313 replies to this topic

[yorkshirechris]

Is this thread still going *yawn*...

This made me chuckle ...

its obvious the OP is talking out of his poop-chute.

[Jimmy Hat]

If its a bog standard thing like a City or a Mayfair thats not anything rare or special i really dont see the problem with modifying them to your hearts content! Each to their own, I say! Only 2 things i disagree with are deliberately modifying your car to make it more annoying to other road users (stereos you can hear 10 miles away, drilling holes in your exhaust...) and modifying cars which are rare or special, like 'old' Cooper Ss and ERAs, but even then, who cares if it isnt exactly as it left the factory? Im sure people hve got better things to do with their lives (although evidently some dont) than moan because a Mini has a different type of wheelnut in it, or different shaped wingmirrors, or upholstery that wasnt brought out until 2 days after the car was made, or the wrong colour carpets etc etc. The very very rare ones perhaps should be kept absolutely original, but there arent very many very very rare ones are there???

[mini-man-dan]

I think the Mini is an icon, and the way different generations decide to express theirselves through this icon/classic is up to them. I think that every Mini should be modified. And by that I don't mean every one should have wacking great exhausts on and 1380 race engines, but modified by the owner to reflect their personality and their life. For example, my brother likes fast cars, so his Mini is fast and has been modified to do this safely (suspension mods etc aswell as engine). He enjoys doing trackdays, racing is his passion, so his Mini is capable of trackdays.
Now imagine a just-past-your-test girl driver. She loves pink, she loves fluffy dice and wacky seat covers (I'm not saying every girl does, but just go with me here...). I think she should express her personality by covering her car in pink things, having fluffy dice hanging from the mirror and have the brightest, fluffiest seat covers ever!
Where I'm going with this is that the car is a way of expressing your personality, and nomatter how young or old you are the Mini is the perfect icon to individualise (is that even a word ??) and make your own. Just like a home, it should be something you get in and say yes, this is definately mine! and you get in someone else's (or see it) and say wow, they like this that or the other! It's another expression of your personality at the end of the day!

Annyyywwwaaayyss....

(Not bad from a 15 year old )

Edited by digi-cars.piczo.com, 22 February 2009 - 10:01 PM.

[taffy1967]

I love seeing original Minis whatever their age, although mine is slightly modified (Maniflow LCB, Exhaust and K&N Cone Filter etc) but that's my own choice and it's modifications that I wanted to have. Outwardly it still looks pretty stock and I've thought about changing it with colour coded wheel spats and whatnot, but as there's so few Minis around in my area, I didn't see there was any need to change a thing because it looks fine the way it is.

But no matter what Mini owners do, at least their helping to keep these marvellous machines on the road and they should be applauded for that at least.

[Jimmy Hat]

Ian - im sure this topic wont end here! i for one still have a fair few points i would like to raise!

daemonchild - that is one hell of a quote and good point! i would like to see a picture or spec list of disco dans mini, as i bet you there is something non standard on it, either a oil filter, air filter, spark plug, mat, window sticker, oil, bearing of somesort, which he has modified!

You shouldnt need a spec list to tell you thats not standard!! Any self respecting Mini enthusiast could tell you it wasnt standard from several miles off!!

[chappy]

it just occured to me, that when a car manufacturer releases a car.


there is nearly always a concept car based on it. so its not just us, its the manufacturers themselves adding mods to make their cars better/faster/quieter/safer too.

its nothing new and it'll never stop,

there will always be someone that thinks up an idea to make something that goes faster.

[The_Mistro]

Ian - im sure this topic wont end here! i for one still have a fair few points i would like to raise!

daemonchild - that is one hell of a quote and good point! i would like to see a picture or spec list of disco dans mini, as i bet you there is something non standard on it, either a oil filter, air filter, spark plug, mat, window sticker, oil, bearing of somesort, which he has modified!

You shouldnt need a spec list to tell you thats not standard!! Any self respecting Mini enthusiast could tell you it wasnt standard from several miles off!!

i hadnt seen the pics when i posted that! as soon as i saw it i said to mini mad craig that it wasnt standard! we came up with a list as long as our arms of things that were probly not standard!

best bit is people - He has bolted an exhaust tip on it!

(this isnt a dig at his car - as it is actually a nice looking mini, its just to show that he has been rather hypocritical towards us younger generation)

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

True, And we only Examined the Exterior of the car, if we saw the Engine bay and interior im sure the list would go right down to the floor. People might think we are being harsh to him, but at the end of the day, if your going to start a topic like this at least make sure it isnt Hopocritcal to you.

