Since 2006 is still fresh in our minds i thought it would be best to get your idea's now.

What would you change or add to MOTD for 2007?

1) Add into the schedule somewhere or somehow a big meet so we can try to get almost everybody in town all in one place at one time. I would suggest at the base of the Fontana Dam for some kind of Car show or something. And have someone at the entrance with a clicker counting cars in and out to see how many we have in all at one point.

2) Change the Lanyard Badges so they are actually useful. The person's name and Screenname is sooooo small that i still have no clue who is who unless i see them with their cars and even then they have to have a pretty well known car. The person's ScreenName should be on the bottom of the tag in huge type and on both sides so you can see who is who from at least a few feet away. I'll post a photoshop a little later to illustrate what i'm saying.

3) Give more use to the Registration packages for the $$$. By my count of 612 registrations and with 242 being basic that comes out to around $18,000 taken in. Now alot of that goes into the goodies that came in the $40 registration T-Shirt, Bottle, Lanyard, etc..... But other than the goodies i never used my registration for anything else at the event, neither did i use my one basic registration that i bought for anything. We were told we would need it to be part of events, but all the events had to be paid extra for?????
I'm very on the fence on if i should buy any registrations for next year because i didn't see the use......

4) Get MINIUSA involved! 4 years now and nearly 1000 MINI crazed people all in on place at one time they should really get involved and help the event as an invited VENDOR....

5) I'm willing to volunteer to keep an up to date and detailed Schedule of Events thread or something for MOTD 07 if anybody wants. I think the hardest thing for me as a first timer this year was trying to figure out everything that was going on and when before i got there. I couldn't find a thread with a comprehensive list of all the events, big or small.

Hopefully the organizers will look at this as constructive critisim to help future MOTD's become bigger and better for the MINI community. I've helped in event planning before and i know how incredible it is that you guys are pulling off such large event with a group of volunteers so far. I applaud you guys and i hope you keep doing it for many years in the future.

 

Getting big corporations like MINI-USA involved would be tragic. MOTD should be kept as grass-roots as possible.

The small little specialty events that individuals or small groups put together were great!

Id' rather see a lot more people do a lot more small fun events than have a huge sponsor come in and control what has always been a grass-roots event hosted by a loosely associated group of clubs, individuals, etc.

 

I agree with the comment above about the badges. They were really hard to read. It would be great to include people's signatures as well for us "visual" people who don't look at the names all the time, but regonize the signatures.

Also, what about TECHNICAL SEMINARS? Considering how much people love to mod their cars, it would be great if the vendors could be coaxed into doing this. I bet attendance would be high.

 

I agree. Camp Jeep suffered from this; very few non-Jeep vendors, and a limited list of activities, in a fenced-off, ID-checked area.

 

Well allow me to be blunt.......

As a former member of MINICOOPERONLINE.COM I say let BMW/MINIUSA stay the hell AWAY from MOTD.

Mark F. can I get an AMEN?

You do not want these corporate idiots ANYWHERE NEAR IT, they will be writing VINs of modded cars down for warrantee cancelations if they are there.

Can I get an AMEN from Cooper Flags?

You need to DIG in the old threads to see how much you DON'T want MINIUSA around. they TRIED to shut down this very site.

 

MINIUSA is a must! It seems appropriate for them to do the welcome dinner.

Small events are great! Personally, the Chili Cook-off was very well organized and a blast for all ages! (however, I could be a little biased - AtlMINIs rock!)

My biggest wish would be for the rain to be controlled a little better! We'll have to work on that for next time

More venders/installers! never can have too many - my husband would have put an exhaust on his car in a heart beat, but couldn't find anyone to do it!

It was my husband's & my first time, so we thought it was great. glass half full here!

 

Is there already a club selected to oversee next year's event?

Another idea would be for the vendors to get together and rent one huge tent to cover up the whole parking area they were in this year. I don't think Fontana Village would have a problem if no through traffic would be allowed there would they? It would have been great to walk to each vendor without getting rained on, and they would have had a lot more room for their items if the whole lot could be used.

I really enjoyed the vendor part of the Dragon this year, it was a great way to kill time while waiting for other events.

 

Ahhhh. . . didn't know that about MINI USA!?

 

Thanks Xanthus.

If MINI-USA cared about creating the kind of community event that we have done all by ourselves, they would have done it 4 years ago.

 

I will say it again BMW/MINIUSA tries to shut down Mark Furgeson with a nasty legal team at their side.

