very busy already

Still not open yet and big line of Minis at the gate. Roll on 10 when we open, it sure looks like a busy day is on the way.

Just arrived at Himley

8.15 and the show is ready to go, the showground is filling up. We passed a number of Minis on the drive to the show. Come on down and see us and win this Mini for only £1

Blog Updates for Himley Hall

We are going to try something new this year at Himley by sending updates to our blog during the day at : http://mini-driver.blogspot.com

This is perfect for anyone who is unable to make it to our British Mini Day at  Himley Hall 2008 and would like to be kept upto date.Please bear in mind this is all new to us and we will try our best to make this work

To receive up-to-date British Mini Club information and promotions, you can elect to receive these new blog posts automatically as emails by entering their email address at www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=1603145

5m drivers to pay more road tax

Five million drivers will pay £50 or £90 extra in road tax next year because of the Government's decision to include older family cars in new higher tax bands.

Treasury figures show that a million of those will incur at least another £130 rise the following year, meaning that their road tax will have more than doubled over two years.

By 2010, 16 million drivers will be paying more tax than they are now, contradicting the Government's claim in the March Budge that "as a result of these changes the majority of drivers will be better or no worse off".

Last week it emerged that the Government had abolished the exemption from higher road tax rates for cars that emit more than 180 g/km of CO2 and were registered between March 2001 and March 2006.

Figures released by the Treasury show that 2.4m drivers will fall into the new Band J from April 1 next year and will become liable for £260 in road tax, up from £170 to £210 this year. Another 2.4m will be in Band K and pay £300, an increase of £90. (The Times: May 3).

Government gears up to announce driver test reforms

Major changes in the way 'L' drivers are taught are expected to be announced by the Government later this week.

The changes, which would effectively result in the driving age being increased from 17 to 18, will be revealed in a Driving Standards Agency consultation document.

The long-awaited document will put forward a series of initiatives designed to reduce the number of newly qualified drivers involved in road crashes.

Speculation on what the proposals will include revolves around:

• A ban on parents teaching their children to drive
• Compulsory lessons from a Government-approved instructor
• An extended 'L' test period that would in effect mean that young drivers could not obtain a full licence until they are 18
• A tougher driving test

However, suggestions that young drivers could face a zero drink-drive limit, a night-time curfew and a limit on how many passengers they car in their cars are unlikely to be included in the proposals.

There has also been speculation that a 16.5% rise in the cost of a driving test to £56.50 with the theory test increasing by 5.3% to £30 on April 1 could deter youngsters from taking the exams thus increasing the numbers of unlicensed, uninsured and untaxed drivers. (Daily Telegraph/The Times: May 3/Daily Mail: May 5).

Brown to postpone October fuel duty rise?

Speculation is mounting that Prime Minister Gordon Brown may postpone the scheduled 2p a litre rise in fuel duty in October following Labour's disastrous showing in last Thursday's (May 1) local elections.

As the Prime Minister fights back to save his leadership, a postponement of the rise in the light of all-time high pump prices is being viewed as a likely possibility.

Meanwhile, drivers in the south of England are paying almost £2 a tank more to fill up than motorists in the North or in Scotland, according to a survey by the Sunday Telegraph.

Campaign groups have criticised the difference in prices claiming that drivers were not getting a 'fair deal'.

The survey, which compared petrol prices from website petrolprice.com, found that the most expensive petrol was in Dover, an average of 111.4p a litre costing a motorist with an average sized family car £61.30 to fill their tank. Meanwhile, in Edinburgh the cost was 108.5p a litre, or £59.70 for a tank - a difference of £1.60.

Diesel price differences were even greater, with a litre costing an average 118.6p in Edinburgh, compared with 122.2p in Dover - a difference of £1.98 a tank. (Sunday Telegraph and national newspapers: May 5).

New London Mayor to focus on congestion charge shake-up

London's new Mayor Boris Johnson could make a shake-up in the capital's congestion charge one of his first policy decisions.

During his election campaign to take over as Mayor from Ken Livingstone, Mr Johnson pledged to reform the congestion charge and scrap plans for a £25 charge on the most polluting cars entering the charging zone, which was due to be introduced in October.

While, there has been no official word on the move following last Thursday's (May 1) election, there has also been speculation that Mr Johnson could alter the current boundaries of the congestion charge with the western extension, which was introduced in February last year and includes most of the boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster, a possible subject for further consultation.

