The Cooper Cast Podcast

The Fun Podcast for You, the MINI Motoring Community!

Scammers, MINIs, and epic drives—oh my! This week on The Cooper Cast, host Dale Blankenship dives into another round of hot topics for the MINI community.

First up, the scammers are at it again (seriously, do these guys ever take a day off?). This time, they’ve spoofed a legit MINI vendor, scamming someone out of a cool thousand bucks! We break down what happened and how to keep your hard-earned cash safe.

Then, it’s all about the new Oxford Edition MINI—and spoiler alert: this isn’t some stripped-down, bare-bones model. It’s got solid features, a sweet price tag, and might just be one of the best MINI deals around.

Next, we shift gears to big MINI events on the horizon. Helenblitz is next week in Helen, Georgia, bringing MINIs and Bavarian vibes together for a weekend of fun. And then, we’ve got MINIs on the Dragon (April 30 – May 4), where nearly 500 MINIacs and 400 MINIs will take on the legendary Tail of the Dragon—318 curves in just 11 miles! If you like adrenaline and MINIs, this is the place to be.

And of course, we wrap things up with the Cooper Cast Question of the Week:
"You're setting up a MINI run—where are you going and why?" The answers? Everything from epic mountain roads to coastal cruises and twisty backroad adventures.

It’s all here in Episode 48, so buckle up, hit play, and let’s motor! As always, motor safely, and don’t forget to wave!🚗💨

Scammers… they’re like that one fly in your car you just can’t shoo out the window. In this episode of The Cooper Cast, host Dale Blankenship takes another deep dive into those worthless bums infiltrating our beloved MINI groups. And guess what? Some of these scam artists aren’t just lurking in the comments—they’re running entire fake MINI groups designed to separate you from your hard-earned cash.

Dale shares tips and tricks on how to spot these scammers before they get their greasy hands on your wallet (or worse). And in a rare moment, Producer Kodi makes another “speaking” appearance—because even a dog knows these scammers stink!

Stay alert, stay informed, and as always, motor safely, and don’t forget to wave! 🚗✋🐾

Buckle up, MINIacs! In this Express Episode of The Cooper Cast, host Dale Blankenship takes a quick spin through this week’s Cooper Cast Question of the Week: "You’re going on a MINI adventure—who’s riding shotgun, living or dead?" The answers did not disappoint, ranging from historical icons to some questionable backseat passengers.

Then, we peek at MINI’s 2025 sales projections and—gasp—shift paddles are making a comeback! But before you get too excited, they’re only coming to the Countryman… for now. Finally, MINI’s new round OLED dash display just took home an award—from India, of all places! Looks like MINI’s tech is turning heads worldwide.

All that, packed into a quick, fun-sized episode—because even a MINI podcast should be nimble. Motor safely, and don’t forget to wave! 🚗✌️

Buckle up, MINIacs! In this episode of The Cooper Cast, host Dale Blankenship (flying solo without Producer Kodi—probably off chasing squirrels. Again.) dives into some of the most popular mods for the second-gen MINI and its N-series engines. Whether you want more power, better handling, or just to make your MINI even more MINI, we’ve got you covered.

Then, surprise surprise—the much of the social media is still complaining about the new MINI. Some things never change (but will hopefully die down). But is the backlash justified, or are we looking at another New Coke situation? Dale draws some uncanny parallels between MINI’s latest model and the infamous soda flop of the ‘80s.

And for an extra dose of design drama, we have a podcast recommendation that hilariously breaks down how not to design a car. Could there be more lessons for MINI to learn? We’ll let you decide, Cooper Casters!

Tune in for mods, laughs, and a trip down memory lane. Motor safely, and don’t forget to wave! 🚗✌️

Past Gas Podcast featuring the Pontiac Aztec design kerfluffel. Give it a listen, it's rather comical!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkSVAw6gF6Q&list=PLP4Aa4ngFynKUPYYYnl3swxqntlwaIYR4&index=2

In this episode of The Cooper Cast, host Dale Blankenship dives into this week’s Cooper Cast Question of the Week: What’s your MINI’s name, and how did you come up with it? And wow, did our listeners deliver! From clever pop culture references to names inspired by epic road trips, and even a few that left us laughing out loud, the MINI community did not disappoint.

A huge thanks to everyone who shared their MINI’s name and story! Want to join the fun? Head over to The Cooper CastFacebook page and take part in the next Question of the Week!

Motor safely, and don’t forget to wave! 🚗✌️

In this episode of The Cooper Cast, host Dale Blankenship dives into this week’s Cooper Cast Question of the Week: What’s your MINI’s name, and how did you come up with it? And wow, did our listeners deliver! From clever pop culture references to names inspired by epic road trips, and even a few that left us laughing out loud, the MINI community did not disappoint.

