The Cooper Cast Podcast

In this week’s episode of The Cooper Cast, host Dale Blankenship and trusty sidekick Producer Kodi Monster dig into some big shifts that could shape MINI’s future. First, BMW has announced a brand-new direct sales model rolling out in Europe for 2027 — will MINI follow suit, and could this model eventually cross the pond to the U.S.? Then we turn to the European Union, which has quietly relaxed it...

🎙️ The Cooper Cast – Episode 89 Host: Dale Blankenship Producer: Kodi Monster (faithful sidekick, still no speaking role 🐾) In Episode 89 of The Cooper Cast , Dale kicks things off with the ever-popular Cooper Cast Question of the Week — and this week’s question doesn’t disappoint. The answers from the MINI community are as fun and quirky as the cars themselves. From there, we head into the world...

Welcome to Episode 88 of The Cooper Cast Podcast, Hosted by Dale Blankenship with Producer Kodi Monster on guard duty 🐾 In this episode, we take a look back at MINI’s short-lived Countryman Hybrid — a neat little stepping-stone into electrification that just didn’t stick around very long. Then we turn our attention to MINI’s new adaptive headlights rolling out overseas. They’re impressive, but of...

This week on The Cooper Cast , Dale dives into some big news — MINI’s amazing uptick in reliability ratings. From being at the bottom of the charts to climbing into the top tier, it’s nothing short of remarkable. We’ll also shine a light on yet another scammer making the rounds in the MINI community (because they never seem to quit), and share the story of a fellow MINIac dealing with a tough prob...

In this episode, we’ve got a little bit of everything from the MINI world. First up, MINI Global has yet another new leader. At this point, I’m convinced they just keep the boss’s name written in chalk on the office door — makes for quicker updates when the next one rolls in. Next, we head to India, where one of the newest MINI owners just celebrated his 7th birthday . Yep, you heard that right —...

In this episode of The Cooper Cast , host Dale Blankenship and his trusty sidekick Producer Kodi Monster (who, as always, has no speaking role but lots of opinions) bring you another motoring mix of MINI news and community fun. 🚦 Safety First: The brand-new MINIs score five stars in the latest Euro NCAP crash tests — proving once again that small and mighty can also mean safe and sturdy. 🏁 Conce...

In this info-packed episode, host Dale Blankenship and Producer Kodi dive into a few hot topics for MINI owners! First up: protecting and maintaining your MINI’s graphics . Roof stripes, bonnet decals, side graphics — they aren’t “set it and forget it.” With a little TLC, your vinyl can stay looking fresh and sharp for years. Next, we tackle the dark side of Facebook groups: fake, scammer-run MINI...

In this episode of The Cooper Cast , host Dale Blankenship and his trusty sidekick Producer Kodi (still silent, still adorable) dive into the Officially Unofficial Rules of Motoring —the essential code every MINIac should live by. Think of it as the “MINI Driver’s Handbook,” only with a lot more fun and a lot fewer DMV lines. From there, we take a trip to South Africa , where the MINI community is...

In Episode 82 of The Cooper Cast , host Dale Blankenship and Producer Kodi Monster (still silent, still stealing the show) dig into some surprising MINI news—Mercedes wants to use our engines in their future models. That’s right, the three-pointed star is turning to our trusty little motor. Kudos, MINI! From there, we roll through the MINI-related Facebook groups—where the questions are sometimes...

This week on The Cooper Cast , Dale Blankenship and his trusty (but still silent) producer Kodi Monster wade back into the wonderful, wacky world of MINI Facebook groups. Some of the same old questions keep popping up (yes, again), along with a few new ones to keep things interesting. Spoiler alert: the answers are just as “creative” as ever. After that, we turn to our own Cooper Cast Facebook pag...

 In this episode of The Cooper Cast Podcast, host Dale Blankenship and his trusty sidekick Producer Kodi (he’s a dog, you know) bring you a full MINI-flavored weekend recap and a few surprises along the way. We start with a wrap-up of this year’s MINI at The Glen at Watkins Glen International Raceway. The event kicked off at Torrey Ridge Winery, followed by a scenic backroads drive to the historic...

This week on The Cooper Cast , Dale Blankenship (and Producer Kodi Monster, who’s still refusing to speak on mic) tackle a mix of MINI topics worth tuning in for. First up—dipsticks. Yes, the kind for checking your oil, not the ones posting bad advice on Facebook. Then we chat about why a dash cam might be one of the best investments you can make for your MINI. We’ve also got some new videos comin...

In this episode, Dale and Producer Kodi take a scenic detour through the MINI world, starting with a shoutout to a seriously cool Facebook group: MINIs & Murals — where creative MINIacs pair their rides with eye-popping street art. It’s worth a scroll, trust us. Then, Dale grabs the mic (again) to tackle two recurring mysteries in the MINI community: Why do so many folks ask for help but never...