Already Andy Goss, managing director of Porsche in the UK, has called on Mr Johnson to scrap the proposed £25 charge for gas-guzzlers. Porsche is waging a legal campaign against the measure. (National newspapers: May 5).

Vote deals blow to Manchester congestion charge bid

Plans to introduce congestion charging in Manchester are in disarray after the policy's strongest supporter lost his seat in last Thursday's (May 1) council elections to an anti-charging candidate.

Roger Jones, the Labour chairman of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority, was pushed into third place in Salford. His seat was won by the Community Action Party, which ran a campaign based on opposition to the £5 daily peak period congestion charge proposed by Mr Jones.

With the Conservatives coming second in what was a safe Labour seat, the result will make other councillors cautious about supporting congestion charging.

The Government has been hoping that Manchester and Cambridge would be the next two major UK cities to introduce widespread congestion charging after London.

Manchester Against Road Tolls, which campaigned for CAP, said: "This result proves beyond doubt that the congestion charge is a cast-iron vote loser." (The Times: May 6).

Biofuel in diesel 'wrecks engines'

Thousands of motorists could face huge repair bills following complaints that biofuels introduced by the Government can cause jellyfish-like blobs that destroy engines.

Since April 15, all petrol and diesel sold on forecourts has had to contain 2.5% biofuel, which is typically made from crops and vegetables.

But, experts say the fuel is having a crippling effect on some vehicles, particularly those using diesel because not all garage tanks have been properly cleaned.

It means bacteria are getting into the fuel and reacting with its vegetable and cereal base, producing 'blobby' lumps that can clog filters increase engine wear and destroy pipes and seals.

Since the biofuel content was introduced, garages claim to have taken an increasing number of complaints from motorists who have unwittingly introduced the contamination into their fuel tanks.

Garages are now being warned that they must flush out their fuel tanks regularly to prevent problems.

A Department for Transport spokesman said 'strict quality standards' were in place for biofuels but 'there needs to be good housekeeping at fuel stations'. (Daily Mail: May 6).

The Mini Personality

David “Diddy” Hamilton is one of Britain’s best-loved radio and TV presenters and he knows an opportunity to have fun when he sees one. When the private registration D1 DDY came up for sale in 1990, he could not resist it. Acquiring the plate for £5,000, he put it straight onto his red Mini Cooper and has been overwhelmed by the positive comments he has received since.

Although the Mini is a small vehicle physically, it has a BIG personality. With its unique shape, charm, and ability to fit into the tightest of spaces, the Mini has character and, as David Hamilton demonstrates, one way of making this all the more apparent is to purchase a personalised number plate.

Private registrations may once have been seen as a way of showing off, but this view is becoming extinct as motorists recognise the opportunity to show some personality and have fun.

Being the owner of a Mini is great because there are so many plate options available. A Mini can be silly, or stylish – it really depends on the character one is wishing to portray. One option is to find synonyms for the word Mini and one could easily come up with the following examples for an ideal registration:

D11 DDY T17 CHY M11 DGT

W333 NEY T31 TCH T1 NYT

Another idea is to highlight the Mini’s less than “T17 CHY” personality by displaying a plate like the ones shown below:

BIG 5 LAR 6E D124 GON B1 GGY B11 LKY

Or perhaps the paradox, B16 ELF, would be an interesting addition to one’s motor?

For those who would like their number plate to relate to their particular model, there are suitable registrations also available. For an owner of the fashionable Mini Cooper, how about purchasing a plate, such as COO7 PER, CD04 PER or S600 PER? Or for a driver of 2005’s six metres long, limo-inspired Mini XXL, there are plates such as M8 XXL available.

Even A-List celebrities cannot resist the temptations of the Mini. Madonna, Sting, Goldie Hawn and Elijah Wood have all owned or currently own one. It is particularly fitting for Mini Cooper driver, Elijah Wood, who famously played the hobbit, Frodo Baggins in the hit Lord of the Rings trilogy. Perhaps a perfect plate for him could be T1 NYH (Tiny Hobbit) or HOB 1?

With the vast variety of plates now available, buying a plate need not break the bank and there is sure to be a plate to suit everyone. It could be the start of a Mini adventure!

Like your own personal number plate. bet you can find it on www.regtransfers.co.uk