180 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

The mini was the result of an oil crisis as we all know, now we face another yet are presented with the larger monstrosity that is the BMW MINI.

Have you seen some of the MPG figures for the new Clubmans? While I dont particuarly like the Clubman, some figures suggest the Diesels can do up to 65 MPG (I got this figure from the Motorshow in London this year). I have no idea whether these have been achieved and proven as reguarly obtainable, but I would say that is pretty good...

Over on the MINI2.com forums most owners of the diesel MINI Clubman D and MINI Cooper D (nick-named MINI Dooper's) seem to be regularly getting fuel consumption figures between 55 - 65 MPG on average, depending on their type and style of of driving. Quite a few have achieved 70+ MPG but with careful economy driving techniques and by using the 'Stop / Start System' now fitted to all MINI's. Not bad results if we are facing another oil crisis..........
http://www.carmagazi...content-block=0
http://www.whatcar.c....aspx?NA=225791

As emissions are only 104 and 109g/km C02, the MINI Cooper D and Clubman D models will both pay only £20 annual Road Tax from 01 April 2009 instead of the current £35!

Edited by mab01uk, 17 December 2008 - 07:43 PM.

[taffy1967]

The BMW MINI is no way simple. Nor is it in any way British. I will never buy one. Nor encourage anyone else to buy one. I drive a British car - they drive a German car. sorry.

Only if the name and the factory had stayed in England would things be different. Any other scenario outside of England would result in me having the same opinion and ultimate outcome for this car.

I know you live in New Zealand so may not realise but the MINI is actually produced in Oxford, ENGLAND on the same site as the original BMC Morris Mini factory at Cowley, was designed by Rover and creates British jobs and exports.
The car industry is now a global industry, so like it or not, few manufacturers remain under managment from their original country of origin. Only this week it has been announced that Volvo (Swedish) currently owned by Ford is likely to be sold off to a Chinese car company.

You must find it very difficult when choosing any modern car to buy!

But it was BMW money that conceived the BINI, if BMW hadn't taken control of Rover in 1994 there would be no BINI.

And that car might be constructed here in Britain, but you can bet the profits from it go back to Munich.

[taffy1967]

How many other cars can you push onto two wheels while the other person changes the tire? How many other cars can you fix on the side of the road with a flat head screwdriver and duct tape and get home?

BMC - RIP.

Oh I don't know, he seems to be managing quite well?: -

[gsms]

Oh I don't know, he seems to be managing quite well?: -

Without the "T3" at the front, his number plate is "33 EJB". He must be a real mini fan and crashed the bmw as some kind of expensive ironic display of affection for bmc.

..for those confused about what I just said:

Edited by gsms, 17 December 2008 - 09:42 PM.

[taffy1967]

Oh I don't know, he seems to be managing quite well?: -

Without the "T3" at the front, his number plate is "33 EJB". He must be a real mini fan and crashed the bmw as some kind of expensive ironic display of affection for bmc.

..for those confused about what I just said:

No the bloke whose attempting to push the BINI back on to it's wheels is Basil Wales of the Mini Cooper Register.

So it must have gone horribly wrong when those kids in the shot threw a banana skin on the road?

[Zacherius]

I always get told the escence of the mini is its size. being mini. Have you parked your mini next to a BMW Mini. The difference is emmence.

Then I parked today next to the New Fiat 500 and find that with everyone saying a small car wouldn't be able to meet todays standards and quoting the Smart Car does.... what about the Fiat 500.

They seem to be rebuilding their followers again. And they have kept the car small.

Surely a New " MINI " should have maintained its small size as one of the main factors in its rebuild rather than just trying to get the "look" right

[taffy1967]

I always get told the escence of the mini is its size. being mini. Have you parked your mini next to a BMW Mini. The difference is emmence.

Then I parked today next to the New Fiat 500 and find that with everyone saying a small car wouldn't be able to meet todays standards and quoting the Smart Car does.... what about the Fiat 500.

