[Joogle]

Interesting one for the GP owners out there....

While I was in the dealers the other day I popped into parts for my usual round of "Have you found the part number for the dashboard badge yet.......?" (Been after a spare for months!) Another e-mail goes off to MINI , so while they were putting it on the system usual question for the Chassis no comes up, so I asked if they had any parts records for my car - they did, and it was quite an interesting read!!!

Apart from the two Alloys, decal and odds and sods I bought to put up, some blighter had ordered a set of skirts and rear bumper inserts against my car. (Name was on the system as well..... )

Okay its going to happen, the numbers in plain view so your never gonna stop people getting the chassis number - but then something interesting came up. Apparently the spares departments are now having to ask for proof of ownership or the damaged parts in exchange. Something to do with restricting acces to the limited stock of GP specific spares!! Anyone else come across this yet?

Question im tempted to ask MINI is what is the spares situation on the GP specific parts? What sort of stock levels are they mainitaining and what is now in short supply?

[alski]

fair point, if the GP wannabes suck up all the spare stock and 2 yrs down the road you cant get replacements when you have a prang you will be slightly more than miffed to say the least
so good on mini for making life a little difficult
having said that badges and mirror caps should be fair game, so perhaps a little bit would be ok?
its not as if BMW have to tie up millions of pounds in stock to cover these sorts of parts

i feel most for the people who require the benefits of some of the GP engineering IE front air dam undertray and rear wing for aero dynamics, brake cooling, and will paint them yellow/green/black etc so no intention to dilute your guys exclusivity, just like to go around corners a little quicker
to rub salt in the wound best guess 50% of GP owners will never even see a track anyway

i have an easy solution is that all parts supplied must be fitted by bmw dealers, so what price on exclusivity
then if i feel i need a gp wing i will have to find the money, this way any clone attempts if you wanted to build a whole car at dealer labour rates will cost 100k

[Joogle]

Good point

The really unique parts are the roof decal and dash badge - these numbered items apparently are made to order and cost a bloody fortune.... (Hence so much difficulty in obtaining part numbers) But for the items like the body kit, undertray, spoiler etc what is the maintained stock level? like you say if this does get picked up what is the projected spares availability - eg are we talking 2 to 3 years at current consumption rates? The next question would be whats the chances of remanufacturing runs by the OEM's to replenish stocks? This would have to cause a knock on effect on spares prices, insurance etc. And if they can remanufacture why start clamping down on parts availability for anything other than a cash generation exercise.....

[Fin]

I once read that the GP spoiler, with its CF components costed some serious cash before you even mention fitting.

Then I thought of my insurance. I gave them my details and told them how much the car was worth. My insurance docs say MINI Cooper S GP on them, so I am certain they know what car they are insuring.

Then I thought if there was ever damage to my car in a crash, though not enough to write off, would they try and get out of repairing because the parts are so much, and just try and write off anyway? Or what if some punk stole parts of it? Or vandalised it?

Otherwise I agree with MINI asking for proof on ownership. A big part of the GP's appeal is its exclusivity, so it is not fair really for MINI to allow GP parts to be sold off.