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I think the most essential thing for Cabrio motoring is the right haircut!
Years ago a barber moved my part to the "wrong" side of my head for a guy. I didn't know guys parted on one side and girls the other. That's what he said anyway. What can I say, guys are clueless. Anyway, he said the way my hair grew blah blah. But the good part is parting on the left as the driver your hair doesn't get as messed up as if you part it on the right. It's true!
__________________ 2005 MCSC: LSD, Aerokit, Alta CAI and 15%, Magnaflow Catback, Hawk Ceramics, TSW XBrace chassis brace, Kosei K1's w/ Goodyear F1 GS-D3's 1969 Westerly Cirrus: Kappa sails, 155% genoa :-) , CDI roller furl/reef, Yamaha 4 stroke, Interlux Polyurethane, West system Epoxies and glass. MYMINI in a TV Commercial! The "Making of" the commercial :-)
Mishka - They have been designed custom for the Mini so they have the cutout on the side for the airbag. Fit is great and installation was very easy. The backseat required you lift out the seat cushion to install but it was easy. I was very impressed with the fit and quality. As for color - I took the color scheme directly from mmatarella (go to post #50 above for a link to his gallery).
Cheers,
Chuck
Thanks for the info. I have been wondering about that, and this seemed like a good time to ask someone. Now I just need to convince my wife I need $500 more dollars to spend on the MINI!
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I think the most essential thing for Cabrio motoring is the right haircut!
As a guy, I have finally found a good side to my family history of hair loss. No matter what, my hair doesn't get messed up while motoring with the top down. However, it does make for some painful sunburns if you are not careful.
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GROMIT 2005 HO/B MCc Premium, Sport, Cold Weather, CVT, Black/Chrome Stripes, Driving Lights, Ian's Auto Up, Way Motor Works Cooper Intake, MinSpeed Exhaust
As a guy, I have finally found a good side to my family history of hair loss. No matter what, my hair doesn't get messed up while motoring with the top down. However, it does make for some painful sunburns if you are not careful.
It does require the rest of us following you with your top down, to wear our shades
As a Mini Owner Wannabe, are there advantages to the cloth seats on the topless model? The thought of skin on hot leather or ette scares me. I read the generic debate of leather vs. ette on one of the other posts, but cloth was not mentioned....
Thanks,
I had to go through a lot of grief to GUARANTEE cloth seats on my ragtop. Tin can or ragtop, I love cloth. Hate leather and leatherette. Sticky, sticky, sticky.
I wear shorts or skirts (or bathing suit!) in the summer, and cloth is just SOOO much more comfy than hot sticky leather.
When I ordered mine, BMW had temporatily made cloth unavailable, due to a problem with the supplier. Thankfully, they tok care of it prior to my finalizing the order. Would really have hated to pay $1500 for something I hate!
Seats have gotten wet - a beach towel kept in the trunk handles that - just sit on it if you have to drive when they're wet. I wouldn't bother with seat covers.
It does require the rest of us following you with your top down, to wear our shades
Nope, I'm considerate of others and wear a hat.
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GROMIT 2005 HO/B MCc Premium, Sport, Cold Weather, CVT, Black/Chrome Stripes, Driving Lights, Ian's Auto Up, Way Motor Works Cooper Intake, MinSpeed Exhaust
One of the cool things about the MINI cabrio is the remote "top down" convenience feature. But the range of the remote is so poor that you have to start the opening sequence when you're practically standing next to car. Sort of defeats the purpose.
I found previous posts about the "remote chin trick," explaining that if you touch the metal part of the key to your chin while pushing the button you can greatly extend the range. The scientific explanation is that it makes your body a giant antenna. Believe it or not it works, extending your remote range to 100 feet or more.
But holding your key to your chin while walking through the parking lot looks silly, so I experimented with other locations. The best I've found is the wrist joint. Touch the key to one of your wrist joints as you depress the remote button and keep walking toward your car. By the time you get there the top will be all the way down with time to spare. I have done it from about 150 feet away. No joke.
I found previous posts about the "remote chin trick," explaining that if you touch the metal part of the key to your chin while pushing the button you can greatly extend the range. The scientific explanation is that it makes your body a giant antenna. Believe it or not it works, extending your remote range to 100 feet or more.
