78 replies to this topic

[The Matt]

Well. In future I will steer away from calling it a BMW MINI. If it is causing some form of offence then then I had no idea.

[HarrysMini]

Well. In future I will steer away from calling it a BMW MINI. If it is causing some form of offence then then I had no idea.

I can't see how it would cause offence to be honest, it's probably the best way to differentiate between the two on here. It's better than 'bini', which doesn't even make sense.

[petey81]

I would call it another thing but i dont want to upset anybody.

[The Matt]

Bini was traditionally a play on Bmw mINI

I normally differentiate by MINI and Mini anyway.

But, this thread has gone on way too far. It's a simple fact that TMF isn't a MINI forum.

[sonikk4]

OK ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. This is going around in circles. Very big circles. It has been explained with clarity why it was moved. It was somehow overlooked when it first came out, this was an oversight on our behalf. It has now been placed in the correct section and that is where it will remain.

[minidizzy]

So its a Bolls Boyce then. I don't actually object to Bini but it not officially called a BMW Mini anymore than Tata Jaguar.

I do not think anyone wants this to be a MINI forum. I have said so myself in the past that it would not be a good idea to try and cover MINIS in the same way as Minis. It just needs to be MINI tolerant as is claimed and perhaps recognise there are historic connections. It isn't just about the technical section.

It's sad to see some of the best contributors on Classic Mini topics getting a hard time. I really hope they are not going to be scared off.

Edited by minidizzy, 08 November 2014 - 10:18 PM.

[mab01uk]

A BMW MINI Cooper?

 

There are no visible BMW badges on any MINI (there are a few Rover & BMW Group logos on some fairly hidden component parts) and they are sold from standalone MINI Dealerships and showrooms although they are often situated alongside an existing BMW Dealership in the UK. Over in the USA many MINI owners get frustrated at having to make long trips to faraway MINI Dealers when a BMW Dealership is just down the road but BMW have always stated they want to keep the Mini as a seperate standalone marque, rather like Mercedes do with the Smart car range. Even when the classic Mini was under Rover & BMW ownership only a few Japanese export Mini's ever carried an externally visible Rover badge.......BL first made Mini a standalone marque when they took over from BMC in 1969 with the introduction of the Mk3 Mini's, although they did display a few subtle British Leyland badges on the A panels for a while.... until they realised most people continued to associate the Leyland badge with trucks and buses! The DVLA and dealerships continued to randomly register Mini's as Austin, Morris, BL, Leyland or Rover for years after despite this, probably because of historic Dealer loyalties and the general confusion of the public by frequent name changes when BMC/BL was undergoing yet another re-organisation to try to become profitable. The current MINI V5 documents that I have seen don't seem to ever list BMW in the make or model description even in error, maybe this is because its all entered electronically now by computer drop down menus and therefore the computer says no these days!

Edited by mab01uk, 09 November 2014 - 09:55 AM.

[mab01uk]

You don't think there's a chance that the shows invite both groups of cars there to increase their revenue?

 

Yes, of course shows have to make money if commercially run or at a minimum break even if run by an enthusiast club if they are not to disappear from the events calander.

I have been involved with the 'Mini Cooper Register' since the day the club started and the 'Mini Cooper Club' before that (which started back in 1979).....the Beaulieu Mini Cooper Day was started back then by a small group of the local MCC regional members and continues to the present day now under the MCR. I know many of the Beaulieu Mini show organisers. and yes the show organistation commitee all agree the MINI groups in attendance are of ever increasing importance in keeping the show financially viable now and in the future, as like most large events it won't take place on its current scale without enthusiast and the 'daily driver' cars coming through the gate in large numbers buying tickets online or on the gate. This includes attracting many of the more 'casual' Mini & MINI owners who are not 'diehard' enthusiasts or members of Mini clubs or forums. The recent Brands Hatch and Oulton Park 'Mini Festivals' also rely heavily on the MINI motorsport and MINI club /owner/enthusiast community to boost ticket sales and make their events viable and 'Mini in the Park' also now relies on a strong MINI attendance for acheiving viable ticket sales and show entrants. At recent 'Mini in the Park' shows the 'MINI Torque' owners stand has probably been the largest club/forum stand at the show.

 

As classic enthusiasts we should be glad of this modern MINI connection and exploit it wherever possible, for instance many local MINI Dealerships are often willing to sponsor or act as a base /starting point for local Mini/MINI events if approached by Mini clubs. Many of the other classic car clubs and enthusiast groups which have a similar history & heritage but no link into any current models have serious worries about an ageing & shrinking membership base with fewer younger members or young blood entering their scene, often because their chosen marque has reached a dead end in the past and no longer has a current model range on view in the wider outside world........eg. Morris Minor shows and many traditional British cars and sports cars with no link to the present day tend now to appeal only to the older generations of owners who still remember them from their youth and very few younger people get to know or care about them because of that. However I know of many younger MINI enthusiasts who have got seriously into appreciating classic Mini's just by being exposed to seeing them at shows while attending in their MINI and not through owning one in the past or seeing them on the road as always used to happen.

