Trixie Vosseler does not have a burgeoning addiction — it is more like a creeping Mini problem. Ever since she saw Goodbye Pork Pie at the cinema in the early 1980s, she has had an insatiable appetite for Minis. Now she has two in her garage and is always on the lookout for good deals to add to her collection. On Saturday, she will join more than 20 other Mini owners from around the South Island, on the fourth annual Otago Mini Club Coast to Coast Rally, from St Clair Beach in Dunedin, to Haast and back. ©Allied MediaTrixie Vosseler, of the Otago Mini Club, will lead the way in the club’s annual Coast to Coast Rally, from the St Clair Esplanade to Haast today. Photo: Peter McIntosh The rally will pass through Outram, Middlemarch, Ranfurly Springvale, Clyde and Hāwea, to Haast for the night and then return the next day. “The reason we do this is because all of the other rallies are fundraisers for charities, or show and shine events. “A lot of people like the Coast to Coast because there’s no pressure to raise money. “This rally is just good fun.” Ms Vosseler said 22 Minis would take part — some from as early as the 1970s and others from the more recent BMW era. “It’s usually about half and half on the rally.” Given that many of the cars were now considered “vintage” and less reliable than they used to be, she said it was good they were travelling in convoy, with CB radios. If one broke down, there would be plenty of Mini owners with the mechanical know-how, to get it back on the road again. “They all get together and bang heads, and that’s why we go as a group, because sometimes you’ll have to fix it onsite and kind of make sure everybody’s OK. “There’s a pretty good chance there will be a couple of breakdowns along the way, just given the age of the cars. “We have a pretty well-equipped toolbox in the back of our car, just in case.” It was all part of the adventure, she said. Because of their classic appeal, their value had gone up in recent years, and depending on their condition and rarity, they could be worth between $10,000 and $70,000, she said. “I think they’re quite an iconic old car, especially in New Zealand with the Goodbye Pork Pie movie and with other movies like The Italian Job.” She said her love of Minis had grown to the point where she was now in the process of buying her third. “It’s quite addictive really.” At the moment, they would all fit in their garage space, but it may well become “a problem” in the near future if she continued to collect them, she said. john.lewis@odt.co.nz
