I get a lot of, "Is that your girlfriend's car?" "You could have gotten a truck for cheaper." "Shouldn't you be in the woman's bathroom?"

I took a few for a test drive, and it always changes their minds. It's funny, though... one of the guys making fun of me drives a rusting white early-90s Geo Metro... I still cannot figure out what he's thinking. He still hates my MINI... I think my car is bigger than his, too.

I guess the name MINI changes people's perspectives.

 

Don't suppose a big truck or loud car is a sign of insecurity do you ?

How could you ever be a man in a thing called a MINI that is small and cute ?

Might explain why guys in Pickups seem to always want to "intimidate" you by riding the boot to show who's the real man around town

The Geo guys sounds like he's jealous.......

I just enjoy my car....everyday....just amazing how relaxing and stimulating it can be after a tough days work. Of course, a run to the store is always a great excuse to drive !

 

in general people seem to be really curious about my MINI (men and women), however I have noticed that women tend to be considerably more enthusiastic about it... with the occasional, "wow, I never figured that it would be a 'guy-car'..." {shrug} ah well..... I honestly don't care what other people think, its my friggin' car that I bought with my hard earned money

 

I've been getting a lot of that lately - the big pickups/SUVs who seem excessively offended by cars like MINIs on the road. Just last night I took a right turn off a 4 laner and this SUV behind me nearly ran me off the road. Bear in mind this was close to 1AM and we were the only two cars on the road

It doesn't matter, this is the first car I make excuses to drive. $%^& the haters...

 

I've always loved the Mini, it started with the original Mini. My brothers and I used to watch the Italian Job (the original) whenever it came on late at night years ago. The first time we ever saw it we were fascinated by it. When the new Mini came out I always thought I would get one. I sold my 2005 Corvette this summer, had fun with it but my wife didn't like it, didn't like the way the seats were barely above the floor. Also wanted to get an economy car for me as I drive farther than she does back and forth to work. She drives an Avalanche and I drive a Chevy Silverado. I'll be selling my Silverado and using the Mini, we'll still have the Avalanche for long trips as my wife won't want to drive long trips in the Mini, but thats ok.

I've had big trucks and small cars most of my life, nothing really in between. I've had a Prelude, Eclipse turbo, Audi coupe, the small cars are always more fun to drive.

 

Narrowminded ***hats like that don't deserve to have their minds changed... and you should probably point out the obvious if they can wrap their brains around it.

They have giant pick-ups/SUVs. Obviously they are compensating for something. You, because you own a MINI, don't feel compelled to compensate for anything.

 

Sounds like pure jealousy to me. Most people would be polite enough to keep negative opinions to themselves but it's those who voice them openly that seem the most envious. I always think of the 'Italian Job' and know that small, nimble and fast will out perform brute force and size anytime...the next time any truck tries to intimidate you remember on an automotive level of sophistication he is light years behind you!

 

Since I needed something better on gas as a daily driver and could not stand the thought of driving some boring commuter car, the BMW engineering and the amount of car for the $$ made it a no brainer. The lease is up on mine in a year and I will get another one.

On a side note, I did miss the utility of my truck and I did use it for pulling my Mustangs, along with hauling stuff for the house and got tired of borrowing my friend's truck, so I ended up buying an '07 F150 6 months after I bought the MINI. Funny thing is that the MINI has 24K miles on it and the truck only has 1700 on it

 

This is an excellent argument for getting a used pick-up that you are not making payments on that will mostly sit to one side of your driveway and be available for when you actually need it.

 

So far everyone has loved the MINI. I have owned numerous BMW's, corvettes and other nice cars. And none has gotten as many random people to talk to me about the car as the MINI. Ranging from people who never even heard of it (how, i have no idea) to people being curious about gas mileage and such. But there is no doubt, these little cars catch peoples eyes and curiosities.

 

I have not met anybody yet that did not like my Mini. It seems that most people know what A Mini is and that it is made by BMW. They really don't know the difference between A Mini, Mini S or a 2009 JCW is though. Most people think a Mini is a Mini and they are all the same. Not bad but the same. Of course my girlfriend is not to happy because she can't drive a stick. All I know is I like my JCW and I'm very happy to have it.
Ronnie

 

I've had similar problems going to work at 5am, ridiculous especially when you're already going above the speed limit. The old testosterone overload thing as my wife puts it. I have learned to control my numero uno finger and find that a little "wiggle" helps make them back off sometimes. As for light years ahead, yeah I had a guy in one of those Hemi things trying to keep up with me down a twisty road, he almost tipped over once, you gotta wonder why someone with a truck would even think that it would handle turns like a MINI

I've had Pickup trucks in the past to haul the race car and my bass boats (all gone now ) and did use them as daily's but it sucked driving with the hard ride and 10 mpg I can't imagine trying to feed them or the bassboats nowadays !

In addition to Fabulous Wensleydale, I have another Mini its a Mini....Van to haul my airplanes for work and fun and it gets 20 mpg and rides smooth.

 

SpitfireMkI, I think I know what you mean by "wiggle", but just in case please enlighten me. Alway looking for new techniques to tell over friendly drivers to back off.

