Binis are awesome. When I got mine I stopped driving the classic so I sold it.
They still have the fun of the original toy, just without the broken back and grazed knuckles.

Welcome aboard Roads!

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

That is a true quote

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Driving one didnt change my mind about them, still hate em as much as did before i drove one. But thats me

If your happy about your MINI then im happy for you, and hope you get much enjoyment out of it

Cheers

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Oh, Bubba, don't tell me all that action in the UK still didn't turn you on - but then you did spend a bit of time with me in the Classic.

Roads, I hope you will join with the rest of us Geelong lot. We have dinner on third Wednesday of the month. Venue changes from month to month. Check out the Upcoming Events topics, or PM Poeee. We are not a club, just lots of Ausmini people who get together - though most of us do belong to the Victorian Mini Club (all Minis/MINIs welcome).

That MINI of yours looks very familiar. Does it have BuzzB-3 plates?

Cheers,
Watto.

been there done that.

bought a Bini, kept it for 3 years, sold it on, as you do with any modern car. Who in their right mind would want to keep one longer?

My mini, on the other hand, never getting rid of!

Not saying the Bini is a bad car - goes well, handles well, looks good in a weird sort of way. but a classic car it aint. A collectors car it aint. and most of all, a Mini it aint.

And to those who say it's too young to be a classic, well that proves it's no longer a mini. The heritage lines have been broken. And even in 20 years time, there (if it still exists), would have been so many revisions, it would be hard to call them all minis! Look at the differences between Bini Mk1 and Bini Mk2. Theyre almost totally different cars.

dont be hatin me. If I were in the market for a hot hatch, I'd buy another, but only based on it's own merits, not on so called non-existent heritage.

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tim
68 Deluxe 1293, HIF44, megajolt/EDIS4, daihatsu alternator..

'a mini is for life, not just for christmas!'

If you like the car... well that is all that counts. It is a slightly Bigger MINI than some but still a MINI. They are a nice car. Welcome on board.

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DID I MENTION THAT I AM THE BEST SUPPLIER FOR MINI ELECTRICAL PARTS AND REPAIRS?
"Let us remove your "SHORTS"

Forget the nay-sayers.

It was built at Cowley, in England (was originally going to built at Longbridge before the AR carve-up).

Most of the detail work and engineering was done by Rover (yes, the basic design was done by Frank Stevenson, who worked for BMW at the time).

And most importantly, it wears a MINI badge.

When first revealed to the World in 1997 - when BMW still owned Rover and everyone was happy - most people liked it, and many weren't so sure about it, but few actually admitted to hating it.

After BMW did what they did (I'm not going into details and not making this into a BMW-bashing exercise) everything changed.

Suddenly a lot of people hated the new car and were, and still are, happy to admit it.

Most people hate it because it is owned by BMW.

Most people who hate it have never driven one.

While there are certain elements I dislike about it, all things considered, and taking the car purely on its own merits, and having driven many of them, I think it is an exceptional modern car and destined to be a future classic. No you could not consider it a classic today - but then who would have considered a Mini De Luxe a classic in 1965, or an Austin Se7en a classic in 1959?

All that said, I still prefer the Classic Mini. I like the shape and the size. I like things with history.

I would never replace my Mini with a MINI, let alone the Moke, but if finances permitted I would happily replace Jayne's Hyundai Sportswagon with a MINI Cooper D Clubman.

But I'm not going to put down a great car just because of political persuasion or nationality of the company that owns it.

I had one person (no, I will not identify who it was, but will say it was not an Aussie) ranting to me at IMM about the Bini and and how he hated it. It was Classic Mini only for him. He was a staunch die-hard. No, he had never driven a Bini, and never would. He then showed me photos of his V8-powered Mini

Now, if that's what floats your boat, I have no problem with that. But don't go bagging that which wears a MINI badge, is built in the right factory with many of the same people and is therefore legally, technically and identifiably a real MINI, while calling your highly modified V8-engined Mini a "Classic Mini".

