56 replies to this topic

[mm man]

I also used to attend the shows regularly but soon found out on numerous occasions when I started to have some success in winning a couple of shows in the modified/ custom / kit classes and after I won my class plus best in show at Mini in the Park the clique soon showed its face and turned . 
In one of my early shows I parked next to one of the judges cars and when that car was judged it took 2 minutes and a 10 minute conversation about the holidays…..guess what…..winner!! and believe it or not that person then judged the others judges car ….guess what …..winner ….??
I remember winning another show ( public vote )  that same judge that presented the trophies refused to shake my hand …very petty!!

At the last show I attended  I got refused entry in to one of the classes ..( later found out the winner of that class was the judges son !) plus the class they put me in they didn’t even judge my car ….” Sorry we must have missed  it “ …..but some how they judged the cars either side of me !! 
The thing was I used to take both of my young sons to the shows and they loved getting involved in the polishing and prep and when we won they would always come up to collect the prize, happy days but it was such a shame when it all turned sour. 
I stopped going to the mini only events as they become toxic plus my sons started to pick up the vibe so instead we  went to local and mixed shows instead to get the fun and the enjoyment back .

Same old story a few spoil it for the rest ……if you can only win by getting your mate to vote for your car what satisfaction or pride can you take in that ……I don’t get it ………never liked cheating….

sorry rant over ….and breathe 

[MrBounce]

I am a petrol head first and foremost, but I cut my teeth on Minis and went to a lot of shows from the mid-90s to the early 2000s. Although there were a significantly larger number of cars, aside from a few exceptional custom builds, there was only so much "oh look, another MPI Sportpack" that I could stomach. I didn't like the influx of BMW Minis into the show scene either - that was very much a "Look at me I can buy a new car" exercise, especially when they practically went from the showroom to the Councours area. Ridiculous. However, vandalism? Really? Those people are simply the lowest of the low. 

 

I did every Riviera Run from 1995 to 2003, and one thing I noticed was how much the anti-social brigade started appearing in the later years, with constant drunken behaviour, no regard for other peoples' property and thinking it was funny to squirt people using water pistols filled with urine. There's having a laugh with some mates, and then there's just generally being a proper a-hole. That was not my idea of fun. That said, the run down was always more fun because it was a proper road trip.

 

I like ingenuity and I absolutely detest a chequebook rebuild. I know my limitations - I let Guessworks refresh my gearbox as that's "Dark Magic", and the engine machining was done by experts, but I have done absolutely everything else on my project. Granted it would have been completed in a few months if I had left it to the professionals, but I would most likely have a significant 5-figure bill and none of the fun and games (and experience) I've had over the years. 

 

Minis are not cheap cars anymore though. That was part of the charm during my time in the scene. I have owned 7 in total, and I never spent more than £750 on one to buy it. You couldn't do that these days! A lot are becoming cherished toys rather than everyday runarounds (as all mine were). A lot of the owners are now older, and although some will do the work themselves, I would wager that a lot of owners have more disposable income and less time so they farm the work out to the professionals to sort. It's like the Fast Ford scene - many of the owners' Dads had one or they knew someone who did and want to relive their youth. Now that they have the liquid cash to do so 30-40 years later, more than a few people are doing the same, plus there's the Motorsport connections which pushes the prices up. Mini wrecks these day are £1500 minimum, and most will require virtually every panel to be replaced or repaired. Demand for a half decent shell pushes the prices up. The days of buying a cheap runaround Mini are pretty much over. Unfortunately I think the days of a young, fun-loving crowd are too. Times change, but also the people do. I was in my 20s in the 1990s and the things I like now at 51 are very different from then. You have to bear that in mind.

[roberts]

I said this (or something very similar) around a month ago in the "let's moan about Himley Hall" thread and it killed the conversation. So I'll say it again here, as the solution is pretty damn simple...

 

If you think you can do a better job at organising a Mini show and/or a better job of building a more interesting show Mini, go and do it. So here is a call to arms to TMF, put your moaning (ideas) where your mouth is...

 

Get a new Mini show on the calendar for 2024 and display all your amazingly interesting show cars!

 

Problem solved (no need to thank me).

[Icey]

I said this (or something very similar) around a month ago in the "let's moan about Himley Hall" thread and it killed the conversation. So I'll say it again here, as the solution is pretty damn simple...

If you think you can do a better job at organising a Mini show and/or a better job of building a more interesting show Mini, go and do it. So here is a call to arms to TMF, put your moaning (ideas) where your mouth is...

Get a new Mini show on the calendar for 2024 and display all your amazingly interesting show cars!

Problem solved (no need to thank me).

We did that and have been for the last 6 years, it’s now a reasonable sized show (200-300 cars). Why? Because we, as a club, were bored of the ‘park in a field’ type of show for all the reasons explained in this thread. Key for us was having an interesting venue that didn’t need us, as organisers, to keep people entertained - go drive your cars and come back to a central location for the social side of it.