Obviously the missing Star Trek episode where they reveal the orgin of the transporter. :impatient
As a Mini Owner Wannabe, are there advantages to the cloth seats on the topless model? The thought of skin on hot leather or ette scares me. I read the generic debate of leather vs. ette on one of the other posts, but cloth was not mentioned....
Thanks,
We got seat inserts from superlamb.com. They cover just the center of the seat making leatherette bearable in the hot sun. And since they only cover the center of the seat, the side airbags are not blocked.[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][/SIZE][/FONT]
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06 MCSCa PW/B; Premium Package, Cold Weather Package, Cockpit Chrono Pack, Auxiliary Audio Input, Wind Deflector
Cooper Flags Srtipes and Side Graphics, Dinan CAI, Dinan Stage 3 Software, Webb Motorsports 15% pulley and more to come!
Hot leather is exactly why we went with cloth in the cabrio. Figured it'd get dirty anyway. The cloth gets dirty pretty quick... just an FYI. Of course, we have two kids that pile in and out of the MINI... We try our best to keep them & the seats clean.
Okay, I'm taking the squirt guns out of my car and leaving these items: my MINI wool half-zip sweater (for those 60 degree mornings), driving gloves, a scarf or two, and for the back seat, one of those plug-in blankets. MMMMM. Of course, this is only for the morning commute. Days are still mid-80s. Naner.
__________________ Cricket: 2010 Pepperwhite JCW Convertible with 'tude.
It was 42 degrees this morning. No question but the top goes down. Heater on, heated seats on low . . . fuzzy . . . cap . . . gloves. Pretty simple and quite beautiful. I had a great view of the year's first snow on the local peaks
Ok, Bluebonnet, now I have a terminal case of roadtripitis. Nice signature, where did you get it? I want an S version (BRG/black stripes/tan leather - gotta love it!)
Don't have my cabrio yet, but I'll be using a bunch of these tips when I finally get to motor! And here's one that's not listed yet:
I don't have a garage, and my neighborhood has a gazillion cats that run around outside (including mine), so I'll be parking with the top up. Here's a hint a co-worker gave me: Sprinkle pepper on the top of the car, where cats like to lay in the "hammock". Their noses are sensitive to the pepper, and they don't like it. The pepper brushes right off when you want to motor. After awhile, the cats learn that your car is not a good bed so they leave it alone and you can stop doing the pepper thing. Haven't actually tried it, but it sounds like it would work!
I don't have a garage but use a car cover. It makes me feel a little better to see the paw tracks on the cover rather than the top itself. Let us know if the pepper works.
My commutes have been in the 20s and teens lately (I have enough terrain to have a 10 degree variation on the way . . . interestingly it gets colder as I go away in the morning AND colder as I go home in the evening.) I always keep a beach towel in the car and have been using it for a lap blanket. I have a lap comfortor which I use for longer trips (my commute is 40 minutes) and currently have it stuffed between the seats to help keep the backwash off the rear of my right arm (which seems to be the most vulnerable location).
Folks are sometimes amazed to see me putting the top down, like last night after our night soccer scrimmage in 30 degree temperatures. They don't know how cozy it is in the car dressed properly with a towel on my lap and the seat heaters cranking and the car heater blowing air on my hands and the stars above warming my soul. Oh, may as well let the cats enjoy it, in their way, too.
Don't have my cabrio yet, but I'll be using a bunch of these tips when I finally get to motor! And here's one that's not listed yet:
I don't have a garage, and my neighborhood has a gazillion cats that run around outside (including mine), so I'll be parking with the top up. Here's a hint a co-worker gave me: Sprinkle pepper on the top of the car, where cats like to lay in the "hammock". Their noses are sensitive to the pepper, and they don't like it. The pepper brushes right off when you want to motor. After awhile, the cats learn that your car is not a good bed so they leave it alone and you can stop doing the pepper thing. Haven't actually tried it, but it sounds like it would work!
