I need a new signature now

[[TW]Fox]

What's all this golf vs mini malarky?

I was foolish enough to point out that whilst he sat there ripping the **** out of the Mini for not being really butch, he had a Golf himself which is hardly the last word in masculinity. I suspect this is what he really wanted, as he's firmly grabbed the ball and run with it...

I think what he really did was the equivilent of me criticising a car becuase '4 door cars are lame'...

 

[Tombles]

I would. Great cars etc, can fully appreciate them. But they are very girly, deep down i think we all know this

Its just the general bodyshape. Can modify the styling if you wish, fit an aero kit etc, but theres no escaping it. Some different wheels, and the frontal light kits etc improve things somewhat though imo.

Deep down I really don't think it is very girly and this is why matters of opinion are so great so we can debate things

I wouldn't of had 2 and look at having another if I didn't like the looks. Same as the mx-5 really. Great car but a lot of people will never own one due to the looks.

 

[Crizzy]

Same as the mx-5 really. Great car but a lot of people will never own one due to the looks.

Shame people have this mentality when it comes to car ownership, not only does it mean they could miss out on owning a fantastic car it also makes them look rather insecure about themselves.

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Well it gets my thumbs up! I really enjoyed the Mini's I've driven. If I didn't have the requirements to carry so much around (think something smallish that cries mama a lot), then the Mini would be very close to the top of the tree to be bought.

Have to say that I'm confused by some of the comparisons, e.g.
- Golf. Lets face it, the Golf (and most competing hatchbacks) are utalitarian 4 wheeled transport. They might aswell be painted white and made by Zanussi. Yes I know that the GTi version is more interesting, but I drove a Scirocco GTi recently (which I assume is very similar in feel) and wasn't that impressed by that either.
- Fiat 500. Yes it's an ace looking car, but is hampered by being based on the Panda, ie. another bunch of prosaic mechanicals. So whilst it made me smile when I sat in it, stopped smiling just as soon as I drove it and realised just how sodding dull and "normal" it was to drive. The Mini really is a LOT more special that just about any other hatchback out there.
- Monaro. Yep, driven one of those two. Yes it does have plenty of go, but really is carrying a lot of lard with it, as are most similar types of cars out there. I think my E46 sport is too lardy, so that Monaro is certainly not getting away with it.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Shame people have this mentality when it comes to car ownership, not only does it mean they could miss out on owning a fantastic car it also makes them look rather insecure about themselves.

Exactly. I just don't get how we can have an entire thread where the direction of the pros and cons of the car are not based on its technical ability but whether it makes you look like a homo or not.

I mean seriously, insecure.. much? eidolon obviously doesnt give a **** whether people think he is gay or not given his car history. So it obviously didnt feature in his decision to buy or not buy the car.

Instead, his decision focused on things everyone has ignored because OMG THE MINI IS SO GAY LOL

 

[Sin_Chase]

We all have a bit of a dig jovially about hairdresser/girly cars. But who seriously cares? If that's your opinion, don't drive one. From everything I have heard the Mini is more than capable enough and a bit of a laugh.

It's a joke that anyone can sit here and tell him he bought the wrong car because they think it's girly. Is this Motors or GD?

 

[[TW]Fox]

Criticising a car or advising you'd not buy/have bought it because its unreliable, it has a crap interior, it doesnt handle, its slow, there are better alternatives, it costs a fortune to run, blah blah blah is all part of internet car debate and should be expected.

But because 'LOL HOMO'? Crikey, lets all buy Golfs incase we look gay in something else. And people think I'm the dull one?

