The Mini is a great little car with a BIG personality.

It's nice to hear such great comments from around the world!

Sincerely,

Colin ^_^

Your are definitely wrong to assume that I don't check the under carriage. When I inspect something, I tend to be very thorough at it. But then again, you don't know me. I am also tired of re-quoting myself since you cannot read or understand properly.

Take a good rest so that you could recover from your apparent sickness, backache & all. Happy holidays.

We're not as wise of a geezer as you are. Need rest as you put it, need to crawl underneath the camper van to search for scratches. Oooo, my back hurts!

Back to my holiday.

"All the while in this topic I mentioned “The workers weren’t wearing helmets when they are working on car suspended at head level”, No doubt the cars are reasonably secured but the are suspended at head level on rails if you had failed to notice” and “The cars would always be travelling above the workers head therefore the risk is always there”. I am only concern that about the workers working in that area and not those working at the floor level."

Dear Joe Ooi, when I said "Although it seem that floor space is available sufficient, headroom or head clearance was very limited and therefore the concern", I was referring picture no. 7 from the top, you notice that the workers are working on a cars suspended at the head level and therefore the posibility of sustaining Head Injuries. Of course other station was not a concern since nothing is suspended at the head level requiring to wear head protection.

About the car falling down and crushing the worker below, it suprise me that you comment as such. I didn't mention about cars falling down crushing the worker because it is highly unlikely and furthermore, no amount of body armour worn, if any, is going to save the victim. Just like in the case of a motorcyclist, he wears a helmet for head protection only and not anything else. I don't think I need further explantion on what would or could happen to him in a event of a crash.

Dear DooDoo, had to come back after signing off so easily. You said "Only MALAYSIANS or you don’t do it. In US or UK or the rest of the world, prior to the acceptance of the vehicle, the owner has the right to check the whole darn vehicle even to the unpainted bolts."

Perhaps you are not a Malaysian but I certainly am. When I said "And don’t tell me customers would inspection the under-carriage of car to look for scratches to the paint work.", I am talking about the general car buyer and not most of us the wise one. If you conduct a survey among new car buyers, you notice that majority of them don't inspect the under carriage except for 2nd Hand car buyers. Just because they have the right to do so doesn't mean that they will inspect it. Just like most of us had a brain but not all of us would use it at all the times. We do make mistakes now and then. In the future, I would make clearer when making a general statement that is not directed to most of us the wise one.

Yeah one more thing DooDoo, if you are sick of replying to me than don't since you chose to sign-off earlier. My advice to you is stay away, take a rest and enjoy your holiday for your health sake.

mini is stand alone model just like the bug (beetle) . so much variant to play on this single model makes it interesting

—————————————————-

variants on single model, means mini on mini, just whats on paul's snap shots there.

nite………

what i mean by stand alone mini or bugs, means that mini in its own way nobady shares with it like mini sedan mini station wagon (if they have one) , so does the bug(specificaly the old beetle) , its only a bug , not with combi, they have their own platform and their own styiling, people who own one simply looking beauty and the uniqueness of it (i think) , my view is more the design side ,not the way how they construct it. the idea is that mini is sooo unique and lives on..

protonGL

cheers

It is all attitude and respect to machinaries. Studies have been made, for the workers safety and things like that.

Another thing is how do you expect one area of workers to wear helmets and not requiring others to do so.It is not easy when a large assembly plant is governed by Unions who demand this and that. When I said cracked windshield, it is when someone is moving alongside the vehicle. I saw this before, that's why Ai print it out. You are saying you're politically correct! Damn! Pakai otak sikit. How to crack a glass when you're underneath the vehicle.

When I say "you" i'm being polite. I should say "Tracks" dammit!

and please use LOGIC when you say customers don't check the undercarriage to look for scratches. Only MALAYSIANS or you don't do it. In US or UK or the rest of the world, prior to the acceptance of the vehicle, the owner has the right to check the whole darn vehicle even to the unpainted bolts. Damn sickening to reply to you.

FYI, The reply was directed to you. Not to everyone else. I love them!

(pemandu honda- points taken!)

Sudah raya lah, make peace!! NOT WAR!