I know one person who has a collection of Classic Minis and runs a Mini business overseas. He hates BMW for what they did with the Mini name, and what they did to businesses (understandably). Yet, he owns a MINI himself, because he needed a modern daily driver, realises the quality of the MINI and couldn't bear the thought of owning anything Japanese.

I think it is time that more people on this forum accept the MINI as the modern continuation of their favorite brand of car. They don't have to love it, or even like it, just accept it.

I would hate to see the situation here develop as it has done in the UK (quite understandably in many respects I might ad) into a constant BMW-bashing exercise.

I would also hate to see it go the way of the VW community - where you are either a water-cooled fan or an air-ccoled fan, and never the twain shall meet.

My mother used to say to me; "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all" - but then I did become a journalist.

Maybe the mods should consider a separate Bini-bashing forum where people could vent and rant all they like, instead of hijacking a thread every time someone comes along and says anything nice about a MINI.

End of Watto's Rant.

well said, i dont think there should be a bini bashing forum though... there just shouldnt be bad things said about anyones car... people need to get over the i hate binis thing... no one wants to hear from you? and now weve ruined this thread with the stupid banter that makes this forum such a pain at times.. great advertising for the loving happy mini community

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Potato

Hiya,

Being from the UK, it is easy to understand the anti-BINI sentiment towards BMW.

It shouldn't be downplayed what they tried to do to Mini parts companies - if BMW had their way, they would all be gone.

They tried to completely re-invent the Mini in their own form, paying zero respect to heritage and history.

This shouldn’t be forgotten, in my view.

I don’t mind if people choose to drive a BINI - but to me they are not an evolution of the Mini any more than a Metro was.

Maybe a great everyday car, but to me not a Mini in true `spirit’, no matter where they were built and by whom.

BMW killed that spirit.


cheers! jon

That was just a tongue in cheek comment to get my point across. (I could not find the tongue-in-cheek emoticon )

I agree completely.




I'm not suggesting it should. I'm just saying that this is not the place to go on about it. Far too many threads get hijacked with people wanting to rant about BMW and the new MINI.

Look at what has happened here. Someone comes along as a new member and tells us how excited she is about buying a new MINI and getting involved with the Mini/MINI community, and while most people welcome her, a few people have to get on the anti-MINI soapbox.

I don't want to downplay or forget what was done to MG-Rover Group, but this is not the place or way to do it. Every time a thread is hijacked off topic for the sake of Bini-bashing it lessens the support those people get and annoys the people who started the thread themselves.

I don't think any more needs to be said about it on this thread.

Just get back to topic and say; Welcome Roads, we hope you enjoy your Mini experiences with this forum, and that you find all the information you want.

Cheers,
Watto.

roads has driven a classic so she's fine by me. Welcome!

the only reason i dont like the new MINI is because its too cramped inside.... and my mum wont let me drive her COOPER S

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1962 850,Frog

Each to his own, Different strokes for different folks, one mans poison is another mans pleasure, one mans trash is another mans treasure.
I thought a mini forum includes all minis
Ok heres an idea- Split Ausmini up into Four categories-

1- Narrow minded mini people who think roundies are the only true mini

2-Narrow minded mini people who only like clubmans

3- Narrow minded mini people who think Binis are God incarnate

4-True enthusiasts who like to chat with like minded people who love Minis (all types)for what they truly are, a fantastic fun lil car.

So many people seem to be blind to any other shape but the one they own,STOP BAGGIN OUT SOMEONES PRIDE AN JOY, it happens on this forum way too much

*end mini maxx rant #3*

Geez, sorry I started this thread, just wanted to say I was excited but now its got all horrible.....
Thanks Watto, I plan to join the Geelong Mini group, was planning on coming to the next dinner..... no my car doesnt have the plates you mentioned....just standard issue plates, but my personalised ones from my other car will go on the Mini.
Im starting to wonder if Im going to come up against this issue if I go to a Ausmini get together.... last thing I want is to be isolated......
Hmmm what to do?

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Alas I have no Mini but the search is on....

Mehh , just drive your MINI , go to events and have fun . Don't worry about what the others say , there will still be plenty of people who like MINI's at whatever you go to .

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