When asked how many clowns fit in my Mini I answer "How many members in your family?"

 

Anyone that has been on an AF base understands your comment about the line similar experience years ago they did not like it when we started passing tools and parts across the line. We called it a line they called it a wall My wife would tell you that my sig picture is my "girlfriends" as I spend lots of time taking card of the aircraft and now lots of time playing with Mini's

 

A wall. That's a good one. The 'walls' came down the fenceline and then turned into the ramp as a continuous line--one line on each side of the 'road'. We literally didn't cross a red line because it didn't cross the entrance. The road was outside the ramp redline and outside the hangar redline. But that didn't matter since the M-16s could speak more forcefully than our logic.

BTW, my wife and her friends call Prudence my girlfriend, too.

 

M16 Logic did not match Sailors logic we did not see the point behind walking everything down the back to the corner where our aircraft was. Maybe thats whey they all drive everywhere and we were walking

 

Well, this guy is my Task Order Monitor, which means he can hint to my company that I should be replaced--and we all know what hints really are de facto, even if they aren't enforceable.

I took apic of our two cars and pointed out that since he couldn't use all his Carrera's capability on the street, that the one that looked best wins.

Can't upload the photo because I used it somewhere else and the site doesn't allow duplicates.

 

Being 6'4" I get, "How do you fit" I tell them "Tight as Usuall".


LOL

 

Anyone trying to make fun of a MINI, or it's owner, is just showing his/her ignorance and is someone to be pittied.

 

Just ignore that flak from the ignorant and unknowing. That's the best option.
Second choice is to offer them a ride. NOBODY that's made a rude remark about my Mini has had the ***** to take a ride with me. They shut up fast when I smile and offer. Big talkers. I had an F-car (that's a Ferrari, not a Ford) friend see me in mine (see gallery..it's plain as can be), only to comment, "Cute car". I smiled and told him to hop into his XL Depends and take a ride. He declined. I smiled some more.
Average folks don't understand the Mini. However, a good friend who has built and driven several track cars told me he was interested in buying one, so I took him for a quick ride and then let him drive. After less than five miles of running on a two lane backroad that we both know well, he turned to me (I'm in the shotgun seat) as he rockets through a couple turns and down this beautiful tree lined road... and says, "This car is scary. I never expected THIS.". He still hasn't bought one, but he respects the car now.
Every gearhead friend of mine who has ridden in the car remarks (unsolicited) positively about it's torque and it's handling...every one of em.
I refer to my little pw car as THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING. The lady of the house calls it "Sugar Cube". Don't make me explain that. :-)
I still drive that Grinnall Scorpion you'll see in my gallery. But it's not the same as the Mini, and I can't drive it to the level I can the Mini. Oh, the Scorpion will whip the Mini for raw acceleration, but when the turns appear, things change.
So just ignore those people. They do not know what they're talking about.

 

MINIs are pretty common in southern california. I don't really get anyone making fun of it.

 

Corvettes are for Newport-smoking, lousy toupee-wearing, late-middle-aged men in sans-a-belt banlon slacks, white tassled loafters, and Members Only jackets, with a massive set of golf clubs sticking out of the back as they drive their automatic fiberglas pig down the road, sneering at people who drive "inferior" cars like Minis. Who would rather be that guy than the proud Mini owner? Not me, that's for damn sure!

 

Yeah, we love our gay clown cars!
We're here. We're queer. We're fabulous!

 

 

Forgot to mention little tiny weenies.

 

That is a lot of animosity to put into just one post.

 

Not yet. Girls all say its cute. Guys ask me if I think I'm in the Italian Job.

 

...and I bet your not the kind to prejudge or stereotype?

 

I have owned over 30 cars in my lifetime, some pretty fast machines from a Vette with over 500 HP to Mustangs, Supra's and a very well sorted out Porsche that I autocrossed and DE;ed for over 17 years. No one including the guys I worked with at Porsche gave me any crap about the Mini, I am still in the Porsche, Lincoln LS, Dodge Charger clubs and again no BS. Only time I can say I had a small issue was with a guy in Z06 going down the highway i was in front of, he wanted to pass me going into a Off ramp, but there was not enough room so he sat on my bumper, I was able to take the ramp quicker then him and put a few feet of distance between us, but once off the ramp he smoked me and I got the finger, OH Well, I dont really care I am happy with my car and that is all that matters.

 

The only time it comes up is when a passenger asks "what's that?" about the Openmeter. I wish there was an easy way to take it out as I no doubt would do the same if I found one in someone else's car. The speedo is a matter of taste. Some like it some don't. There is no way to duck the overly cute bullet with that goofy Openmeter.

EDIT: Sorry I just noticed this is in the coupe forum so you guys don't suffer us R57'ers pain. As long as you don't put flower decals on it I would think you are safe.

 

When people ask why the center dash speedo is there I tell them 1st I never use it and secondly it is for them to know how fast were going when we take the turn.

 

Naah, just having fun. Actually that "guy" I described is a real person - a former co-worker, and longtime many-Vette owner.

 

And I'm guessing you don't miss him.

 

haha when i get teased...they're usually girls and i say to them, "bro's with big trucks=small wieners, guy's with mini's=big wieners....so yeah we mini's aint got nothing to prove cauz we always back it up" and then they just end up sleeping the night!!!! lol you guys should try it sometimes lol

j/k thats what i would say if that ever did happen but yeah....never been teased yet....just oooo's and aahhh's and is it fun? and i say "HELL YEAH"

 

I've heard it all.

Clown Car
Tin Can
Rolling Death Trap
Chick Car
Match Box car

These among other uniformd comments. Most came from freinds who have the 'look at me and my mid-life crisis' car [i.e. Corvette, 2002 Firebird, etc] After taking them for a ride [I have JCW Stage 1 kit] on some pretty intense twisties in my area and also remind them I am getting 31 mpg, they usually shut up.

I usually tell the 'critics' that I can fit more clowns in my car than they can. 'Clown Car' was one of my choices for a customized plate but it was already taken. The best bunper sticker I ever saw was a sticker on the back of a R53 JCW that said 'you've just been smoked by a Clown Car' and had a picture of an Killer Clown. I'd love to have that if I could find out where he got it.

 

IMO the Vette is the classic midlife crisis mobile because the dudes who buy it today really wanted one when they were one of the only cool sports cars you could buy. Now they're really not but memories last forever. I think they come with a $500 gift cert from Tommy Bahama lol. Most of us could probably afford to own a Mustang or Camaro (or Charger) back in the day so we don't long for another one of those so much. But the Vette was out of my pricerange. I never got the bug to own one because the 75 model I got to drive much was a cowl-shaking convertable pig model and I hated it. The JCW Mini is the coolest car around IMO.

 

No, actually I do - he was a great co-worker, actually the best office comedian I've EVER worked with. At one point the boss even admitted that the only reason he kept him around was because he was so funny.