———–

I don't see this is the case as the design of assembly line is to allow sufficient space or ideal high to carry out their assembly activities efficiently. This is because in term of factory high, normaly the roof level for warehouse or factory is 3 storey high (approximately 10 M). So there is plenty of room in term of high!

Another point to raise up here is about wearing helmet. In the event the MINI fall off from the assembly line and hit worker, there is no way the helmet can absorb or minimize the impact. This is because the design of the safety helmet is to withstand small object only like bricks. Car, normally around 1 tonne in no way the helmet can protect the worker. Even the entire average human body (weight 65 KG) can't take such impact – "flatten like roti canai".

Anyway, hope someone, especially MINI worker from UK can post comment on their factory especially on safety aspects and why there is no requirement for helmet.

I just had a look at the VW and Mini UK sites and the MRSP for the Mini One and the VW New Beetle 1.6 are nearly the same. I didn't go through the full equipment list but they are reasonably similar. So sharing platforms didn't seem to do the Beetle much good.

Mini looks better and from what's being said drives better too. My vote is with the Mini.

To Joe Ooi, your comments was fair but I had to point out something. Although it seem that floor space is available sufficient, headroom or head clearance was very limited and therefore the concern. Besides that, the TGM plant is also generally very clean, neat and tidy with the proper lighting as well. Too bad it's a world class plant that is just under utilised at the moment.

To DooDoo, you said "my lecturer always say, you know why no helmets? The bloody helmet is too darn big, you might scratch the properly primed or painted surface, crack the windshield, the QC guys also cannot fit into the car, or hide cracks in it". Unless you are over nine feet tall or you have a neck of a giraffe, how are going to crack the windscreen when the car is suspended so high up. And don't tell me customers would inspection the under-carriage of car to look for scratches to the paint work. Furthermore, do you think QC guys will get into the cars while it is hanging up there too do inspection. That's why the QC guy don't need to wear a helmet. Please use more LOGIC again for a being supposingly a learned person.

Besides that DooDoo, when making remark or comments don't make it personal. Your comment, "Same thing like phone exploding or your mate kicked you in the nuts". Never use "you" as it becomes personal and will offend others especially when giving stupid examples. Learn to speak in a more general manner and have more manners.

One final thing, for your comment "Eh, there are newer post, go and disturb the peace over there!", please understand that we are an individual and disagreement will always happen. Your comment would be similar to asking the opposition to moved to another country just because you disagree with them. Therefore, don't think it would be so easy to get the case close. Peace comes from within. You will never be happy unless you are at peace with yourself. We are all learning along the way as we get older.

protonGL you got me thinking there. The new Beetle is based on the Golf IV platform whereas the mini doesn't seem to share platforms with any other models. I'm wondering how much that affects the costs.

We are here to discuss topics in a mature manner(or at least Paul hopes everyday that we do that). It is by no means, a personal attack on you at all.

All I am saying is, to get the best out of any discussion, we should look at all the facts available. Unfortunately, you seem to be very upset at the whole thing. I'm sure tracks and certainly myself had no other motives other than to bring up as many points available, and make a fair comment on the topic.

Tracks, I was just giving examples based on what you've said. Drop something, hit the head on moving parts, or parts droping on head like durians izit? Same thing like phone exploding or your mate kicked you in the nuts. The chances are similar.

Oklah, my lecturer always say, you know why no helmets? The bloody helmet is too darn big, you might scratch the properly primed or painted surface, crack the windshield, the QC guys also cannot fit into the car, or hide cracks in it. It is up to the Union, so we're just merely giving comments. Tell you what, before commissioning of my future factory, I give you a ring ok! I need a safety expert!

I'm not saying that Asians are inferior in thoughts or anything like that , you did. Don't simply make assumptions just because aku pro US. Asia produce quality products too. I've got a set of "snap-on" tools from China and they're brilliant!!!!

Pemandu Honda, ok, I admit, I don't really know much about TM plant, but the reason VW WAS interested sebab the distribution channels and future global expansion. Not solely 'bout the factory. U think they donno how to set up a proper factory with their $$ izit!

