Vista MINI Blog

Let your boot down, but hold your cards close this Saturday, January 22^nd, at the Vista MINI Bootgate Poker Run. MINI Cooper owners from all over will congregate at The Seminole Coconut Creek Casino for a 9:30am start and your first card, with engines revving and motoring spirits in high gear. A steaming continental breakfast will be served. With bellies and MINI’s alike fueled for the adventure, the Poker run will begin.  Mini owners will set off in a MINI-fied ride as the Mini owners head to the next of three locations to gain their 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th playing cards. Once cards are collected and stonewall stares are perfected, the MINI Poker Run will conclude with your 5^th card at Vista MINI with a BBQ party around 2pm. The party will get started with great door prizes and wrap up with awards for the 3 best hands.

So, won’t you join us? There is NO entry fee, and limitless amounts of fun. Let us know you will be joining us by calling 954-935-2700, and of course should you have questions or need more information, the kind Motoring Advisors at this number can be of help in that area as well. Let’s Motor!

In early August, the first MINI Countryman’s graced MINI Cooper dealerships across the county for a preview. As the New Year begins to unfold, sold orders and even some unsold Countryman’s have rolled into dealerships. The first unit in the country was sold in Coconut Creek, Florida at Vista MINI by Brad Kaplan, long time Vista MINI Motoring Advisor.

“You know, there is just a culture that has exploded among MINI owners, and this gentleman who bought the first unit knew that adding a Countryman to his garage was imminent from the time he set eyes on it,” said Kaplan.

Nearly six inches longer, five inches taller, and four inches wider than the MINI Cooper Clubman, it’s definitely a new kind of MINI. Size increases aren’t the only difference, the audacious Countryman also boasts 4-doors and 4×4 off-road capabilities, both of which no other MINI can claim.

Even with all of the changes, the best thing about the Countryman says enthusiasts like Kaplan, it’s still a MINI. Thoughts such as the aforementioned are only echoed by industry giants such as MotorTrend, ‘like a bigger, top-heavy MINI cooper’ and Popular Mechanics, ‘It delivers a very MINI-like sharp turn-in response’.

Vista Motors owner, Charles Dascal says he’s not shocked at all over the success of the Countryman and the media frenzy that has surrounded it.

“Take a product that is already loved by so many the worlds over, and improve its versatility, what’s not to like,” said Dascal. “

Rumors over on motoringfile.com are flying that the first pre-production MINI Coupe is being produced today! Of course rumors are just that, rumors, BUT if they are true…that means we could be just days away from catching the first glimpses of the MINI Coupe production version! We’re sure hoping it doesn’t stray far fromthis:

Being thankful is something that we are all reminded of often this time of year. It can be difficult however to show your thanks, however this year, World of Beer Coconut Creek is helping families in need by being a drop point for Kids in Distress.

Kids in Distress is a nationally-accredited community-supported agency based in south Florida that provides services that prevent and treat child abuse. This holiday season, Kids in Distress is collecting canned and non-perishable goods from now until November 17^th to help in providing a Thanksgiving dinner to remember for less fortunate families.

This holiday season while you are over at Vista MINI, make sure to make the short trek across the street to World of Beer Coconut Creek, and leave your donations for Kids in Distress to help make someone else’s Thanksgiving great.

Come see the next BIG move by MINI. All-wheel drive. Four doors. And the same sharp handling and performance that embodies the MINI brand.

The MINI Countryman will be making a second stop at Vista MINI in Coconut Creek before it is officially released in the United States. The Countryman is poised to return to Vista MINI on November 16th and 17th from 4pm-9pm with all the food, fun and prizes from the first time around PLUS, if you order the Countryman at the event, you will be eligible for up to $500 off MSRP.

Reviews for this addition to the MINI Cooper lineup have been overwhelmingly positive (not that we’re surprised!) and we’d love to share the amazing vehicle with you, our MINI family. With the Countryman starting at just $22,350 this is the cross-over for anyone who has coveted a MINI, but could part with 2 doors. Check out some of the fun from our first Countryman event and then mark your calendars and be sure not to miss our November 16th and 16th Countryman event!

Your MINI is unique in many ways, and another one has been rediscovered by Forbes recently. The prominent money and business magazine has defined MINI Cooper as, “Renowned for holding resale value: the MINI Cooper… retains 52% of its value after 5 years.”

