For me it was a female coworker complimenting my Q50 Redsport. Interned at a 3 letter fed agency last summer and one of the other interns who I became friendly with was a mid 20’s former sorority girl - someone you’d never expect to be a car enthusiast. Gave her a ride after work one day since her car was in the shop and immediately after walking up to my car in the garage, started complimenting it. Talked about the VR30TT engine and asked me if the turbos were giving me any trouble, then talked a little shit about how it’s still slower than her car. I asked her what she drove and she had an M2 lol
When I owned a Mini Clubvan, the panel sided version of the Clubman, I was at a red light in a small town. A group of 4 or 5 9-12 year old boys are hanging out with their bikes near the corner. One excitedly shout something like “hey mister, that’s a really cool car!” and the rest start giving me thumbs up and chattering amongst themselves.
It made my day to see a bunch of kids get excited about my car the way I used to get excited about a unique car when I was their age. It didn’t matter that I knew it was just a bottom of the barrel automatic Clubman with a really weird spec.