Now that I'm a new MINI owner as of last Saturday, I'd be interested in hearing some info about the various clubs in the area. I'm near San Diego, but would consider traveling north for certain events at times. I'd especially like to know what type of events the clubs do, demographic, social vs. enthusiast oriented, etc.
Thanks for any input.
DD

 

http://ssocmcc.net/index.php

http://www.westcoastminiclub.org/

http://www.scmm.org/ <---website down at time of posting

 

SSOCMCC are having a meet-up in Newport Beach on Sunday - Muldoons Irish Pub for dinner (and maybe a brew)....

You are more than welcome to join us !

 

Cooper Club for Charities (C3) - A MINI COOPER club supporting charities across the nation.
Location: members generally from Los Angeles and Orange County

• C3 forum on NAM
• C3 website

Mini Owners of America Los Angeles (MOALA) - Established in 1964, Mini Owners of America Los Angeles (MOALA) is America’s longest running Mini club.
Location: members generally from Los Angeles and Orange County

• MOALA forum on NAM
• MOALA website

Mininuts
Location: Members from across L.A., but mostly in the West L.A. area.

• Mininuts website

Motoring Underground (m|u)
Location: Members nationwide, with members from across Southern California

• m|u forum on NAM
• m|u website

SoCal MINI Maniacs (SCMM)
Location: Southern California

• SCMM website

Super Secret Orange County MINI Cooper Club (SSOCMCC)
Location: Orange County

• SSOCMCC

West Coast MINIs (WCM)
Location: Primarily San Diego

• WCM website

 

Hey DD..welcome to MINI-dom!

Since you're in San Diego but you're willing to come north for some events, I presume you're probably north of San Diego and south of carlsbad.

I would definitely recommend West Coast MINIs for the San Diego area...they are a small, close knit group of MINI enthusiasts.

Since you're interested in coming north for other events, I invite you to join SCMM and become a MINIac. SCMM usually sponsors an event every weekend usually breakfast or lunch get togethers. For San Diego, we have our SCMM breakfast every 4th Saturday of every month. After breakfast, we usually go for a run. I'm in south OC and I have been to 2 San Diego events and they have been much fun (well up until the point I crashed my MINI on Mesa Grande road near Palomar). Here are some of other routine monthly events: 1st Sat of every month - Malibu Breakfast @ Coogie's - we typically have around 30 MINIs that show; every 2nd Sat of every month - Seal/Long Beach Breakfast @ Ruby's Diner - we typically have over 20 MINIs there; 2nd Sunday of every month - Inland Empire lunch @ Heroe's in Claremont - about 10-20 MINIs; Every 3rd Saturday is typically reserved for a club event (for instance last month we went up to Solvang as a club and stopped in at Moss MINI); 4th Sat is San Diego breakfast; 4th Sunday is the OC G2G @ Neighborhood Cup in Aliso Viejo. Like I said, we sometimes go for runs on twisties after the LA, IE, and San Diego G2Gs. SCMM is a very social club with MINI owners from all over CA and outside the state. Check out SCMM's website and look at our message boards to get an idea of what our club has to offer in terms of local MINI research and fun, sociable events.

Motor On!

 

Thanks for the info and invites! Do any of the clubs have a focus on auto sports such as autocross, rallys, etc.? I was a member of the Long Beach MG club many years ago, and we did lots of those things--I know they are still around, and I may join back up. Also looking forward to checking out the clubs mentioned.
Thanks again

 

Check out all the club's message boards. I know a lot of SCMM members auto-x or track their cars. Dave Bunting (look above) also posts a lot of auto-x info on here.

 

At the San Diego and L.A. BMWCCA Autocross events we usually have a pretty large MINI field (10-20). Most of the drivers there are from Motoring Underground, Mininuts, and C3. At the San Diego BMWCCA autocross we also occasionally get some WCM spectators. SCCA autocross has a lot fewer MINIs running (maybe 3), and it's mostly people that aren't a member of any MINI club.