24 replies to this topic

[roblightbody]

I've been into Classic Minis for over 40 years now, and passed my test in one 35 years ago, which became my first car.

 

Back then, they were cool because they had a racing car pedigree, were fun to drive, lots of older people remembered them from the 60s, they looked old/retro, and Cooper ones with the white roofs etc were only just coming back, so there was much excitement around that too.  The fact that it was really small wasn't something I thought about a huge amount, I just really liked them.

 

Fast forward to now, and after getting into it again after winter hibernation, I'm just thinking its so TINY !  Did my shoulder always touch the door frame like that?  The fact that some new cars are truly enormous is more in my mind too.  The bumpers being at the same height as the top of my bonnet is a worry... can they even see the car in their rear view mirror?

 

Also when anyone younger than about 60 talks to me about it, its the first thing they say, and many young people just see it as a toy.

 

Anyone else feel the same?  Its probably sub-consciously making me use the car less too... mileage has been very low last few years.

 

Photo attached from my office car park earlier this week.

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Edited by roblightbody, 01 March 2025 - 03:32 PM.

[cooperd70]

I had this exact same thought on Thursday when I had to park between these two behemoths as it was the last parking space available!

Edited by cooperd70, 01 March 2025 - 03:54 PM.

[roblightbody]

I had this exact same thought on Thursday when I had to park between these two behemoths as it was the last parking space available!

https://imgur.com/a/FXFboDa

 

Oh my!  Thats quite shocking.  I know the problem is with those cars being too big, rather than our car being too wee, but still !

[Landie]

When someone says "It's so tiny!" just say "That's why it's called a Mini" 

 

I have been driving mine around here in BC Canada where everyone owns a big truck (me included). I would add a 3rd brake light to the rear parcel shelf which is what I intend to do, so idiots behind can see you braking.

 

I do get asked a lot of question about it though, which means popping down to the shops takes a lot longer than usual. I had it out for the first time the last 2 days (my weekend), but the weather is not going to be great in the near future and there is still a lot of gravel on the roads(used for traction in winter as salt doesn't work below -6C).

 

I would just drive it and have fun.

[nicklouse]

Passed one on the M5 heading north last week. 
 

yes tiny.

[MiniFanGraham]

mine looks tiny inbetween these 2 old cars

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[beardylondon]

I took this a while back, but now that's BIG!

 

upload images online

[Quinlan minor]

Console yourself with its easy availability of parking spaces on the side of the road, which modern behemoths can't fit into.

And there's zero chance of getting your door mirror clipped while parked, next to the kerb, between two 'moderns'.

[Steam]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as is, I suspect, size.
Yes they are smaller than most cars on the road today but their performance and durability more than makes up for it. Just imagine how someone on a scooter feels when next to your Mini.
The thing that gets me is what I call "The Mini Effect". The good side is people always smile and wave and want to ask questions or tell you their own mini story. The bad is when on a highway drivers seem to feel compelled to overtake you regardles of your speed.

[floormanager]

What has surprised me, is when women of a certain age see mine (mini) and talk to me about it, they are reminiscing about their lives back in the 1960s.  I wonder what they wore and what they got up to!!

 

[Designer]

Hi,

 

As they say all good things come in small sizes.

 

Paddy

[greenwheels]

I'm 6ft 1in and the Mini is just right for me. it's not that our Mini is small, it's the other 'cars' are to big.

[absx2]

I had a " close one " in late September last year in my mini and if I was driving any other car I would be dead, squashed under a 12 ton tractor.

 

The scratched wheel arch on the passenger side and the missing door mirror on the drivers side proved that anything over four feet wide wouldn`t have got past the tractor who had overcooked the downhill section and entered the blind corner on the wrong side of the road.

 

The modern large wheel tractors are huge and can do 40+ mph and 50 mph in this case and I don`t think a Range Rover driver would have survived that one as it would easily gone over it with it`s 40 foot trailer and all.

[Landie]

This is mine taken in the Post Office car park. These vehicles are typical in small rural towns in BC.

 

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[imack]

They're still pretty small even when alongside a Caterham

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