Hooked on MINIs presented by Mini Mania & Hooked on Driving!

An event sponsored by Mini Mania that was almost a “not happening” experience, turned into a very special day. For 2 days before this “MINIs only driving experience, the rain was constant and for many of us it was actually snow! The Mini Mania tow rig was 6” deep in snow on the actual morning of the event. As this event required pre-registration, those of us that had made a commitment were for the most part dedicated to arrive at the track regardless of a weather forecast. As the track is typically at least a couple hour drive for most of us, it was simply a matter of faith that the forecast for only a ‘few showers’ would be worst case. In my situation, the decision was not if I should chance the weather but rather do I take the chance to take the big rig (covered in snow) or perhaps simply hop into the 2005 MINI Convertible. After-all, the event was to be a driving experience and not a race. No real reason to take the Mini Mania race MINI except for testing.

When Friday morning arrived and I found no new snow on the ground, it became too tempting; it was time to test the rig in the snow! Within 20 minutes of leaving the drive way all the snow was gone and thus it proved a great decision. At least thus far, as I probably would not drive a race car on a wet race track even at slow speeds. Two and a half hours later and not only had I not seen a drop of rain enroute, once at the track - not even a cloud in the sky. A great day with perfect temperatures was sure to be in store for all of us! One of the key features of this type of experience is provide an ultra-safe opportunity for a driver to use their car to better understand both its capabilities and your ability to enjoy it! These events make a major effort to avoid any connection with a race. It is rather simply a driving experience that can actually be assured to be safer simply because it is held on a closed course.

The actual event experience began a week or so before the date at the track. This “Hooked on Driving” organization has a fantastic methodology in insure every first time participants will arrive at the track with a great foundation for what experience they will have for the day. The Hooked On Driving’s “Getting on Track” DVD is mailed to first timer in plenty of time for review and even potential study prior to the event. This second generation video provides:
1- 50 minutes of performance driving demonstrations, skills instruction and great advice
2- Aerial shots of what a “late apex is all about”
3- Tips from BMW tuner Steve Dinan on car preparation for performance driving
4- Daytona 24 hour winner Randy Pobst does an in-car lesson in a Mazdaspeed6 on how to learn the line
5- Finally! A close-up view, and clear explanation of “heel and toe” shifting done in a Roush Mustang Stage III
6- Awesome footage of sports cars on track, including the Stillen G35 Supercharged Coupe running in a controlled environment during a “track day”

Another great feature of this organization is the level of driving coaches available during the event. All the participants are divided into groups according to experience levels. For many drivers this may be only the latest in dozens of events were they have experienced the joys of driving while others are not even sure if they will enjoy it! The coaching level is such that EVERY first timer will have an experienced driving coach with them in the passenger seat, every time they are on the course. These same coaches are available to all groups - even the most experienced - as many of them are current road racers with many, many years of experience in all kinds of cars. As it turned out for this event, the number of people with varied experience was about equal. Thus at no time were they short of experienced coaches nor was the course ever so crowded that one could feel any concerns about how close another car might be. It was a great balance! The make-up of the various groups was also very similar in age and background, with the young and old, male and female all represented well. It is not uncommon to find a husband and wife sharing the same family car in different run groups. The vast majority of the MINIs at the event were very much a stock car with few expectations. While a few entrants brought spare performance tires most all simply drove the MINI just the same as they drive it everyday! The best of all worlds to better understand your car and your ability and how to translate this to any everyday driving experience.

One of the other great features of this group is that they limit the number of participants such that time available on the course is more a factor of running out of gas or simple personal energy level than a crowded schedule. It was not long after the catered lunch provided by the organizers that a number of participants were seen to be just watching their friends practice while they caught their breath.
Overall it was a fantastic day where everyone learned to enjoy the driving of their MINI just that little bit more! I would strongly encourage any of you that might have this type of opportunity to give it a try!

If you would like to see what this experience is all about before even registering for any event, we are now excited to be able to offer the great video DVD: Hooked On Driving’s “Getting on Track” DVD- order part number DVD007 here!

To see more track photos, you can also go to GotBlueMilk.com

Part No Application: DVD007

Don Racine
Article Date: Feb 24, 2007
Car Accociations: MINI,NEW_MINI
Hits: 1407

Order and Shipping Information

Worldwide Shipping Charges
Shipping Address Policy
Worldwide General Shipping Information
Shipping Schedule
When Will I Get My Order?
Entering APO/FPO Addresses
Backorders

World-Wide Shipping Charges

How can I get a shipping estimate?

