Like you've said your friends? To paraphrase John Prine. "My best friends tell me I have no friends at all". You don't need revenge you need true friends. Every time they fill those barges up & ***** about how much it costs, that's your revenge. Sweet revenge.

 

why not go ahead and actually put a wind up key on the back....they make them for MINI Coopers and other car models as well.
http://www.windupkey.com/

 

Time for new friends. Really, they sound like jerks!
My 2 best friends would never in a million years say a bad thing about my choice in vehicle, nor would I about theirs. One drives a huge Infiniti SUV, that probably cost $50,000.00 plus. She really doesn't need it, but she absolutely loves her "truck" as she calls it. Why would I want to rain on her parade? They probably think I was nuts to get El Kabong, but both of them know how much I love it and always understand when we go somewhere that usually I want to drive and if they want to, they ride with me and if not we take seperate vehicles. Anything beyond one comment shows that your "friends" are petty and small minded. I don't get why you would consider people who intentionally hurt your feelings as friends. And if you don't think they know they are hurting your feelings, think again. They do, and yet they persist. Retaliation, or whatever, would be pointless. Just smile and change the subject. Oh, and start looking for new friends! Maybe your local MINI club?
Annette

 

Didn't MINI's ad agency print a batch of faux tickets to stick on other people's vehicles? Maybe you could put them on your faux-friends' trucks. They'll be about as PO'd receiving a ticket (until they learn the truth) as you have been while they make fun of your car.

Or you can just ignore them; they'll get bored and go away eventually.

 

"Yo Mama" nuf said

 

There was a story posted a while back where one NAM member was getting similar toy car jokes from a co-worker, the NAM member beat the co-worker into the parking lot one day got in their MINI and started lapping the co-workers truck. The MINI could drive circles around the F-150; the co-work found it humorous and stopped making jokes about the car; I think because they saw that there is more to the MINI than just its size.

On another note I've had an increase in positive comments from complete strangers as I drive down the road, esp. from the Jeep crowd. So lighten up it swings both ways and you'll be able to hear positive feed back soon, just keep motoring!

 

Tell them if they don't like your choice of car, they should buy you what they think you ought to drive(and the gas, insurance, license,etc). If they aren't willing to do that, they don't have any room to comment on your choice.(Of course, just because they buy it for you doesn't mean you have to drive it!)

Also, FWIW, they got it backwards with the Volkwagen wanna-be. Volkswagen hired MINI's ad agency and now their ads look like MINI ads. Sounds to me like Volkswagen is a MINI wanna-be.

 

They don't sound much like friends to me . I wouldn't worry about it. As long as you're happy with your MINI, that's all that matters
__________________
AND...I..FOR ONE...SECOND THAT EMOTION AS WELL...THEY ARE JUST
...PURE AND SIMPLE...JEALOUS OF YOUR MINI...SOOO YOU GO OUT
THERE AND ENJOY YOUR MINI AND TO 'HAITIES' WITH 'EM...!!!

THAT'S TWO THUMBS UP..!!

 

I had someone ask if my MCS came with a wind up key the other day. I replied yes it did. I can wind it up to 135 mph and with minor modifications to 150 mph.

 

I've always found the quickest way to take the wind out of someone's sails who is making hateful/teasing comments, is to join them.

So when they call it a Beetle wannabe or a BMW reject, or whatever, just laugh and join them with a...'Yeah, or better yet Clown Car'...or something like that.

It usually ruins things for the other person or people when you join them in the bashing - not much fun for them anymore if you do it along with them.

 

Take em for a ride and show them your handling on a nice twisty road....bet they get white knuckles!

My GF thought it was just cute...and wanted to drive it! (HA, she can barely drive an automatic)

I did the "handling favor on a reverse hairpin turn" for her! After a thorough cursing out (probably well deserved)...she does not want to drive the cute little guy any more. I had to promise to be good...Answer was "I WAS BEING GOOD"

 

What, exactly, is a "reverse hairpin turn?"

Is that like when you drive around the turn backwards?

Since even if the turn is left or right around the "hairpin", it makes no sense to me.

I don't suppose you mean the turn was "banked curve" with the banking in the wrong direction because if that were true, and you near 10/10s, perhaps your in the weeds?

 

There are some very astute observations being made here. You definitely need new friends. Everyone I know, and work with, always want to ride in my car! They love it, and are happy for me.

I noticed a fair number of SUV owners tend to feel a bit threatened by MINIs; they are the philosophical antithesis to SUVs after all. I think with the world being what it is today, people are pretty sensitive to the implications of that and automatically get defensive, and and we all know the best defense is a good offense, so, there you go, mean friends.

 

Why would a SUV owner be threatened by that itty bitty MINI. They can just drive right over them.

Owning both a SUV and a MINI, I think this type of stereotyping does nothing to help with automotive harmony on the public highways. They each have different purposes.

 

Death to SUVs!!!!!!!!!!

 

(Awaiting Chows response.....)
(Awaiting Chows response....)

 

I totally agree with this as this is what I eventually started doing with some co-workers. Now, they still occasionally say things such as not a real car but their attitude is different towards it once I joined in on their fun. Once I did that. They wanted to go for a ride. Now they are excited when I tell them I'm going to the dragon or autocross. They understand what this little clown car is capable of.

If you can't get them, or they don't ask to go for a ride. I would do like someone recommended earlier. Plan an event somewhere that has good roads. Make sure that you will in your MINI and show them how it does not have to slow on the curves like their trucks do.

Just remember. Have fun with them. No need in being defensive about your car just because some people don't understand it like we do.

 

Yep...the last part is correct...we have an exit off a freeway that has a hairpin turn...BANKED THE WRONG WAY! There have been many a crash there...but the Mini handles it with ease!

A few years ago some one took a GT3000 on it...smack...right into the wall! SLPAT!

 

 

I silenced a good couple friends by coaxing them into the MINI, and finding some local twisty roads. They'll be spewing crap until you get to the first sharp curve. After that, they'll be hanging on for dear life while you have a huge maniacal grin on your face!

I love it when they question the accuracy of the speedodmeter while going around the twisties!!

-Paul!

 

I just moved from Indy to Northern Indiana... Oh if there were curved roads!!!!!!

The curves on the Indiana Toll way are so open and graceful so that the semi tractors can pull three trailers.

Not very good for pulling lateral G's on!

 

Solutions:
- Get new friends
- keep friends, but give them a few years to grow up and get over it
- get a thicker skin, they only give you crap because it bugs you

 

ask them "so what are you compensating for?"

 

Face it, some people just don't get it. A lot of people ask what my car cost and when I tell them they normally respond with something like: "You could have gotten a much larger car for that much." I like to tell them I'm buying a vehicle, not ground chuck. The real fun came when I managed to fit almost as many monitors and CPUs into my the Mini as another person could get into the back of his shortbed, flareside pickup (we didn't stack any of them).

 

I mean threatened philosophically. Like, if they really LOVE the SUV and everything it stands for, here comes this car that stands for the exact opposite. I did not mean to imply that every SUV driver feels this way, just some do. I am not saying I personally have anything against SUVs or SUV drivers. Whatever floats their boat is fine with me.