They seem to be rebuilding their followers again. And they have kept the car small.

Surely a New " MINI " should have maintained its small size as one of the main factors in its rebuild rather than just trying to get the "look" right

Unfortunately BMW wanted it's own mid sized car like the VW Golf and again unfortunately they chose to call it a Mini instead of a Metro, Allegro or Maxi!

[mab01uk]

Oh I don't know, he seems to be managing quite well?: -

Without the "T3" at the front, his number plate is "33 EJB". He must be a real mini fan and crashed the bmw as some kind of expensive ironic display of affection for bmc.

..for those confused about what I just said:

No the bloke whose attempting to push the BINI back on to it's wheels is Basil Wales of the Mini Cooper Register.

So it must have gone horribly wrong when those kids in the shot threw a banana skin on the road?

For the benefit of those that don't know Basil Wales was the manager of BMC's Special Tuning Department at Abingdon between 1964 and 1973, the most active and successful period for BMC and later BL in various forms of motorsport. He transformed the department into a commercial success which inspired a new breed of special tuning companies and later formed the MCR Ex-Works Mini Register for owners of surviving Ex-Works Minis.

[mab01uk]

The BMW MINI is no way simple. Nor is it in any way British. I will never buy one. Nor encourage anyone else to buy one. I drive a British car - they drive a German car. sorry.

Only if the name and the factory had stayed in England would things be different. Any other scenario outside of England would result in me having the same opinion and ultimate outcome for this car.

I know you live in New Zealand so may not realise but the MINI is actually produced in Oxford, ENGLAND on the same site as the original BMC Morris Mini factory at Cowley, was designed by Rover and creates British jobs and exports.
The car industry is now a global industry, so like it or not, few manufacturers remain under managment from their original country of origin. Only this week it has been announced that Volvo (Swedish) currently owned by Ford is likely to be sold off to a Chinese car company.

You must find it very difficult when choosing any modern car to buy!

But it was BMW money that conceived the BINI, if BMW hadn't taken control of Rover in 1994 there would be no BINI.

And that car might be constructed here in Britain, but you can bet the profits from it go back to Munich.

So none of the profits earned over the last 7 years have been invested in the State of the art Oxford Factory, Hams Hall Engine Plant, Swindon Pressing Plant, or to pay the wages of the 6800 British workers who build MINI's or work for the component suppliers?
MINI Production Triangle Pics:
http://paultan.org/a...ord-plant-tour/

[mab01uk]

I always get told the escence of the mini is its size. being mini. Have you parked your mini next to a BMW Mini. The difference is emmence.

Then I parked today next to the New Fiat 500 and find that with everyone saying a small car wouldn't be able to meet todays standards and quoting the Smart Car does.... what about the Fiat 500.

They seem to be rebuilding their followers again. And they have kept the car small.

Surely a New " MINI " should have maintained its small size as one of the main factors in its rebuild rather than just trying to get the "look" right

Unfortunately BMW wanted it's own mid sized car like the VW Golf and again unfortunately they chose to call it a Mini instead of a Metro, Allegro or Maxi!

Overall Length starting with smallest :
New Fiat 500 - 3546mm = (only 90mm or 3.5 inches shorter than the New MINI)
New MINI - 3636mm
Toyota Yaris - 3750mm
VW Polo - 3897mm
Ford Fiesta - 3950mm
Vauxhall Corsa - 3999mm

Mid Sized Cars
(BMW's mid-sized car like the Golf is actually the BMW 1-Series Hatchback)
VW Golf - 4199mm
BMW 1 Series - 4227mm
Ford Focus - 4342

Edited by mab01uk, 18 December 2008 - 12:49 AM.

[johnnie]

iam glad that they made a john cooper mini i think that was the best tribute to the tuning legend.

Oh Ya
the Cooper Diesel really shows an understanding of what the brand is all about
Jeez

Edited by johnnie, 18 December 2008 - 07:27 PM.