Just click "Buy Now" on the product page to add it to your cart. Continue shopping and when ready for the shipping estimate, begin the checkout process. Shipping charges for most items are calculated and displayed during order checkout. You will NOT need to log in or create an account to use the 'shipping quote' button.  If you're not ready to order, simply use you browser's "back" button to return to previously viewed pages.

Shipping Methods appropriate for your destination are displayed to you during order checkout. Once you've decided on the items you'd like to order, consider how quickly you would like to receive your shipment(s), evaluate the shipping cost displayed, and choose a shipping method.

What if no shipping charges are displayed?

Shipping charges are calculated at time of shipment based on the actual package weight and dimensions. In some cases, we may not have weights or dimensions in our computer system for one or more of the items you ordered. In this case, shipping is not quoted. The amount you will be billed is the carrier's standard charge. We don not charge any handling fees. The cost of shipping your order will be sent to you in a confirmation email message at the time of shipment. No action is required on your part.

Shipping Address Policy

When you order product using your credit card we initiate a process to check the address information you enter to see if it matches the address that your credit card issuer has on file and matches your billing address. If they do not match then the issuer of the credit card will not approve the transaction 100%. This is because much of credit card fraud occurs by having products shipped to the address of the person who stole the credit card instead of to your address – the billing address. The fraudster steals the credit card, orders products and has those products shipped to the fraudsters’ address and you don't know anything about it until you get your credit card bill.

This works great for those people that have products shipped to their home address and their credit card bill is also mailed to that same address. But some people use a PO Box or their personal credit card to order products for business. In those cases they want the product shipped to their office but the statement (billing address) is still being mailed to their home address or PO Box. This normally would be a rejected transaction because of the two legitimate, but different, addresses.

The way to get around this is with an Alternate Shipping Address. You can add an Alternate Shipping Address to your credit card so that orders will be accepted at both addresses. The alternate shipping address does not have to be your business address but is used here simply as an example.

Simply use the toll-free number on the front or back of your card to contact your credit card company and create an Alternate Shipping Address which is simply a note on your account authorizing purchases that are delivered to a destination other than your billing address. With the Alternate Shipping Address feature in place you can have credit card orders shipped to two different addresses but your credit card bill will continue to be mailed to the original billing address.

Add the Alternate Shipping Address to your credit card account before placing your order. After your credit card company has updated your credit card account you can then order products with your credit card and have them shipped to the alternate shipping address you have on file with the credit card issuer.

* Please note that on your initial order items must be sent to the billing Or ‘Alternate’ address as registered with your credit card company. See this Policy for more details or contact our sales staff at 800-946-2642.

Mini Mania, Inc. primarily uses FedEx, UPS and the US Postal Service to ship orders world-wide, each of which may be available only in certain areas. Truck freight items may be shipped using our choice of a variety of motor freight carriers. The customer pays shipping costs unless stated otherwise.

When choosing a shipping method, remember that carriers charge considerably more for expedited delivery. Expedited delivery also generally requires the package be signed for at the time of delivery. Check with your selected carrier locally if you or your authorized representative may not be available to sign for the package at the time of delivery.

For some destinations, we offer the choice of Mail (USPS). While often less expensive, remember that items shipped via Priority Mail, while insured, are not always reliably delivered and cannot be tracked. By choosing Priority Mail, you accept responsibility for your order once it leaves our facility.

Customers outside the domestic United States should exercise particular care when selecting a carrier or expedited shipping methods. If in doubt, consult with your potential carrier for information about shipments to your country. Import duties, local taxes, customs charges, etc. are the responsibility of the customer. If Mini Mania is invoiced by any carrier for import duties, local taxes, customs charges, or similar fees, the customer's credit card on file will be charged immediately for these fees, and an invoice explaining the charges will be sent to the customer.

Shipping Schedule

Most orders phoned in to Mini Mania before 12 noon Pacific Time are shipped the same day; orders received later usually ship the next day. If you must receive your order by a specific date, please make this clear when placing your order.

Most Internet orders are processed the next business day and are shipped within 1-2 days.

If there is more than one item in your order, we will ship your items as they become available.

Depending on availability, your order may be sent in more than one shipment. You will be charged shipping for each shipment.