It’s also getting to the point that the mixed marque shows are getting a bit bland because all marques are suffering the same fate - the cars have become expensive, nostalgia (or investment) machines not an expression of self.

[imack]

1988 L2B when the run used start on Clapham Common and finished at Preston Park. Cars were parked amongst the fallen trees of the 1987 great storm.

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[68+86auto]

I agree with the comments on shows/runs in general. The Japan mini days look a lot more exciting than most shows but even that looks to be the same thing each year.

 

As others have said unfortunately most minis are now collector items/show pieces not daily drivers like my own minis. Because I drive my minis daily it actually means that I avoid going to many shows for a combination of reasons. One reason is that I am into driving them not looking at them and would rather sit at home repairing minis. It is not really possible either to attend and discuss issues about minis as most people are not into technical work nor do they do it themselves. Runs also get boring when they are the same thing each year. They also usually focus on the destination as a social event not driving minis.

 

I probably get more enjoyment out of going to Jowett car club (Brisbane, Australia) events in my mini than mini club events. One reason is probably that the members are usually interested/involved in mechanical stuff, I guess they have to be to own a Jowett. They also don't repeat any runs, it is always a different location as far as I can remember.

[johnv]

Also there is a new breed that seem to delight in proclaiming"not legal!,ringer!etc"
 

Unfair. With the values of MK1s and Mk2s going through the roof there are an increasing number of 80s and 90s minis being palmed off as 60s cars with the accompanying Tax and MOT exempt status. This is illegal, and if I was a new buyer I would welcome the knowledge that I was about to buy an illegal car, and I wasn't actually buying a mk2 cooper as advertised. You know as well as I do that you can't practically reshell a 60s mini into a 90s shell, nothing will fit.

[Steve220]

I said this (or something very similar) around a month ago in the "let's moan about Himley Hall" thread and it killed the conversation. So I'll say it again here, as the solution is pretty damn simple...

 

If you think you can do a better job at organising a Mini show and/or a better job of building a more interesting show Mini, go and do it. So here is a call to arms to TMF, put your moaning (ideas) where your mouth is...

 

Get a new Mini show on the calendar for 2024 and display all your amazingly interesting show cars!

 

Problem solved (no need to thank me).

 

You've missed the point. No matter what show you organise, it'll still attract the same cars. 

[Icey]

Edit: wrong reply!

Edited by Icey, 08 June 2023 - 10:42 AM.

[mk1leg]

Its only Samey if you go every year I have to take a Ferry from Channel Islands and only make it every 5 years to the UK for mini shows was at L2B this year with 5 minis from Mini Club Jersey

[stuart bowes]

I said this (or something very similar) around a month ago in the "let's moan about Himley Hall" thread and it killed the conversation. So I'll say it again here, as the solution is pretty damn simple...

 

If you think you can do a better job at organising a Mini show and/or a better job of building a more interesting show Mini, go and do it. So here is a call to arms to TMF, put your moaning (ideas) where your mouth is...

 

Get a new Mini show on the calendar for 2024 and display all your amazingly interesting show cars!

 

Problem solved (no need to thank me).

 

that was about availability of trade stands and the argument was, what's the point in them going because everyone just 'window shops' for 5mins then goes and gets it cheaper online, so basically your stand is just an advert which is an expensive and time consuming way to operate

 

in this instance I feel it's less about the show itself, people are talking about the general attitude to mini ownership / project building / sneering at other peoples efforts

 

you can start up a new show easy enough I suppose, get on Facebook, advertise it and so on, it's not rocket science (but it is a lot of effort granted) but the same people will still turn up to tell you you used the wrong type of wheel nut or that window wiper wasnt in production until January of 1973 and your mini was two months older, as if we're supposed to go oh no I better take your advice and rush off home to buy the right one then eh, instead of my actual response which would be.. who cares jog on

 

the whole point is if all minis end up the same and/or everyone has to be period correct so they don't upset boring Nigel with his hi-vis and clipboard why would anyone be interested in looking at them (I may have paraphrased slightly and apologies to interesting normal people who happen to be called Nigel, no offence intended)

 

a range of differing interesting opinions and answers to that question have been offered which has been quite interesting

Edited by stuart bowes, 09 June 2023 - 04:06 PM.

[roberts]

 

I said this (or something very similar) around a month ago in the "let's moan about Himley Hall" thread and it killed the conversation. So I'll say it again here, as the solution is pretty damn simple...

 

If you think you can do a better job at organising a Mini show and/or a better job of building a more interesting show Mini, go and do it. So here is a call to arms to TMF, put your moaning (ideas) where your mouth is...

 

Get a new Mini show on the calendar for 2024 and display all your amazingly interesting show cars!