 

[Sin_Chase]

We shall see how manly he feels when a girly little Mini kills him 'in the twisites' (tm)

 

[West]

Cracking looking car. Welcome back to the world of Mini

You'll get addicted to that Supercharger again i'm sure

 

[eidolon]

i was looking forward to driving it back home, i was very disappointed when i did though..... never drove something so uncomfortable and i just felt out of place driving it to, just not my cup of tea at all

Try driving an a R5GTT on coilovers, an MR2 on coilovers, an Elise 111R or a Boxster on 19s and you'll think the Mini is like driving your sofa in comparison just like I do.
I actually like the way the Mini feels, it's stiff enough to feel sporty but not overly stiff so that it jarrs you when you hit a cats eye.

Fantastic car, are those 18"? An MCS with 17"s is bad enough, I dread to think what it'd be like with 18" wheels..

Seems to be perfect for what you want, enjoy it

They're just 17s. The tyres are pretty new which is a bit annoying as I'd rather fit some non runflats but it seems a bit of a waste until these need replacing.

The turbo came in with the R56, in 2006..

Yep, it came in about a week after my car was produced. I deliberately didn't want the turbo version so was specifically looking for as late an R53 as I could find.

My old JCW had LSD fitted too so it really did enjoy going round the twisties.

This one has LSD too which my old JCW didn't (that was a 2003 car so I don't know if it was an option back then). I haven't really tested it out yet as most of my driving has been either motorway or town, no chance to drive on any fun roads yet.

 

[fonzee]

Criticising a car or advising you'd not buy/have bought it because its unreliable, it has a crap interior, it doesnt handle, its slow, there are better alternatives, it costs a fortune to run, blah blah blah is all part of internet car debate and should be expected.

and opinions on looks shouldn't be expected? its one of the main deciding factors for many people.

 

[West]

and opinions on looks shouldn't be expected? its one of the main deciding factors for many people.

I don't get a lot of those stereotypical attitudes though... granted that some of them do look like they're aimed at the female of the species (The Conv esp.) but the Tin Top Cooper S' just don't...

Oh and Bamp..

 

[Sin_Chase]

and opinions on looks shouldn't be expected? its one of the main deciding factors for many people.

Always.

But "Looks girly, LOLBADCHOICE" is just pathetic.

 

[Gaijin]

and opinions on looks shouldn't be expected? its one of the main deciding factors for many people.

I have no doubt that the car is capable, but theres no denying the image associated with them, and the stereotypical demographic of the owners.

I know 3 owners of these. 1 is gay, 1 bought one to appease his other half whilst still retaining a fundamentally decent car, and the other is a woman.

I know my car sits on the other extreme of the scale, but I wouldn't want a mini on the back of this. It's just not "me" in any way shape or form.

 

[paradigm]

Criticising a car or advising you'd not buy/have bought it because it has a crap interior, its slow, there are better alternatives, it costs a fortune to run,

Other than my dislike for the visibility, driving position, and the utter lack of inspiring road-holding (not saying it doesn't grip or handle, it just doesn't feel right), that pretty much sums up the MINI.

 

[RedvGreen]

What are the figures on this car? 0-60, 0-100 etc.

As a previous owner of an MR-S I can safely say that you cannot judge a person by the car they drive! Besides, I know a few gay folk who have owned Z4s, Golfs, Clios, Corsos, Mundanos so they all must be gay vehicles yes?

./safe in his heterosexuality in his Lotus SC!

 

[Participant]

Using that sort of ridiculous logic you could include that a Citroen Xantia VSX and a Subaru Impreza WRX Sti V5 Wagon are the same car.

Hatchback? Check
Green? Check
4 cylinder 2 litre turbo? Check.

So forgive me if I don't waste any further time on this silly point.

I'm not surprised that you picked a puerile example in an attempt to rebut the accusation that one minute you hate grey four pot hatchbacks, but as soon as they're made my BMW, you want to mate with them.

The Mini is 'funky and fun'. You might disagree, thats your choice, but its certainly what its marketed as and its certainly a lot of the reason why people buy them. In the context of modern hatchbacks its fun, chuckable and great to drive. It's not quite a Clio 182, but its still a fairly decent hot hatch.

I certainly do not disagree that a Mini is marketed as funky and fun, if you're a female.

