Do not feed after midnight...

Don't get them wet...
They hate bright light...

Or something like that because my collection of mini MINI's continues to multiply and, to be honest- I'm not too happy about it.

I think I realized that I had a problem as I stood in Target today holding my latest treasures (all 3 Italian Job MINI's in mini form) - a small boy walked past me with his mother. He was trying to convince his mom to let him get something from "the toy aisle" and was clearly losing the battle. In a last ditch effort - this little negotiator of about 3 years old- pointed at me and screamed - "But Mommy the man has a toy!" as if to say- "Sheesh mom - even grown men are buying toys- surely you must relent!"


Well the kid didn't win but his mom did toss me a disapproving look like I was some sort of deviant- and suddenly I felt shamed. Then I looked down and read the package in my hand:

"MINI Cooper S (Red with L.A. Road Grime)"

Oh yeah there was definitely something amiss- and I planned to get the bottom of it once I had purchased all three (for $4 a piece...ouch)

While I was walking back to the car I started counting off how many mini MINI's I actually own- the number is too horrible to share...ok I'll tell

17 (I think)

If you ask me that's a damn lot- too many for one man to be ownin'

So what is the attraction to all these little cars? I mean I have no problem with buying toys- that I can deal with- but when I find myself obsessively buying one thing over and over again- it's time to take stock.

I could understand making these purchases if I were waiting to buy a real MINI- but truth be told I had the real one before any of the models. What also perplexes me is that this is money that could be pooled and put to better use- like performance mods for the car...

I think that this whole business is part of some insipidly genius advertising strategy that has been devilishly successful in permeating my entire being. The marketing for MINI has been flawless- they have successfully reached out to a cross- generational market share through a delicate combination of nostalgia, style and the kind of "be part of the revolution" appeal that I have not seen since the likes of the (here it comes) A**le Computer. (I know that's a dirty word - I'll wash my mouth out later).

I am impressed that MINI has been able to not only create a great product- but market it so effectively that I have an almost Pavlovian response to purchase at the site of anything MINI. Now this is not to say that I have gone after every thing MINI that is on the market- I don't own the MINI Cuckoo-Clock, or the MINI- Sunglasses, Wristwatch - or skateboard. But when it comes to the die cast models (in whatever scale) there is something about them that is almost magnetic.

Having said all that- I still think all the little cars are really cool and I don't really mind being part of the MINI revolution. So far I have met some great people at the different events around SoCal and it seems like a very positive thing all around.


This latest group of models are licensed by The Italian Job the movie - and are amazingly well detailed- right down to the painted MINI emblems on the hood.

I have to say that they are higher quality than the Matchbox version that I had previously- and the proportions are closer to those of the real car.

Here are some pics of the cars in and out of their packaging- sorry for the poor quality, I took these with my phone.






I'm not sure what the point of this entry was exactly- I think it was part confessional- part analytical, and part informative for those of you out there who also suffer from "the illness" that comes with MINI ownership (there is something new to buy- run out to Target before they are all gone).

That's all for now- I'm gonna go race my new cars around my desk...

*Note: for those of you who just can't get enough MINIblog and simply must have more- take a look at my unannounced previous post "Wheels at the end of the tunnel" below- if you thought this post showed obsessive behavior you ain't seen nothin yet.


As a wise man once told me "There is a fine line between hobby and mental illness" - man was he right.