Ever have a neighbor, who obviously has no self-confidence or vision, wait until your car arrives at the dealer and on that very day place an order asking to duplicate your car in every detail?

Ours did :evil: . Thinking of cancelling the scheduled pickup appointment and letting the neighbor have the car. Wonder if the doubt of why it suddenly became available would get their goat? At least they would suddenly have some serious doubts.

 

Wow... maybe your neighbor was so impressed by your stylish tastes that he/she just had to be like you. Your neighbor just lacks the creativity to come up with something on their own, too bad. Building your own MINI is what makes it fun!

Has your neighbor done anything like this before?

 

Take delivery of the MINI (make them wait for theirs) and go buy some plastic pink flamingos and lawn jockeys for your front yard. Discuss alien abductions or Elvis sightings every time you see your neighbor. Casually mention that you're considering renting out a room or two to be used as a half-way house for substance-abusing pedophiles. Maybe they'll move!

 

Don't ask this ... I'm just about half crazy over things like this! I would be tempted to do something really bad ! If you were to complain about the car, would they cancel their order? You could be a counter-spy and give them false information... ok I said I was bad!

Either that or I'd make a point to tell them I'm buying things that I'm not, just to see them buy one! I hate that they have done this with a car!

I have a Honda Accord and so done my across the street neighbor. Hers is green and mine is gold. her's is 4 door, mine 2 door. but if she had bought my exact car, that would be almost too much. I might find myself trading it in on a different MINI in about a year, just to have something different.

But I do vote for you to start telling them things that are not true, just to see if they believe you and purchase what you've talked to them about! you know that new riding lawn mower, swimming pool (use expensive things)!!

Or just spray their begonias at 4am with Round UP..... oops, that was mean!

_________________
"Madeline" - MCS CR/W, Stripes, White 16" X-Lites, Xenons, Fogs, DSC, PDC, Auto AC, MFSW, Full Aero Kit and Union Jack !

 

NO, this is her first effort. Not a "repeat" offender, but then she's certainly made the first a doozie. I certainly knew that someone would see my beautiful baby and want one like her, but so far no one in our territory had built one exactly the same as mine. I've decided to accept delivery and simply make her so jealous and anxious that I have one and she does not! LOL

Then I'll find certain ways of keeping my car special - like a new aerial and lights and others.

thanks for all the moral support.

 

Yes, you are correct! you can custom your exterior in many ways!

Does she realize that there are like 8-10 colors she can choose from?

Do you think you could brag about her getting one just like your's to make her change her order? like "oh, Jenny, I can't believe you think my MINI is so cool that you are getting one just like it, instead of custom ordering your own" " Yes, it's soo cool that Jenny and her husband are getting one JUST LIKE IT and you'd think they'd want something different being neighbors and all ".....

Has she ever seen the photos of the other colors? Like the ones here in the Member MINIs ? Perhaps print up a few and take to her and again brag, "look at the cool minis I printed for you. and to think, you like MINE the best of them all, I can't hardly believe it..." but leave the photos with her so she can see there are 100s of color combos that look fantastic.

Do something quick before she gets her production number and can't change her order!!!

Good luck! and love that MINI when it gets here!!!!

 

The same color and all!

OMG, I would be pretty upset that someone wanted to be such a poser, but then again it's a mini and you guys could hang out.

That is unless they are the type that just buy cars for no good reason such as: "oh look at his mini, I want one just because it looks cool, other than that I know nothing about the car."

Then I would never talk to them!

 

i had the same thing happen..
too bad mine looks much better..
time to customize! that's what i've done!

 

I ditto the others ^^^

CUSTOMIZE IT!!!

I was at a meet last week with about 60 MINIs and no two looked alike. Ah, the beauty of the aftermarket.........

 

Not much you all could suggest for "customizing" that was not already spec'd AND COPIED. She asked for and received a complete copy of the order sheet, which detailed the many changes that were made to the standard car, and then asked if anything else was being done! The MSM (and her MA, not mine) told her all the things that I planned to do to the car, which of course my MA knew because I had shared them with her out of entusiasm.

