You have only two weeks left to register for the 2009 Dream Weekend at Indy Sweepstakes. Hendrickcars.com and Hendrick Motorsports have teamed up to give you a chance to win a Hendrick VIP weekend at the 2009 Brickyard 400. This is your opportunity to see a great race in first-class style. Visit Hendrickcars.com to submit a sweepstakes entry.

The winner will receive:
Hendrick VIP Experience at Indianapolis Motor Speedway - July 25 -27, 2009
Hotel and Airfare for two
Personal Hendrick Motorsports tour guide
Meet and Greet with Jimmie Johnson
Tour a Hendrick Motorsports team transporter
Watch the race from a track-side suiteDon't Forget, visit Hendrickcars.com to register. While you're there, search from up to 5,000 top quality pre-owned vehicles. Just like Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Jr. and Mark Martin say, it makes a difference when you drive a Hendrick car. Search from thousands of manufacturer certified pre-owned vehicles and many CARFAX one owners (CARFAX reports are free on Hendrickcars.com). Be sure to look for your next vehicle at Hendrickcars.com and good luck in the sweepstakes!

Click here to view the official 2009 Dream Weekend at Indy Sweepstakes rules.

The MINI Cooper at MINI of Charleston. Even the price is small. Stop by to test drive one today!

MINI’s “Carfun Footprint” campaign: ‘Green car’ fun, minimizes impact

The sporty MINI is widely popular for its zip, small size and fuel efficiency. MINI has come up with an innovative way to advertise it’s environmentally friendly, and fuel efficient cars. One of the smartest little cars on American roads today, MINI’s new marketing thrust is aimed at calculating your "carfun footprint" figure, by measuring the MINI’s driving fun quotient versus how “little” impact it has on the environment.

The new "What's Your Carfun Footprint?” advertising campaign will soon be splashed all over Billboards, magazines, newspapers, internet and television channels. The campaign will highlight the MINI’s fun-to-drive, fuel efficient credentials, while also empowering consumers with information about globally debated issues like carbon footprints.

The Mini evolved against the backdrop of the post-World War II oil crisis, offering people an affordable car, functional interiors and sporty driving dynamics. MINI USA and its agency Butler Shine Stern & Partners (BSSP) say that MINI driver’s need not compromise on fun to achieve fuel efficiency, because the car offers generous amounts of both.

The Carfun Footprint score is arrived at from third-party data from Strategic Vision Inc.'s New Vehicle Experience Study(TM) (NVES), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Vehicle Guide, and AutoData Corporation's vehicle curb weight data. The ‘interactive’ Carfun Footprint Calculator will enable consumers to see how their vehicles stack up against 200 others.

Find out more about the “Carfun Footprint” http://www.carfunfootprint.com/ at http://www.charlestonmini.com MINI of Charleston, 1518 Savannah Hwy, Charleston SC 29407.

Join MINI of Charleston in celebration of MINI’s 50th Birthday. We’re going to be in Silverstone England to watch the MINI Challenge Race, ride in MINI Challenge cars, Tour the manufacturing plant, see stunt shows, attend live concerts, and party with the best DJ’s in the world. Plane tickets are cheap right now. Check out http://www.miniunited.com/ or call us at (843)402-6543.

This weekend is going to be an amazing weekend to be in Charleston, South Carolina. We have so many great events and it looks like the weather is going to be fabulous!!! Don't miss the all new MINI Cooper Convertible along with all the other Rick Hendrick Cars leading the way on Saturday morning as the runners get their stride in the Cooper River Bridge Run! Current count as of 3/31: 36109. $40 Registration caps at 38,500 registrants. To register after this you must purchase a $150 Charity Connection Registration to be in the race. Event Cap is 40,000.

And also in the Lowcountry this weekend: The Southeast Tourism Society has named the Flowertown Festival in Summerville, SC as one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast. The annual Summerville Family YMCA Flowertown Festival, a 3 day event celebrated every spring since 1972, celebrates the ushering in of warm weather and the passing of the cold. Held in Azalea Park (map/directions) The festival is the largest in South Carolina and features food vendors, a tour of local historic homes and gardens, arts & crafts, live entertainment, a tennis classic and even a children's carnival complete with events plus art & crafts for the youg ones. Drive your New MINI Cooper from MINI of Charleston to the 2009 Flowertown Festival will run from April 3, 2009 to April 5, 2009 from 9am to 5pm on Friday and Saturday, and 9am to 4pm on Sunday. Admission to the festival is FREE, it is a family event, no alchohol is served and no pets are allowed. For more information call the Summerville family YMCA at (843) 871-9622.

Be sure to look for the #80 Hendrickcars.com race car as it leads the Cooper River Bridge Run on Saturday. On both Thursday and Friday the car will at the pre-race Exposition at Gaillard Auditorium. Plus, it will be near the finish line on race day.

Many of our employees, Hendrickcars.com and the Charleston, SC area are all preparing for the 32nd annual Cooper River Bridge Run on Saturday, April 4th, 2009. Last year the race had over 38,000 participants including several people from the Rick Hendrick BMW, Volvo of Charleston and MINI of Charleston staffs. The Cooper River Bridge Run provides a world-class 10-K foot race. The race promotes continuous physical activity and a healthy lifestyle through education and opportunity.

