Anyone who does not know what this means really should.  It means “Buyer Beware”.  This is as important in Mini ownership as anywhere else, if not more so.

Depending on what you’re buying, it could save you life if it’s good or kill you if it’s bad.

My latest example is a steering wheel that I bought at the Brooklands Mini Show in March of this year.

A lovely wooden jobbie to replace the not-so-lovely wooden jobbie that had started to split, the steering wheel cost me £55. I thought this was a good price as every other trader at the show was selling them at £60-70. I fitted the wheel at the show and it felt great.

It still felt great 4 months later. Right up to the point where I leant against it when getting out of the car and it bent:

Bendage

Not too bad you might think? Well, imagine what could have happened if my chest or my face hit the steering due to an immediate stop (on the back of another car for example). Yeah.

Want another view?

A bit bent then!

Can you see anything else about the steering wheel? No:

1. The bottom “leather” cover is coming off. I realised afterwards that it was pulling out of the metal catch holding it into place.

2. Look again at the bottom “leather” cover. There’s no “Mountney” logo. Now, I must declare that this was not sold to me as a Mountney steering wheel. However, apart from the logo, this steering wheel and a Mountney version are EXACTLY the same to look at.

Obviously though, material quality is a fairly large issue that has cost me a lot of money. I am going to go back through my bank statements and try to locate the trader that I bought it from and contact them for a refund. Unfortunately I cannot find the receipt.

So, when you are buying ANYTHING, check that it actually is what you expect it to be. Simple and logical I know, but I didn’t and look at what I am left with. Yep, a standard, leather(!), Mountney steering wheel.