She even has ordered a Zaino car care kit because I did! This is almost unreal.

Pebbles, guess i'll get out the Round-Up.

 

It's flattering that your neighbors think your config matches their personality so perfectly, OR it's major cheap of them to not have any originality of their own.

I've met a handful of others that have the same color config as me, but nobodys is ever identical in every aspect (interior, options, accessories). If that was the case, I might freak out or think we're soul-mates.


--->Pebbles has some GREAT ideas to coax your neighbors to spec their MINI a bit more individually; it's all about the mind-games

Cheers,
Ryan

 

Park your car near her house and put a big sign in the window with "I had mine first."

 

I know exactly what you are talking about. My neighbor actually came out and told me that he liked the Mini, but when he saw it parked in my driveway, it made up his mind to get one. Then he told me that he picked a different color and interior but when he saw mine he got the EXACT SAME CAR!!! What a pr!@k. The only difference is a white roof and mirrors.

It really made me want to go give it in, but I love the care tooooo much!!

Manny

 

A neighbor of mine already complained about my MCS's pending arrival. He said it will be torture seeing my MINI every day...he may not be able to stand it. If he takes the plunge and orders one like mine, I'll just smile. The we'll have a great time motoring together!!!

_________________
<IMG SRC="http://home.comcast.net/~dhelfman/Wa....jpg">

 

>>Not much you all could suggest for "customizing" that was not already spec'd AND COPIED. She asked for and received a complete copy of the order sheet, which detailed the many changes that were made to the standard car, and then asked if anything else was being done! The MSM (and her MA, not mine) told her all the things that I planned to do to the car, which of course my MA knew because I had shared them with her out of entusiasm.
>>
>>She even has ordered a Zaino car care kit because I did! This is almost unreal.
>>

You know this means WAR !!! To quote Daffy Duck !

That is way beyond Unreal. I can't believe the salesmanager would do this to you, knowing the woman is your neighbor.

Ok, warning - mean thinking happening here -

I really want you to start to embarrass her about this. I mean, take her shopping with you - heck, go to Walmart, and all the way there, and each person you see, including the check out clerk,... you just going ON and ON about how she is getting "MY" car. Tell her in the car, "see you'll have MY DASH, MY SEATS, MY STERIO" You'll love MY MFSW, ... I mean, you make it clear, that even though she'll have one, it's really YOURS!

When you get out of the car, mention how much she'll love "MY COLOR" and "MY STRIPES" . Then tell everyone you see that she is your dearest neighbor and she's just ordered a car just like your's just so the two of you can have matching cars.... I mean really make it sound like Jr High School !!

Even if her order has gone in to the factory, she can back out of all the dealer accessories. So you have 2 months to make her sick of your MINI and your details and how she's matching you. Don't make it she is matching your MINI, make it sound like she's such a friend she is getting it to match you. Even joke that if you'd bought the new Honda Accord she could just go down to the lot and have one that's exactly like your's with out the wait an order.... Act like it's her wanting to be just like you. Even say, next car we get, let's get our husbands matching Jeeps... and see if she hears what you are saying and it clicks!!! Even if you have to talk to her this way for 2 months, make her want to change her car's accessories.

or - be a counter spy -
When you pick up your car, start a new line of thinking with the salesmanager. Talk all about buying the JCW kit, or chrome grills, or the aero kit, or Union Jack. I mean you need to imply that in the next month or two you will be adding these things and you are dead serious. Even suggest those R90 17" $2000 wheels are in the mix. I guess I'm saying to give them false information so they trick out your neighbors MINI like they "think" you are going to do yours.... and then you never do it!!!

This is insane that they are discussing your car with her... I am still in shock!

Are there items you were going to get that you could buy from someone other than the dealer? I wouldn't trust the dealer at this point and I'd say "no thanks " and then have your auto shop install it for you. Just so the dealer really doesn't know what your MINI is like. Let the neighbor try to keep up with what you've got by just seeing it on the car! like Did she tint the windows? Dealer says NO, but the neighbor thinks they look darker...

and I'd start lieing to the neighbor too. Lead her to believe that in 2-3 months you are going to do all sorts of things to the car. JCW kit, R90 Wheels... and tell her the same story you are telling the dealer so when they compare notes, they match.