[Hayley]

it is a good design, by no means perfected, or minis wouldnt break down! im sure the designers of the car could of made extreme minis, with 1380cc engines and stiff suspension, with coilovers, wide wheels, drop gears, uprated drive shafts, etc etc, but they were making cars for the mass market, even coopers were aimed at mass markets! so they couldnt do that! so if a 17 yr old thinks he can, and he can make it go faster, handle even better, then fair game to them! its not knowing better, its using advances in technology to improve the old technology!
[/quote]

Absolutly, I'm in the middle, there is nothing compared to driving an old mk1 and yes there is now better technology to be used, I'm talking more about the dislike of 17inch alloys and bodykits, which alot of first time drivers do because they think its better.

[The_Mistro]

I'm talking more about the dislike of 17inch alloys and bodykits, which alot of first time drivers do because they think its better.

im with you on that one

[Jimmy Hat]

My bad lol, well who cares if he has modified it as it is a nice looking car?? (except maybe the bolt on exhaust tip - ewww ) and those laurels - interesting idea - but if youre gonna put laurels on it why not get cooper ones and a white roof and have done!!!
But it is INCREDIBLY hypocritical of him, very true, it seems that like a lot of older people he thinks age brings superiority and the right to modify your car??

Edited by Jimmy Hat, 22 February 2009 - 10:19 PM.

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

What Do people think Of Minis being raced then? when you See a mini being rolled at paddock hill bend at brands hatch you could argue its worse than modding a car and taking it to shows.
Surely seeing 40 highly modified minis being Ragged around a race Track must get your blood pressure up if Seeing minis with bodykits do?

people might say its irrelevant but its not at all. Just somthing thats always been there with Minis. You have people driving them everyday to work, college etc, but at the same time people racing them around race tracks in mini 7s which is The Longest running single Make Championship in the world, over 40 years for a championship is an acheivement but its the enthusiasts of the sport that keep it running, and its the same with people that modify minis, if people stopped modifying minis it would make a large amount of the mini scene dissapear, so they are doing a good thing when you look at it from that aspect.

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

My bad lol, well who cares if he has modified it as it is a nice looking car?? (except maybe the bolt on exhaust tip - ewww )
But it is INCREDIBLY hypocritical of him, very true, it seems that like a lot of older people he thinks age brings superiority and the right to modify your car??

He does

we came to the conclusion that he must not have known it was modified when he bought and doesnt really no much about minis at all, Because a car that has had a respray at some time in its life, not in the original colour, and Custom Decals is hardly standard, but scince he thinks it is it backs up what we decided quite well i think

[Jimmy Hat]

Probably right there my good man... Only way to explain it really... But he really should have made sure every single bit on his was standard before making a huge generalisation like that?? Especially since the decals are far from all thats not standard on it...

Edited by Jimmy Hat, 22 February 2009 - 10:29 PM.

[mini-man-dan]

What Do people think Of Minis being raced then? when you See a mini being rolled at paddock hill bend at brands hatch you could argue its worse than modding a car and taking it to shows.
Surely seeing 40 highly modified minis being Ragged around a race Track must get your blood pressure up if Seeing minis with bodykits do?

people might say its irrelevant but its not at all. Just somthing thats always been there with Minis. You have people driving them everyday to work, college etc, but at the same time people racing them around race tracks in mini 7s which is The Longest running single Make Championship in the world, over 40 years for a championship is an acheivement but its the enthusiasts of the sport that keep it running, and its the same with people that modify minis, if people stopped modifying minis it would make a large amount of the mini scene dissapear, so they are doing a good thing when you look at it from that aspect.

Agreed. The Mini was built for a purpose, and that was to be a small car that could carry 4 people comfortably etc etc. It's turned into one of the most well known icons of the 20th Century, and the Mini is all about enjoyment now. If you enjoy a poodle around the countryside in a drop-top car, there's a Mini for you. If you enjoy screaming round a track, there's a Mini for you. If you enjoy showing your car at various shows and entering competitions for this that and the other, there's a Mini for you. If you enjoy spending every penny you earn on making your car yours, there's a Mini for you. There's a Mini for pretty much everyone, and modifying and adapting them has made it the icon it is. If they were all standard no Mini would be at a track, no Mini would be in a show and no Mini would be individual!

Oh and I wouldn't be enjoying the Mini at the age of 15!

Edited by digi-cars.piczo.com, 22 February 2009 - 10:37 PM.