a bicycle across the US.
Tried to start a business when I was 49 and failed.
Was a Viet Nam vet at age 25 and a returned Peace Corps volunteer at 55.
Have worked 12 temp jobs in 3 years with a year of employment in Japan sandwiched in the middle.

I have lived with out a car since June 1996: in Bulgaria for 2+ years, Japan for a year and the other 3 years in the US. Found that a car is ONLY a necessity here in the US, its not that way everwhere. Found that I don't NEED a 4-6,000 pound 4x4 to go pick up two bags of food every 4-5 days.

Then I saw a MINI on the web and it was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. Had to have her!
A balancing of the scale for all the cars I never had when I was "responsible".
A chance to have some fun on the back side of life!

I'll pass on Question #2 for now; I probably have said enough about #1.

 

i like the way it presses me back in the seat above 4000 rpm in 2nd and 3rd -- no supercharger required

 

Needler wrote:

>>
>>My question is two-fold:
>>
>>1. What is it about YOU that makes you so drawn to MINIs? (I mean really, look deep).
>>2. What do you absolutely love the MOST about MINIs (not the top 3 things, the top 1).
>><<

First of all, Needler, welcome to MCO! What a delightful new member to our clubhouse you are! Great thread!!

Cheers!
Clover

 

Wow, Needler, what an eerie parallel....reading your post, I thought I wrote it.
I feel the same way as you but just like Sparkles, I'm still awaiting my MINI.

 

Hey Needler,
Like you, I fell in love with Mini from a pic. in a magazine that my wife showed me in March of last year. Saw my 1st on a Saturn lot (Liquid Yellow) and nearly caused an accident trying to make a u-turn. Could not find a salesperson (Sunday) to let me see inside, but that really hooked me. On Monday, I called for the price, and was told it was $26,000! I got worse with every passing month till BMW of Nashville finally got a few to choose from.

#1-Styling of the car -A front end that beats anything on the road here in the states

#2-G0-Cart handling. I've NEVER driven ANYTHING like it.

#3-Head turning ability-Call it by whatever name you choose, this car stops traffic. I like that a bunch..

Jim

 

The car fits me. Instead of riding in it I feel like I am wearing it. It's like my favorite pair of sneakers. It becomes a part of me, an extension of my personality. Zen baby...

 

question #1.
Ok you know that stupid icebreaker game that goes, "If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be...?" Well(don't laugh!) if I was a car, I'd be a MINI! What is it that draws me to this car, it just totally feel like me. I don't know any other way to explain it, I'm really not a car person, just a mini person. Even my boyfriend, who calls me Skeeter, said the first time he saw the car, "That is the most Skeetable car I have ever seen!"

#2. Probably the go-kart drive. I'm coming from a toyota Rav4, and you know what sucks about that car, I can't take a turn any faster than 20mph. I love driving and I love curvey, swirvey, bouncey roads. Can't Wait!

 

Needler, I feel the same way about the MINI that you do. When I first saw one, I went nuts.. I found all the info on all the forums on the internet, I went to MINIUSA every day, to build my own.. countless numbers of times! This car was so meant for me, that my friends all said that it was the perfect car for me. I just HAD to get one!

>>. I love the feeling of being in THE ZONE when I was test driving it. Everything else shut out. I could "sort of " hear my motoring advisor telling me the details, but I wasn't listening. It interferred with the feeling I had of being at one with the car.
>>

I totally Grok what youre saying here.. do you grok? (being at one with the car! to fully understand something.) when you grok, you dont really need to listen to your motoring advisor!

1. I also like to be a little different, I was tired of my Jeep, and the lousy mileage, and wanted something that was fun and economical!
2. I dont think I can pick just one, but, the smile generating factor is great!

 

1. What is it about YOU that makes you so drawn to MINIs? (I mean really, look deep).
2. What do you absolutely love the MOST about MINIs (not the top 3 things, the top 1).

1. The first time I saw a MINI was this September in Madison, WI when I was up there for the Ironman. It was love at first site! It was a pure raw emotional reaction. Once I took a test drive, there was no going back.

2. The way it looks!

There is more thing I really like about this car....it's a guy magnet! And that's a really good thing when you are single.

Kecia, who will take delivery of her 03 MC BRG/W next week

 

I don't know what to say that hasn't been said. I have NEVER been a car person either. The first time I ever saw a MINI was in a Depeche Mode video when I was about 15. I told my Mom that one day I was going to have one. She said "They don't make those cars here" A couple of years ago I heard they were going to make this new model here. I decided then that I would have one. The rest is history!!

P.S. I like the sport seats.

_________________
Silk Green Cooper, Black roof/mirrors, All 3 pkgs, CVT, leather, navigation. Ordered 10/02, finished production 11/20/02. Picked up 12/20/02.