The Cooper Cast Podcast

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 gui...

In Episode 39 of The Cooper Cast Podcast, host Dale Blankenship and Producer Kodi hit the brakes on their original plans to address some electrifying breaking news: BMW and MINI are tapping the brakes on electric vehicle development. What could this mean for MINI fans and their beloved brand’s future? Shifting gears, they dive into the Cooper Cast Facebook group’s “Road Snack” question of the week...

Dale (fighting off a festive flu) and Kodi deliver an abbreviated holiday episode packed with MINI insights! They dive into the peril of motoring in Roadsters, Coupes, and second-gen JCWs with elusive crash parts—should we drive differently? Probably not. Last week’s 'Question of the Week' asks if the new MINI is tech overload—spoiler: opinions abound. Wrapping it all up, Dale and Kodi w...

In this episode, host Dale Blankenship and ever-vigilant producer Kodi Monster delve into the hopeful return of manual transmissions to upcoming MINIs. Did MINI drop the stick too quickly in 2025? MINI USA seems to think so and is lobbying for a comeback! We also share solutions for keeping your MINI’s battery charged while it’s hibernating for the winter, reveal highlights from last week’s Facebo...

In this week’s episode of The Cooper Cast Podcast , Dale Blankenship dives under the hood to discuss the infamous carbon build-up problem in second-generation MINI engines. What causes it? Can you prevent it? And most importantly, how do you fix it? Dale breaks it all down so you can keep your MINI running smooth. We also gear up for the first big MINI event of 2025— Helenblitz ! From February 27t...

   Join host Dale Blankenship for another exciting episode of The Cooper Cast! This week, we tackle the sudden rise in key fob problems and uncover the mystery of hidden keys and door locks—are they plotting against us? Introducing a brand-new segment: "Why Did You Buy Your 1st MINI?" Hear stories that range from practical to quirky to downright sentimental, and we’ll feature a few new t...

In Episode 34 of The Cooper Cast Podcast, host Dale Blankenship tackles tire warning lights, auxiliary drive belts, and scammer antics straight from the wilds of Facebook MINI groups—because even MINIs need drama sometimes. We also geek out over shiny new options for the 2025 JCW Hardtop and chat about the fresh MINI Convertible. Plus, discover a clever, no-drill solution for mounting a front lice...

In this episode of The Cooper Cast Podcast , host Dale Blankenship, joined by Producer Kodi Monster and Executive President Chassie, dives into a couple of  intriguing finds from the MINI Facebook groups. They also discuss the exciting lineup of MINI events coming in 2025, featuring one run from coastal Georgia up to Maine, and other MINI events in Michigan, Canada, and, of course, the legendary M...

Grab a warm drink and settle in! This week, Dale Blankenship is back with an all-weather edition of The Cooper Cast, ready to roll through some big topics. We kick things off with another round of tire talk—yes, tires are back! Dale dives into the fine art of MINI tires. From replacing one, to a whole set.  Because let's face it, those little things keep us on the road and make motoring more...

 Join host Dale Blankenship for a colorful recap of the Hampton Roads club MINI's 21st annual Fall Colors run through the scenic routes of Virginia. But it's not all smooth rides this week; we share the unfortunate tale of a MINI owner who fell victim to a scammer lurking in the MINI community. Finally, Dale dives into the ever-popular tire talk: what to consider about tire pressures and...

In this episode, host Dale Blankenship brings you the grand finale of our “Setting Up a Rally” series! We cover everything from choosing the best two-way radios (don't forget those Sub Channels!) to essential guidelines for both run leaders and participants—because fun drives are no accident, but accidents... well, that’s another story. Speaking of which, we kick off part one of “When Bad Thi...

In Episode 29 of The Cooper Cast Podcast , host Dale Blankenship takes listeners on a rollercoaster of emotions, starting with the sad news that Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in western North Carolina, along with the utter destruction and loss of life, on a much smaller scale, it also forced the cancellation of the popular MINIs Slay The Sleeping Dragon event. Along with the loss of a MINI gather...

