Saying hello from Atlanta! I'm glad to have found the NAM forum to do more research before ordering my first MINI. So, I don't have a MINI, yet. It's only a matter of time before I order.

It will be a base "Justa" edition of Cooper or Coupe. I am really on the fence between the two models. LOVED my test drive in a Cooper. But found it really hard to pry myself out of the cockpit of a Coupe.

The MA told me that an order now would be on a 2013 model - I don't see any finance specials for 2013 models, yet. So, I will wait & drool over photos here and play on miniusa.com.

Happy MINImotoring!

 

Friends wonder why I order the same things all the time at my favorite restaurants. I can't make up my blasted mind when posed with too many options! If any of you have words of wisdom to help me off the fence, I'd be appreciative.

The things I know:
WS/B or BRG2/W (or silver, if a Coupe)
Sport seats
Fog lights
auto headlamps
arm rest

- first additional purchase will be all-weather floor mats

Items on the fence:
Cooper or Coupe
comfort access or not?
auto climate control or not?
Chrome line dash items or not?

Thanks in advance
Nancy

 

Cooper or Coupe is a big decision only you can make. Depends on your life situation and personal taste.

Comfort access is a nice luxury but far from being a necessity. Same with the auto cliate control although I personally think that one is worth the money.

Aesthetically, I've had 2 MINIs with chrome line interior and 2 without. Definitely like the upscale look of the chrome bits.

 

Thanks for the thoughts on options!

After too much time on miniusa, I printed out a configuration for Coupe and Cooper, and went back to drive each version, again, this morning.


I really, really thought I was going to order a Coupe when I left home, but after driving both, and sitting in a Baker and Bayswater - I left the dealership waffling as much as ever.

Insanity. The Coupe vs Cooper drive very similarly. The Coupe felt maybe a little more stiff in suspension. But it was very little.

The Cooper is so much more "open" to sit in. Visibility is great. Dang things have so much get-up-n-go!

So, I didn't place an order today. I will be ordering a vehicle. Just need to figure out which one. The Baker St packaging is very, very nice. LOVE the seats! But also, LOVE the Bayswater kite blue.

Time for more and more thinking. Just a few more weeks, then I am going to just stop waffling and set the wheels in motion. One way or another. For some of us wimps, all the options are sensory overload.

 

Hi and welcome!

I like both the Baker St and the Bayswater!

I really wish I had rain sensing automatic wipers.
I used to think they were silly, but the manual wipers are a pain to use with our intermittent FL rain showers. They just aren't at the right speed for light rain and I can't get them adjusted to my taste.

Have you test driven an S?
Just sayin...

 

LittleWing, I am refusing to test drive an S. NO MORE CHOICES! lol

Never before have I waffled even a little about what I want on my vehicle. My daily driver has been a full size truck for the past 15 years. I know what it needs to be able to haul, what interior package I want, what gearing ratio what color. But this mix-n-match business is beyond me.

Please tell me more about the windshield wiper speed thing! How many speed options do you have w/o the rain sensing wipers?

edit to add: my daily drive is not condusive to getting up to fun get-up-n-go speed. I have a feeling I'd be a living revenue source for the county sheriff if I had an S.

 

I hear you...
I talked myself out of the S, but I had driven it by then.
So, when I went to buy the car I didn't hesitate when I said I would take the S.
I shocked myself when those words came out of my mouth.
I haven't regretted it.
That said, there are draw backs to the S - it's more expensive, MPG is better in a Justa, and there is that "go ahead - write me a ticket" factor.
From reading this and other forums, it seems that the S engines have some issues.
There are also more things that can go wrong and the some N14 S engines are exhibiting common problems as they age. Many believe it is due to the long interval between oil changes, but the design of the N14 seems to be a factor as well.

I haven't experienced the auto wipers in a MINI, but my husband has this feature in his car. Sort of like auto lights measure light, auto wipers measure moisture. They just come on when the windshield is wet and turn off when the moisture is gone. Although the manual wipers do have an intermittent setting and it can be adjusted, I can't get it right. It is always too fast. I am constantly hitting the wiper switch and it's gotten old, especially in the summer when the rain showers come and go so quickly. In a MINI the wipers speed up when the car does which is one of those endearing MINI quirks. Since I have a manual transmission it can keep my right hand real busy on a rain/shine kind of day. It's just a little personal thing, but if I were ordering a new MINI the auto wiper feature is on my "must have" list. I don't know if you have to get an entire package to get that one feature.
Great - now I want to go to miniusa.com and play with the configurator.
That's dangerous...

Good luck!
You will love your new MINI.

 

Little Wing is right-you will love your Mini. Someone on the site just bought a Baker St-look back through the new owners in the last few weeks. They may be able to help you there. I had a hard time picking my options and then knew I had to get what I wanted. I have waited so long. I had changed the configuration a couple of times and stared at it until I finally just went with my gut feelings. I love my Mini. Even my husband loves the checkered flag accents he warned me not to get. Said it would look like a clown car-still refers to my mini as Barnum, but now in an endearing way. :-) Enjoy the options. It is the waiting for it to be delivered that kills you.

 

Consider the white turn signals if you like that look.
They're $100 if you add them to your order.
You can always DIY later and remove the amber lens from the front signal, but you won't have a lens.
BMW/MINI doesn't sell that part.

It looks like the auto lights come together with the auto wipers. Cool!

 

I've not changed my mind or had any doubts about my latest configuration. It feels like a decision has been made and there will be no regrets.

If all stays healthy in my life, I'm heading out on Friday to place an order. Until it's written and there's money down, I will not be saying what it is. Yep. Don't want to jinx myself.

THANK YOU for helping with suggestions and experiences!

miniminiminiminiminiminiminiminiminimini

 

Exciting news!
You have really thought it out and done your homework.

 

Get the upgraded headlights. Zenon is a must. I had a Cooper without and 2 with. Big difference, Hugh difference. Too costly to change later. The chrome is personal taste. For me the less chrome on a MINI the better, more function than forum.

 

I'm feeling all better, now. There's now a 2013 on order with my name on the adoption papers. It's all over but the waiting.

 

Congratulations. The waiting is the hardest part, but mine came in pretty quickly.
Keep us posted.

 

Wow!
When will you get your build date, etc, all that good stuff?
Since I bought LW right off the lot, I didn't go through that process.
Keep us posted, OK?

 

Thanks, LittleWing! I have posted up in the 2013 support group with details on my MC. Couldn't get everything I wanted and stay in my budget no matter what way I fidgeted with the configuration, but did manage the things that were most important. (Cloth/leather seats that make my back happy rather than sore!)
But I am very happy with the order.

wait wait wait. This will be an exercise in patience. As in, waiting's better than waffling around not making a decision on options.