 

Problem solved (no need to thank me).

 

that was about availability of trade stands and the argument was, what's the point in them going because everyone just 'window shops' for 5mins then goes and gets it cheaper online, so basically your stand is just an advert which is an expensive and time consuming way to operate

 

in this instance I feel it's less about the show itself, people are talking about the general attitude to mini ownership / project building / sneering at other peoples efforts

 

you can start up a new show easy enough I suppose, get on Facebook, advertise it and so on, it's not rocket science (but it is a lot of effort granted) but the same people will still turn up to tell you you used the wrong type of wheel nut or that window wiper wasnt in production until January of 1973 and your mini was two months older, as if we're supposed to go oh no I better take your advice and rush off home to buy the right one then eh, instead of my actual response which would be.. who cares jog on

 

the whole point is if all minis end up the same and/or everyone has to be period correct so they don't upset boring Nigel with his hi-vis and clipboard why would anyone be interested in looking at them (I may have paraphrased slightly and apologies to interesting normal people who happen to be called Nigel, no offence intended)

 

a range of differing interesting opinions and answers to that question have been offered which has been quite interesting

 

 

I haven't missed the point, you lot are the Mini community and you have the power to change it.

 

The future of Mini shows is in the hands of the Mini community and the Mini community needs to start putting this frustration and grumbles to better use, be pro active about it... having a moan on the internet won't change anything (it's why it's all so samey)!

 

Essentially remember that you are part of the Mini community and as a result, you are part of either the problem or the solution, it's up to you all as individuals (or as a collective) to either sit here on the internet and moan or alternatively, go out and do something about it.

 

I stand by what I say, go and get a new show on the calendar for 2024.

 

OhSoRetro did exactly what you are all moaning about for the "retro rides" community. You won't find anyone with a clip-board or a boring "standard" looking car at the OhSoRetro show. Within the Mini community all major events are now organised by (lets call them) "original lovers" and that's no a bad thing by the way, there is a market for that as well (a huge market), but it means we now get these grumbles. They are obviously different communities within the same community and in past years the Mini show calendar was large enough to cater to both. The one show that was exactly what everyone is describing in this thread was MITP... but that was overtaken by the MINI.

 

Fill the void lads, fill the void.

 

P.S. as for high-vis Nigel tell him to shove his clip board where the sun doesn't shine, who cares what someone else thinks about your Mini, it's yours, build the Mini you dream of and enjoy it.

[Lowestoftmodder]

This thread isn’t about attacking events organisation or the people who put a lot of time into it.
Stuart is right about it being about general attitudes towards others and you are also right about the only people who can change this is us.
Having a moan on the internet? It’s a forum open for discussions.
I don’t want this thread to become the usual personal attacks and thinly veiled insults towards other mini enthusiast by enthusiasts
Dont take it personally

Edited by Lowestoftmodder, 09 June 2023 - 09:35 PM.

[roberts]

This thread isn’t about attacking events organisation or the people who put a lot of time into it.
Stuart is right about it being about general attitudes towards others and you are also right about the only people who can change this is us.
Having a moan on the internet? It’s a forum open for discussions.
I don’t want this thread to become the usual personal attacks and thinly veiled insults towards other mini enthusiast by enthusiasts
Dont take it personally

 

 

Exactly, so turn this into something positive and do something about it.

 

The Mini show scene definitely feels like it's at a crossroads...

 

All the major events are now organised by businesses and they will move forward with the decisions that make them money. For example, BMC will no doubt be having discussions, following Himley, about moving Himley more and more towards the MINI community and that will mean another old favourite Mini show lost to the MINI community. It may be that Stanford remains the Mini show, Himley moves to a MINI show and then we all come together once a year at Bingley for a Mini and MINI show. Who knows, but from where I've been observing from, trading at the shows, that looks like what's happening to the BMC line-up.

 

With regards to L2B, it sold out this year and will sell out next year (it would sell out 5 times over if they had the capacity for more Minis), so L2B organisers won't change anything... money regrettably talks.

 

If the Mini community feels like it wants the return of old school shows (which is what is being discussed in this thread), they need to be organised by the communities, not by businesses, they need to be ran by passion and not by £££ (which ironically is where shows all started back in the day, before the organisers realised that they could make money out of them).

[miniQ]

All you have to do is look at the for sale section of this website back in the 2010's plenty of threads. Now it's dead. The market has changed. The prices have peaked and have flattened soon to fall if not already falling, although rather than fall the available stock will thin out. 

 

Given the classic car market is about 120 years old which isn't very long we're entering a phase shift. Mini's have and will continue to become a smaller market. People will look at later cars. Hell some crazies might even consider an early 2000's BMW mini a classic today.

 

Hate to say it but downhill from here boys. 

Edited by miniQ, 10 June 2023 - 11:23 PM.