Any one else having this problem? Yes I am a 1st time Mini owner, and yes I cannot wipe that grin off my face that is induced by excessive motoring. My wife hates driving with me now, but my kids love my new driving habits. I find myself looking for twisty roads and rather than slowing down I accelerate through them. Even passing cars on the highway and lane switching needs to be done fast, man it's just to much fun. I love hearing the exhaust at 5k rpms. Oh and don't get me started on off and on ramps...I could do them all day.
Ok, will this behavior slow, my wife really wants to know? She keeps telling me I'm not a college kid anymore.
My response is....uh this car is suppose to be driving like this honey.

 

it gets worse, not better ... save yourself, save your marriage

 

I've had mine for a month and a half and it hasn't slowed for me!

I was nodding my head at everything you've listed here, except for the 5k RPMs. Haven't hit that yet, as I am still in break in.

Has your wife driven it yet? I say give her the keys and let her play. She might understand how fun it is after that!

 

This is getting friggin redundant but I have to agree with Lady G. Again!

Your driving habits don't slow down. Sometimes it gets worse. Last weekend my wife (who is comtemplating getting an non-S Clubman) asked me why I drive Elphie the way I do - I explained that it's just so much fun to drive. At that I took a turn fast and she smacked me. And I told her to be prepared - the sport button had been turned on!

One thing - this isn't Hooligan driving. It is just having fun. Can't blame it on you or the MINI. It's an addiction that cannot be cured. IMHO!

Funny story - Elphie is my second MINI. First was a DS/B MCS. My wife never drove either. They were manual and she didn't want to learn. So when I picked up Elphie the MA asked if my wife wanted to sit in and listen to the discussion. She said nah, I'm not going to drive it and I have no desire to learn to drive a manual tranny. He reachs into his pocket and grabs a set of keys to a DS/B Clubman S and tells her to go for a drive. She hesitantly takes off. Ten minutes later she pulls back into the dealership all smiles and waving. The MA looks at me and tells me she'll be getting a clubman one day soon! ha ha ha. He's right!

 

Yeah, you need to add 15-20 mph to the signs that have the 90 degree arrow and a suggested speed!

 

My girlfriend was a bit uncomfortable with my moderately spirited driving when we started dating... I was actually taking it pretty easy compared to the usual, but I could tell she wasn't digging it even though she never said anything.

Up until recently she'd usually get a bit tense while taking the offramp home at 55-60mph. (It's a 25mph, 270degree, perfectly smooth, banked offramp )

Just the other day we ended up behind a generic, forgettable, sedan of some sort. When they took the exit in front of us and put the brakes on, she huffed out loud and proceeded to call them "****ing pussies" as they did 25-30 mph around the entire offramp. I might be in love

She's thinking of trading in her Camaro for a MINI.

 

Last weekend I made a trip to NC through VA..the only way to get from point A to point B is to go down I 95. Anyway, I was going around "too fast" and she commented on the speed. I told her it was ok and that she needs to go back to sleep. Well, at the change over, I am nodding in and out and look at the speedo - she was exceeding my "too fast" speed. I commented, she said it was ok go back to sleep!

The problem is contagious, just let her drive....then she will understand!

PS - drove almost the entire trip back from NC - she never said one word about my "too much" speed....

 

Yeah Lady G (love that name by the way) she did drive it twice so far. She still is a little nervous and getting use to our new baby. I keep telling her to give it a little bit more gas through the turns and to stop driving like a granny but right now she has no interest. Hopefully that will change soon

 

I bet if you let her take it out by herself, she will do better.

You think you could handle that?

 

Mini could help us by removing the monster speedo in the middle. Just gives more ammunition to the passenger and back seat critics. Fact that the speedo shows 5+ mph over the real speed does not help either.

 

...Yeah, that monster speedo is going to get me into a lot of trouble with the passengers

 

I am finding these hooligan driving tactics become habit forming. Unfortunately they don't translate quite so well to a Dodge pick up.