It speaks volumes that the biggest way you can criticse the car is to say its driven by gay people.

No, my biggest criticism of it is that it's got a nasty interior with poor visibility and that it still managed to be totally impractical despite being a hatchback. If you're going to make these sacrifices you might as well get a car that's designed for fun.

What a silly and tiresome opinion that is.

What's tiresome is that you seem to believe that if people think you drive a camp girly car, it doesn't matter and that this is not a valid criticism.

The Mini *is*, like it not, a funky fun 'cool' car. You can put stupid foglights on it, you can cover the roof in a Union Jack, you can fit silly bonnet stripes yet... it still looks alright. Do the same thing to any other car and you'll look like a tard. Do it to the Mini and it just looks right. It's a laugh.

When I see blokes driving Minis with Union Jacks and stripes on, 'that looks alright' is far from the first thing that pops into my head.

It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact it happens to be made by BMW. Are you honestly saying a Mini Cooper S is fundamentally similar a VW GOlf? What?

Yes, that's what I'm saying. Of course they're fundamentally similar, for the reasons I've already stated. You have previously registered your dislike for grey hatchbacks with frugal 4 cylinder engines, yet now all of a sudden you can forgive that because here is a car that's 'funky'? How many blokes do you know that buy cars "because they look a bit funky"?! Where they differ is that one is a pain in the arse (in more ways than one) and the other is not.

BWahahaha, whereas 'its for gay people' counts as 'reasoning' in yours? You never cease to amaze me.

Of course. It's clear that if a man buys a car that is perceived as gay / effeminate / camp / in many people's eyes, then this is valid factor for consideration (like it or not). I'm guessing the reason for your strong objection on this particular point is that your brother or Dad had one at some stage? I'm sure you had the usage of a Mini at one point, from a distant hazy memory...

I'd never have a Mini, but I think there are many people in this being un-neccesarily harsh on the car because of a load of completely stupid opinions about how gay or girly it is. Great.

An opinion different from yours does not make it stupid. The sooner you realise this, the sooner you can make the first step towards not coming across as a pompous arse, though I have a feeling that this course of action is not high on your list of priorities.

I was foolish enough to point out that whilst he sat there ripping the **** out of the Mini for not being really butch, he had a Golf himself which is hardly the last word in masculinity.

Yes and once again you are failing to understand the difference between ‘not masculine’ and ‘bona fide queer’.

Regarding the gearbox thing, the reason for the drop isn't my point. My point is that why didn't they use a decent auto that doesn't impact on fuel economy so much, in a car in which economy is bound to be important to so many of the buyers?

 

[iaind]

Definitely not my taste, but a tidy looking car and good fun too

 

[Participant]

Exactly. I just don't get how we can have an entire thread where the direction of the pros and cons of the car are not based on its technical ability but whether it makes you look like a homo or not.

I mean seriously, insecure.. much? eidolon obviously doesnt give a **** whether people think he is gay or not given his car history. So it obviously didnt feature in his decision to buy or not buy the car.

Instead, his decision focused on things everyone has ignored because OMG THE MINI IS SO GAY LOL

You yourself have admitted that how others perceive your car is a very important part of the buying process for many people. For example, you stated brand image as one of the main reasons that people might purchase a 7 series instead of a Phaeton, yet suddenly other people's perception is irrelevant and silly just because it's a car that you think is funky? It's almost cringeworthy .

 

[Crizzy]

What's tiresome is that you seem to believe that if people think you drive a camp girly car, it doesn't matter and that this is not a valid criticism.

Of course. It's clear that if a man buys a car that is perceived as gay / effeminate / camp / in many people's eyes, then this is valid factor for consideration (like it or not).

(Like it or not) It is not a valid factor for consideration for normal people who don't care what others think about them and their car.

Seriously, being worried about your 'perceived image' makes you sound like the type of person you are implying buys these sorts of cars in the first place?