This week on The Cooper Cast , your host Dale Blankenship—joined by everyone's favorite four-legged producer, Kodi Monster—dives into the often-overlooked world of cleaning your wheels and tires. They may be dirty, but that doesn’t mean your cleaning routine should be half-baked. We’ve got some solid tips to help your MINI roll clean and true. We’ll also reveal the actual winner of the Favori...

 🎙️ The Cooper Cast Podcast – Episode 76 "Alignment? Nah, Bro. Just Crash Into a Curb Instead." Hosted by Dale Blankenship & Producer Kodi Monster (he’s fluffy, but silent) In this episode, Dale and Kodi dig into some of the wild, wacky, and downright wrong things floating around in the Facebook MINI groups lately. From folks bragging about $19.99 oil changes ( spoiler alert: that de...

 This week on The Cooper Cast Podcast , host Dale Blankenship and Producer Kodi Monster get into the sudsy side of MINI ownership with the next installment in our Car Care Series — Washing Your MINI . Spoiler alert: it's more than just grabbing a hose and a bucket. We break down the methods, the materials, and the science behind keeping your MINI’s finish looking flawless. Then it’s on to thi...

In this episode of The Cooper Cast , host Dale Blankenship and a live mic from Producer Kodi hit the Facebook MINI groups once again — where the content is endless and the fun is always idling nearby. We ask: do we really need that many MINI groups? Spoiler: probably not, but we love 'em anyway. We discover a Florida shop that’s wrapping MINIs in... tweed. Actual tweed. Because why not add te...

This week on The Cooper Cast with host Dale Blankenship, we start things off with a surprise guest — Ram Trucks . That’s right. Ram dropped the Hemi, fans got mad, and guess what? Ram listened. So we ask the question: Should MINI be paying attention? Even though sales are strong for the new Countryman and 4-Door Hatch, some longtime MINIacs still aren’t sold on the new look and feel. Then, we shif...

with host Dale Blankenship This week on The Cooper Cast , Dale dives headfirst back into the wonderfully chaotic world of Facebook MINI groups — where the comments are wild, the opinions are strong, and the drama never takes a day off. We revisit the MINI club drama discussion and check in on this week’s Cooper Cast Question of the Week . Not many replies this time, but hey — they were solid . Fro...

This week on The Cooper Cast , we dive into the swirling vortex that is the MINI Cooper Facebook universe. Dale and Producer Kodi (yes, he speaks!) sort through posts and questions that are on the minds of MINIacs everywhere. Thinking about switching from 205 to 215 tires ? We break down the pros, the cons, and why those extra millimeters might just be your MINI’s new best friend. Run Flats vs. Co...

One Facebook post. That’s all it took to pop the lid off something that’s been simmering in the MINI Community for a while. In Episode 70, Dale dives head-first into the thread that opened the floodgates—and what poured out was surprising, enlightening, and in many ways, long overdue. Turns out, plenty of longtime MINIacs and newer owners have been quietly feeling the same thing: cliques forming,...

🎙️ The Cooper Cast Podcast – Episode 69 Hosted by Dale Blankenship In this episode, Dale wraps up his road trip adventure of his speaking engagement at the Upstate MINIs monthly meeting in Greenville, SC, and gives a report on  the MINI Rendez Vous Quebec gathering held back in May. 🇨🇦 Then it’s on to some previews of two of the most iconic events in the MINIverse— MINIs On Top at Mt. Washington,...

In this episode of The Cooper Cast Podcast , host Dale Blankenship is joined by Program Director Chassie (riding shotgun as always, and keeping the studio safe from squirrels). We dive deep into the mysterious world of wheel spacers—are they a brilliant handling upgrade or just a one-way ticket to trouble? Tune in to find out the good, the bad, and the possibly sketchy. Plus, we roll out the Coope...

In this week’s episode of The Cooper Cast , host Dale Blankenship kicks things off with a heartfelt (and slightly sarcastic) nod to the MINI Paceman—the quirky coupe/SUV/wagon-ish thing that never quite knew what it wanted to be, but we loved it anyway. Then we dive into some wild stuff from the world wide inter-MINI-webs, like automotive journalists who clearly copy-pasted their way through “MINI...

 In Episode 66 of The Cooper Cast Podcast, host Dale Blankenship dives back into the chaotic charm of Facebook MINI groups to uncover some of the most frequently asked—and occasionally baffling—questions that keep popping up. From the helpful to the hilarious, Dale shares four common posts and offers his take on each one. We also tackle the Cooper Cast Question of the Week from the Facebook page,...