UK Factory Visit

[Sharper]

Does anyone know if there is a mini factory in the UK? Is possible to visit a factory where the mini is produced?
I have a Mini Cooper S.

Thanks

[Lohen]

Its in Oxford and you can visit it.

Nick@Lohen

[Sharper]

Thanks

[brett]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sharper

Does anyone know if there is a mini factory in the UK?

Thanks

God I hope so That where all the Minis come from

[SoggyCornFlakes]

Hi Sharper and welcome to MINI2

MINI2ers quite often organise tours of the factory so keep an eye out in the UK Social forum for details. Also if you do a search on "factory visit" you'll find lots of threads from previous trips - I've been and it is well worth going to see

[hunkey dorey]

here's some info that the tour place sent me when i enquired....


BMW Group
Plant Oxford
Tours of Plant Oxford
After a good start to the MINI Plant Tour programme in 2003, Plant Tours are up and
running again. Bookings can now be made for 2004, which is already very busy, so please
plan your tour as far in advance as possible.
Visiting production areas
The tours will start in the Plant Oxford Info Centre, with the main focus of the tour being
the Body in White (welding) and Assembly Halls. For Health and Safety reasons, visitors will
not go into the paint facility, but instead be introduced to key highlights of the paint
process with visual aids in the Info Centre. Our trained tour guides will provide commentary
and safe stewardship through the Plant.
How to book your group in
If you have requests for a visit to MINI production at Plant Oxford then please direct these
to:
e-mail : Oxford.Plant-Tours@bmwgroup.com
in writing: Plant Tours, telephone: 00 44 (0) 1865 825 842
Communications Dept. (TO -K), fax number: 00 44 (0) 1865 826 750
BMW Group Plant Oxford,
Oxford, OX4 6NL.
We regret that children below the age of 14 are not allowed on site for Health and Safety
reasons and people with pacemakers will not be able to join a tour as our robots can
interfere with the pacemaker. Our maximum group size is 30 people. Plant Tours start at
the times shown below, and last approximately two and a half hours:
Tours charge
When plant tours start again in March 2004, a small charge will be introduced. The charge
is predominantly to ensure that we can make a larger donation to the charity supported by
MINI: £1 from every visitor will be paid to Whizz-Kidz*. The remaining balance will enable
us to improve the plant tour experience for all visitors as well as cover administration
costs.
The charge will be as follows:
£3 for individuals
£2 for students or pensioners
£35 total for a s chool visit (this also applies to colleges or universities).
Payment can be made by cash or by cheque made payable to BMW (UK) Manufacturing Ltd
on arrival for the tour. We regret that we cannot accept other forms of payment. VAT
receipts are available on request.
*Whizz-Kidz -The movement for non-mobile children- Whizz-Kidz provides customised mobility
equipment, like powered wheelchairs and tricycles for disabled children to enable them to live a life of
freedom and independence. Thank you for helping MINI in supporting Whizz-Kidz!
If you would like to know more about Whizz-Kidz visit www.whizz-kidz.org.uk.
Tour Times AM Tour PM Tour
Monday to Thursday 09h30 13h45
Friday 09h15 12h45


....well worth a visit! x

[trialsride]

The tour is amazing, I am going again !!

I went when my car was being built, The staff tried to find out where it was so I could look at it in production if it was on the tour route, but unfortunately it wasn't but I did see a lot of other peoples babies being manufactured.

[Goonery]

So good I go there everyday


Tours of Plant Oxford
The tours start in the Plant Oxford Information Centre and, following a short introductory talk, visitors are guided around Body in White and the main Assembly Hall. For Health and Safety reasons visitors are not taken to the paint facility, but instead, are introduced to key highlights of the paint process with visual aids in the Information Centre. The trained tour guides will provide commentary and safe stewardship through the Plant.

How to Book

For further information on the tours and to book your place please contact Pedro Soares. The maximum group size for a tour is 30 people.

Telephone: +44 (0)1865 825842

E-mail: oxford.plant-tours@bmwgroup.com

In writing:
Plant Tours , Communications Dept (TO-K)
BMW Group Plant Oxford,
Oxford
OX4 6NL
UK
Safety Note
Unfortunately people wearing pacemakers are not able to join the tour as the robots can interfere with pacemaker function.

Tour Times
Monday to Thursday
09.30am
13.45pm
Friday
09.15am
12.45pm

Tour Charges
There is a small charge to visit Plant Oxford which covers the cost of tour administration and is used to improve the visitor experience. £1 from every visitor goes toward MINIs chosen charity ‘Whizz-Kidz’.
£3 for individuals
£35 in total for an educational visit (maximum group size 30)
Payment can be made by cash or cheque made payable to BMW (UK) Manufacturing Ltd on
arrival for the tour. Unfortunately other forms of payment are not accepted, VAT receipts are
available on request.

[SoggyCornFlakes]

and it's traditional to then go to the Trout for lunch afterwards

[stargate]

I have organised a factory tour for the Mini Cooper Register for 0930hrs on Friday 11th March this year.

If you want to join us then PM me, I have about 6 places left at the moment.

Cheers

Mark.

[Goonery]

Quote: Originally Posted by SoggyCornFlakes

and it's traditional to then go to the Trout for lunch afterwards

The MINI2 house in Cowley is worth a visit too

[Sejanus]

I'm going to be over in England next weekend to attend a funeral up North. On my way back down to Heathrow I may have some extra time and I'll be driving past Oxford. I realize tours are usually booked in advance, but does anyone know if there would be a chance of getting in on a tour if I just showed up at the appropriate time?

[brett]

hi Raelene and myself are going to the Mini factory tour on the 25th April. Anyone here going to be there then???

[SoggyCornFlakes]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sejanus

I'm going to be over in England next weekend to attend a funeral up North. On my way back down to Heathrow I may have some extra time and I'll be driving past Oxford. I realize tours are usually booked in advance, but does anyone know if there would be a chance of getting in on a tour if I just showed up at the appropriate time?

Firstly sorry to hear your having to attend a funeral, my condolences to you

When you say next weekend do you mean this weekend coming up - 19/20th or the following weekend 26/27? It's Easter over here so on the 26/27 so that means the Friday and Monday are bank holidays and there will not be tours then. Let me know some more details and I can call them for you and find out, maybe we can get to meet for a beer at somepoint too - we can finally resolve this Iraq debate

[Sejanus]

Quote: Originally Posted by SoggyCornFlakes

Firstly sorry to hear your having to attend a funeral, my condolences to you

Thanks. It was my uncle, who died very suddenly. We're all in a bit of shock still.

Quote: Originally Posted by SoggyCornFlakes

When you say next weekend do you mean this weekend coming up - 19/20th or the following weekend 26/27? It's Easter over here so on the 26/27 so that means the Friday and Monday are bank holidays and there will not be tours then.

I'm flying over tomorrow.

Quote: Originally Posted by SoggyCornFlakes

Let me know some more details and I can call them for you and find out,

I appreciate the offer, but it now looks like I'll be up North a bit longer than I thought when I posted the question originally. In any case my wife told me today that she wants to go on the tour as well (she's not coming with me on this trip) so I think we'll aim to do it when we're in the UK this summer.

Quote: Originally Posted by SoggyCornFlakes

maybe we can get to meet for a beer at somepoint too -

I'd like that. Maybe this summer.

Quote: Originally Posted by SoggyCornFlakes

we can finally resolve this Iraq debate

Pistols at twenty paces?