Mini mania is selling it on there site. Its a reasonable price and looks cool. I was gonna pay 275 for 3m clear bra. This should gurantee no scratches but only normal nicks from debris. I will probably also order the side bars to match it. Any issues or opinions?

 

I wouldn't normally post but since you asked for opinions.

I think both the front and side bars are hideous. But its your car, do what you think looks good.

What I really don't understand is what possible purpose they could serve. To protect you in a crash? Those things don't even protect SUV's (opinion based on personal experience) in collisions let alone a Mini.

I see your near NYC are hoping they'll protect from bad parallel parkers? I suppose that might be feasible but for me the costs would outweigh the gains.

 

I think it looks horrible. Each to their own.

 

It's a good idea if you don't mind your car looking absolutely hideous!

 

I kind of like the rally car look. The bumper in chrome with some giant driving lights on it...that would be cool!

Edits: I see it's 3:1 against...

 

Wait... do you have the link to it? I think I might be thinking of the wrong thing.

 

I think he's talking about this:

http://new.minimania.com/web/Item/G2.../InvDetail.cfm

 

here are my thoughts on this:

1. Hideous looking. Really take away from the MINI's good looks

2. Have you read the front guard mounting instructions.

a. Theh upper mounting brackets run across in front of the radiator so and from the pictures are so close that ANY hit to the bumper guard will cause damage to the radiator (i.e. possible hole and a very expensive repair not covered by warranty)

b. Bottom brackets are only attached to what looks like plastic and not anything really solid.

3. Did I say this is ugly. Well IMHO it is.

4. Side Bars look even worse than the front guard.

5. After reading thru the instructions for the side bars there is no way that they can hold any weight so if you do mput them on do not step on them the will bend downwards and look even worse when the are not level against the car. They do not mount to any real frame member only to the floor pan which is not designed to take the kind of stress of standing on these.

6. Oh did in mention they are also very ugly. Well IMHO they are.

 

So you want an SUV

 

I've seen Minis stretched for Limos, I've seen Minis with giant wagon wheels and little bitty tires, I saw one with a big aluminum wing bolted on the roof. Somewhere, somebody is running 22's, somebody has gull-wing doors and there might even be a Mini with a V8 crammed under the hood. There's even a pink one on this forum, I think.

Each to his own. I think the Mini, in well done rally car kit, would look pretty cool. And it would be unusual.

Somebody, somewhere is probably driving a Mini right now with hydraulics...

 

MiniMania's grille guard does look like crap, but I did see a cool looking one once that I can't seem to find.

Oh, and jgohlke, there IS a MINI v8!

 

That's great! It's completely ridiculous, but it's great!

 

Everybody to their own taste...not on mine!! Reminds me too much of an offroad or offraod rally vehicle.