The inaugural Southern Mini GP2 Meet-up & Run-out
Discussion
On the back of a few gentle nudges in my Readers Cars thread, I’ve decided to get up off the sofa and put together a meet-up and run-out for fellow GP2 owners. As well as getting the chance to meet a few of you face to face, the spectacle of a convoy and carpark of identical cars is a photo opportunity not to be missed 
Here’s the thoughts so far, so please stick your details down in the thread if you’re interested…
Who?
With only 220 of these cars in the UK, we should be able to rustle-up 5% of them. To make the most of the spectacle and keep the group manageable (Max 10) I think it’s best to stick rigidly to GP2s only. Pretty sure the world doesn’t need another generic Mini meet up and I'm certainly not trying to start an owners club
Co-Pilots very much welcome - just two seats mean we don’t have to worry about a cast of thousands.
What?
Given the choice, I’d always prefer to be driving cars rather than standing around looking at them, but the best of both worlds feels like a quick meet-up somewhere suitable very early one weekend morning, followed by a twisty run-out with some good stops along the way to re-group, photographs and bacon.
Where?
I’m based in the South as are most of the folk who’ve expressed an interest so it’s likely to be Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire or some combination of them. Feels like it would be a shame not to stop by the Cowley plant in Oxford, so that gives you a rough idea. Once we know who’s interested I can try a find something relatively central.
When?
I’m a big fan of early starts, empty roads and good weather so some time between now and end September. I'd aim to get the majority of any driving done by 9am, say 100 miles or so. I’ll use something like Doodle to find the weekend that works for most as I avoid Facebook like the plague. Being car-folk, I'll be sure to avoid stuff like Le Mans weekend.
How?
For now, stick your name and rough location down in the thread and we’ll go from there - if we get less than 10 then great, if we get absolutely loads then we might have to go for first-come-first-served this time around. Final route details including a Google Maps link etc would be distributed close to the date via email.
Questions and suggestions very much welcome! Equally, if there’s already something similar happening and I’ve just missed it, please let me know
In the time-honoured PH tradition, please keep things simple by cut/pasting the whole list of names and then adding yourself to the bottom. Here goes...
MDifficult (Tom) - Berkshire
Here’s the thoughts so far, so please stick your details down in the thread if you’re interested…
Who?
With only 220 of these cars in the UK, we should be able to rustle-up 5% of them. To make the most of the spectacle and keep the group manageable (Max 10) I think it’s best to stick rigidly to GP2s only. Pretty sure the world doesn’t need another generic Mini meet up and I'm certainly not trying to start an owners club
Co-Pilots very much welcome - just two seats mean we don’t have to worry about a cast of thousands.
What?
Given the choice, I’d always prefer to be driving cars rather than standing around looking at them, but the best of both worlds feels like a quick meet-up somewhere suitable very early one weekend morning, followed by a twisty run-out with some good stops along the way to re-group, photographs and bacon.
Where?
I’m based in the South as are most of the folk who’ve expressed an interest so it’s likely to be Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire or some combination of them. Feels like it would be a shame not to stop by the Cowley plant in Oxford, so that gives you a rough idea. Once we know who’s interested I can try a find something relatively central.
When?
I’m a big fan of early starts, empty roads and good weather so some time between now and end September. I'd aim to get the majority of any driving done by 9am, say 100 miles or so. I’ll use something like Doodle to find the weekend that works for most as I avoid Facebook like the plague. Being car-folk, I'll be sure to avoid stuff like Le Mans weekend.
How?
For now, stick your name and rough location down in the thread and we’ll go from there - if we get less than 10 then great, if we get absolutely loads then we might have to go for first-come-first-served this time around. Final route details including a Google Maps link etc would be distributed close to the date via email.
Questions and suggestions very much welcome! Equally, if there’s already something similar happening and I’ve just missed it, please let me know
In the time-honoured PH tradition, please keep things simple by cut/pasting the whole list of names and then adding yourself to the bottom. Here goes...
MDifficult (Tom) - Berkshire
Excellent, welcome Ian!
Getting a good list...