The heartbeat of Charleston will increase with activities scheduled for the three-day weekend. The Hendrickcars.com #80 race car arrives in town early in the week before leading the racers across the bridge on Saturday.
Stop by Rick Hendrick Imports at 1518 Savannah Highway the afternoon of the Cooper River Bridge Run to see the actual #80 race car driven by Tony Stewart to win Daytona’s 009 Nationwide Series Camping World 300.

Hendrickcars.com is a web site that lists pre-owned inventory for all Hendrick Automotive Group and JL Hendrick dealerships. The site offers up to 5000 pre-owned vehicles, up to 60 photos of each vehicle, and free CARFAX reports. Over fifty percent of the vehicles listed on the site are manufacturer certified. Plus, all vehicles are offered by top quality dealerships staffed with the best in automotive sales and service professionals.

Presenting the
New 2009 MINI Convertible
Saturday, March 28th
11AM until 6PM
at MINI of Charleston

Reservations are required for a test drive.
Please call (843)402-MINI (6464) or your Motoring Advisor for a test drive.

Happy Motoring,
the Motoring Team from MINI of Charleston

www.MINIofCharleston.com

Impatience is a Virtue

2.9% APR Financing* For a limited time on new 2009 models.
There has never been a better time to buy a MINI - Starting at just $19,200**.

If you've been thinking about getting a MINI, here's some food for thought:
From now until March 31, you can get 2.9% APR financing for 36 months on new 2009 models.

So if you've been waiting to get a MINI, Your wait may be over.

Contact your Motoring Advisor or MINI of Charleston
at 843.402.6300 or visit www.MINIofCharleston.com.

Happy Motoring,


MINI of Charleston



*Qualified customers only. 2.9% APR financing for 36 mo at $29.04 per mo, per $1000 financed or 3.9% APR for 48 mo at $22.53 per mo. Available only at participating MINI Dealers thru MINI Financial Services. Must take deliver of vehicle by March 31, 2009. Excludes tax, title, and registration fees. Must take deliver of vehicle by March 31.2009. Rate applies only to 2008 or 2009 MINIs excluding 2009 MINI Convertible. Specific vehicles are subject to availability and may need to be ordered. Subject to credit approval. Dealer contribution may affect terms. Where balloon financing is available similar terms may not be available. See MINI of Charleston for complete details on this and other finance offers. **MSRP including destination and handling charges. price excludes license, registration, taxes, options and labor to install accessories. Certain features shown are optional accessories. Actual price determined by your dealer. 2009 MINI, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The MINI name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

Check this out: Best & Worst Depreciating Vehicles - MSN Autos

Do you know how much your old car is worth? Here is a look at the cars that have the best — and the worst — value retention over the past three years.

Best 5 Models in Value Retention

Rank	Brand	Model	3-Year Retention
1.	MINI	Cooper	67%
2.	Toyota	Camry	62%
3.	Toyota	RAV4	62%
4.	Scion	xB	61%
5.	Honda	CR-V	60%

Source: http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=900726

Social Media - Become A Fan!

Find us on Facebook

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MINI - One of these things is not like the other!

Visit our YouTube Channel.

MINI Toys for Girls and Boys

Hey everyone!

MINI of Charleston is sponsoring a gift drive for the Carolina Youth Development Center and we’d like your help. The Carolina Youth Development Center has been around since 1790 and started out as an orphanage. The Center is set up as its own community – the kids live in individual houses, and besides going to school, they have responsibilities around their house. They also have their own companies that they manage at the center (they have their own screen printing business amongst other things). They currently support around 600 children, and most of them are older kids that are past the prime age for adoption. These kids will spend the rest of their childhood at the Center. If you notice their wish list, most of the items are not toys but things to make their living arrangements more comfortable – Irons and ironing boards, blow dryers, phone calling cards, alarm clocks, and rugs. The complete list is can be found by visiting their website - www.cydc.org. Gifts can be dropped off at MINI of Charleston through December 15th.

Phil Wicks Driving Academy at Roebling Road.

If you currently own a MINI, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY!

Let us assure you, our clients that have participated in the past have come away with an amazing feel for what their MINI can actually do!

You have the opportunity to improve your driving skills and become a better and safer driver by attending the Phil Wicks Driving Academy at Roebling Road in Pooler GA (near Savannah), Saturday and Sunday, August 9 and 10, 2008.

This is a MINI of Charleston sponsored event. MINI of Charleston will be there to host and welcome you to a weekend of instruction by Phil Wicks, one of the world's foremost authorities on Mini/MINI Cooper. Since the intro of the first Mini 1959 and through the years of racing, car
development and driving in movies including "The Italian Job" with Michael Caine in 1969, right up to present day. Phil's curricula range from “safe driving, accident avoidance” courses to full blown “race instruction”.

For the Phil Wicks Driving Academy, go to http://www.minidriving.com/ or call 615-463-0228 to register directly. Mention you are a MINI of Charleston customer and receive a discount on entry fees. Your cost for the one day of instruction will be $225 (normally $300) or $375 for the weekend (normally $500.)