We’re not surprised and we’re sure you’re not either. The value of the MINI Cooper espouses that of its lineage and parent company, BMW. Forbes goes on in their article to vehemently state that, “You get what you pay for.” Although MINI Coopers are not at the top of most car budgets, they are luxury vehicles.

MINI Coopers invoke the BMW technology, expertise and luxury directives giving the MINI big advantages. In fact, the direct correlation between depreciation and your car’s value is the residual value of the car. Forbes suggests that the best way to avoid depreciation is to drive less miles. Since MINI Coopers retain their value so well on their own, owners do not have to worry about counting their miles, and thereby so resort to counting their fun – which is boundless.

Just a few short weeks ago, the crew here at Vista MINI in Coconut Creek, Florida put the MINI Countryman, Countryman S and All4 to the test. The roads of Austin put the Countryman to the test as the drivers headed up steep hills and careened around sharp turns. Check out our picture montage of the weekend’s events.

MINI Connected is hitting the states soon, which is fantastic news for MINI owners interested in a truly integrated communications experience in their MINIs. MINI Connected is MINI’s offering to the smart-phone elite and the online generation. It will seamlessly integrate your online world into your MINI with apps like Web Radio, RSS News Reader and even Twitter client (complete with GPS location, time and temperature automatically-generated Tweets!).

Additionally, the US release will boast Google Local Search, Google Send to Car (the ability to make changes to in-car content from your desk or laptop), and a very interesting Dynamic Music Creator, which will mix and play appropriate music based on how you are driving and what you are doing – like cornering, braking, acceleration and etc.). At last, we can have a custom made soundtrack as we buzz around town – MINI Connecte will make us all feel like true action heroes.
The Web Radio is also fantastic. Relying on your smart-phone’s broadband connection, Web Radio will deliver thousands of web radio stations seamlessly into your car. iPod Out is also a fascinating offering- the Apple-created interface enables the MINI Connected system to display the contents of your iPod on the dash, in the same format you see it on the iPod. There’s no lag between selection and execution like in some automakers’ interface solutions, thanks in part to the symbiotic design of the interface.

All-in-all, MINI Connected is looking to be an absolutely great technology that has something for everyone. It’s an adaptable system that will allow for technological growth from the third-parties (such as newer, better versions of iPod and the like), permitting us to have the latest and greatest technologies in our MINI.

An interesting rumor surfaced over at MotoringFile about something mentioned by Dr. Klaus Draeger, who is in charge of development at BMW.  The source was originally in German as part of an interview, but he eluded to BMW’s interest in building two-cylinder engines for MINIs and perhaps even small BMWs.  Apparently two is enough to yield approximately 500cc per cylinder which, paired, could generate a horsepower grade of 80-100HP. 

Interesting stuff, when you combine it with the new BMW carbon fiber plant now online in Washington state.  Perhaps with the carbon fiber body builds on the horizon, a material able to make car chassis 10 times lighter than steel but also stronger, our need for a thrilling ride will only require 2-cylinders thanks to the immense weight reductions the carbon fiber designs will provide.  This could be an answer to the demand for higher MPG gains without having to add a hybrid engine, which does not yield the same gains as they do in larger, heavier cars.  And if the proper amount of horsepower is there to produce a true MINI thrill, who cares how many cylinders are firing under the hood? 

 Time will tell whether this is a viable opportunity for BMW and MINI, or even if it is anything more concrete than a rumor.  Stay posted to our site, and we’ll reveal the facts as they are announced.

It’s WOBtoberfest time here in Coconut Creek, and Vista MINI is joining the fun! What is WOBtoberfest you may ask? WOBtoberfest is an annual outdoor beer and music festival, based from the idea of Oktoberfest, with live music, a world class selection of beer and food from some of the Promenade’s finest vendors.

Originating from the home state of our parent company, BMW, Bavaria has been home to Oktoberfest for over 200 years. The 16-18 day long festival starting on the first Sunday in October, is known for its copious amount of German food and of course, beer. In 2007, Oktoberfest visitors drank close to 7 million litres of beer alone.

Here at Vista MINI we have our own little October celebration, MotorTober, and we find it only fitting to celebrate with our neighbors at World of Beer, Coconut Creek. That’s why we will be at the WOBtoberfest with some of our favorite MINI Coopers, Clubmans and lots of great giveaways. So make sure to stop by and see us and help us celebrate WOBtoberfest, Motortober style!

Ready to be serenaded by traditional German bands while sipping on some of the finest beers from around the world? Admission is $10/day at the door, or $10 for both days in advance. Guten Tag, friends! Motor On!