Edited by mab01uk, 09 November 2014 - 12:07 PM.

[CityEPete]

A BMW MINI Cooper?

 
There are no visible BMW badges on any MINI (there are a few Rover & BMW Group logos on some fairly hidden component parts) and they are sold from standalone MINI Dealerships and showrooms although they are often situated alongside an existing BMW Dealership in the UK. Over in the USA many MINI owners get frustrated at having to make long trips to faraway MINI Dealers when a BMW Dealership is just down the road but BMW have always stated they want to keep the Mini as a seperate standalone marque, rather like Mercedes do with the Smart car range. Even when the classic Mini was under Rover & BMW ownership only a few Japanese export Mini's ever carried an externally visible Rover badge.......BL first made Mini a standalone marque when they took over from BMC in 1969 with the introduction of the Mk3 Mini's, although they did display a few subtle British Leyland badges on the A panels for a while.... until they realised most people continued to associate the Leyland badge with trucks and buses! The DVLA and dealerships continued to randomly register Mini's as Austin, Morris, BL, Leyland or Rover for years after despite this, probably because of historic Dealer loyalties and the general confusion of the public by frequent name changes when BMC/BL was undergoing yet another re-organisation to try to become profitable. The current MINI V5 documents that I have seen don't seem to ever list BMW in the make or model description even in error, maybe this is because its all entered electronically now by computer drop down menus and therefore the computer says no these days!

In fairness my R55 does say "built by BMW" on the inner wing, lol

[mab01uk]

 

In fairness my R55 does say "built by BMW" on the inner wing, lol

 

 

Yes under the clamshell bonnet but as said there are no externally visible BMW badges on a MINI or prominent on any advertising, brochures, handbooks, etc.

(Even the post 1994 classic Mini handbooks had BMW Grroup in small print in their handbooks).

 

 

"Until recently the story behind the BMW logo was linked with the aircraft engines. It was believed that it is a stylized representation of an airplane propeller spinning against the clear blue sky. But it seems that the origins of the BMW logo have a totally different explanation. Find out the truth behind the BMW logo below."

 

 

Incidentally the first BMW car produced in July 1929 was the BMW 315PS below which was based on the original Austin Seven......a predecessor to the Austin Seven Mini.

 

[minidizzy]

My Classic MPi was made by BMW. My RSP was made by British Aerospace but I have never been able to make it fly.

The first BMWs were made in Birmingham in CKD form.

[humph]

Here we go again! Wasn't this thread about moving threads and housekeeping?  How, once again, has it turned into a should we allow MINIs on or not conversation?

 

I see the point the mods make, and agree with it to and extent.  I also see the OPs point and agree with it. I'm not really going to get involved again, as an owner of both I've said my bit over and over again.  My own opinion is TMF is classic Mini, I like it that way, and I have plenty of MINI forums I use as well.

 

I don't want a dedicated MINI section, but TMF is the only forum that I use that doesn't have an "Any other cars" section.  I can see the argument about why join a Mini forum and talk abut Peugeots but we have an "Any other projects" section so why not an any other cars?  I bet that members here have lots of interesting daily's and other classics that many others would love to see.

[megamini_jb]

I think that tmf is good as it is and don't see the need of a dedicated MINI section, but I do believe that any MINI topics should be in mini chat still seeing as they're still minis...

Bit dumb after so long in mini chat to move it whoever did (The Matt?) I think

Edited by megamini_jb, 09 November 2014 - 04:15 PM.

[The Matt]

Never, ever call me dumb. Ok?

[The Matt]

I am literally amazed that a small handful of TMF members think that topics about MINI should be in our dedicated Classic Mini section, yet seem to think they speak for some kind of silent majority. Look at how many posts in the aforementioned Bini thread we've had to hide, or edit out. Actually, you can't see them. But that alone demonstrates clearly how many of our members have zero interest in the MINI and don't come on here to see them. But we've edited their posts out, so as not to upset MINI owners. People join this forum to read about Classic Minis.

Go and join an E30 M3 forum, then tell them that you want to post about your E48 M3 on there. See what they say.

Go and join a 205 drivers forum, demand that they let you post about your 208 GTI in their dedicated 205 section. See what they say about thar.

Better still, go and join a MINI forum and DEMAND that they let you post about a 1000cc 1971 mk3 in their R56 section. Because that's the exact equivalent of what you are doing here. Whether or not the cars have some form of connection is irrelevant.

There are hardly any members on here that think MINIs should be included in Mini Chat. Yet this simple concept of us wanting to keep our site dedicated to the classic mini seems beyond you. We don't know how to put it into simple enough terms!

This isn't even about Minis vs MINIS.