Standing out in a crowd

[ricortes]

I had just gotten through babysitting my grandchildren and on the way home snapped this picture with my cell. At first I was thinking crop the other cars out but after looking at the picture for a few minutes I think it shows more with them left in.

As if we don't do it every day anyway, compare the '02 to the cars around it. More glass, more passenger room, smaller foot print for better parking or garaging. There's a lot of things you don't see in the picture but little things like modern cars put your nose and forehead right up against a sloping windshield that drives me nuts when it rains. Makes me feel a bit smug.

BTW: Photo taken in Almaden Valley district of San Jose. Unknown owner but there are a number of members in this area.

Rick

[TonyHavana]

And I can pretty well guarantee, when the light changed, it was half way around that corner before those other cars even budged!

[photog02]

What's interesting to me is that the Civic, which is supposed to be as small of a car as is acceptable, is completely filling the lane while the 02 looks like it it taking up maybe 2/3rds at best.

[jayamasaki]

Also if i may point out, speaking of compact cars, they have thee worst turning radius ever. I understand they are front wheel drive and all, but man nothing makes u-turns like true compact rear wheel drive cars.

[ClayW]

This reminds me of a giant pet peeve of mine: seeing an 02 while I'm not driving mine.

I always want to give a guy a thumbs up and share that awesome 02-Ownership Bond, but then I remember what I'm driving and realize that there's no distinction between me and the people that ask "What year is your Volvo?"

It's probably a little narcissistic, but it still bugs me. I guess I should just drive my 02 more, weather be damned.

[jayamasaki]

This reminds me of a giant pet peeve of mine: seeing an 02 while I'm not driving mine.

I always want to give a guy a thumbs up and share that awesome 02-Ownership Bond, but then I remember what I'm driving and realize that there's no distinction between me and the people that ask "What year is your Volvo?"

It's probably a little narcissistic, but it still bugs me. I guess I should just drive my 02 more, weather be damned.

Sounds like you need a sticker on your car that says :

Dont worry, my other car is a 2002.=)

[Napes]

How about:

Be envious - my other car's a 2002.

Bob Napier

[Palindrome]

Here's another photo that puts it into perspective. The 2002 and MINI are almost exactly the same height, the 2002 is about 24 inches longer and the MINI is about 11 inches wider. The wheelbase is actually quite similar and the MINI weighs nearly 500 pounds more.

BMW 2002 (not sure which bumpers this refers to, but from Wikipedia)

Wheelbase 98.3 in

Length 166.0 in

Width 64.0 in

Height 50-56 in (not sure why they give a range)

Weight 2,200 lb)

2006 MINI Cooper S

Wheelbase 97.1 in.

Length 142.8 in.

Width 75.8 in.

Height 55.0 in.

Weight 2678 lbs

I'm not sure if the width figures include the mirrors or not (maybe for one and not the other?).

Having both cars facing the same way would show it better, but the MINI gets backed in due to the driveway approach angle.

The cars offer strangely similar dynamics in relation to suspension, though the MINI has dramatically better steering and brakes. Both are obviously designed specifically for the driving enthusiast, but for different eras. And, well, front wheel drive is totally different than rear wheel drive . . . . .