Well, I just bought our second MINI, previously loved, and we have a carport, not a garage. After the first night I found cat hair on the top. While it came right off with the sticky lint roller, I didn't want to fight that battle every day, so I stopped by Goodwill (local thrift store) and bought a couple of full sized fitted sheets (uber cheap) to throw over the top until I can find a proper cover. I will definately try the pepper thing.
Oh, and I have two cats of my own, but I love them enough to keep them inside so that others in the neighborhood don't have to clean up after them or potentially harm them.
__________________ TWO MINI FAMILY!!
"Grover" - 2005 HB/Bk MCSCa, Premium, Sport, HK, Aux Input, Ian's Auto Up, ProMINI CAI, ProMINI Strut Brace, H&K 19mm Sway Bar, Wind deflector
"Wyatt" - 2006 RG/RG MCSa, Camo Stripes <<FOR SALE>> RIP:GOLDIE - 2005 CVT, Nav, Premium, Sport, Cordoba
Oh, and I have two cats of my own, but I love them enough to keep them inside so that others in the neighborhood don't have to clean up after them or potentially harm them.
Ok, ok, just so that you all don't think I'm a horrible kitty mommy, I live in a VERY quiet neighborhood (it's Florida: most of our neighbors are in their 80's) We have a dog door for our three big dogs, and the cat comes and goes as he pleases. He's indoors most of the time, asleep on the couch, and spends most of his outdoor time snoozing under the bushes in our yard. He does his business in the sandbox in our backyard, not on the neighbors' front porch. I DO love him and I think he's happier spending the hour or so a day he's actually awake chasing lizards along the fence. Sorry to get off topic, just don't want you thinking that my kitty is an abused or neglected pet.
And btw, I happily took possession of my Hyper Blue cabrio on Friday and did the pepper thing and it seems to be working thus far!
Congratulations on picking up your new ragtop!
Post pics, of both the car AND the kitty!!
My kittys visit my neighbors and meet them when they go on walks...they seem to like the company...and no other verts in the area for them to shed on.
This is my kitty, Snarf. And it's hard to tell, but NAM on screen!
And here's one of my other babies. Haven't named him yet....
And here are the reasons for the doggy door: Kya, Nanoo, and Nikko
Here in dusty Colorado, the back of the hood gets very gritty and dusty when driving top up. You can't always wash - and quite frankly paranoia regarding top wear from grit was keeping me from opening the top.
Then I found a method.
When I rerutn home I go out and thump the back panel with my hand to loosen the grit, then use an air hose with a blow gun to blow the grit away.
Works very well.
Peter
In Denver
FYI from an old saftey study, air hoses are good for not only blowing grit off of fabric and skin, they are good at blowing grit into fabric and skin. Food for thought, so I use a shop vac and brush to get it off.
__________________ 2006 Astro Black Ragtop, pure stock, for now. #138 GWR
I just purchased my seat cooler for the summer and electric blanket for the winter. Can't wait for my MINI to come on Saturday!
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2007 MCSCa: LiB/B, #1, #2, #3, #4, Navigation, powerfold mirrors, black bonnet stripes, rear fog lamp, lightning blue interior, dark blue leather.
What is the seat cooler? Do you have a link? I have the heated blanket that I have given to the kids in the back seat on my new MCSCa and it works great!
__________________ 2007 MCSCa, Cool Blue, Nav, Sport, Premium, Convenience, blue leather, cool blue interior color, power folding mirros, black bonnet stripes, heated seats, rear fog lamp (just to fill up the buttons!).
Anyway, he said the way my hair grew blah blah. But the good part is parting on the left as the driver your hair doesn't get as messed up as if you part it on the right. 
It's true!
I have been wondering about that, and this seemed like a good time to ask someone. Now I just need to convince my wife I need $500 more dollars to spend on the MINI!
CR MCSc near Lake Candlewood
Cricket: 2010 Pepperwhite JCW Convertible with 'tude.
2006 Astro Black Ragtop, pure stock, for now. #138 GWR
2007 MCSCa, Cool Blue, Nav, Sport, Premium, Convenience, blue leather, cool blue interior color, power folding mirros, black bonnet stripes, heated seats, rear fog lamp (just to fill up the buttons!).
