My top-10 new owner gripes

[Cubfan]

Hey, I love this car like no other I've ever owned (even my old-love, the MGB). Really do. But still a few gripes after a week or so of owning.

1. The windows don't go all the way down, sticking up a half-inch or so. Dealer says that's normal, but it seems really odd.

2. Didn't get chrome roll bars on mine, black instead. Anybody wanna trade covers?

3. Some friends say my car is gay (especially the burly Italians who drive monstrous SUVs), but their wives love it, which kinda makes it worse.

4. Whining sound from engine when air conditioning is on. I'm assuming that the compression motor is just loud or something.

5. Opening the top with the remote is difficult, and the range is bad. Helps by placing metal of key on my chin or my lips, but that looks dumb. Hard to time things when the car isn't in sight. Sunroof opens first and you have to start all over again for the top. 4 presses you gotta time right, which is tough!

6. Dealer wouldn't "deal" at all for the Sidewalk I bought off the truck. Paid full sticker, and he had a list of names who wanted to buy from the day he had it on the showroom floor if I didn't come through. He did give me both rubber and carpet mats, and promised to send the plate bracket and mini-mug when they come in. And he was nice enough not to install the front license plate (though I'll probably get a ticket someday because I didn't put it on).

7. Boot is smaller than I expected, but everything I need in there fits (so far). Kinda humorous that there's an escape handle, as I doubt even the smallest kid could squeeze in.

8. Back seat belts flap in the wind and buckle bangs against sidewall. I've found you can kinda tuck them between the seat and wall which helps some.

9. Premium gas? What happens if I don't comply?

10. Wish I could find the British flags that go on the back of the seats underneath the roll bars. Have looked everywhere to find them.

[MiniMaybee]

Originally Posted by Cubfan

...
10. Wish I could find the British flags that go on the back of the seats underneath the roll bars. Have looked everywhere to find them.

Well you can strike one off that list of yours: http://www.aestheticreations.net/vin...icstickers.htm

[Cubfan]

That's it! Thanks.

[Quesera]

Have you posted pics yet? Congratulations. I agree with #1, 5, and 8, but the rest of the car makes up for it.

[tony1athome]

Originally Posted by Cubfan

7. Boot is smaller than I expected, but everything I need in there fits (so far). Kinda humorous that there's an escape handle, as I doubt even the smallest kid could squeeze in.

Put my six-year-old in there, no problem. She giggled the whole time.

[Raiyu]

actually I think there was a thread on another forum where a guy went on a diet and offered to match everyone's donations to a charity if he couldn't fit in the boot of the cabby:-p in the end i think he made it.

[MINIFVR]

You could skip on the premium in all months but the summer if you want. You won't get any appreciable gain in MPG and unless you have some mods like pulley, etc you dont really need it.

[bamatt]

1. My front windows go all the way down but my rear windows don't. Since I never sit back there it doesn't bother me.
2. you can buy chrome roll bar covers for fairly cheap from the dealership
3. I think your big burly Italian friends must look quite ghey driving around in their big gas-guzzling bricks now a days with gas prices as high as they are so the joke is really on them
4. doesn't bother me, maybe I have gotten used to it
5. I never open my top with the remote because my dealer told me it drained the battery
6. I paid full price for my 2005 MCSC & all I got was a stinkin free keyring if that makes you feel better
7. I found the boot bigger than I expected & I regularly put 7 gallon jugs of water in there along with all my groceries for 2 weeks without problem. I often have people stop in the grocery store parking lot because they think I can't possibly fit everything that is in my cart but I do every time. I think I should start taking side bets from onlookers.
8. I don't have your seat belt buckle woes, mine stay put or else I have the stereo up so loudly that I can't hear them rattling
9. you absolutely need premium gas with a supercharged engine. If you don't comply you will see your MPG decrease & possible premature engine wear. I know gas is expensive but look at it this way... If you drive 10K miles a year (assuming around 25MPG average) & premium is 30¢ more a gallon than regular octane, using regular instead of premium will only save you $120 a year or $10 a month. Is that really worth the risk?
10. I see this one is solved

[MINIFVR]