 

I my case they translate VERY well, since my other ride is a Triumph Daytona 675.

 

It gets worse as you get more accustomed to the car and subconsciously push the car harder to maintain the fun factor.

 

Reading that was almost like deja vu. My first test drive was more like a test ride- I wanted to experience the Clubman but there was only a manual on the lot. So, my MA drove me instead! He pushed the car to it's limits going around S-curves, making turns, and, frankly, I was a bit scared (while my kids were in the back seat laughing and chanting, "Faster! Do it again!"). I told him that it was nice that the car did all that but this will be a family car, so that type of driving won't be necessary. "And plus," I told him, "I'm too chicken to drive that fast anyways."

Well we get back to the dealership and I decide that I need to drive a MINI; I need to feel the connection between the steering wheel, the tires, and the road. So, he got keys for an automatic MCS, and he and I went for a drive (the kids stayed back with Dad for this one).

So, we went down the road and he told me to "ignore the 20mph around this curve. This car can handle 40 easy." So, I began to push it a bit, but not too much. Just enough so that I could get a feel for the handling. I drive a bit more before we turn onto a road that was completely devoid of any other cars. It was a curvy little back street and the speed limit was 30mph. Well, by this time, I was having fun!! I was kind of giggling as I pushed through the turns without letting off the gas. When we finally came to another stop sign, my MA looked at me and said, "Umm, I don't mind, but I just wanna let you know that you were doing 60 back there." As I gasped in disbelief, he looked at me with a smile and said, "Chicken."

I've been smiling ever since.

 

Reldieh, that's a great story. Luckily, I don't have a chicken emoticon, but if I did... hahaha.

 

MA's have the easiest jobs ...

 

Reldieh, I love your story!

I had test driven 1st Gen Cooper S's several times, but wanted to drive the Clubbie before I actually ordered it.

My Clubbie S test drive was my first experience in the 2nd Gen MINI. It was also the first time I had driven a stick in about 6 years! (oy vey!)

When we got in the car, I was very upfront with the MA and said "OK, look, it's been a long time since I drove a stick, so I need to get used to it again" I'm sure he was thinking...oh lord this is gonna suck...

I pulled out on to the back road, got her in 2nd and it was like riding a bike...all came flooding back to me. So I am zipping along, shifting at 4k and he says "WOW, you are driving this like you were born behind the wheel!" I just said, well it all came back really quickly.

We pulled over to put it in sport mode, and he says "OK, now try THIS!" I was giggling like a schoolgirl, LOL having a blast, I was approaching this hard right turn, slowed, and was going to downshift. He yells "NO NO NO!! accelerate!" Me: "WHAT??" He says "trust me...accelerate!" I whipped around that corner at 48MPH and let out the biggest squeal...

...and I have been whipping around corners ever since. I'm up to 52MPH now

 

DITTO to everyone. Wife sees big speedometer...ruh roh.... then She drives.... me = ruh roh, slow down Honey.

So much fun!

 

Which off ramp are you talking about? I live in the area and would like to give that off ramp a go once my Clubman arrives.

 

Heck, I'm 6'5", 300 lbs and I sqealed like a little schoolgirl the first time I drove one of these. That was interspersed with this sort of guttural growl. My wife thought I was going nutzo.

 

Hooligan driving? Is that what it is called? Yes, I have found I'm very guilty of this too. It has gotten even worse now that I found the "Sport" button! I drove my car for a good 3 months and never had a clue it was there (well, I thought it just changed the suspension and steering) - wow! - was I suprised at the difference in turning the sport mode on!

 

now put the intercooler on, cold air intake and boost tubes..dont forget the chip and watch that smile turn into a **** eating grin!!!

 

I don't know if anyone here has seen me driving around.
Well if you have you know It hasn't stopped for me. And I have had my GP sense December 06 :D

 

+1 on that...man would that be a fun job


Hmmmm...what they need to do is make us a gf/wife switch that we can flick that makes the big middle speedo stay about 15-30 mph slower than we really are