As far as comments, one from a painter that does odd jobs next door commented how nice the car was and said "I am sure your wife will love it". I said, "she does, but it's for me, she doesn't drive". He asked me what make it was, and I told him it was a MINI and so on, I didn't get into the different types. He was very keen on the car and said he has been looking into cars for his daughter, could be, but if he ever drove it first I think she would end up with his old truck. Although, I don't think the MINI would work out very well with ladders and paint cans stapped to it!!

 

Sikamini, funny I get that "My daughter needs a car" story quite often.....I'll bet its a cover-up to satisfy their own curiosity regarding MINIs

Most folks I come across don't know that its "from BMW", I say "from" because its made by MINI who is owned by BMW. Its like saying a Firebird is a Chevy ya know ? Bimmer is just the parent company.

As for the "wiggle" it takes a bit of practice and surely as Lewis Hamilton has learned this year in F1 "Discipline" You want it to instill the idea that perhaps this "idiot" in the small car in front of me is not quite playing with a full deck thus they back off until a passing zone comes up where I gladly shy off to the right to give a bit more room for their roaring pass. On the other hand, if a twisty section is coming up...........

 

All the comments I have received is that it's cute.

Especially when I wash my car. Only old ladies have said it too. MINI's are a dime a dozen in Vancouver though. I see 10-20 a day on the roads. As soon as you hit the burbs, it starts to drop off.

Some of my friends gave me guff but once I gave them a ride, they were like ok, this ride is crazy.

 

I was just in London and completely in awe of how many MINIs I saw. I passed the cute little dealership "Elms Cambridge" whilst heading from Duxford to Cambridge



Also saw one house with several classics in front, one of the S models was for sale ! OOoooohhh if only it fit in a suitcase !

 

When I first told my wife I was getting a Mini Cooper, she laughed and thought I was kidding. Then she said it was a ghey car.

Then I hear her laughing to tears. After searching on the internet, She had found a gay website that said the Mini Cooper was the best "Gay" car. And started to make fun of me more.

Now after riding in it, she thinks its a great little car and wishes she could trade in her Grand Cherokee in for a clubman. She hasn't even driven my car (my car is stick). She said it seems to be the perfect size. No space is wasted inside.

I'll teach her soon how to drive it so she'll sure to know what she's missing. She'll be blown away.

 

I noticed this too. For some reason, people have issues with agile smaller cars. I don't know if its the ricers giving us a bad reputation. Twice, it was women tagging me, like they wanted to race me or ram their SUVs up my tailpipe. I was thinking WTF.

 

I have been driving cars that are diffrent from most commonly seen cars on the road for a long time..I also learned a long time ago I really don't care what people think of what I drive. If someone says something stupid I usually come back with a sarcastic remark...I try to make it sting. I haven't got my Mini yet but I can tell you I can't wait for the first bone head to say something stupid...make a game of it and turn it into some fun.

What matters is how you like your car....

 

SmokeM, MINIs are babe magnets, they just can resist a man in MINI...... ... it also seems to bring out a domineering characteristics in some women, just give up and succumb to you fate!!!!!
I had this one driver tail gate me for about a mile on a two lane road with the usual morning traffic, as soon as the road got a bit wider they pass me and give me the horn as they go by. This was a road with a 35 mph limit and I was following another car about 2 to 3 car lenghts in front of me. The next intersection there is a red light and I pull right next to the car, now they panic thinking I will get ahead of them so in the next block they cut in front of me without giving any signal! What can you do there are far too many jerks out on the road, and I never see a cop pulling one over!!

 

I've heard the "gay" comment too, from friends. I pretty much say "and that means what?". After they go for a spin they get pretty excited about the little gay car!!!!

 

People love my Bigelow ... they smile, wave, and ask about him. Some pull the tow hook (Pull to Inflate sticker above it) and they actually think something is going to happen when they do it. Last month, a guy gave me the finger as I zoomed by him on the highway ... pure jealously ...

 

I for one am surprised at how few people are impressed by my car. I don't really care but in 6 weeks I've only had one stranger ask me about the car and it was a 70+ year old lady who like the yellow color. I can't even get other MINI's to wave at me. I've gotten maybe three responses in over a hundred sightings. I've given up with that "courtesy". I think a lot of it has to do with the stand-offish people that inhabit this area. Probably the least friendly folk I've ever met. And who cares what anyone else thinks - I absolutely love this car. At the rate I'm driving it I'll be going in for that 15,000 mile oil change in less than 6 months from date of purchase.

 

The compliments came in by the truckload at work when I finally got mine delivered in late Spet 08. The compliments went away and one girl at work is insanely jelous and got into a big fight with me this past week over that.

Just at a carwash before and this teenager was waiting for his mother to finish washing a car in the stall next to me. He was like drooling while looking at my car while I was wiping off the water, very amusing!

I love attention, just not so much of the negative variety.

 

I have taken 7 of my friends for a spin in my 09 S and all commented on what a better all-around car it is compared to what they remember about my 05 S, design execution and performance wise, despite the cheaper materials and obvious cost cutting measures.

As far as the latter, I reply "yeah, no stumble!" and merrily motor on