You may choose to contact us by phone or e-mail before placing your order in order to ascertain availability.

When Will I Get My Order?

For Ground shipments, see the maps below for approximate delivery times. For expedited shipping choices, please see your chosen carrier’s web site for details, terms and conditions. Note that in all cases, shipping times do not include the day the order ships, weekends or holidays.

UPS Ground Delivery Transit time Map for Domestic Customers

FedEx Ground Service Delivery Map

Entering APO & FPO Addresses Correctly

Having trouble entering an APO or FPO address on our order form? Following these steps should help:

• Enter the recipient's full name and address in the relevant fields.
• Enter "APO" or "FPO" in the City field.
• Enter "AE" in the State/Province/Region field if the recipient is stationed in Europe, Canada, Africa, or the Middle East. Enter "AA" if the recipient is stationed in the Americas. Enter "AP" if the recipient is stationed in Asia or the Pacific.
• Regardless of where the recipient is stationed, select "United States" from the Country drop-down menu.

  Following these steps will ensure that you're charged the correct shipping amount and that your order will be delivered in a timely fashion. All shipments to APO/FPO addresses are sent via U.S. Priority or First Class Mail. We estimate 5 to 7 business days for delivery once the order has been shipped; however, some destinations may take up to 21 days.

  
  
  
  
  
  

  Backorders

  We endeavor to stock most of the items we sell. The automatic shipment notification email you receive will identify backordered items and indicate the approximate date we expect to receive the item at our warehouse. Be sure to contact us if you wish to cancel your backorder to avoid unnecessary shipping and restocking charges once your backordered items are shipped.

  
  
  

We will match the published price of any US supplier* -- even their current sales prices! If you find an item advertised at a lower price, make a notation in your online order, call or email us your price match request (see terms and details below). We'll sell you the SAME item at the SAME price! If you've already purchased the item from us, we'll even price match (for store credit only) as long as you contact us with your request within 10 days of placing your order.

This offer is restricted to identical items offered for sale in writing or on the web. When making your price match request, you must provide us with a link to the competitor's Internet URL for the item, a copy of the written ad or written quotation, which must include suppliers part number, description and price.

Price Match Terms and Fine Print

We may choose not to price match in some cases; here are some reasons why:

• The competitor's product is not an exact match (identical manufacturer & model) with ours.
• The competitor with the lower price does not have the item in stock at their warehouse.
• The competitor's total price (including shipping, handling, rebates, taxes, etc.) is higher.
• The competitor's product is used, refurbished, reconditioned, or a display model.
• The competitor is not selling in US dollars.
• The product is a clearance or closeout item.
• The item is not found within the first 10 items listed on major search engine results.
• The competitor is not manufacturer authorized or has advertised below the manufacturers minimum allowed price for the item.

* Qualified U.S. Suppliers are established businesses that routinely and regularly sell the item to be matched from an established physical storefront or warehouse.

While we endeavor to maintain the accuracy of item availability, descriptions and availability, we reserve the right to correct errors. We reserve the right to choose not to honor this offer.

How to Request a Price Match

Place an order on-line and leave a comment at checkout. Provide the competitor's name, part number, item description, URL link to the exact item and the competitor's price anlong with your request to price match. If we agree to match the price, your order will be processed at that adjusted price. In the event we cannot match the price, we will notify you by email. We will hold you order for 3 business days.

Alternately, you may call us with your request. We'd love to talk with you. We will generally respond to price match requests within one business day.

SHIPMENT PROBLEMS?

Claims for missing items or error in shipment must be reported within 5 days of order receipt .

BACKORDERS

We endeavor to stock most of the items we sell. For Classic Minis, parts are frequently in limited supply and are difficult to keep on hand. the automatic shipment notification email you receive will identify backordered items and indicate the approximate date we expect to receive the item at our warehouse.

Be sure to contact us if you wish to cancel your backorder to avoid unnecessary shipping and restocking charges once the item(s) you’ve ordered is shipped.

Some items are made available on a Special Order basis. These are typically items with very low demand that we choose not to keep in inventory, or items that are custom built or built to order. These items are ordered from their suppliers solely to fulfill your order. As such, these items require a 100% non-refundable deposit at the time the order is placed (power-unit orders require a $1,000 deposit before work begins). Because of the nature of Special Order items, your order cannot be cancelled once your order is accepted and deposit taken, nor can returns be accepted once the item has shipped.