Originally Posted by bamatt

1. My front windows go all the way down but my rear windows don't. Since I never sit back there it doesn't bother me.
2. you can buy chrome roll bar covers for fairly cheap from the dealership
3. I think your big burly Italian friends must look quite ghey driving around in their big gas-guzzling bricks now a days with gas prices as high as they are so the joke is really on them
4. doesn't bother me, maybe I have gotten used to it
5. I never open my top with the remote because my dealer told me it drained the battery
6. I paid full price for my 2005 MCSC & all I got was a stinkin free keyring if that makes you feel better
7. I found the boot bigger than I expected & I regularly put 7 gallon jugs of water in there along with all my groceries for 2 weeks without problem. I often have people stop in the grocery store parking lot because they think I can't possibly fit everything that is in my cart but I do every time. I think I should start taking side bets from onlookers.
8. I don't have your seat belt buckle woes, mine stay put or else I have the stereo up so loudly that I can't hear them rattling
9. you absolutely need premium gas with a supercharged engine. If you don't comply you will see your MPG decrease & possible premature engine wear. I know gas is expensive but look at it this way... If you drive 10K miles a year (assuming around 25MPG average) & premium is 30¢ more a gallon than regular octane, using regular instead of premium will only save you $120 a year or $10 a month. Is that really worth the risk?
10. I see this one is solved

Well the MINI is about as aerodynamic as a brick, but thats beside the point!

[MINIFVR]

Originally Posted by Cubfan

Hey, I love this car like no other I've ever owned (even my old-love, the MGB). Really do. But still a few gripes after a week or so of owning.

1. The windows don't go all the way down, sticking up a half-inch or so. Dealer says that's normal, but it seems really odd.

2. Didn't get chrome roll bars on mine, black instead. Anybody wanna trade covers?

3. Some friends say my car is gay (especially the burly Italians who drive monstrous SUVs), but their wives love it, which kinda makes it worse.

4. Whining sound from engine when air conditioning is on. I'm assuming that the compression motor is just loud or something.

5. Opening the top with the remote is difficult, and the range is bad. Helps by placing metal of key on my chin or my lips, but that looks dumb. Hard to time things when the car isn't in sight. Sunroof opens first and you have to start all over again for the top. 4 presses you gotta time right, which is tough!

6. Dealer wouldn't "deal" at all for the Sidewalk I bought off the truck. Paid full sticker, and he had a list of names who wanted to buy from the day he had it on the showroom floor if I didn't come through. He did give me both rubber and carpet mats, and promised to send the plate bracket and mini-mug when they come in. And he was nice enough not to install the front license plate (though I'll probably get a ticket someday because I didn't put it on).

7. Boot is smaller than I expected, but everything I need in there fits (so far). Kinda humorous that there's an escape handle, as I doubt even the smallest kid could squeeze in.

8. Back seat belts flap in the wind and buckle bangs against sidewall. I've found you can kinda tuck them between the seat and wall which helps some.

9. Premium gas? What happens if I don't comply?

10. Wish I could find the British flags that go on the back of the seats underneath the roll bars. Have looked everywhere to find them.

I don't have any real problem with all of your complaints except #3. I mean come on now... They think its gay...who cares? If you love it thats what matters. Its not like you're driving around in a vw beetle!

[Raiyu]

Originally Posted by MINIFVR

I don't have any real problem with all of your complaints except #3. I mean come on now... They think its gay...who cares? If you love it thats what matters. Its not like you're driving around in a vw beetle!

for me this is solved by giving them a ride or letting them drive(depending on their standing) it's fun to have them franticly reaching for the oh **** bar before realizing(being told) it's on the door.

It gives them a new respect for it;)

Even without giving them a ride, it's usually fairly simple to make these low mentality people feel stupid

[MINIFVR]

Originally Posted by Raiyu

for me this is solved by giving them a ride or letting them drive(depending on their standing) it's fun to have them franticly reaching for the oh **** bar before realizing(being told) it's on the door.

It gives them a new respect for it;)

Even without giving them a ride, it's usually fairly simple to make these low mentality people feel stupid

Damn straight. That's pretty much what needs to be done. My friend is coming over tomorrow who is a 'mini hater'. I plan to set her straight.

[bamatt]

Originally Posted by MINIFVR

Damn straight. That's pretty much what needs to be done. My friend is coming over tomorrow who is a 'mini hater'. I plan to set her straight.

Take her for a really long drive out in the country down the twisty roads. If she still hates the MINI when you get to the country dump her by the side of the road & let her walk home OK I'm kidding, I'm kidding..... kinda

[cooper8168]

Gay? Feh. The Minis outnumbered the Cobras at the Wine Country Classic at Infineon last weekend. The Minis made a very strong showing - we had 3 there ourselves and the Mini Corral was full.

7. Boot is smaller than I expected, but everything I need in there fits (so far). Kinda humorous that there's an escape handle, as I doubt even the smallest kid could squeeze in.

One of the benefits of owning a handbag line: Just for fun, I am having our sample-maker develop a set of luggage that custom-fits the boot of the Cabrio. It is incredible how much stuff you can fit in the rough samples we have made!

