Saw a MINI Cooper SE at...

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Puppethead said:
Rule #9: CATCH UP WITH AND TAIL OTHER MINIS AND FOLLOW FOR AS LONG AS YOU CAN
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OK. I'll give that a whirl next time. The impression that I got as the other SE passed me was that the driver was very young and a member of the fairer sex. I can just imagine the comments on social media... "ewww, did you see that old geezer following you?" ;)
 
insightman said:
I've never had a Countryman driver wave back, so I've stopped waving to them. Also, I don't bother to park next to them--I'm not sure they'd recognize my car as being a relative.
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You can't blame just the Countryman drivers, the dealers stopped imbuing new owners with sense of community when they started selling the Countryman. Personally if it's got a MINI emblem I'm waving.
 
There may be several reasons why Mini drivers don't wave back. They may not be aware of the custom. They may not be paying attention to other cars on the road (shudder to think that). They may not perceive on-coming cars as Minis. They may believe that waving to other cars is a cult thing. <Shrug>

Funny anecdote: I lived in a largely rural county for a short time. The sheriff liked to drive around the county in a squad car. He gripped the stirring wheel while driving. He would lift his fingers from the wheel (not his whole hand, just the fingers) to drivers of trucks. Not cars.
 
I have noticed a SE in the parking lot of a local grocery store where I stop for coffee on the way to work in the AM. The car is always parked in the same place and is always there very early so I assumed that it was an employee car. I was never able to identify the owner.

The other day while shopping at a pet store a woman approached me and asked if that was my SE in the parking lot. My first thought was that she hit my car and was looking for the owner. It actually was the owner of the SE that I see almost every day in the parking lot of the grocery store. We exchanged experiences of owning an EV especially a Mini EV. Neither of us have seen another in the area. Nice to finally put a face with a car :^)
 
revorg said:
There may be several reasons why Mini drivers don't wave back. They may not be aware of the custom. They may not be paying attention to other cars on the road (shudder to think that). They may not perceive on-coming cars as Minis. They may believe that waving to other cars is a cult thing. <Shrug>
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Another possible reason: they tried waving for the first 1-2 months after getting the car, but gave up after none of the other drivers reciprocated. (This was me.).
I couldn’t even get a wave out of the guy who drives a BRG MINI SE who I see all over my town…
 
LittleWoods said:
Another possible reason: they tried waving for the first 1-2 months after getting the car, but gave up after none of the other drivers reciprocated. (This was me.).
I couldn’t even get a wave out of the guy who drives a BRG MINI SE who I see all over my town…
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There is no justice!
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I finally got someone to wave to me. I parked in a big parking lot, and on my way to a store, noticed an R56 with an empty space next to it. So, I fetched my car and parked next to it. When I came out of the store, I heard a rumble from that R56. After I sat down in my car, the other driver and I simultaneously waved at each other. I then proceeded to follow that R56 until our paths diverged.
 
Today, I pulled up at a stoplight next to another SE. The lady in that MINI and I both rolled down our windows. I said to her, "We're both electric!"

She replied, "Way to go!" before the light changed and we went our separate electric ways. Made my day.
 
I have a new commute that takes me down into the heart of Dallas; I ride on the North Dallas tollway. While I've seen several other petrol MINIs on the road, I finally saw an electric MINI Cooper last Thursday. Alas, traffic was too heavy for me to jump in behind it.
 
A bit off topic, but I saw my first two U25 (3rd-Gen Countryman) JCWs in the wild today. 307 hp, I believe it uses a version of the B48A20H from the X1 M35i. I haven't seen the electric 311 hp SE on the road yet, but seeing two of them delivered while I was at the dealership on Friday and speaking to an MA, it seems it's more popular than the S right now, so I should start seeing it fairly soon. It'll take some getting used to, but I actually like it better in person than in pictures.
 
Qisl said:
After driving my SE for over a year, I finally saw my first SE. Blue, like mine, but with a white roof. This car was first in line at a light, while I was behind an ICE vehicle. No exhaust pipes, but no E emblem on the rear either, so I wasn't sure. But when the light turned green, the acceleration made it obvious.

Sunny day here in Plano. Over course of thirty minutes of driving, I saw four other MINI Coopers. I find that I have become a bit of a follower: if I see a MINI generally heading in my direction, I'll follow a MINI instead of taking my originally planned course.
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Must be a few of us in the area… we’re in Plano and my wife’s SE is white silver with black roof and yellow mirrors. No creative license plate though…
 
AndysComputer said:
Must be a few of us in the area… we’re in Plano and my wife’s SE is white silver with black roof and yellow mirrors. No creative license plate though…
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As I visit my Mini dealer for HV battery Update I noticed all new Mini’s 2025 have now exhaust pipes exposed I’m to old to lay on floor how they hiding them.As they must be 90’ to ground don’t run a gas engine when you idle a car on dry grass in TX or AZ .NM.The best of a day visit a Mini dealer was a 2024 SE with 2000 miles with price $ 38000 as my 2022 with 15000 must be $18000 .you mentioned you follow Mini Cooper’s try to follow me as I’m showing gas Minis or SE’s how superior SE is I loose all of them in dust on NY streets or highways .So far no tickets as Police Force is under a rap here .
 

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Rexsio said:
As I visit my Mini dealer for HV battery Update I noticed all new Mini’s 2025 have now exhaust pipes exposed
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I noticed that as well. Only the JCW versions have exposed exhaust pipes. On all of the other models, including the U25, the exhaust pipes are hidden. (The U25 JCW has four exposed pipes.)
 
Rexsio said:
As I visit my Mini dealer for HV battery Update I noticed all new Mini’s 2025 have now exhaust pipes exposed
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It's not just MINI following this new fashion trend. Unfortunately, it's removed one of the 'tells' I used to use to spot other EVs - now you have to look for other details, e.g., a (mostly) closed-off grill.

To stay on topic: I spotted a silver F56SE at a local upscale shopping center on Saturday (along with two Teslas, an older Leaf, and a Mach-E). However, the only car I made my spouse detour to check out was the Island Blue F56 S. :)
 
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