Mini's are awesome!

[mr jamez]

I am assuming the MR2 comment was a joke, as i am sure you can see why people buy MR2 GTS Turbo's.

lol yes, infact I have a first hand account from a friend that your car is indeed fairly quick

You just pointed out yourself why people buy mini's and other classics

 

[alextgreen]

I have a real dislike of mini's

The feel fast, but they aren't (apart from a few ones with engine swaps.... Of course, compared they can only be compared to other cars with engine swaps)

They flatter the driver and appear to handle well, but don't really (it's a combination of feeling fast and being low down, makes you think you're driving really well, but in fact most modern cars could keep pace with a mini without the driver even trying, unless the mini is modified, but comparing modified cars to stock cars is silly)

They are terminally unsafe, rust heavily, are cramped and uncomfortable and have no redeeming traits in my eyes.

But this is why I wouldn't own one, and things I would encourage others to check. If you don't care about them or they don't bother you, there's nothing wrong with the car.

Wow, I managed an entire post in a Mini thread without referring to it as a horribly outdated, rusting British leyland rotbox relic.... Oops.

-Dolph

Doesn't matter. They're fun. Everyone has had a bird with an odd laugh or questionable table manners. You still hang on to them if they're an animal between the sheets.

 

[[TW]Fox]

[TW]Fox, You are compairing a £5k+ german mid range saloon designed in the 90's to a £100+ small car designed in the 60's. I would have you down for being more intellegent.

I wasn't comparing either car at all. I picked two completely different cars simply to show how different sizes of cars and different soundproofing levels can affect your perception of speed.

A 5 Series is clearly not a suitable alternative to a mini, and vice versa. Thats why I picked two obviously different cars, to avoid people thinking I was making a direct comparison and then saying one is better than the other.

Change 5 Series for anything else thats similar if you like, it doesn't matter, the point was just that Mini's feel faster than they are becuase of the very small size, just like 'GENERIC BIG CAR' feels slower than it is becuase of its larger size.

Please don't question my intelligence when it's clear you've not understood the point

Oh, and show me a good condition, no rust, ready to drive £100 Mini that will pass an MOT and I will eat my hat.

 

[vanpeebles]

commited you couldnt send me that video could you? that mini sounds amazing!

 

[[TW]Fox]

Well I could argue that an MR2 is a silly hairdressers car and see no reason why people would want to drive around in that all day.

Well go on then, try.

I do not really like Toyota MR2's. They are not my sort of car, have a terrible interior, etc etc. But, they do have features which make them very good. Excellent handling becuase of the balance of the mid mounted engine and rear wheel drive, fantastic performance from turbo variants, etc etc. These things are facts, they cannot be disputed whether you like the car or not.

Whereas the Mini...

 

[Dolph]

I think the big problem with mini owners is that, unlike most other classic car owners, many of them refuse to see the flaws. Several people have said "You just don't get it" in this thread, and it's true, we don't. You wouldn't see a landrover owner, or a spitfire owner, or all manner of other classic owners, saying many of the things that have come out in this thread, because they accept it's not true.

Mini owners love the cars despite their flaws, and that's fine, but the problem comes when they try and pretend the flaws don't exist, or bury their head in the sand at the first sign of criticism.

-Dolph

 

[chopchop]

went out in a mate's mini last night, and my god!

they handle so well, i was really really suprised!

this was a 1976 1 litre mini, and it seems like so much fun!

i want one!

anyone else agree?

mine had a 1275 metro engine, was quite quick but not really enough, they need modding abit further than that to make you really grin. a mate had a stripped out 1098 clubman, now that was mad, no weight and the 1098 engine was just as fast if not faster than my 1.3 iirc wasnt the 1070 longstroke the best cooper engine ?

 

[chopchop]

I wasn't comparing either car at all. I picked two completely different cars simply to show how different sizes of cars and different soundproofing levels can affect your perception of speed.

A 5 Series is clearly not a suitable alternative to a mini, and vice versa. Thats why I picked two obviously different cars, to avoid people thinking I was making a direct comparison and then saying one is better than the other.

Change 5 Series for anything else thats similar if you like, it doesn't matter, the point was just that Mini's feel faster than they are becuase of the very small size, just like 'GENERIC BIG CAR' feels slower than it is becuase of its larger size.

Please don't question my intelligence when it's clear you've not understood the point

Oh, and show me a good condition, no rust, ready to drive £100 Mini that will pass an MOT and I will eat my hat.

thats what mine cost, needed a tyre, just missed out on another for the same price, that only needed a patch on the floorpan.

 

[mr jamez]

Well go on then, try.

I see lots of blonde females driving around in them, they are well known for being a bit girly. I don't like the looks of them, the interiors as you say suck and I bet they cost an arm and a leg to fix. I can pick bad points about any car if you want me to it's easy Just that none of you can see any plus points of the mini, that is the problem.