U guys (you know who you are) are boasting you know this and that, did research and stuffs like that, but just to let you "pros" know some "inside stuff". (FYI lagi) Do you know that at that time I graduated (not disclosing when), no one, I mean no one could even design a single barrel down-draught carburettor from scratch. I did not believe this at first, but damn the facts were real. We've got lots of people who could modify one though( saya pun boleh), and Millions of other things. Sikit sudah improve i must say, but it is frustrating that I can't print it out, such as things about the Campro engine, the control module, fuel piping, fabrics, plastics ..etc. So I'm keeping quiet and following the "band wagon"..Malaysia BOLEH! Proton BOLEH!

Hey I jaguh kampung also , so no discrimination ok!

Eh, there are newer post, go and disturb the peace over there!

Case closed! DoODoO signing out!

I am not an engineer, but in term of safety. It is entirely depend on the safety features available in the design of the building. UK have one of the highest standard and requirement in term of health and safety on workplace and they enforce it quite strict. I don't mean our country regulations on this matter is lower standard, but most of the time is lack of enforcement. From my observation, I can fairly say the following: -

1. As a general rule for office space is 100 sq ft allocated for 1 person. This means if the office got 20 staffs, they need 2,000 sq ft office space.

2. For hypermarket like Tesco, they need more walking space and the most of this can easily accommodate 3 trolley side by side to reduce stress and jam to customers.

And in the above illustration, there are hardly a staff at office or customer at hypermarket bang/clash into office table, equipment or rack displaying products! This is consider "crammed place".

But look at the factory picture above, perhaps there are allowance for 1 worker for 200 sq. ft. factory floor available. Of course the design of the factory in respect to safety and health is just like in office or hypermarket environment where all factor pertaining to safety already take into consideration that without safety helmet or other, the risk is practically non-existence except in the case of negligence or careless. I means they have high standard for health and safety.

Look at their floor, as clean as any office floor, not like Ah Beng workshop, 1,500 sq ft but strewn with all kind of unwanted parts and the black oil/dust/soil as thick as 10 mm to 20 mm (in some cases).

For your info again, there are states in the US where by the law doesn't require the use of a helmet while riding a motorcycle even global research results indicated that wearing a helmet decreases the risk of injury to the head in the event of an accidient. Some cars are not even permitted to enter certain states because it does not comply to its emission regulation. In the US, regulation and laws varries form one state to another. Therefore, please don't PANDANG TINGGI SANGAT TERHADAP USA. Just because that US adopt those policy doesn't automatically make them correct. By implying that US is always correct, you are saying that us Asian are always inferior in their thoughts. Think about it carefully.

I understand your frustration on Proton but please use more logic when making comments.

Actually, I'm just got freaking tired of this "Potong Saka" stuff! No more please!!!

what bother me a bit is that the bmw try to impose its M3ish to the lower part of the bumper(new mini) to say that im germans now,is to be out of place may be, perhaps theres a brits way to show this massive a intake, just to keep mini as if its made in the uk.

MINI can custom-made? i am sure many ppl don't realise that. of course i'm included.

if only.. all car sellers in M'sia (e.g. Tan Chong, Naza, C&C) give its customer option to customise car they buy (even if sikit-sikit pun)… sure meriah jalanraya kita. imagine during Raya ..all cars on the road not identical.

Best la sikit!

Wasting your time.

Picture this, the worker accidently dropped some components on the floor and bend down to pick it up. The cars was moving along the rails and he failed to noticed that it is above his head now because he is preoccupied. He stand up hitting his head on to the cars but escapes with minor injuries. Therefore, the purpose of the helmet is actually to prevent the workers head from accidentally knocking into an moving object.

For your info, modern cars have both active and passive safety features. Active safety involves its ability to avoid an accident and passive safety involves its ability to minimize the damages to the occupants in the event of a collision. Just to share some general safety with you to help you better understand my concern.

The factory is great no doubt but not without any flaws.

The cars are so securely fastened, there won't be any chance of accident.

They are not working directly under the car!

Even so, what is important is their attitude, knowing what is right and what's not.

Please don't contaminate the essence of this assembly plant.