They also have issues bulletins asking YOUR SERVICE PROVIDERS to make note of VIN#s attached to modded cars so they can make sure to cancel warranties.

You want NONE of their involvement.

Get them in and the event may need to be called MOTORING on the Dragon.

Seriously, I have been here a while, I am sometimes rude and outspoken, but please trust me on this one.

 

Preach on my friend.

I was here from #2 on

 

Personally (and I know I'm odd man out here), I have a less is more attitude. I understand organizing the dinners purely from a functional angle.. many people don't want to go out on their own and find food, not to mention that local restaurants probably couldn't even handle the volume. The dinners make sense. Aside from that and perhaps the parade, I'm a fan of keeping events and organization and general hoopla to a minimum. The organizers put in a ridiculous amount of work as is and I can't really imagine asking them to do even more.

The placement of the vendors this year is my one and only complaint. And yes, this time its really a complaint. The 2nd tier of the Adventure center parking lot is a huge traffic area. It got so incredibly congested at times. I know when I went to the Welcome Dinner last year, there wasn't enough parking. Having the vendors in the area gave even less parking. We had people parking in our cabin driveway b/c there was nowhere else to go. If there must be a vendor area, I think it works best down by the general store. If they can't be contained to that area, then perhaps there are simply too many vendors.

 

I agree parking is limited to begin with, I understand they want to be seen and well I agree and support this, I just think we need a little more creativity especially as next year is due to be way bigger.

The trouble is the shortage of LEVEL HARD SURFACES to get the work done on. Perhaps vendors with no need to jack up cars ought to be on the ball field or something? Just a thought.

 

MINIUSA was involved at the Dragon. They underwrote a large portion of the Drive-in movie, thus allowing 100% of the entry fee to go to the Victory Junction Gang.

I, for one, was very impressed that they would step up to underwrite that expense. I have never seen another car company willing to invest in events that they were not present.

 

The roads going through Fontana Village are actually public, not private, roads. I don't see how they could close them off other than for short-term, 60-90 minute events. But I hear ya on protecting the vendors from the elements.

MOTD has always been a grassroots event planned by individuals and clubs. If it becomes more commercial, like by involving MINIUSA, you can bet that the expenses will go way up.

I prefer to keep it the way it has been: dinner events nightly, and then more free-form DIY-type drives/tours/auto-xs during the day, as well as the traditional Dam gathering and parade. It has worked well.

What really needs to happen is for prior organizers to mentor/advise the next group handling each individual "official" event. No need to have to start from scratch each time. And the planners need a dedicated forum to discuss everything so that events do not needlessly overlap, and to prevent repeat dinner menus, as well.

My .02...

 

Yes i remember when MINIUSA made this site change its name and that was a bit tragic....

But it wouldn't seem that MINIUSA is anywhere near as evil as you say. They aren't pulling stunts like Mitsu and Subaru have pulled with the EVO and STi. Remember, if you look for things like that you will never find one company out there that doesn't do things like that. So where are you going to buy your next car? Its basically taking the lesser or the evils basically and i beleive MINI has our interests in mind.

IF they want to void warranties why have they actually paid some of us for RACING and modding our cars??

Alot of you have REALLY jumped the gun and taken the suggestion incorrectly. NAM and DC Metro MINI's still have full control of the event. It would be up to them to invite and control what, when and where MINIUSA were to do anything if they were part of the event. I wasn't suggesting they take control, suggesting on inviting them as a vendor. But a large company like MINIUSA can bring in alot of cool additions to a small event like this to help make it even better. And if for some reason they make a mess of things then you just don't invite them back the next year. Funny thing is that the entire event is basically about us all celebrating the great product we have all bought from this company, was trying to get them involved in their customers and what they want.

Anyways, anybody else have some additions or suggestions?

 

MINIUSA has underwritten and sponsor several Minis of Miami events though our local dealership. I just disagree with those of you who say that MINIUSA should stay away from the Dragon. Quite on the contrary, MINIUSA is always willing to sponsor "Grass roots" enthusiast events. It is good business for them (More exposure) and good for the enthusiasts who benefit from such backing.

If memory serves me right, I believe MINIUSA introduced the MINI Convertible during MOTD 2004. No one protested their presence back then.

The "Minicooperonline" "Fiasco" is a totally and completely different matter frineds. BMW owns and has copyrights to the name whether you like it or not.

I agree with Thameth's comments and I for one, would like to see MINIUSA having greater involvment not only in future MOTD but other events at the local and national level.

