Why don't more men drive Minis?

[Piemaster]

Just looked at that.

In case you are wondering Girl's Car == Cheap. Guy's car == Expensive.

I was in an airport recently where they had one of those 'best of the best' raffle things - buy a very expensive raffle ticket for whichever car you fancy winning. They had an Audi R8 and a Ducatti on the display. Thing being I looked at all the cars you could win and thought 'what the hell would I do with it?' I live in Hull. When would I drive it and none of them would go in the garage. Insurance costs...gulp. Only ones even remotely practical were big 4x4, and even that seems a bit excessive for the weekly shop, and I can get a bike in the back of the Skoda Roomster anyway.
Made me wonder how many of them are won then sold on very shortly afterwards.[/QUOTE]

 

[midlife]

I was in an airport recently where they had one of those 'best of the best' raffle things - buy a very expensive raffle ticket for whichever car you fancy winning. They had an Audi R8 and a Ducatti on the display. Thing being I looked at all the cars you could win and thought 'what the hell would I do with it?' I live in Hull. When would I drive it and none of them would go in the garage. Insurance costs...gulp. Only ones even remotely practical were big 4x4, and even that seems a bit excessive for the weekly shop, and I can get a bike in the back of the Skoda Roomster anyway.
Made me wonder how many of them are won then sold on very shortly afterwards.

[/QUOTE]

Win car, sell car, move out of Hull

Shaun

 

[JtB]

Nobody's ever told me I drive a girl's car, but some people have said it's a hairdresser's car (whatever that means).

 

[Piemaster]

Nobody's ever told me I drive a girl's car, but some people have said it's a hairdresser's car (whaever that means).

Just one of those things. A convertible version of a car seems to get labelled a hairdressers car. Which is a bit odd really as I would have thought hairdressers wouldn't have wanted their finely coiffured locks being blown about.
Engineer I have worked with had one of those, SHE said friends took the mick out her reversing abilities but she blamed it on the 3/4 vision being awful with the top up. I've got an Alfa Spider that has similar issues - you can't have side windows in a soft top.

 

[vickster]

I had one of the first generation Cooper S Works models, it was a massive disappointment performance wise, and the run flat tyres were appalling on UK roads! And small and impractical

I didn't have it long not least as I knackered my left knee and switched to DSG (Golf GTI), now have a VRS Skoda estate. It's a far better and quicker car. I'd seriously look at the hatch if wanting a faster, more practical small car. The estate is fab for getting bikes in. I've had three adults, luggage and @jefmcg 's roadbike in on a journey from London to the Peak District! We just had to take the front wheel off

I had an SLK Merc for a bit, convertibles not for me, too hot if it's hot, too windy at speed, made my hair knotty (was replaced by the Mini IIRC) . And totally impractical with the roof down!

 

[Dec66]

A little Mini story for you. I need to leave some details vague, for reasons which will become apparent.

About eighteen months ago, I was riding to work up a local hill, and as I crested the rise I was passed at a high rate of knots by a Mini Cooper. Though the driver was belting past me, he did give me the courtesy of six feet of passing space.

As he shot down the hill, with me some distance behind at a slightly more sedate pace, I noticed that he seemed to be drifting to the left of the carriageway, and in what seemed like slow motion the car clipped the kerb, somersaulted into the air and went end over end for about four or five seconds, taking down a load of metal fencing while doing so and finishing up on its roof, facing the opposite way to which it had been travelling.

I pulled up, concerned that I was going to find a dead body or two in the car... Instead of which, a foot suddenly appeared from the passenger side window, followed in fairly short order by the rest of the driver, a tall, athletically built lad in his mid-20s. He was a bit shaken, but other than that there wasn't a mark on him.

I said to myself, at that point, if the kids ask me what sort of car they should get, I would suggest a Mini (the BMW type, obviously), because they must be built like tanks to survive that kind of crash and leave the driver unmarked.

 

[vickster]

[QUOTE 3958832, member: 45"]I didn't think they still did the Fabia VRS do they? That would be my choice.

@gaz had a mini. He's a girl.[/QUOTE]
Second hand! Mines a 62 reg, still not done 12k miles lol. I think they only stopped last year, can get a 64 reg. it really is a fantastic car, mines green

I thought it was only the estate they discontinued, not the hatch? The OP is considering a mini

http://www.skoda.co.uk/models/fabiavrshatch/exterior

 

[screenman]

Dec66, I do body repairs on them, they are no different to most other cars in their class.

 

[User6179]

I've had three adults, luggage and @jefmcg 's roadbike in on a journey from London to the Peak District! We just had to take the front wheel off

Does it still drive with the front wheel off?

 

[vickster]

The bike...refers to the last object mentioned

 

[Brandane]

Nobody's ever told me I drive a girl's car, but some people have said it's a hairdresser's car (whaever that means).

I'm now trying to guess what JtB stands for.
John the Barber?
Jim the Beautician?

 

[Levo-Lon]

As somebody who works on cars for a living I suggest that the build quality is not as good as most other vehicles I play with. I for one cannot stand that things for many reasons and would certainly not want to own or drive far the one I worked on yesterday.

my son had one..couldn't agree more..bloody thing..
i prefered my old clubman anyday

 

[screenman]

Does it still drive with the front wheel off?

I wrote that and deleted it before I posted.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I get to drive a lot of hire cars and drove a Cooper S convertible through Zurich and out through the mountains, fab fun indeed! I've just handed-back a Land Rover Discovery Sport, a car I expected to detest which I came to admire, I can see why they are popular. Other cars surprise me, the Renault Clio is a fun drive, the Vauxhaul Meriva is a perky little family wagon, the Jag XF a barge. Volvos are a very good drive. Of the pricey cars I really fell for the Audi A6 Quattro Estate, an awesome piece of engineering. The Juke, Quasquai, Peugoet 2008 are utterly horrible however.
Thing is it's horses for courses at the end of the dayemotians, economics.

What IS a good car? It depends what you want it for. Most are more than competent enough, the rest comes down to a blend of emotional, practical and economic factors. Stuff what others think.

I've just ordered my dream car .... awaiting it's arrival :-)
Stuff anyone else.

 

[Drago]

I guess more men don't buy them because they're simply cramped, and overpriced for no more reason than their cynical trendiness.