A huge thanks to everyone who shared their MINI’s name and story! Want to join the fun? Head over to The Cooper CastFacebook page and take part in the next Question of the Week!

Motor safely, and don’t forget to wave! 🚗✌️

The Cooper Cast Podcast
With host Dale Blankenship and Producer Kodi (if he’s not too distracted by backyard deer antics)

In this episode of The Cooper Cast, we’re diving into:

🎨 Popular Mods for First-Gen MINIs
We’re talking all about the 2002–2006 hatchbacks (and 2008 convertibles) that sparked the modern MINI revolution. From engine and suspension upgrades to aesthetic tweaks, we’re running through the mods that take these classic MINIs from cool to “OMG, I need that!” Whether you’re into better handling, faster acceleration, or just making your MINI more FUN we’ve got ideas for you.

🐉 MINIs on the Dragon 2025 Update
It’s that time of year again! The 22nd annual MINIs on the Dragon is coming up, bringing MINI enthusiasts to the iconic Tail of the Dragon at Fontana Village, North Carolina. Find out what’s new for this year and why this legendary event is a must for any MINIac. Need details? Head over to minisonthedragon.com.

🏔️ West Virginia’s New MINI Club
Big news for Mountaineer state MINI enthusiasts: a new club is forming in Fairmont, WV, led by Zach Baker, a die-hard MINI lover with access to some of the most stunning roads in the region. Whether you’re looking for a group drive through breathtaking mountain scenery or a place to connect with fellow MINIacs, the West Virginia Club MINI is calling your name.

Apologies to our loyal listeners—there’s no Question of the Week in this episode. But don’t worry, it’s for a good reason! The Question of the Week has taken on a life of its own and grown so popular that we’ve decided to give it its very own episodes! Starting soon, look for The Cooper Cast Question of the Week episodes to drop on Thursdays or Fridays. We’ll dive deeper into your hilarious, creative, and thoughtful answers and have even more fun exploring all things MINI. Stay tuned for this exciting new addition!"

Plus, our usual dose of humor, MINI wisdom, and Kodi’s unfiltered commentary (when he’s not watching wildlife).

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Motor safely, and don’t forget to wave!

In this week's episode of The Cooper Cast, with host Dale Blankenship, and Producer Kodi, (when he shows up),  we're catching up on a couple of weeks' worth of our "Questions of the Week" from the Cooper Cast Facebook page. Buckle up for some laughs as we dive into your hilarious answers about fast food favorites and memorable stops on your MINI runs!

Next, we hit some housekeeping notes, starting with a surprising omission on the new 2025 JCW. Spoiler alert: it’s a big deal—or rather, it’s not big anymore!

We also have a quick chat about the ever-present scammers lurking in the big MINI Facebook groups. Stay vigilant, MINI family!

Finally, we dig into the frustrating motor mount issues with 3rd Gen MINIs. Seems like a lot of us, including yours truly, are replacing those pricey mounts. Ugh!

Motor safely, and don’t forget to wave!

Welcome back, MINI enthusiasts! In this week's episode of The Cooper Cast, your host Dale Blankenship dives into the mods that can turn your MINI from a daily driver into a thrill-seeking road warrior. We’re talking engine upgrades, suspension tweaks, and all those little touches that make your MINI more fun to drive. Whether you're just starting or ready to take it to the next level, we've got you covered.

Next, we gear up for the first big MINI event of the year—Helenblitz in Helen, Georgia, from February 27th to March 2nd. Imagine a Bavarian-themed town overrun by MINIs! It’s as fun as it sounds, and the town loves having us there.

Oh, and a quick shoutout to Producer Kodi, who needed a couple of potty breaks during the recording. Good help is hard to find, but hey, at least he works for treats!

Until next time, Motor safely and don't forget to wave!

Helenblitz info!
https://helenblitz.com/

Hey there, MINI fans! It’s time for another episode of The Cooper Cast Podcast with your host, Dale Blankenship, and our often-missing-in-action Producer Kodi (who's AWOL again—surprise, surprise!). This week, we’re diving into some of the most persistent questions from the MINI Facebook groups. You know the ones—folks asking for advice with zero context. Annoying? Sure. But we’re here to guide them on how to ask better questions!

We’re tackling the notorious Check Engine Light and the ever-popular “What Tires Should I Buy?” Instead of just answering, we’re offering advice on what details they should include to get the best help. And don’t miss our question of the week from the podcast Facebook group, where we take a humorous spin on motoring refreshments. Plus, big news—we just hit 5,000 downloads! Thanks for motoring with us