 

Clo, I just don't see how MINIUSA's involvement in the planning/financial support of the dragon is going to drive expenses way up??

 

I posted this in a PM to someone that asked, and yes I am blunt, it's part of my charm.


_____________________________________________
This site used to be called Minicooperonline. MINIUSA got into a LONG legal game with Mark Furgeson about it as well as the battle with Cooper Flags over their name and logos. Feel free to ask either of them about the nasty details. The fact that they ARE BMW has to never be forgotten. This is not the Morris, Austin, or Mini company of the past, this is the maker of the BMW, and they are a corporate monster. There ARE bulletins that were posted to service techs to notify them of all VINs of modified cars. Most of the techs ignore this, but that fact that they have been asked to do it is offensive. MINIUSA does not care about cornering, motoring, or fun, they are a PROFIT MACHNE and we are better keeping them at arms length. If profit is made form MOTD it will need to be called MOTORING on the Dragon and have no MINI logo or likeness in its artwork, Crossroads will be asked not to sell the MINI badge Dragon, and many other awful things.

Please trust those of us who have witnessed MINIUSAs ugly side, we want them to keep their distance, we have done WELL without them and will continue to do so. They will eventually try to step in I believe, and well that will be a sad day.
__________________________________________________ __

On the CF and MCO thing MCO SMOKED the Owners Lounge, hell MINIUSA would have become STRONGER HIRING Mark to run things and the CRAP DECALS from the dealer could have been contracted from Cooper Flags, allowing DEALERS to offer you the amazing choices of products CF offers you. Instead on BOTH occasions BMW/MINIUSA would rather use a hammer to smash those in their path.

I agree with Clo on this 100%, smaller is better in some ways. In some ways MOTD 2 and 3 were better than 4 BECAUSE they were smaller, but that is not to say I did not have an absolute BLAST at this past event and know next years EVEN LARGER event will also be fun. My worry was we would have a fatality due to more people = more danger and well we only lost A CAR, and the driver is still here to enjoy next year. Corporate BS would hurt more than help, in addition allot of us old MCO vets have a BAD TASTE in our moth that will not soon fade.

 

Ok now ALL LOGOS that look like the MINI one will be GONE, all mention of MINI Cooper will be removed, including the MINI wings with the dragon at the local shops, need I go on?

 

I agree in no way with what was done with the whole MCO fiasco, but ironically NorthAmericanMotoring (aka NAM) is much better for it.

Honda has also stepped on small sites for use of their name for ethusiast websites and so have others.

We didn't use Ford Focus in the name on our website ( www.Focaljet.com ) from the beginning because of what Honda did with those sites.

It seems like MINIUSA may have turned a corner lately and seems to be a bit more on our side as enthusiasts.

 

Xanthus, they own the MINI brand. What else can I say? Talk to a copyright attorney if there is something you don't understand about that.

Personally, I just get a little sick and tired of all the "demonization" of MINIUSA going on in this site. I have to say that in my years of owning many, many cars from different brands, MINIUSA has been one of the nicest and most refreshing experiences so far.

 

They don't have to be included for that to happen.... They can do that NOW if they wanted, its copyright infringement.

But they haven't. Also people thinking that there is noone from MINIUSA at these events are probably a little bit mistaken. There were many rumors that a car or two at MOTD this year were from MINIUSA. Hell i kept getting mistaken for that person because i had my contigency magnets on the car

 

See the prescedent THEY want is to VOID ALL WARRANTY if ANYTHING is modded (not cosmetics of course).

You see SOMETIMES parts in a modded car fail that ARE NOT DUE TO THE MODS but to manufacturing errors and well that ought to be covered. But BMW/MINIUSA as well as ALL CORPORATE COMPANIES have a team of bean counters coming up with ways to make the bottom line better, and well this is another of them.

One Tech who I will not name saw a modded car and had their customer sign a paper that they may have to pay in full to fix the pinging in the engine if it was due to the pulley they had installed. The issue ended up not to be related and thus it was warrantied. BMW/MINIUSA just want's to say no to ALL of them.

 

Agreed Joe. Fact: NAM is the biggest online enthusiast MINI community. Fact: Even after the "MCO" fiasco in 2003, Mark Ferguson is still the owner of the site and he is for sure turned what started as a hobby into a very profitable business venture.

All the "Evil" MINIUSA did was to ask him to change the MCO name for something else. They never shutdown the site and NAM today thrives in all forefronts of the community.

What is the big deal by bringing back the MCO deal? Why keep beating that dead horse?