I accept the many flaws a mini has, I have a few holes in the front wing, my sills fell apart and the rear subframe was rotten, failed an MOT. Everything inside rattles, it is noisy and gave me a headache once. To me it has many plus points, without mentioning the 50mpg, cheap insurance and stupidly cheap costs for parts and modifications. When people say you just don't get it, I think it is more that you just are not interested (you are certainly not ignorant about cars that is for sure) you expect different things from a car than what I do I will never buy a mondeo, I don't care if they are great value for money, not interested.

The ones who get on my nerves are people who rip the pee out of them, while knowing nothing about cars, then they climb into their 1.0 corsa or bmw 316.

 

[[TW]Fox]

I see lots of blonde females driving around in them, they are well known for being a bit girly.

And thats the extent of your arguement that MR2's are hairdressers cars? And you accuse us of being like that with the Mini..?

 

[commited]

And they are all painfully slow too, i cannot see a single thing going for the mini whatsoever i honestly cant. Ive driven them and also driven 205 GTi's and other little old hotish hatchbacks, and i can safely say id never ever choose the mini over any of them. My best friend really wanted one, until we realised just how slow they actually are. He couldnt bare it, so as said earlier bought a 1.9GTi 205 instead.

And people talking about modified ones being fast, thats irrelavent.

I really dont see how you can compare a 1.9 GTI to a 1.3 mini Cooper. insurance is in a totally different league, as well as many many other things.

Make the BHP/ton equal and the you have a comparison.

Dont even get me started on them when it comes to higher speeds. Wonder what the 60-120 time on them is....oh yeah they probably dont even go that fast.

Why the hell do you need to do 120mph? Jesus man.

 

[commited]

commited you couldnt send me that video could you? that mini sounds amazing!

Contact me on MSN I'll try and dig it out

I think the big problem with mini owners is that, unlike most other classic car owners, many of them refuse to see the flaws. Several people have said "You just don't get it" in this thread, and it's true, we don't. You wouldn't see a landrover owner, or a spitfire owner, or all manner of other classic owners, saying many of the things that have come out in this thread, because they accept it's not true.

Mini owners love the cars despite their flaws, and that's fine, but the problem comes when they try and pretend the flaws don't exist, or bury their head in the sand at the first sign of criticism.

-Dolph

I wouldnt generalise Plus - I think above there have been many references above from Mini owners to the fact that they rust, can be unreliable & are "underpowered" compared to 205GTI's ( )

I understand how flawed Minis are - but no other car i have EVER been in or driven has made me smile as much. Last summer, I had the pleasure of being a passenger in a 120bhp 1380cc bill Richards prepared 1968 mk2 Mini. This thing absolutely FLEW, stopped very well, and cornered fantastically at high speed.
I've been in MR2s, 205 GTIs etc, and none of these gave the same thrill.

The mini most definately isnt the best motorway machine (keeps up though ) but then again - I drive on a motorway once a month so it never bothered me. Mines also quite comfortable too - thanks to the half leather seats in it

All that aside - I understand you dont like Minis. I dislike Mondoes and omegas quite a bit - mainly because they are incredibly dreary. Different strokes for different folks.

The funniest part is - I'm currently driving a modern car, and I literally have NO faith in it whatsoever. I'd MUCH prefer to be driving my rusty, "slow", smelly, small Mini.

 

[vanpeebles]

i know all about the flaws of the mini, you have to really take care of them, i spent weeks cleaning the underbelly of mine and then painted it, then put on two coats of bitumen paint and then one of underseal. and ive also wax oiled the entire car on my drive. its noisey, its cramped and bumps from pothole to drain lid but yes i love it to bits. after a hard or bad day at work i always have the drive home to look forward too.

 

[mr jamez]

And thats the extent of your arguement that MR2's are hairdressers cars? And you accuse us of being like that with the Mini..?

Yes that was to support my statement that they are hairdressers cars and why is that not an argument for it being a hairdresser car? is their any other type of evidence possible?

It's not just me who consider them as a hairdresser car.

Does it really matter, it wasn't much of a serious point in the first place.

 

[kippermitten]

Blimey, this uns grown a bit(she said lovingly into his left nostril....)

Its defo an age old debate, love it or hate it. Me, I love it and err on the mini side of things even after owning more'n a few hot hatches metioned in this thread and also not having driven I cant comment on old hoary rwd beasties ala Tr6/7(ouch), Triumphs, Healys etc which are of a similar age and pedigree being more fun but I would happliy say so if I had had experience of said rwd beasties.

So, sing along now...

" I love you, you love me, were a (mini)loving family! With a great big hug from me to you, wont you say you love(minis) too?!"

Yay for Barney and Minis

 

[Cryfreeman]

mini's are generally slow and not my cup of tea at all.

However they are Fun.

and fun is what driving is about.

