Why? Everyone knows the brand and what it has turned into. Many people don't like it.
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Dave.0 Helix & RMW PoweredLifetime Supporter
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Metalman Well-Known MemberLifetime Supporter
- Sep 29, 2009
- 7,688
- Ex-Owner (Retired) of a custom metal fab company.
- Ratings:
- +7,960 / 1 / -0
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Been a couple of years since I went to MOTD, but is there a step in the registration process where you identify what you are driving? Would be interesting to see the break out between generations to see how many owners of the F-generation are participating.
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There is no breakdown by anything but the state people are coming from.
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In fact, MTTS seems to be the last bone thrown to the traditional enthusiasts community by MINI USA. When you look at it, not much happens in MTTS that helps D. Duncan promote his "premium-ness" and "compete at the next (i.e., $$$) level" messages. How long to you suppose MINI USA will continue to support a national event in which the F-series cars--their principal product--will almost certainly fail to show up in any credible numbers? -
It'll be interesting. There is a fairly large number of F56 owners on LXM, and very vocal. But it's an entirely different demographic, mostly delving into the cosmetic rather than performance modifications, and most of those done through BMW rather than aftermarket (they'll describe the car as a perfect driving machine, they can get everything they want/need from MINI). So I suspect the MINI community is or maybe has morphed into style, comfort and refinement over performance, with the exception of us ever dwindling people here from R53 and R56 crowd.
I think the community will survive, but the performance will go--it's basically a social club that doesn't appeal to us and probably doesn't want us anyway. -
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Dave.0 Helix & RMW PoweredLifetime Supporter
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You say "many" but clearly it is also fewer. Just look at the past six months of U.S. MINI sales figures compared to the prior year, rounded off to the nearest percent:
Oct '15: New - Down 23% Pre-owned - Up 19%
Nov '15: New - Down 11% Pre-owned - Up 10%
Dec '15: New - Down 24% Pre-owned - Up 9%
Jan '16: New - Flat Pre-owned - Up 2%
Feb '16: New - Down 24% Pre-owned - Up 22%
Mar '16: New - Down 18% Pre-owned - Up 16%
Sure there may be a zillionwink
contributing factors to these sales figures. Not all pre-owned sales are R-series but it's safe to say the vast majority are. IMHO there is a reflection of the preferences of the U.S. buying public in these numbers (even if it's just for cheaper MINIs).
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So, 2016 got off to a slow start.
FWIW, I've been seeing a HUGE interest in the new Clubman All4. I've personally sold nearly every one we have coming in so far.
I approve of that car much more than I do the Countryman.
But yeah, sales are down a bit - but they haven't tanked.
Still, everything's gone up in price. $30k is the new $20k, whether you like it or not.
Look, I know I drink the kool-aid, and I know you guys hate the new cars, but there's plenty of good to be had along with some of the bad. The R-cars had plenty of shortcomings, too. -
Crashton Club Coordinator
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"The R-cars had plenty of shortcomings, too." Heretic!.......... The R cars were perfect! They had no flaws no recalls no problems!!:lol::lol:
Kool-aid drinker or MA spy inside Mini, sometimes its a fine line. -
And looks like I'll now be replacing the wife's R56 with an F56. :crazy: -
The turbo 3-cyl engine is a gem, though - that engine in the R56 or R53 would be amazing. -
DneprDave Well-Known MemberSupporting Member
My wife's car is a '98 Volvo V70 T5. I just fix things as needed, it has 225,000 miles on the clock and still only burns one quart of oil between oil changes.
I expect no less from my MINI, if I keep up on maintenance and repair like I've done on the Volvo. -
We're gonna see just how good these new F56 cars are. -
Dave.0 Helix & RMW PoweredLifetime Supporter
Get your wife a Honda Accord or a Toyota Camry because who they are made for. You can drive them for years and never open the hood. :lol:
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