[bamatt]

Originally Posted by cooper8168

One of the benefits of owning a handbag line: Just for fun, I am having our sample-maker develop a set of luggage that custom-fits the boot of the Cabrio. It is incredible how much stuff you can fit in the rough samples we have made!

Uh HELLO if you are getting some luggage custom fit to the cabrio boot don't even tell me you are not going to get some extras made & sell it to your cabrio NAM buddies

[cooper8168]

That's the point!!

Just gotta test it first. And decide on fabric. 80% of our line is leather, but I'm thinking an eco-friendly ballistic nylon would be best for this. It all depends on whether our sample maker can make patterns out of that material that we can easily put into production for not a lot of money.

Will keep you posted

Originally Posted by bamatt

Uh HELLO if you are getting some luggage custom fit to the cabrio boot don't even tell me you are not going to get some extras made & sell it to your cabrio NAM buddies

[bamatt]

Be sure to keep me posted I know they would never do it but I would kill for some black & white checkered luggage

[cooper8168]

Originally Posted by bamatt

Be sure to keep me posted I know they would never do it but I would kill for some black & white checkered luggage

You never know - if it's easy enough to source the material and for our factory to work with that material, we might be able to do a custom one or two.

[bamatt]

anything checkerboard or maybe even if it could have checkerboard accents if the material wasn't the type you could use for the whole piece of luggage.

[COR BLMY]

for the lady in your life ...
check out HARVEYS ... seatbeltpurse.com


Man ... I wish they made luggage

[bamatt]

Originally Posted by COR BLMY

for the lady in your life ...
check out HARVEYS ... seatbeltpurse.com


Man ... I wish they made luggage

now if I could just get a man in my life so he could buy me that...

[COR BLMY]

[Cubfan]

My wife's step mom has a shop in North Carolina. I'd like to show her your handbag line. What's the URL?

Ahh, and the gay comments don't bother me a bit. Still wish the windows went down, though. Does every Cabrio work like this, or can an adjustment be made?

And the premium gas stings a bit because my wife's job has a gas card where gas is free, but they only authorize up to 89 octane. I'm thinking she'll need approval for more, and that's hard to pull off. Maybe I'll do it anyway.

[2xMini]

Hi Cubfan,

Welcome to the semi crazy world of MINI cabrio ownership. I think of all the MINIs, the cabrio is probably the most idiosyncratic one (is that a word?).

My comments:

1. I'll check more closely tomorrow, but I'd swear all my windows go all the way down (05 model btw).

2. You can actually buy those chrome covers at mossmini or minimania I'm pretty sure, much cheaper than the dealer and the exact same thing. Word of warning though, the covers are not real chrome, they're chrome plastic anyways. Btw, I thought the sidewalk automatically had the chrome covers?

3. Easy fix... get your italian buddies to come over, point at their wives who love the car and say in a loud voice, "if you were single and those hot chicks flocked around your car, would you consider yourself gay?" and give the wives a big wink. I think all gay talk will stop right about then.

4. Ok, my hearing's not the best nowadays, but I don't hear a whine when the ac is on. Is it possible the accessory belt is loose? Have the car checked at the dealer if it sounds loud to you.

5. Yep, one of my gripes too. Wish someone handy on here would find the location of the car antenna and make a range extender for it.

6. I bought mine used, but the wide's hardtop was ordered brand new. There is still no budge on msrp on these cars, we got free floor mats but that's about it. I don't expect that to change with the demand still rising and factory output still falling behind demand. The good news though is that depreciation on these cars is almost nil... I've seen many 05 and 06 models still selling at near original msrp.

7. Lol, I think you can even reach the seat down levers from that space, and even the rear top release levers too (so you can probably shout for help I suppose). Good to know you have an escape hatch though in case of something horrible like a rollover.

8. Yep, in a good crosswind (like you, I live in the land of perpetual wind, Nebraska) my passenger one rattles pretty bad. I end up buckling it up which fixes the noise but looks awfully funny.

9. Is yours the S (turbo)? I would recommend 91 especially in the summer. The turbos are more forgiving than the older ones (supercharged), and yes, you can run 89 in them. You will lose some mileage and performance, but it will NOT affect engine longevity. There have been several threads on this issue and the manufacturers themselves agree that the cars are designed to run on the lower octane with no damage in the near or far term. You will NOT void your warranty either as long as the octane you use is above the minimum listed for the car (89 I think in the case of the turbo, 87 for the non turbo).

[2xMini]

Ooops, forgot the cabrios are still the old design! The S cabrio is not a turbo, it's supercharged like the older ones. You should still be safe running 89. If in doubt, ask the dealer to confirm.