I wrote an email to MINI complaining about their actions against MCO. Here is their reply (I'm impressed that they replied so quickly). Pay close attention in their reply to the enthusiast-only portion.

--Original Message--


I have recently discovered that MINI/BMW is pressing legal issues against
minicooperonline.com
This seems an unconscionable act as it only hurts the MINI community and
produces bad feelings against MINI/BMW.
There is only supportive information for MINI owners on the website and it
gives us a place to communicate not just with other MINI owners (like
miniusa.com) but also allows us to communicate with owners of other
vehicles so that we can compare problems/solutions.
There are numerous problems with the MINI Cooper that most of us overlook
simply because we have a community that will help and support us.
By trying to take away a wealth of information such as minicooperonline.com
you are simply irritating your current and prospective customers (me
included). This doesn't seem to serve any purpose other than increasing
MINI's attempted monopoly on accessories while decreasing sales of the
actual automobile.
I hope that MINI/BMW sees the folly of its ways and calls off its lawyers.
Otherwise many of us will be forced to bring in our MINIs for service
rather than having the ability to fix the problems ourselves. That of
course, would make the JD Power numbers for next year look like what they
should have looked like this yer (much worse).


Their reply:

Hello Mark, thanks for your e-mail. On behalf of MINI USA, thank you for your comments regarding this issue, and we are sorry to hear of your concerns.

With reference to our trademark protection, we have no wish to prevent independent businesses from trading. However, just like any other business, MINI USA is duty bound to defend its MINI trademarks, and also needs to ensure that consumers clearly understand when they are dealing with official MINI outlets.

Also, we wish to make clear that we do distinguish between enthusiast and commercial websites. We welcome enthusiast-only websites, and they are free to use the MINI wordmark in their domain names, tradenames and otherwise, as long as they are clear that the sites are independent of MINI.

To ensure our trademarks are protected, we ask that third parties engaged in commercial MINI-related activities make clear that they are not officially licensed, and limit themselves to “fair use” textural references to MINI in their literature. For example, a commercial website may not use MINI in its domain name or tradename, nor may it make trademark use of the MINI mark. It must ensure there is no suggestion that it is an authorized, licensed, sponsored or affiliated MINI portal. Neither enthusiast nor commercial sites may use the MINI logo or any imitation thereof without permission.

We hope that you understand our obligation to protect the MINI trademarks. Again, thank you for your comments and concerns.

Sincerely,
Emily Hatley
MINI Division
866-ASK-MINI

 

Yeah, everyone who e-mailed them got that same exact cut-n-paste response.

 

Ah, I see. I figured as much.

I put it here because I have problems weeding through the pages and pages of posts on the issue.

 

Smart move... Those threads regarding the Legal problems are getting so long! What upsets me is, I wonder if anyone is even reading the emails we sent. I am beginning to think they probably quit reading after the first few hundred. LOL.