BMW/ MINI RESEARCH

[WELOVEMINI]

Hi Everyone!

My name is Anna, I'm 22 and I'm currently doing my masters thesis.....I actually got fantastic feedback on the site last year for my undergraduate thesis which i did on the Mini!! which is why I've decided to build on what I've done by broadening the topic a bit to encorporate Mini, BMW but to compare these to other luxury manufacturers like Mercedes!


Specifically I'm researching what makes a person choose one over the other, in particular younger drivers!

As I'm sure you know the general consensus is that Mercedes drivers are older than Mini and Bmw drivers but I don't really know why that is the case so that's where I'm hoping you can help!

Really what I'm hoping by posting here is to get the insight from those who know the car, and know the brand the best! So I hope you don't see this as an annoyance?

As a business and marketing student I'm also focusing on the areas like:

The importance of brand heritage to Mini & BMW customers, so I'm kind of asking do buyers/ drivers/ fans of the car still view the history as important or do you think it's moved past that and what we have now is completely detached I suppose from what people drove back in the day?

The whole point of my research is as a car enthusiast is that I want to highlight how driving cars these days goes beyond the "image" that has been attached to them through marketing campaigns, and big advertising budgets!

Personally I feel that a number of drivers might buy top cars without knowing much beyond the badge!

But I put the question to ye, for you what does the Mini (or the BMW brand) symbolise? and comparing that to the likes of Mercedes?

To me the car itself is all about the power and the style of driving you can experience that not many cars can come close to! i mean why else pay big money for the car, for tax, for fuel and insurance if not to enjoy driving it

Anyway, as I've said above, I'm not posting to annoy anyone, If you feel you'd like to contribute to my project I'd greatly appreciate it,

I sort of feel if the members on such a forum have nothing to say I may close the book and look at choosing a boring area that's been done time and time again.... but hopefully that won't be the case

Thanks in advance

Anna

[DAVEY_C]

honestly......... you cannot beat a classic and a bini will never be seen as a classic as long as a classic mini is on the road.... maybe you should post on a merc forum too just to see their opinion of the mini ..... thats an interesting one...

[StanO'Toole]

Well hello Anna,

Hope its some help but its just my view, I'm sure people will agree and others won't as everyone has there own opinion

So I hope you don't see this as an annoyance?

Not at tall we are all here to help

The importance of brand heritage to Mini & BMW customers

To me the Mini badge is very important. There is so much history behind it and its such a well known/respected car. As well as that is has the power to be loved by all types of people.... Children/teens/adults/o.a.p's... and not many cars have that ablity. Alot of members here and else were find out a load of information about there Mini i.e. which production line it came off, the date it was, sometimes even as serious as 'it was the 52th Mini built'. You would never go try and find that information out about a car now a days. Thats all to do with old Minis but none of that seems to be done with the new MINI's (or as Dave said above BINI's). I think he is right in saying that as long as the classic Mini is on Irish roads BINI's will never be classed as classics and are just like every other modern cars that are bought and driven.

buyers/ drivers/ fans of the car still view the history as important or do you think it's moved past that and what we have now is completely detached I suppose from what people drove back in the day?

A good few members here do buy cars just because of its history i.e. If it was an Irish built Mini it would be even more valuible to its owner and rightly so since it a part of our country and in my eyes our history. There are not many people who I have come accross that have not had a Mini at some stage in their family so thats another asspect that their apart of family history to.

driving cars these days goes beyond the "image" that has been attached to them through marketing campaigns, and big advertising budgets!

This to me just screams out BMW, Mercesdes, Jag and so on. I worked in a Mercedes garage mainly dealing with classic Mercedes and not one was an enthusiast. Everyone of them was in a suit and I even asked one or two of them about the car and there replies were 'everyone else in my line of work has one and they make a good presentation. But don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are enthusiasts out there for these cars but I would but them in the catorgory with the BINI's 'everyone else has one so why not'

drivers might buy top cars without knowing much beyond the badge!

If it is a modern car then I think this is a very true statement.

what does the Mini (or the BMW brand) symbolise? and comparing that to the likes of Mercedes?

When I had my Mini I felt unique, I wasn't trying to be like the rest of the lads my age (18) and go of and get a Starlet. And the best feeling in the world was coming accross another Mini, I never once passed one without getting a wave or a flash! Its like everyone with a Mini is best friends! Like I said I'd personally put the BMW brand in with the Mercedes so to me, like the Mercedes, the BMW branded MINIs are just a trend.

i mean why else pay big money for the car, for tax, for fuel and insurance if not to enjoy driving it

Because anyone driving them can!!!!

Hope this helps, its 2:15am so I'm half asleep so half of this comment has more then likely wasted your time so sorry about that!

I wish you the best with it anyway.

Regrads Stan.

[WELOVEMINI]

Thanks so much for your input!

I've also created a short survey (only 10q) if you have 2 minutes free maybe you could fill it out for me,


http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3GVH6Z6


Thanks!

Anna

p.s lets keep the discussion going here too tho- where everyone can see and give their opinion

[BlackSe7en]

"I actually got fantastic feedback on the site last year for my undergraduate thesis which i did on the Mini!!".