Try out gripping one on a bunch of very tight corners though

 

[Dolph]

I wouldnt generalise Plus - I think above there have been many references above from Mini owners to the fact that they rust, can be unreliable & are "underpowered" compared to 205GTI's ( )

I understand how flawed Minis are - but no other car i have EVER been in or driven has made me smile as much. Last summer, I had the pleasure of being a passenger in a 120bhp 1380cc bill Richards prepared 1968 mk2 Mini. This thing absolutely FLEW, stopped very well, and cornered fantastically at high speed.
I've been in MR2s, 205 GTIs etc, and none of these gave the same thrill.

The mini most definately isnt the best motorway machine (keeps up though ) but then again - I drive on a motorway once a month so it never bothered me. Mines also quite comfortable too - thanks to the half leather seats in it

All that aside - I understand you dont like Minis. I dislike Mondoes and omegas quite a bit - mainly because they are incredibly dreary. Different strokes for different folks.

The funniest part is - I'm currently driving a modern car, and I literally have NO faith in it whatsoever. I'd MUCH prefer to be driving my rusty, "slow", smelly, small Mini.

I think the big issue is people confuse "Prefer" with better.

I love driving old landrovers, and can't wait to get mine back on the road (if only it wasn't 350 miles away in my parents garage), but, I'll never claim that it's better than a modern car, or that it can do amazing things. It can't, but that's not the reason why I love it. From a character point of view, they are amazing cars (and quite possibly as groundbreaking as the mini as far as the british motor industry goes). But better than a modern car is something that it isn't. I'd much rather prefer driving a landrover to a eurobox shopping trolley, but that doesn't make it better, even I can see that.

Mini owners are the only real classic car owners who consider criticism herecy, and it's showing again in this thread. Accept the car for what it is, you don't have to defend your choice, but if you express an opinion such as "they are fast" or "they outhandle everything", then expect to be challenged on that. Everyone can have their preference, but you still need to be objective.

-Dolph

 

[vanpeebles]

but im not, im defending it when people say its extremly slow to the point of being unsafe. its similar performance of most other small cars with similar size engines.

 

[commited]

I think the big issue is people confuse "Prefer" with better.

I love driving old landrovers, and can't wait to get mine back on the road (if only it wasn't 350 miles away in my parents garage), but, I'll never claim that it's better than a modern car, or that it can do amazing things. It can't, but that's not the reason why I love it. From a character point of view, they are amazing cars (and quite possibly as groundbreaking as the mini as far as the british motor industry goes). But better than a modern car is something that it isn't. I'd much rather prefer driving a landrover to a eurobox shopping trolley, but that doesn't make it better, even I can see that.

Mini owners are the only real classic car owners who consider criticism herecy, and it's showing again in this thread. Accept the car for what it is, you don't have to defend your choice, but if you express an opinion such as "they are fast" or "they outhandle everything", then expect to be challenged on that. Everyone can have their preference, but you still need to be objective.

-Dolph

Any pics of the Landy - how far gone is it? They are pretty cool yokes.

As for the herecy - not at all - it's the venom with which people attack the Mini that is sometimes where all the defence comes from - I mean some people literally hate the Mini and Mini owners. I drive a Mini for the craic. Not for anything else.

There is no right or wrong - I never said they were "fast" (as standard) and I never said they outhandle everything (but they definately dont handle badly as you said :S ). Of course I'm objective - ive driven quite a few cars - and loved or hated them for different reasons. That's not the issue.

I really think this is a waste of time - none of us are going to change anyone elses opinions. And your argument that people need to see both sides, well they can go out and drive one for themselves - cant they??

 

[Dolph]

Any pics of the Landy - how far gone is it? They are pretty cool yokes.

None down here, unfortunately. Basically it's a rebuilt chassis, with a fully rebuilt engine, gearbox and other bits and peices already done. Next big job is the bulkhead needs a proper rebuild/repair and so on (when I do rebuilds, I don't do them by halves) and the bodywork needs a fair bit of renovation to get it to a good standard (which is the whole point.) I bought it as a rebuild project in 1997..... It's been ongoing since then Combination of time, money, being a student and living miles away from my parents meant it's taken a bit longer than I thought. My sister started hers about 3 years later and finished it last year (complete with V8 engine transplant)

As for the herecy - not at all - it's the venom with which people attack the Mini that is sometimes where all the defence comes from - I mean some people literally hate the Mini and Mini owners. I drive a Mini for the craic. Not for anything else.

There is no right or wrong - I never said they were "fast" (as standard) and I never said they outhandle everything (but they definately dont handle badly as you said :S ). Of course I'm objective - ive driven quite a few cars - and loved or hated them for different reasons. That's not the issue.

I never said they handled badly, I said they were overrated (a view which I stand by). The mini is a very flattering car to drive, it makes you feel fully involved and also makes you feel like a driving god. When it comes to the crunch though, it's actual on-limit handling isn't as good as the promise makes out, at least IMO. (It's not the only car like this by any means, the 306 is another classic example)