MDifficult (Tom) - Berkshire
The1Driver (Daniel) - Cardiff
mikeyb1987 (Mike) - Cumbria! (but may try to tie it in with a visit to family in Oxfordshire)
NeilAndHisMini (Neil) - West Sussex
lestiq (Chris) - Hampshire
mattf93 (Matt) - Rutland (smallest county in the uk)
Bidsy26- Hampshire
Chris D (Chris) - Berkshire
NUFC (Ian) - Rutland (still the smallest county in the uk, yet has 2 x GP2s!)
I’ll get the voting link out tomorrow to try and pin down some viable dates...
Getting a good list...
MDifficult (Tom) - Berkshire
The1Driver (Daniel) - Cardiff
mikeyb1987 (Mike) - Cumbria! (but may try to tie it in with a visit to family in Oxfordshire)
NeilAndHisMini (Neil) - West Sussex
lestiq (Chris) - Hampshire
mattf93 (Matt) - Rutland (smallest county in the uk)
Bidsy26- Hampshire
Chris D (Chris) - Berkshire
NUFC (Ian) - Rutland (still the smallest county in the uk, yet has 2 x GP2s!)
I’ll get the voting link out tomorrow to try and pin down some viable dates...
Boom! Another name on the list...
MDifficult (Tom) - Berkshire
The1Driver (Daniel) - Cardiff
mikeyb1987 (Mike) - Cumbria! (but may try to tie it in with a visit to family in Oxfordshire)
NeilAndHisMini (Neil) - West Sussex
lestiq (Chris) - Hampshire
mattf93 (Matt) - Rutland (smallest county in the uk)
Bidsy26- Hampshire
Chris D (Chris) - Berkshire
NUFC (Ian) - Rutland (still the smallest county in the uk, yet has 2 x GP2s!)
Graham D (Graham) - Berkshire
MDifficult (Tom) - Berkshire
The1Driver (Daniel) - Cardiff
mikeyb1987 (Mike) - Cumbria! (but may try to tie it in with a visit to family in Oxfordshire)
NeilAndHisMini (Neil) - West Sussex
lestiq (Chris) - Hampshire
mattf93 (Matt) - Rutland (smallest county in the uk)
Bidsy26- Hampshire
Chris D (Chris) - Berkshire
NUFC (Ian) - Rutland (still the smallest county in the uk, yet has 2 x GP2s!)
Graham D (Graham) - Berkshire
Much Success! We're there 
Please can everyone pencil the following dates into their diary:
Sunday 1st July - This is the date. THE DATE.
Sunday 22nd July - In case of pre-publicised national disaster, Icelandic dust-cloud, petrol shortage or other Act of God on the 1st of July, this is the BACKUP date.
Thanks everyone. Mission #1 complete. I'll start work on a suitable route and be back in touch soon.
Please can everyone pencil the following dates into their diary:
Sunday 1st July - This is the date. THE DATE.
Sunday 22nd July - In case of pre-publicised national disaster, Icelandic dust-cloud, petrol shortage or other Act of God on the 1st of July, this is the BACKUP date.
Thanks everyone. Mission #1 complete. I'll start work on a suitable route and be back in touch soon.
Route planning continues and I’m pursuing a couple of people within Mini to see if we can score access to somewhere good for a photo at Cowley. Fingers crossed.
Unfortunately, we’ve had a couple of drop-outs but the will is still strong
MDifficult (Tom) - Berkshire
The1Driver (Daniel) - Cardiff
mikeyb1987 (Mike) - Cumbria! (but may try to tie it in with a visit to family in Oxfordshire)
NeilAndHisMini (Neil) - West Sussex
lestiq (Chris) - Hampshire
mattf93 (Matt) - Rutland (smallest county in the uk)
Bidsy26- Hampshire
Chris D (Chris) - Berkshire
NUFC (Ian) - Rutland (still the smallest county in the uk, yet has 2 x GP2s!)
Graham D (Graham) - Berkshire
Unfortunately, we’ve had a couple of drop-outs but the will is still strong
MDifficult (Tom) - Berkshire
The1Driver (Daniel) - Cardiff
mikeyb1987 (Mike) - Cumbria! (but may try to tie it in with a visit to family in Oxfordshire)
NeilAndHisMini (Neil) - West Sussex
lestiq (Chris) - Hampshire
mattf93 (Matt) - Rutland (smallest county in the uk)
Bidsy26- Hampshire
NUFC (Ian) - Rutland (still the smallest county in the uk, yet has 2 x GP2s!)