As a few members requested the last time you posted here, would you post the Thesis up so that we can see it? I'd find it interesting to read and see how the replies you received were applied in the Thesis.

[madjackjr]

i wouldn't mind seeing your findings from your last thesis i thought it was an interesting topic

[StanO'Toole]

All done!

[daveq]

Hi Anna, just wondering. You mentioned you are looking to incorporate BMW and Mini in a comparison to other luxury car manufacturers. By this do you mean the current model of mini? as appose to the classic? because the classic would not be a luxury car. It seems like a strange comparison.

[Dylan8660]

Oh no, here we go again!

[daveq]

Oh no, here we go again!

Ah No No I don't mean like that, I just mean I dont want her to get the wrong answers if its not what shes looking for.

[Andy Simpson]

[quote="WELOVEMINI"]Thanks so much for your input!

I've also created a short survey (only 10q) if you have 2 minutes free maybe you could fill it out for me,


http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3GVH6Z6
[/quote]

Done

[macker]

also done

[WELOVEMINI]

Hi Anna, just wondering. You mentioned you are looking to incorporate BMW and Mini in a comparison to other luxury car manufacturers. By this do you mean the current model of mini? as appose to the classic? because the classic would not be a luxury car. It seems like a strange comparison.

Hi daveq, I know what you mean! it'd be a stange one alright! the primary focus of my research to looking at trends among young consumers to seek out their attitudes towards luxury cars, why they might pick a BMW over a Merc, or a Mini over a 3 series etc....

The reason I've incorp this site is to see is there another side to the young consumer that maybe they'd buy a Mini but not a BMW Mini because fr example, to them owning such a car is only about the driving experience and the heritage and not merely to do with image or status consumption!

you know there's a lot of status consumption in the luxury car sector, especially among young consumers! thats why im interested to know both sides! this is where the idea for y research started: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25352526/

I hope this clears things up? I've been lookin at this for so long now I tend to forget the obvious bits

Anna

[DaveC]

"I actually got fantastic feedback on the site last year for my undergraduate thesis which i did on the Mini!!".

As a few members requested the last time you posted here, would you post the Thesis up so that we can see it? I'd find it interesting to read and see how the replies you received were applied in the Thesis.

Let's see your last thesis

[WELOVEMINI]

"I actually got fantastic feedback on the site last year for my undergraduate thesis which i did on the Mini!!".

As a few members requested the last time you posted here, would you post the Thesis up so that we can see it? I'd find it interesting to read and see how the replies you received were applied in the Thesis.

Hey yeh of course I'll post it up Asap! Only reason it wasn't posted in the end was after getting my laptop 'serviced' i got it back with all my documents wiped. I only recently found a backup of it on a memory stick, and its not even the full paper

Anyway Ill get on to it!

Anna

[daveq]

why they might pick a BMW over a Merc

Well I think, a BMW is a car you drive, a Merc is a car you are driven in.
BMW has something in it for the driver, its more fun than a Merc. A Merc is big and comfortable, less driver involvement if you get me, that's why I think it suits older drivers.

or a Mini over a 3 series etc....

For a young driver, a BMW is expensive to buy and insure, ok an old one is cheaper but if they want anything good (anything better than a 316, 318 etc...) its going to be expensive to insure and tax and probably out of their price range. As for the new MINI, well apart from maybe some Cooper S's or a JCW they are seen mainly as a girls car in some peoples eyes. As for the older Mini, well I think you have to be into cars to buy a classic mini or any classic for that matter, but not every young driver into their cars would buy one, some young drivers "into cars" are your boy racer type and into starbo's etc..

The reason I've incorp this site is to see is there another side to the young consumer that maybe they'd buy a Mini but not a BMW Mini because fr example, to them owning such a car is only about the driving experience and the heritage and not merely to do with image or status consumption!

I was talking to a girl in work today, she was saying she always liked mini's and would have loved a classic one before, but since the BMW one, she'd rather one of them and will probably buy one as her next car.
Why a new Mini over an old one? Safety, reliability, comfort, extras - power steering, air con etc...

By the way I don't know if my opinion counts as I'm not a young driver, i'm 30

[WELOVEMINI]

Everyone's comments count! So thanks !!

Just a reminder to anyone who hasn't filled out my survey yet the link is http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3GVH6Z6

also I'm putting together a collection of car advertisements for my paper so if you have a favourite will u post the image/ link

Please & Thanks

Anna

[twinjocks]

Done!

Julie

[swalker]

for me its the history, the impact the car made when it came out.

Im an audi man also, only really the gen 2 era (80s) where the quattro (like the mini in its day) turned the rally scene upside down.

audi went ralling bmw hit the track and merc concentrated on the finish/size for the upper class.

did you know the ur quattro was aimed at people with horses?

[macker]

"I actually got fantastic feedback on the site last year for my undergraduate thesis which i did on the Mini!!".

As a few members requested the last time you posted here, would you post the Thesis up so that we can see it? I'd find it interesting to read and see how the replies you received were applied in the Thesis.

Let's see your last thesis

+1
I'd love to see it too, could you please post it as asked so we could all have a look?