Most liked posts in thread: What did you do with your MINI today?

1: UNITED STATES
2: CANADA
3: MEXICO
4: UNITED STATES
5: UNITED STATES
6: AUSTRALIA
9: BRAZIL
J: JAPAN
K: KOREA
L: CHINA , TAIWAN
M: THAILAND
S: UNITED KINGDOM
T: HUNGARY
V: FRANCE
W: GERMANY
X: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Y: FINLAND, SWEDEN
Z: ITALY

 

Someone needs to see what the vin is on a newer Camry/Honda made here.

 

To the Autotraders on the interwebz:

2016 Honda Accord - VIN 1HGCT2B82GA002258
2016 Toyota Camry - VIN 4T1BD1FK7GU199395
2016 VW GTI - VIN 3VW5T7AU0GM056595
2016 Jeep Renegade - VIN ZACCJBCT2GPC58505
2016 MINI Cooper 4dr - VIN WMWXU1C59G2D11327
2014 MINI Cooper 2dr - VIN WMWXM5C50ET933861

 

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/consumer/autos/mauto614.htm

 

I barely consider most of them to be "cars." More like, transportation appliances.

CD:biggrin5:

 

Ummm, I hate to break the news to you, but Bernie lost in the primaries. :wink:

CD

 

Every MINI I've ever had the VIN has started with WMW... '05 R50, built in Oxford England... '05 R53, built in Oxford England... '15 R60, built in Austria... All WMW VIN numbers.

 

Cars really aren't "built" in countries, anymore. They are "assembled" in a country, with parts and components from other countries. It's all part of the global economy, like it or not. I'm sure that the decision to assemble MINI cars in the UK was integral to the marketing of the product. It's like Lamborghini -- an Audi assembled in Italy. Building MINIs in the UK probably ads perceived value, just as building Lambos in Italy.

I consider my MINI to be a British car.

CD

 

That's crazy. I'm searching the interwebs as we speak to figure out how they get away with that. I don't remember exactly but when I found out where Bitsy was glued together it was in Germany. I don't care really, but thought that was cool. BMW definitely don't make it easy to find where your car was built via the VIN. It's almost like they want everyone to think they're built in the UK. Gotta do some digging and I eventually found a way on a paid site. If you look up BMW factories they tell you all about what the plant is capable of but not necessarily what all is was built in any specific location. They let you see a little bit but not all. Bastards.

 

Since the day after I bought Bitsy, the trim piece next to the right side fog light in this picture has popped out repeatedly after I pop it back in. It just wouldn't stay right. You can see in the pic that it's popped out. Welp, I got the bumper off and and found that the brake cooling duct work was all kiddywampus in there. Popped everything back together and it matches the other side. Previous owner may have ran over a curb or something. Also found out that the lower lip is missing almost all of the plastic tabs that hold it on, Ordered those this morning. Also a little T25 (I believe) bolt/screw is missing on the passenger side. Can't believe she was abused like that.... Also, feels good to be back in school finishing up my automotive degree Won't use it but hey, gotta finish it!

 

I just drove my MINI to McDonalds. I don't go there often, but I had a craving for their breakfast burritos, and their coffee is actually pretty darn good. Believe it or not, I didn't think to look at my VIN. That's what happens when you have a craving for McDonalds breakfast burritos. You don't think of important stuff.

CD

 

Drove the wife and sister-in-law and luggage to the airport. Who wants to travel at 5:30am in the morning. Gah!!!

 

I hardly ever look at my VIN....

What's the attraction?

 

BMW started with the all BMW cars getting German vin# back in 1999....check the date of the usa-today news article I linked to...
Nothing new....they have been doing it for 17 years...
And has been posted, all MINI cars made by BMW have always HAD A GERMAN vin#, regardless of which country they were assembled, England or not.

 

And a MINI has NEVER been built in Germany....
Mostly England, some from the Netherlands under contract, and the GP (gen1) were shipped as shells to Italy to be finished....
But zero factories in Germany.

 

They assemble some cars in Austria too....Countryman, Paceman and the new Clubman I believe.......