A couple of months ago I sold my 12 year old, 160,000 mile "family truckster" minivan to purchase a Clubby S. I love my MINI, but I have a problem that I have been struggling with. My van offered HUGE benefits that my MINI does not offer (not what you think).

I could park my van anywhere and drive it in any kind of weather without a care! I didn't care if my kids spilled drinks or dragged dirt or dog $#$% on their feet into my van and onto my van floor mats. I didn't care if my wife drove my van and she has a LONG history of vehicle abuse. Her '06 Honda has dozens of dents, dings, scrapes and road rash on the wheels. The bottom line is that my van was one ugly hulk of a road warrior that had been well used for years and it really didn't matter to me what happened to it! This is NOT the case wtih my MINI.

My my wife wants to drive my MINI and my two teenage kids are excited about learning to drive my MINI . I know that eventually, my MINI will suffer from the perils of the less than desirable driving habits of the other drivers in my family. New teenagers learning to drive on my MINI? I shudder at the thought.

The obvious choice is to buy another vehicle for my family to drive. This is not an option. I already have another vehicle. Besides, my kids just LOVE my MINI and they cannot wait to begin driving it.

So I have to deal with the reality that my MINI will not remain perfect for long. My beautiful R98 wheels will suffer road rash. My scrape free, ding and dent free MINI body will not remain perfect for long.

Everything considered, I'm still VERY happy that I sold my van and bought a MINI. It's just going to take me a while to deal with the reality of my situation. Any suggestions?

 

I feel your pain, 1 get the wife a new car every 2 or 3 years, I did that when I was married, 2 get all the kids there own rides weather they like it or not, Hide the keys to the mini, and dont teach them to drive a stick if your mini is a manual. Lock the car in the garage as i do, when I am away on business I take my other car, but also take both sets of keys for the mini, and if I am away for more then a week, I turn off the circuit breaker for the garage door. case closed, No one drives my car, I was like that with My Porsche. Certain things can only be shared by those who have the same feelings about those same things, that is how I look at it.

 

No! Under no circumstances do not let them drive your MINI, not even if they offer to pay you. As a matter of fact, they should pay to go for rides!
Wives only abuse good machinery, of course there are exceptions, but in the main this is the case. Children are worse. Unless they are paying for rides, keep them at least 1000 yds. from your car. As a side note, the children could pay you to wash it, but I would watch them like a hawk if they did so.
This vehicle is now a prized posession and should be treated as such.
Good luck, and I hope your family still loves you after they read this.

 

Haha - wow there are a lot of strict MINI owners out there. I say, cherish the times you have with your MINI and try not to think of the abuse it will get.

Also, my wife actually got her MINI before I got mine. She was also very protective of her car. It was so agonizing that a month later I sold my old Civic and got myself one. Now, we are two happy MINI enthusiasts that don't have to worry about others driving our cars.

 

Welcome to the forum, you can not keep them away, just hope and pray it doesn't get totally destroyed. You should have kept the van for their use.

 

Uh, when I was a kid learning to drive I always got to drive the worse of my parents two cars. Yes, got to...it was a privilege to get to drive at all. Depending on what your other car is, the MINI may or may not fall into the "worse car" category.


IMO you are not the one that needs therapy or an attitude adjustment.

 

I feel your pain! The first time it rained, the first dead bugs, so far so good on nicks to it, I try to park far away from everyone. But...... the DH comes home every day and says I just love your car, I want to drive it! I've only let him drive it once and I was in the car. No way will I let him take my baby out and do bad things to her!!!

 

I think that other people will treat your MINI the way you choose to. If you wash it, vacuum it, and treat it with TLC and respect, then you can get your other family members to do the same. Hey who wears the pants in the family anyways. If you let your Clubby suffer the same fate as your minivan then your family will pick up on that as well.

 

Don't let them near it unless they pass a 100 question test on rules you have established for operating your Clubby! If they take the time to study and pass then they get a grace period that is of undetermined length.

That should keep the kids away at least.

 

My 65 Mustang was wrecked by a family member. No way would I hand kids the keys to the Mini. Buy an old beater for them, if they whine they can get their own ride.

 

I have owned my MINI for 10 months. In that time, both my sons (in their 20s) have driven it once. I took the wife out to the mall one Sunday morning to let her drive it. I had taught her how to drive a manual right after we got married, so she's familiar. She got to 2nd gear, and that was enough for her.

She just wanted to be confident enough if she had to move the car sometime.

I have lived through two teenage sons with their own vehicles. Vehicle abuse.

There is absolutely no way you should let them drive your MINI until they have their own cars, and understand how to care for a car.

 

BINGO!!!!

This is one of those times when you have to "Man-up" and tell the family this is your car. They may not like it in the beginning, but they'll get over it.
My Wife & 20y/o Son will not touch my keys. They know it's a suicidal move. (well almost)

Everything you do in life at this point is to keep or improove the quality of life for you and your family. This one little (Mini) selfish act is understandable.

 

Tough crowd, but thanks for the advice. I should have explained that I already have a "hands off" car sitting in my garage, a '97 Mustang Cobra 'vert. I've been a Ford guy for years, but the MINI scene just changed my whole attitude, and actually owning a MINI has been an awesome experience. So the catch...my kids have grown up watching (and sometimes helping) me wash, wax and care for my cars. I really would like them to enjoy and appreciate the experience of driving a MINI. My son is so enthusiastic about driving the MINI that I have found him sitting in it behind the driver seat just to dream of the day when he gets the keys. The irony is that I DID THIS as a kid in my Dad's car and that car was a big beast Oldsmobile. I can appreciate my son's enthusiasm. So if I let my kids drive the MINI, maybe they'll join me for a MINI rally event or a MINI car show. This would be REALLY cool! And if it means that I get a ding, dent or road rash on a wheel from them driving the car, well I'll just have to learn to deal with this. My wife, on the other hand, is the worst offender. She's the one that I need to keep away from the MINI. I will never...EVER understand why she takes such pride in her ability to park her car in the smallest, tiny parking spots that are closest to the mall or store. You know, the spots in between the 2 monster SUV's that most people just pass by...my wife slams her car into a spot like that with great pride and the car has the scrapes, dings and wheel rash to prove it. She's the one that I need to keep away from my MINI! Enough said, it's time for me to get out and DRIVE the MINI since the weather is great and the winding roads are calling me!

 

Take it from me...relax and enjoy the MINI each and every day. Life is for living, cars are for driving...not that you don't have to take care of them but you do have to enjoy them. As for the kids I'd buy a safe beater for them to run around in...Good luck!

 

Now that changes the story a bit. Ok, just don't let them drive without you in the car.

 

It sounds like if your wife wants to drive a MINI, she should get her own MINI. Maybe then she would learn to appreciate and care for her vehicle.
Otherwise, just don't let her drive it. She has her own car, she doesn't need to drive yours.