306 replies to this topic

[Scallywag630]

Sorry but I TOTALLY disagree.............I love the MINI but hate BMW........unfortunatly MINI is a BMW so I wont be having one.

Were the same car be being build at Longbridge.......by Rover........there would definatly be at least one on my drive.

Interestingly the first New MINI's (reports vary between 15-100 cars) were actually built by EX Rover workers, now BMW workers, at Longbridge as the entire MINI production line for jigging, framing, computer process control. etc, had already been installed and tested there when the decision came to move the MINI back down to the Rover Cowley, Oxford plant and the Rover 75 up to Longbridge. Over 9 months in 2000 to early 2001 the entire production line facilities for both cars were dismantled and swapped 70 miles in opposite directions between both plants at a cost of millions and delaying the MINI going on sale in the UK until July 2001.

So who knows some of those rare early Y Reg MINI's with very early chassis numbers built at Longbridge could be highly sought after by future MINI enthusiasts!!

Unless a record of the VIN numbers were kept for each location, I doubt anyone will ever know. Chances are none will be "highly sought after".

[dave585]

The Mini Cooper Register (MCR) of which I have been a member since it started 25 years ago, organises the Annual Beaulieu Mini show and actually added a large new and seperate show field to this years show to accomodate the growing numbers of MINI's attending with space for their future expansion. Mixed clubs however were still alowed to display both if they wanted. The MCR is a mixed club which welcomes both classic and new, the financial gate/ticket income is quite finally balanced to make the show economic to stage and it would be madness to turn aware a growing source of revenue which goes towards making the show better every year for ALL Mini owners, as the 'daily driver' classics in attendance will inevitabily reduce in number over the years.

Thank you at last a sensible answer to my question.

[Burnard]

Have MINI made a tank or armoured car yet?
I might need it.




Had a great day out at the mini factory today, gotta say they put on a good show.

[mab01uk]

Chances are none will be "highly sought after".

I remember people saying that about the ex-works Minis for sale in the back of Motoring News in the 1970s not to mention the 1959 Mini an uncle of mine drove into the scrapyard for crushing in the same decade...........despite my protests as a teenage Mini fan!

[mab01uk]

Had a great day out at the mini factory today, gotta say they put on a good show.

Please tell us more about your day at the MINI factory, was it the Open Day?

Edited by mab01uk, 12 September 2010 - 08:11 PM.

[Nelson92]

berns you're standing next to the tank. what the hell is that thing its HUGE!

[joe90gt]

you should be able to tell which BMW's were made at longbridge - they'll be full of rot and keep breaking down....................lol

[cagy]

berns you're standing next to the tank. what the hell is that thing its HUGE!

If you look he's on his knees!! it's the new "countryman"

[Tanya]

Had a great day out at the mini factory today, gotta say they put on a good show.

Please tell us more about your day at the MINI factory, was it the Open Day?

It was family day and we displayed our four minis. Absolutely shattered after minding them for seven hours! Still, they were seen and appreciated by thousands of people; the plant was very busy. There were a few other minis there too, and Plant Oxord had their collection on show. Had a good chat with Paddy Hopkirk, who came over to see our minis. 6 EMO and some other works minis were also there.

It was an impressive day and like it or not, BMW do know how to do things well - well run/managed/organised. I didn't get much time to look round, but there seemed to be lots of things going on and definitely something for everyone.

Edited by Tanya, 12 September 2010 - 08:36 PM.

[Nelson92]

thank god, i thought he was a midget.

[Redbaron6969uk]

Sorry but I TOTALLY disagree.............I love the MINI but hate BMW........unfortunatly MINI is a BMW so I wont be having one.

Were the same car be being build at Longbridge.......by Rover........there would definatly be at least one on my drive.

Interestingly the first New MINI's (reports vary between 15-100 cars) were actually built by EX Rover workers, now BMW workers, at Longbridge as the entire MINI production line for jigging, framing, computer process control. etc, had already been installed and tested there when the decision came to move the MINI back down to the Rover Cowley, Oxford plant and the Rover 75 up to Longbridge. Over 9 months in 2000 to early 2001 the entire production line facilities for both cars were dismantled and swapped 70 miles in opposite directions between both plants at a cost of millions and delaying the MINI going on sale in the UK until July 2001.

So who knows some of those rare early Y Reg MINI's with very early chassis numbers built at Longbridge could be highly sought after by future MINI enthusiasts!!

Find me one .......I will have one of those lol...........

Unless a record of the VIN numbers were kept for each location, I doubt anyone will ever know. Chances are none will be "highly sought after".

[Burnard]

thank god, i thought he was a midget.

yer im on my knee's.


I do quite like the countryman, mainly because its a bit quirky.

The badge on the boot lid is comicly large aswell hahah

Im assuming these are your 4 then?



All look great

[Redbaron6969uk]

Ok split the two in to separtate areas then tell me how do you sort out the mixed clubs do they have to have two club stands, two gazebos,banners etc etc plus how would you deal with a club that turns up to a show with say 10 classics and 6 new, husband is driving a classic wife driving a new. please somebody explain as i would love to know how you would do it and not up set people! cant see shows turning people away can you?
So like before instead of saying Ban this ban that explain how you would handel it not forgeting the money you need to get back from paying out to run your show Are yoy really going to turn down £7 to £10 pounds per person really?

I parked my Vauxhall Insignia in the car park with the other non-mini's so I'm not saying there was no where for the MINI's to park........I'm getting less and less interested in the shows the more they get dilluted.

Can anyone remember being at school and wanting to be in a gang where most of the gang members didnt want you in the gang but you pestered and pestered until you were told in no uncertain terms to get lost...............quite sad really...

[mab01uk]

Had a great day out at the mini factory today, gotta say they put on a good show.

Please tell us more about your day at the MINI factory, was it the Open Day?

It was family day and we displayed our four minis. Absolutely shattered after minding them for seven hours! Still, they were seen and appreciated by thousands of people; the plant was very busy. There were a few other minis there too, and Plant Oxord had their collection on show. Had a good chat with Paddy Hopkirk, who came over to see our minis. 6 EMO and some other works minis were also there.

It was an impressive day and like it or not, BMW do know how to do things well - well run/managed/organised. I didn't get much time to look round, but there seemed to be lots of things going on and definitely something for everyone.

Which is why it was such a shame so many of the British Classic Mini enthusiasts did not experience Mini United at Silverstone last year...................as you say BMW know how to do things well with lots of things for everyone, even the Hot Dog stands were well run/managed/organised!

[The_Mistro]

so would you take a MINI on the L2B, just because that must be just like a commute in a MINI, not like an adventure in a Mini!?