What nerve!

Has she joined MCO and read how the concept is to PERSONALIZE the MINI ??

We are here for you!
Have fun driving your car!
Have fun messing with the neighbor's mind!
Have fun making the neighbor think your getting those R90 17" wheels!
Have fun changing your car after the neighbor's MINI is delivered, watch her try to keep up with all of that!!

 

We've talked about this offlist and it's a real shame. But how about getting some rally lights from MossMINI, or some stripes from CooperFlags or Rogue Engineering, just aftermarket stuff that are a bit more trouble to get installed. I would think anything that could be done at a dealer is just itching to be done by a copy cat with deeper pockets.

I know for me, I don't have the cash to "stay ahead" of anyone that wants to be like me, but I will try to add custom graphics, custom Whalen Shift Machine and interior bits that are harder to copy.


>>Ever have a neighbor, who obviously has no self-confidence or vision, wait until your car arrives at the dealer and on that very day place an order asking to duplicate your car in every detail?
>>
>>Ours did :evil: . Thinking of cancelling the scheduled pickup appointment and letting the neighbor have the car. Wonder if the doubt of why it suddenly became available would get their goat? At least they would suddenly have some serious doubts.

 

i used to live in southern CA and the neighborhood we were in had a good code.
you can't paint your house the same color as your neighbor's, it must be noticably different. now, they should do one against same color, same model cars

 

You know Bound4NW, I was thinking today. The real blame shouldn't be placed on the neighbor. So what if they loved your wifes car so much they had to copy it? It seems the real blame is on our dealer.

It seems to me that because MINI owners pride themselves so much on uniqueness and MINI set out to create a culture, a lifestyle, and way of being called Motoring, they ought to consider privacy as sacred.

That is, our dealer shouldn't have freely given the neighbor the ability to order a duplicate of your car. The choices you made should have remained confidential. I just don't thinkit was right for them to share this information without first asking for your permission!

 

>>Ever have a neighbor, who obviously has no self-confidence or vision, wait until your car arrives at the dealer and on that very day place an order asking to duplicate your car in every detail?
>>
>>Ours did :smile:

_________________
She let's me drive her MCS (which is good, cause I gave it to her as a wedding present)!!!

Our Baby? - she's an 03 Elect Blue (white roof/wheels) MCS, w/ all the toys (premium, cold, h/k, Nav, xenon, fogs etc) !

 

I thought I would semi-bump a post.

I have been seeing an almost twin to my car (DS MCS, 17" R85s, rally lights, only diff is his has a black roof) in my neighborhood. I never know where he goes, he hasn't said anything, and when I go looking for the car all I see are closed garages in the neighborhood. It was to the point where I thought this was a visitor. Well, today we both ended up leaving the development at the same time, so some people were wondering what gives with the two identical little cars driving about.

Hey, are you even here? Fulton, Hunterbrooke area?

 

Ummm...it is a car...who gives a crap...it is not like you are being graded on individuality...

 

That was a weird thread... didn't read it first time around and now I'm kind of wondering why everyone was up in arms about the identical MINIs, but nobody seemed at all phased by the STALKING. Hello? That's some serious creepiness that she went to the dealer and asked for a specific car and... well, anyway, I'd be more concerned about that aspect. Has Bound posted around here lately? Or did the neighbor pilfer his/her social security number and abscond with their identity?

 

>> That's some serious creepiness that she went to the dealer and asked for a specific car and... well, Has Bound posted around here lately? Or did the neighbor pilfer his/her social security number and abscond with their identity?

Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean that someone is NOT out to get you.

Bodysnatchers, could they have targeted Bound4NW?

If you see an identical MINI in your neighborhood, call 1-800-CRIMESTOPPERS.

 

 

It is just a car.
Now you can do something different to it
Mona Cooper