In this episode, Dale Blankenship takes the wheel to tackle the most unwanted passengers in the MINI community—scammers! From bogus parts vendors to fake profiles with more red flags than a race track, we’re giving you the playbook on how to spot these sneaky thieves. But wait, there’s more! Scammers have upped their game with entire Facebook groups designed to rope you in. Think you’re just joini...

In Episode 27 of The Cooper Cast , host Dale Blankenship tackles the latest drama at MINI HQ, where the design department might be feeling the heat after the “meh” reception of the new models. To the tune on an entirely new design staff at BMW and MINI. Add to that a double dose of bad news: recalls for the new electric MINI and a major brake recall for both MINIs and BMWs. We continue our rally-p...

In the latest episode of The Cooper Cast Podcast, host Dale Blankenship takes on the scourge of scammers lurking in MINI Cooper Facebook groups. Dale dives into how these sneaky scammers target unsuspecting MINI enthusiasts, offering tips on how to spot and avoid their traps. With their tactics constantly evolving, it's more important than ever for the MINI Community to stay sharp and vigilan...

Buckle up, folks! In this episode, host Dale Blankenship is back in the driver’s seat, navigating the twists and turns of the MINI world. First on the docket, we’re talking about the recent crackdown on racer-wanna-be drivers and motorcyclists who apparently missed the memo that the Dragon isn't their personal racetrack. After a local accident, police patrols are out in force, so keep that le...

In Episode 24 of The Cooper Cast Podcast, join host Dale Blankenship and his trusty sidekick, Producer Kodi Monster, as they steer you through the world of MINI adventures with a dash of humor and a whole lot of enthusiasm. First up, we tackle the wobbly woes of wheel straightening—because driving straight is semi important. Then, we spill the beans on our Facebook survey results, revealing what o...

Welcome to Episode 23 of The Cooper Cast Podcast with your host, Dale Blankenship! In this fun-filled episode, we’re wrapping up the epic MINI Takes The States 2024 that concluded in the vibrant city of Seattle, Washington. We've got the final attendance numbers and some impressive stats from this unforgettable journey. We start with the final stats and numbers from MINI Takes The States 2024...

MINI Takes The States is over for another year! What a great finish to a great event. Even though the run from Yakima to Seattle was the shortest, it was one of my all-time favorites. The roads, the scenery, the MINIs, all were amazing.  Thanks to every single person from MINI and their support staff, that helped make the event so memorable. And another big thanks to all of the participants, from...

Welcome back to The Cooper Cast for Episode 21 and Day 8 of this adventure. Your host Dale Blankenship wraps up the awesome drive from Spokane to Yakima, even though he can’t remember what city he’s in from time to time. MINI USA and the Roadside Assistance Crew, get some well deserved kudos for their work, and yes, some of the attendees still feel the need to use MTTS as their springboard to garn...

Welcome to episode 20 of The Cooper Cast, the fun podcast for the MINI Motoring Community, with host Dale Blankenship.   In this episode we catch up on the last two legs from Bozeman to Missoula to Spokane. Today’s route up to Spokane was probably my favorite of the entire event. Our JCW is being a little bit of a pain, but seems okay for now. I hear there’s another podcaster in our midsts that I’...

Episode 19; In this episode of the Cooper Cast, your illustrious host, Dale Blankenship gives us a warp up on Day 3 of MTTS with 600+ MINIs and over 1000 MINI owners head out of Grand Junction Colorado headed up to Salt Lake City, Utah. Because nothing says “road trip” like a convoy of little British cars causing stares and minor traffic jambs.  We braved the monotony of the Interstate, where the...

More motoring adventure from MTTS 2024

Today’s episode comes to you from beautiful downtown Durango, Colorado. After motoring along, following the official MINI Takes The States route sheet, we arrived in Durango. The roads were great, the weather couldn’t have been nicer and there were MINIs everywhere.  We did see one pepper white MINI having a conversation with a law enforcement officer, but hopefully that ended well. We also saw so...

Welcome Cooper Casters to the latest edition of the Cooper Cast, where we take you on a wild ride through MINI Takes The States! I’m your host Dale Blankenship, coming to you live-ish from scenic, and warm,  Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Daily Wrap-Ups; Today kicked off with MINI enthusiasts revving up their engines and gearing up for the first leg of this epic adventure from Albuquerque’s desert vibe...