real men drive MINI...meaning who cares what anyone's preference is the matter is when one motors one motors with self and MINI and all are real men or real women

 

In a thead I started a while back here:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...chick-car.html

I've heard it all from friends and relatives. I let the ride speak for itself. For some reason a lot of guys feel if it desn't shake the ground when you pull up and get 2 gallons to the mile it is not a 'man's car'. I've had all sorts of 'chcik cars' in the past. Fiat Spider, MGB, M-B SLK, as examples and would do it all over again.

 

Least someone caught that...

Pardon me Flatlander if I didn't want to come out and say "gay". Guess correct terms aren't allowed.

 

Seems to come from people who think owning a big car means you are more manly. A quick drive usually shuts them up about joking about performance, and asking what insecurity they are compensating for by driving a big car/not driving a small car usually helps too.

 

It's the American way my friend. Bigger is always better right?

 

Who cares?

Someone saying something is "gay" is obviously just a figure of speech in this day and age. I know gay men that say "that's gay" on a consistent basis. No one meant to put gays down in any way.

 

Most of my friends are nerds (like me), and they don't spend a lot of time judging things based on their manliness or lack thereof. So no, I've never been teased. Almost everyone I know understands that the Mini is quick, a hoot to drive, and uber-efficient. My experience has been that people who criticize others (and aren't getting paid for it) are either misinformed or trying to cover their own insecurities. It was true in third grade, and it's true now.

 

that's arguable. cross reference "*****."

anyway, maybe those who feel a MINI needs de-gaying or somehow affects their virility should get a sticker that says:

i own a MINI. no homo.

 

The MINI is my wife's car (she says my toy), and I do get odd looks at times when she is not in the car with me. It's yellow with a white top, mirrors, and stripes. It also doesn't help that her summer tires are daisy rims (white daisies with the yellow center caps). Originally we had the snows on the daisies, and my brother-in-law loves to give me a hard time about it - he first pointed out on the tires how it shows STUDLESS and "how appropriate." My sports buddies give me a hard time too, especially when the two of us drove together for a tournament - "all we needed was a rainbow sticker" was a comment mentioned.

Regardless, the car is fun to drive, and I can't see it from the outside while driving it. And the most important part - my wife absolutely loves it! We have put 44K on it in the two years since picking "Daisy" up. I added all of the driving kit to it (such as LSD) and sold it to her as "safety" features. So we love it!


And no offence to people for the following, but my response at a stop light when I get the funny stares or comments - "What do you want, it's my husband's car?!" Then I just drive away. I wish I had a camera, as the follow-up stares are priceless!!

 

As far as people thinking the car is "gay," I don't think it is, but I definitely don't think it's the most "manly" car out there either. I also don't if someone calls me or my car "gay," I just get annoyed and roll my eyes when someone is actually offended by it. The only car I've ever driven that was more fun than the MINI was a R33 GT-R, I'd have one instead if I could afford the insurance. So, I can live with the occasional stupid remark made about the car.

This past week I've gotten uncountable compliments on the car and even an offer to buy it from a guy I work with with. I won't be giving it up any time soon.

 

Now the daisy wheels story is funny! Though it's your wife's car right? Can't say I'd leave daisy wheels on my car if it was mine to drive daily, lol. But then again, my g/f would never put daisy wheels on her MINI either... does that make her to masculine? We have the same color MINI's, but other than mine being a JCW with the obvious JCW parts, our MINI's are identical for colors and what not, but she's one up on me with her carbon fiber stripes! And the fact her is a R57 and I have an R55, but that's beside the point.

Hers will prolly look better than mine in due time!

 

I only get teased when I wear the red teddy, but never when I wear the open mesh one

Mark

 

I found it's a wierd dynamic that only happens in certain places.

I live in Canada - haven't had even one of the 'gay' comments...and I'm surrounded by homophobes who constantly feel their masculanity is threatened. I get teased for getting the odd facial or for ducking a body cheque, but not about driving a Mini.

Soon as I cross the border though, it starts. The Customs official didn't want my keys when I went in to get my Visa stamped, said if he need to move it, he'd just pick it up. Followed by a snicker. All my friends in the States (drive Mustangs and Camaros) laugh at me constantly. I get the same thing with my cousins in England.

Somehow though, never happens at home.

 

From the many times I've been up there (not any time recently) it's not uncommon at all to see people in small, german cars, hence: VW's. They're all over the place where I was. A MINI is just another one.

 

Even your cousins. I thought that it would be considered a cool car by the English.

 

My English cousins think its cool when we turn up in a rented MINI.