Irish Mini Owners Club

Hi
I'm getting married on 6th September this year in Kildare. My fiancee is crazy about minis. She has owned 2 in the last 5 years. I would really love to borrow or hire a classic/vintage mini for an hour or so on the day. I literally just need it to take her from her home in Longwood, Meath to the hotel in Moyvalley, Kildare (10 minute drive). I obviously want this to be a surprise. She is 5ft tall so getting her and wedding dress into the mini wont be a problem in the slightest. If anyone can help me out or could point me in the right direction, please contact me at colin.hennigan@clifdenstationhouse.com. Thanks a lot!

If your fiancee trips getting in or out of the Mini or if her dress gets grease stains or torn, can you confirm that you won't sue the owner of the car?

Colin,

In response to your PM, I ran a wedding car firm for many years so am familiar with the legalities. Minis cannot be insured for wedding car work just as they cannot be used for taxi or hackney work. If they could, I'd have a fleet of them. You need a licence, a public service vehicle cert, and the appropriate insurance.

If you are happy to chance having your expensive big day potentially ruined in an uninsured car, that's your choice. You wouldn't get into a taxi if you thought it wasn't insured so it always amazes me that people assume nothing can possibly go wrong on the day of a wedding, especially in a Mini. You say it wouldn't enter your head about suing someone if there was a problem with the car. No disrespect but I wouldn't bet on it. Weddings can be emotional and stressful days and what may seem trivial to an outsider could be a serious issue to a wedding couple, especially if there's money involved. A good friend of mine in Galway had a wedding car which broke down on the way to the church. The bride tried to sue him on the basis that she couldn't consummate the marriage that night due to the stress of being late for the church!

Good luck to yourself & Tanya with your wedding but if you must hire a car, go with a reputable firm who can show that they have the correct insurance, and a PSV cert issued by the Taxi Regulator.

I agree with Billy in every point he has made in the post above. Actually though, it's not about reinforcing his points, it's simply just the regulations of the department of transport. As a taxi firm operator myself, and Billy is the closer end of classic/vintage private hire, it's actually more down to the insurance regulations as it is the private hire regulations.
So please don't think you're been "fobbed off" on this forum, it would never be the case, just the very best detailed advice we can give to the best of our knowledge at the time
It's about the ridiculous private hire/taxi regulations that have been inforced the last few years. You would just have to work within the regulations, or , around the the regulations, to make ye're day perfect.
Basically, ANY insurance, on ANY mini, dosen't count.
"summarised quick regulation lesson". (according to my memory just now, I can be corrected on the below points)
There are roughly related 4 types of "Department of transport" regulated "private hire" vehicles; ie. taxi / hackney / limo / W/C accessible .vechicle.
1. any vehicle for private hire (limo classification) has to be over 30 years old, or over engine size of 1.9 L.
2. A taxi has to have 4 doors.....rules out a mini.
3. a hackney has to have 4 doors ..... rules out a mini.
4. W/C (wheelchair accessible) vehicle is not a mini!
Aside from the regulations, It's all basically down to insurance.
I know Theres been a lot of text and regulation thrown at ya, but insurance is really where it's down to. That's the main point , you "technically" have to agree with the owner.
Give me a call if you're hitting dead ends, I don't have a mini for you to use, but I'll be quicker on the phone to help you around regs. if you you only need it for a couple hours.

0874153069

as an ex psv inspector for 5 years i fully agree with both of the lads comments once finance is involved regs must be in place on the other hand if a friend wants to give the pair of you to the event for free that is another matter

i agree with both of the comments on the forum as an ex psv inspector for 5 years once finance for deed is involved regulations as the lads say must be in order pn the other hand if a friend with a mini wants to give the bride and groom a lift to the event for free there is not much wrong with that