Thankfully, my bonnet has PPF which prevents stonechips but has the added benefit of keeping the stickers stuck.
If I ever have to change the PPF though... lots of expensive stickers have to be changed too
We're still definitely on for the 1st. Had a few of the original 10 flake out but that's par-for-the-course. If we can get five on the day i'll be happy!
If I ever have to change the PPF though... lots of expensive stickers have to be changed too
We're still definitely on for the 1st. Had a few of the original 10 flake out but that's par-for-the-course. If we can get five on the day i'll be happy!
mattf93 said:
Interesting you should say this... I have a feeling mine might need doing - can you explain the process/noise that led you to this? My nearside front is making a funny noise at low speed and is a little unsettled?
With mine, and others I’ve spoken to, it seems it’s nearly always the same. A clonking/knocking on very low speed bumps (like gently going over a speed bump) especially when turning at the same time but only after 30 minutes driving when the shock is really warm, which makes it a pain to recreate.
The clonking/knocking gets worse over time, but it always takes the 30 minutes before it does it.
mattf93 said:
Anybody else have this problem? 
(( just noticed it as moving out and needed a clean etc and my go badge has somehow started to peel (looked like a hefty wasp was burrowed underneath at the edge)
Matt, I've sent you a couple of DMs to try to get your email address but don't think I've had a response. I won't be able to get you the route details for you to join us if you don't send me something?(( just noticed it as moving out and needed a clean etc and my go badge has somehow started to peel (looked like a hefty wasp was burrowed underneath at the edge)lestiq said:
Do we have a meeting point decided yet? I'm probably going to be leaving from oxshott area now on sunday. Looking forward to meeting you all.
I'll be dropping out an email shortly to confirm attendees, but route-wise I'm thinking:Main route (for everyone): We meet at the Cowley plant first thing (it's an easy location to get to, and to find), then do a loop out to the cheltenham racecourse, then north east towards Banbury, then south back to Cowley.
Extra options (for those near Reading or who pass through the area to get to Oxford): Reading to Cowley cross-country, do the loop with everyone, then Cowley back to Reading cross country again.
Does that work for everyone?
The1Driver said:
So you're still using it whilst it's knocking?
I need to arrange a time to head to Lohen. Won't bother going to Mini.
I used mine for quite a while when it was knocking - one of those situations where I could feel it but had to wait for it to get worse before anyone else could, in order to get it diagnosed and fixed.I need to arrange a time to head to Lohen. Won't bother going to Mini.
Everyone (even those who’ve dropped out) should now have an email from me with the basic route.
For those that are coming, I’ll shortly be sending out a link which includes the following navigational aids. I know it’s a convoy but I also know the paranoia of potentially getting lost or separated!
I’ll be sharing the following to hopefully accommodate everyone:
1. A Google My Maps link (showing route and waypoints)
2. A Google Maps navigation link (open this on your mobile and it should put the waypoints into Google Maps app allowing you to navigate directly from your phone).
3. A text list of waypoints that you can type into your nav app of choice
4. A KML file you can load into your sat nav device
If you still get lost with all that, Magellan himself couldn’t help you
For those that are coming, I’ll shortly be sending out a link which includes the following navigational aids. I know it’s a convoy but I also know the paranoia of potentially getting lost or separated!
I’ll be sharing the following to hopefully accommodate everyone:
1. A Google My Maps link (showing route and waypoints)
2. A Google Maps navigation link (open this on your mobile and it should put the waypoints into Google Maps app allowing you to navigate directly from your phone).
3. A text list of waypoints that you can type into your nav app of choice
4. A KML file you can load into your sat nav device
If you still get lost with all that, Magellan himself couldn’t help you
Edited by MDifficult on Wednesday 27th June 06:50
mattf93 said:
Same boat as me - daily driver. had a few conversations with GP2 owners... common noise, quite a few switch to KW when the bill steins finally give up the ghost. Apparently engine mounts as soft as butter which is what can make a racket too!
Hey Matt, are you joining us Sunday? You should have all the details in your inbox but you're the only person I've not had a reply from 
Gassing Station | New MINIs | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff