MINI Cooper == RENTAL Weekend Drive

Just a daydream that I think should be doable, were can someone RENT a MINI Cooper for a weekend? I've always wanted to drive one of those things. Bob

Mini Cooper Rentals - New York City Car Rentals

Here you go Bob, close to you. Heck, forget the Cooper, rent a real Italian Girl magnet!

I have a feeling Bob was referring to the original model. :cool:

(BTW, Budget rents new Mini Cooper convertibles nationwide, but you need to reserve one.)

original mini cooper would be tons of fun

No, I'd like to drive a brand new one, with a stick if possible. Just think it would be fun to drive up to Lime Rock to watch the vintage races in something nice. Then in 15-20 years I might find one I could afford.

I bought a new one in 2003. It was a great little car. I miss it.

No, I'd like to drive a brand new one, with a stick if possible. Just think it would be fun to drive up to Lime Rock to watch the vintage races in something nice. Then in 15-20 years I might find one I could afford.

Here's a link to Budget's web site for reserving a convertible Mini: convertible rental | rental car types | Budget Rent A Car

My daughter has a 2011 we bought new for her on her 16th birthday. 6 speed manual. The car is fun to drive and gets great gas mileage. If I was going to rent one though, I would consider the John Cooper Works. This is the turbo charged model with 200 plus horsepower!

What do you think the chance would be of a dealership letting me drive one? Has anyone ever done that?

Never driven one from the dealer but last year my wife and I rented one from Enterprise. It was an automatic with that optional semi automatic shifting thing on it. Pretty fun to drive. Really weird inside with that GIGANTIC speedometer in the middle of the dash and the color changing lighting. It was fun though. Felt like driving a REALLY fast go-cart. A lot roomier than you would expect. I'm 6'2 and 300 lbs and I fit great.

Thanks Shadetree! Was that a normal Enterprise or an Exotic car branch? We're rented normal cars & trucks from them and they are the best rental car place out there IMO. Bob

No dealership driving stories, I didn't think that was a good thing to ask. Bob

To my knowledge it was just a regular Enterprise branch. I didn't think to ask how they came to have a Mini available. We actually went in there for a regular old car and they offered us the Mini for a few dollars more so we did it. I think they did consider it a sports car though as laughable as that may seem. Those things are pretty quick. I agree, the wife and I always use Enterprise. Although lately, the branches that offer unlimited mileage are getting hard to find.

Thanks! Still day dreaming of renting one for the Labor Day weekend, but doubt I'll have any luck. Bob

I called Enterprise today, gal said she'd look to see if a MINI is out there to rent. Bob

Bob, if you ultimately can't secure a MINI, my suggestion as next-best-choice would be a Prius.

Happy Friday.

NEVER they have horrable bumper stickers. Bob

I was in Pennsylvania a couple of weeks ago and Enterprise Rent A Car gave me a new Fiat 500 for my "economy car" rental (read: cheapest available). It was really a lot of fun to drive and more of a car than I thought it would be. It had the optional paddle shift transmission which was fun to play with as well.

NEVER they have horrable bumper stickers. Bob

Ha! I hear you on that one, Bob!

I was in Pennsylvania a couple of weeks ago and Enterprise Rent A Car gave me a new Fiat 500 for my "economy car" rental (read: cheapest available). It was really a lot of fun to drive and more of a car than I thought it would be. It had the optional paddle shift transmission which was fun to play with as well.

That would be an excellent second choice for Bob! Probably even harder to find one to rent these days, though. And an "Abarth" model too, of course, would be most preferable...

Speaking of which--I saw a *real* Abarth on the Merritt Parkway a few mornings ago--and amazingly enough, I had my camera handy. He was headed south, about to cross the Sikorsky bridge:

The only disappointment was that it was not as *loud* as I expected it to be--the owner probably got tired of getting pulled over and put a real muffler on it...

Be careful playing with that paddle too much, by the way, you could go blind.

Chances are that Abarth was on a test run from one of the many race shops in Stratford. I'll look for it at Lime Rock on Labor Day. Bob

NEVER they have horrable bumper stickers. Bob

I'm going to Dayton's (OH) British Car Day show tomorrow. There's a "new" (now about 10 years old) Mini Cooper that I see there almost every year. It has a small bumper sticker that is placed strategically on the rear package shelf, facing upwards. Only large trucks and SUVs would ever see it on the road.

It reads "Size Doesn't Matter":D

I'm going to Dayton's (OH) British Car Day show tomorrow. There's a "new" (now about 10 years old) Mini Cooper that I see there almost every year. It has a small bumper sticker that is placed strategically on the rear package shelf, facing upwards. Only large trucks and SUVs would ever see it on the road.

It reads "Size Doesn't Matter":D

I've also seen "Actual Size" decals on a few late-model MINIs in this area. Good sense of humor.

I still see a few Minis running around with a flag on the roof, a British flag on the last one I saw.

I heard thats not an option any more, true ??

Good luck finding a rental with a stick...

Just finding any MIMI would be fine with me. I'll never live to afford to buy one, but I could come up with two days rental money. Bob

Good luck finding a rental with a stick...

I guess you have to buy one, moving on to a better daydream. Bob

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!! Found out today that the local Enterprise Car Rental Rents MINI COOPERS, plan to rent one next month. Bob

That Enterprise "pick you up"ad is bogus. I ended having to take a bus after I returned the car. I reserved it online and was dropped off to pick it up. I punched inthat I was in Palm Springs and the agency was in the next town south. The lady was quite rude and told me to take the bus. I may take the bus next time and forget the rental.