Most liked posts in thread: MINI (BMW) Sold out!

Good rant. The first one that is.

It's funny, BMW is doing kind of the same thing that Mini did with the original Classic Mini--when they went to the Clubman facelift, trying to look more "modern", and increasing the overhang--and it looked like crap, and it's the least desirable classic. They eventually went back to a semblance of the original design, and although not quite the same look as the originals, it was evolutionary rather than revolutionary, and people still buy the later classic Mini's.

But the 1969-1980 Classic Mini Clubman design represents the black hole of MINIdom, and I fear the F56 is recreating that vortex of poor taste.

I'll welcome the F56 crowd, despite their tragic mistake. And for those who don't like the R53 crowd complaining, they get a big fat Motor On. It's an internet board, if it bothers you, ignore it--if you don't read it, it doesn't get tiresome, and you avoid your narcolepsy issue altogether, and if there's enough ignoring, the thread goes away. There is plenty of space for MINI apologists over at MF, they specialize in that over there. Here, at least you can read both sides.

But opinions is what keep the boards going, and most of this is in fun. People have taken shots at the R53, that's fair, it's a opinion, and regardless how obviously wrong it is, it doesn't bother me.

 

One thing you have to remember...MINI was not originally built as a cash cow, that came later. It started as a labor of love, and a one-off for BMW--it wasn't for certain there was going to BE an R56, that only came AFTER the R53 exploded.

And why did it explode? It had an iconic design, the base cooper, and even more so the One (remember, MINI was global in the beginning, and the U.S. didn't dominate as it does now, which is a huge part of the problem) WAS affordable, it's retro design, added to it's quirkiness, pulled in a ton of people who'd rather own Mac's than PC's. And it was renowned for it's performance AND the ability to mod it--it was the passion of the initial buyers who got MINI off the ground and formed a community around the car, and the performance enthusiasts who kept it there. BMW's profit margins on the car were negligible or nonexistent, depending on who you talk to--and to get the car profitable, you lose things like the water formed bonnet (which is why the R56 bonnet looks more like a VW than a MINI), the wrap around glass that was gone on the R56 and now is back, and a unique platform, unlike the shared M2/R56 chassis...

Now BMW has made it a luxury subcompact, with all the electronic nannies you'd ever desire (or not), and you can't easily modify it, they've made sure of that with the ECU and internals that are already pretty much maxed out. The retro look is gone, replaced by something futuristic. It's a car for the masses, instead of a car for the fanatic. Economically it makes more sense, but if you can't see many of us miss what the car was initially, all I can do is scratch my head.

They'll sell a bunch, that's the goal now. Those of us on board from the start remember what it was, and why we bought it. It isn't what it was when we initially got on board. That's why many of us wouldn't buy an F56, or even an R56. Yeah, I know many of you are tired of hearing it, but many of you complaining about those who prefer the earlier MINIs weren't THERE in the beginning, when the community and the priorities of BMW were much different than they are now. It's evolved, and not in the way many of us would have preferred. What you call progress, with all the technology, is a step backward for anyone who wants a car as a platform to modify and tune. Those people will not be buying new MINIs, and it's a shame. I remember the days when someone would try something with a pulley, or intake, or IC, or brakes, or suspension--I could go on and on and it was a huge deal. That doesn't happen with the new cars. I miss that.

If you don't get that, Motor On. Like I said, I'll welcome F56 owners, even if I don't like what the MINI has become. I still like the community a great deal, but I liked it better in 2006.

 

I tried leasing 2 Audrey's once, but one found out about the other, and it led to constant bickering. So I traded one in for a Jenny, and that worked out well for about a year, but it was getting too expensive, and plus I kept getting this embarassing rash that started soon after initiating the lease. The residuals on both were too high to warrant anything permanent, so I let them both go, and married a Debby, which ended up being much cheaper in the long run, as long as I don't violate the terms of sale, in which case I lose half of all my stuff, and both of my donuts.

 

I do have concerns about the proliferation of built in high tech nanny assistants; reliability and reliability. Anvils and crowbars are extremely reliable. As parts are added they become geometrically less reliable.
As drivers come to rely more and more on driving assistants does the opportunity for havoc increase? At what point does that potential havoc become less the fault of an inattentive driver and fall more on the shoulders of the manufacturer...or visa versa?

An anecdotal case in point is what I consider to be a poorly conceived TV commercial by Mazda wherein the lady driver, with children in the car, is focused on a lady standing by the roadside and doesn't become aware of traffic, with children in the back seat, stopped at a red light until her conveyance stops for her.

 

I feel sorry for her, kids at least move out at some point......

 

Saw this on one of the VW forums.

http://www.carthrottle.com/10-images-that-show-just-how-fat-cars-have-become/

 

I have felt this too, it is not a very nice experience. When I experience such attitudes I just laugh. Kill them with kindness I say, such people do not know how to react to kindness & good will. If you let them get to you that is exactly what they want, me I won't give them the satisfaction.

All this being said most every classic Mini owner I have run into have been wonderful folks. I do think it is a very small minority who take exception to New MINIs & their owners. It's their problem not mine.

 

Sadly WWF, MF and the hosts have turned to the dark side like MC2.

The only difference is MF has spelling and grammar check. :lol:

 

Not a darn thing wrong with building a few different models, I for one like the Countryman, but there should always be that core Mini for the enthusiast. The one that gives all the other models the soul of what Mini is...

 

Actually me thinks the R53 could have evolved without making it bigger and softer.... Stiffer chassis, lighter components, better brakes, better seats with more support, etc, etc....

Evolution without the growth hormone!!

 

It means Don "No Soul" Simmons would be happy with the car as a daily driver.


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaBMpkTbLkg]Don 'No Soul' Simmons appeal - YouTube[/ame]

 

I drove an Exige 260S with the track pack and Larini exhaust a couple of weeks ago. WOW......that car has SOUL!!!!!!!!

 

I agree BMW is making Mini, less Mini like. The people that drive Minis are a great bunch even the ones that are hung up on the R53.

 

I never understood why anybody would want to rent a car for 3 years, and have people dictate how far you can drive, what you can and cant do, and where you have maintenance done.

Thats what a lease is...

 

Sex and fear are the biggest sales motivators. Fear that you are going to crash your car is what is responsible for all the nannies on todays cars. This fear is created by consumer reports and other "safety" organizations where their people don't know how to drive nor enjoy it.

If they really wanted to make driving safer they would work on better driver training and stricter testing.

 

Lest we forget that BMW has finally screwed up the "ultimate driving machine," what had been for years the very benchmark for anyone trying to build a sports sedan, the 3 series. They are now loosing in comparisons in all the magazines to the likes of Lexus and Audi, even putting....steer by wire in what is supposed to be a driver's car....and making the car bigger than what a 5 series used to be.... Now they promise the new 2 series will be the answer....to what? 3 series lovers never asked for a 2 series, all they wanted was the gradual evolution of their platform whilst maintaining the essence of the 3...

BMW is going down the same worm hole that the big three did years ago, producing way too many models in the quest for more profit and forgetting that there is a lot of folks that aren't interested in car that just gets them from point A to B...... BMW got to the big dance by making a handfull of models very well.

Hey BMW, take something to kill your bigitous virus.

Rant over.

PS: ......forgot the 4 coupe.

 

Yeah, but my mom IS ugly. I can handle it though.

 

I am not worried about a 2.0 car that's ugly. I will whoop its ass and look better doing it.

 

Rab, if I got rid of my R58 I'd replace it with a GP1.

 

Who's doing better at updating their models, Mini or Mazda?

The up coming new MX-5:

...and yes it is no bigger and is actually lighter than the previous model.