See you at the track!

Please visit our website for upcoming events http://www.miniofcharleston.com/

MINI Road Show sponsored by Charleston MINI

Saturday morning, August 9th, you are invited to attend the first ever MINI Road Show. If you have never driven a MINI or if you have not yet had the pleasure of driving a “next generation” MINI, this is your chance.

We are currently taking reservations for the opportunity to try your hand at the most fun, fuel efficient and safe vehicle you have ever experienced. Driving instructors will be on hand to guide you thru your adventure.

Meet us at Roebling Road Raceway in Bloomingdale, GA, August 9, 2008.
Sessions are available at 8, 9, 10 and 11 am.

This is a no cost opportunity for you to drive and experience a MINI Cooper, Cooper S, Convertible or a new Clubman, however, you must reserve a time to participate.

Call today 843.402.6464 to reserve your time.
Drivers must be over 21 w/ a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance.

See you at the track!

Please visit our website for upcoming events http://www.miniofcharleston.com/.

Take part in the Pinball game at Charleston MINI!

At Charleston MINI, convenience blends with entertainment and fun. That is because we have a Clubmania Pinball Game! Show your love of the irresistible MINI Clubman by taking part in this game of high thrill and fun!

All you need to do to take part and earn high bonus points is enter our website. Just click on this section, and begin your round of joy.

While at our website, there is a lot more to visit and feel happy and comfortable about. We believe that when it is for the ultra-cute MINI that you are shopping, life has to be full on convenience and fun.

Take a look at any our sections –New Cars; Pre-Owned Cars; Finance and Service/Parts and Accessories. Each of these is crafted for your utmost convenience. One look at any of these, and you will discover how our dealership blends the joy of shopping for a MINI with the wonder that MINI offers you once you drive it!

Being a frontline dealer for the neck-turning MINI, we deal with all its models –the Mini Cooper Hardtop and Convertible, Mini Cooper S Hardtop and Convertible, and Mini Cooper Clubman and Mini Cooper S Clubman.

And yes, being a proud dealer for this marvelous machine, we are a very well-known dealership in the places we serve in. These include Mt. Pleasant; Charleston Harbor; North Charleston; Hollywood; Meggett; Ravenel; Goose Creek; Ladson; Summerville and other nearby places.
Just visit us at 1518 Savannah Hwy Charleston SC 29407. You can call us up at 800-530-4399, to get addicted to fun of driving a MINI!

More on MINI Takes the States

We're having our event here in Charleston on Monday, June 16th. It's from 6-9 that night at Patriot's Point. It's sure to be a TON of fun, Charleston Style!!! For more information, keep checking here for updates or call the MINI hotline - 843-402-MINI(6464).


www.minitakesthestates.com

Drive the sub-compact Mini Cooper Hardtop from Mini of Charleston

The Mini Cooper Hardtop is among the shortest cars in the US and proportionately also one of the widest. It has got a traditional ultra-wide bull-dog stance and an exhilarating Go-Kart feel. The short and wide body allows you to quickly change the direction on the open road. It is the ultra rigid body that makes the Mini Cooper truly unique. The cabin is more spacious inside and refined with upgraded materials, more comfortable seating and easier-to-use controls.

The Mini Cooper Hardtop is available in Standard and S trim packages. The 2008 Mini Cooper Hardtop’s new front end provides more underhood space for two new, more fuel-efficient 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines. The base version produces 118 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque, while the turbocharged, direct-injected engine in the Cooper S pumps out 172 hp and 177 pound-feet of torque. Power is directed through six forward gears, with a choice of manual or automatic control. The Mini Cooper Hardtop is incredibly customizable to give you a unique car that stands out in the crowd.

Visit Mini of Charleston and drive home your favorite 2008 Mini Cooper Hardtop. Mini of Charleston is located at 1518 Savannah Hwy, Charleston SC 29407. For any Mini related queries log on to our dealership website, http://www.charlestonmini.com/ or call us at (800) 530-4399.

MINI Takes the States is COMING!!

MINI is doing MTTS again this year. It will be a little different than last time, but still looks to be a TON of fun! They're going to have a huge party in Miami the first weekend of June, then work their way up to Boston for a huge party the next weekend. We'll be hosting one of the "stops" on their way up to Boston Monday night. Plans are still in the works....but it's sure to be a ton of fun. More details to come!!

Clubman Packs at MINI Copper of Charleston

The MINI Clubman is all business in the front, but it's a party in the back! Visit http://www.charlestonmini.com/ for more information.

MINI Cooper Convertible with New Clubman offer

Can’t wait to get behind the wheel of a MINI Cooper, Cooper S or Convertible and let loose a few ‘woooo hoooo’s’ with a test drive? Anxious to meet the new Clubman, the latest oddball addition to our already eccentric family? You know where to find us.

WARNING: after a visit, sudden urges to tackle all 4 million miles of road in the U.S. are not uncommon.

SALES (800) 530-4399

PARTS (800) 769-0043

SERVICE (800) 741-4698

MINI Photos