[taffy1967]

Oh I don't know, he seems to be managing quite well?: -

Without the "T3" at the front, his number plate is "33 EJB". He must be a real mini fan and crashed the bmw as some kind of expensive ironic display of affection for bmc.

..for those confused about what I just said:

No the bloke whose attempting to push the BINI back on to it's wheels is Basil Wales of the Mini Cooper Register.

So it must have gone horribly wrong when those kids in the shot threw a banana skin on the road?

For the benefit of those that don't know Basil Wales was the manager of BMC's Special Tuning Department at Abingdon between 1964 and 1973, the most active and successful period for BMC and later BL in various forms of motorsport. He transformed the department into a commercial success which inspired a new breed of special tuning companies and later formed the MCR Ex-Works Mini Register for owners of surviving Ex-Works Minis.

Yes and it's a pity that Basil and the team can't repeat the Motor Sport success with the BINI? And they can only try to evoke that success by fitting retro type number plates?

Edited by taffy1967, 18 December 2008 - 08:15 PM.

[taffy1967]

The BMW MINI is no way simple. Nor is it in any way British. I will never buy one. Nor encourage anyone else to buy one. I drive a British car - they drive a German car. sorry.

Only if the name and the factory had stayed in England would things be different. Any other scenario outside of England would result in me having the same opinion and ultimate outcome for this car.

I know you live in New Zealand so may not realise but the MINI is actually produced in Oxford, ENGLAND on the same site as the original BMC Morris Mini factory at Cowley, was designed by Rover and creates British jobs and exports.
The car industry is now a global industry, so like it or not, few manufacturers remain under managment from their original country of origin. Only this week it has been announced that Volvo (Swedish) currently owned by Ford is likely to be sold off to a Chinese car company.

You must find it very difficult when choosing any modern car to buy!

But it was BMW money that conceived the BINI, if BMW hadn't taken control of Rover in 1994 there would be no BINI.

And that car might be constructed here in Britain, but you can bet the profits from it go back to Munich.

So none of the profits earned over the last 7 years have been invested in the State of the art Oxford Factory, Hams Hall Engine Plant, Swindon Pressing Plant, or to pay the wages of the 6800 British workers who build MINI's or work for the component suppliers?
MINI Production Triangle Pics:
http://paultan.org/a...ord-plant-tour/

Well no, not at the cost of the whole of Longbridge and the profits from Cowley goes straight to the might that is BMW in Munich.

I guess we'll have to agree to differ on this one (as ever) and as it's Xmas hopefully live in peace man!

[sir Jake the brit]

BMW haven't saved it, they've ruined it! A cheap, small family, british car is now a big, expensive family car, which is also a 'hot hatch' and soon-to-be SUV?
Plus they're made by a german company, and have ruined anyones chances of making Mini products - clothes, bags, PILLOWS, etc.

i think you will find the mini is still designed and made in this fine land, so there for still british

its just funded by a motor industry that unlike the way the brits were see demise of british layland!! are able to fund and setup very sucsessfull cars your forgetting that the last of the mini cooper sports were 12+ grand and could with extras put it up to not far shy of 14/15 grand!!!! for a car that wouldnot produce the power stated by the works kit and after 3 years be rotting big styleeeeeeee ( i know this from personal experience as i own both a rover mini cooper sports pack (90 bhp works kit fitted) and a tunned cooper S
and about the pillows etc, the car industry is for the big companies shedding out hundreds of millions on producing cars to make money, not the little companies to make a fast buck sticking there badge on homemade pillows!!!

[sir Jake the brit]

iam glad that they made a john cooper mini i think that was the best tribute to the tuning legend.

Oh Ya
the Cooper Diesel really shows an understanding of what the brand is all about
Jeez

what are you on about?? the cooper works isnt a diesel
and the mini was about being cheep to run so get you facts right matey the diesel has cracking fuel economy

your either a contradiction or you dont really know what the mini was about?? confused!!!