After after 5 years of listening to most women (and some guys) say "Cute car" or "What kinda gas millage do you get" I have an answer I feel appropriate.
"You know how I know you don't know anything about Minis".
I will tell them the millage rate, but explain that wasn't the attraction for me. It usually steers the conversation in a more apt direction.

I also get asked "I was thinking of getting one of those for my son/daughter for a first car. What do you think?"
"If they are under 21, NO."
There are exceptions out there, but I don't know their kid. Odds are with me.
Go get them a cute car. One designed just to be cute.

 

I used to be the type of person who lumped minis and VWs together as "cute chick cars". (I am a chick)

I used to be the type that teased a friend when he returned his brand new mustang, days old, for a used mini!!

Then I drove one. *sigh* Then I understood.

Call me one of the converts!! If I wasn't of such a practical bent (habits die hard) I would have gotten a snazzy two door. The Countryman has allowed me to step into a world of cars I love.

*I hereby apologize to everyone I've ever been a jerk to about their mini. I am ashamed.

 

Boy you are too nice. I usually just give B.S. answers.

What kind of gas mileage does that thing get?
"It gets 8 MPG"

How much horsepower does that thing have (I absolutely hate this question)?
"500 AT THE WHEEL!!!!!"

 

That's awesome.. I might start doing that too.

 

I should mention that I say it dramatically noting the sarcasm

 

I tell them you can get 40mpg if you really wanted but do you really wanna drive like that?? I used to be jealous of people who could get 500 miles on a tank, but driving 500 highway miles going 65 is just no fun. my current mpg is 26, spirited driving just gives me a thrill, especially whipping around corners that no other car ive been in can go around a corner that fast. Ive never tracked my car, but i sure know i would love it

 

And we wonder why civility is dying in this country.

 

Apology accepted.... Driving is believing


Central CT and you have never been to Lime Rock Park with your car We are going to have to talk to you separately how easy it is to get on the track. You go there and you will have some better answers for the silly questions people ask.

 

I got my mcs in early march and just started modding it over the summer. I really wanted to get out on limerock I just never knew how until recently, and all the events had passed. Any info you can help me out with would be greatly appreciated in a pm!

 

There are bunch of us who "hang out" here:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...hedule-51.html
As you found out most everything is done for this season. But we'll will post stuff here when it comes up.

Another good start is join your local BMWCCA and local SCCA clubs.

I'll stop highjacking the thread now.

 

Tell them it's not cute, it's MEAN... Then take them for a drive. Them tell them you average 32 MPG combined city and highway, driving it like like you stole it...

Then tell them to only get one for their kid unless they have a good life insurance policy and don't want the kid anymore.

 

The "No" for the kiddo gets their attention.

 

Hmm I guess I should talk to my parents... I got a 10 mcs as an 18th birthday and graduation present, I am paying for half of the monthly payments however.

 

You must be one of those rare exceptions noted above!

Our child? At 16 he "bought" my '93 Trooper. Thing cornered like a box of rocks and didn't go above 65, without serious complaining. It was perfect for him.

 

Yes my first car was a 95 Chrysler Sebring, which my 21 year old sister also had as her first car. Within 2 weeks of having it the entire brake system was shot, rotors calipers lines, everything. It was totaled so my mom got a new car and I got her old car, a 2001 Acura mdx. Had that until late February when I got my mcs because the tranny went on the Acura. Was looking for a at that got good gas mileage at the time because I commute to college, but for some reason I don't seem to be getting that good of gas mileage

 

When I was 18 I was super jealous of the MINIs I saw...I used to think to myself "lucky bastard" when I saw one...especially when it was an R56 with an FMIC I would think "that thing must fly." At the time I was saving money to supercharge my 05 Civic Si, but never could justify he expense of actually doing it. This summer, that old Civic met its grave...(RIP) and I was on the market for a new car. I knew I wanted something boosted. (I'm 21 now) Well about 2 days into my search I spotted a PW/B R53 with only 43k on the clock and was immediately drawn to it...until I saw the asking price. I test drove it anyway...and was immediately in love. (THAT WHINE...OH THAT WHINE ) After some good negotiations I ended up getting the car for only 1k over budget...which I was fine with given how much fun it was. 4 months and many mods later...I still get a smile on my fave every time I'm behind the wheel. I honestly never thought a car could be so much fun unless it carried a 80k+ price tag.

 

Sub, it's the difference between "going there" and "driving there".
The "no" is just a safer bet for a youngster I don't know. Most have no understanding of the physics of driving. Max speed in a corner, which isn't for the street, is inertia vs. friction. Same for stopping, whether straight or spinning. You do the math with the seat of your pants, your a$$ studying a graph collected from experience.
Sure, any car can be pushed past its limit. A teen is more likely to test that on the street. They will graph those numbers for their pant's seat that way. But a Mini breaks loose late with a lot of speed. Graphing out the spinning stop speed gets real expensive on the street in a Mini. Curbs, trees, cars, and houses create a new graph: impact vs. pain.
So "no". I would rather suggest it to somebody more likely to know it turns better on the wheels than the roof.
Just sayin'.

 

After knowing my son as a 16 y/o, I agree with your assessment wholeheartedly. Only belatedly am I learning that he didn't fall far from his father's youthful driving days.

 

No, paying for it makes all the difference in the world for encouraging one to become mature enough to understand what a prize he/she really has. blakeslee_a - Congrats

 

I agree with the young inexperienced drivers should stray away from the MINIs. I was responding to the "girl car"/"gas mileage" part

 

Let me tell you guys something. If a man says a Mini is too 'girly' or too much of a 'chick-car', he has some serious insecurity issues. Such people let society and image dictate their lives. Often such people buy big massive powerful cars to compensate for shortage ahem ahem.. elsewhere

 

^^ agreed. I see more guys driving minis, especially the s, than I see girls driving them.