I've read my manual about four times now, skipping only those things I don't have as options. Every night before I fell asleep, I would read a section or two. Unfortunately, it doesn't make a lot of sense until you've messed around with it, too, or had someone help you grasp some of the concepts.

When I took delivery of Winnie the MINI, the MA went through everything. About 75% penetrated my happy-hazy brain at that time, the rest dribbled out of my ears because I HAD THE KEY IN MY HAND and I wanted nothing more than to drive her!

So, I brought her home, and the next day I called my MA because I thought that my boot latch was broken. Because I didn't know you had to **hold the fob button down** for a second or two to make it pop. That's when I decided that I was going to read the manual, every bit of it, even if I had to prop my eyelids open with toothpicks to do it.

 

Also, these little cars do so much via electronic controls, that you need to know beforehand what is going on, and how to change it. For instance, the DSC light will come on if you accidentally push the button, like my hubby did the other day when using the cup holder on that side. We were getting on the highway, facing a thunderstorm, and I sure didn't want to lose that function! So I had to think for a minute or so, and remember that there was a button, next to the sport button, that controls it. Stuff like that can happen while you are driving, and you want to know how to fix it back or whatever.

BTW, when your gas gets low, that warning is going to come on the tach. Then, the car fusses at you until you fill it. It makes warning noises, gives you an exclamation point, and then finally counts down how many miles you can still go. Stays that way until you put some gas in. Don't run the gas down to the last little bit, it may not be good for the engine. We laugh and call those little lights 'candy corns'. Get down to two candy corns, and your MINI is unhappy. Get down to one, and your MINI gets very worried. It's embarrassing to be pushed, if you are a MINI. LOL!

 

My point has been made, most graciously I might add. Sometimes, asking questions, no matter how stupid they sound to seasoned owners, is our only way to figure out all these little idiosyncrasies. My husband always asks me to come here (to NAM) and post questions but, after the last couple of times, I tell him "no way"! If my husband can't figure out something after reading the manual over and over, then there's something wrong.

Since I can access my email thru my phone, I will pull my car over to the side of the road, stop, and then read certain threads/responses I have subscribed to here on NAM via email. It's been a great way to figure things out quickly when they come up while driving. One time, I thanked someone for giving me instructions on how to use my cruise control since neither I (nor my husband) understood them from the manual. Of course, someone had to comment that I shouldn't be reading my email while driving ... then someone posted that they only quoted the manual and that I should read it (in a sarcastic way) ... then someone posted that his wife would be upset if he told her to do that and laughed. So my response to my husband to ask questions here? "Not happening!"

Thanks for adding your experiences, everyone! I learned a couple more things I didn't know today!!

 

I have to agree with the sentiment expressed here that the manual is not always sufficiently clear about stuff. I have read some sections I have had a question about, numerous times and still not known the answer or what it means, so RTFM doesn't always help.

 

On these sorts of forums, taking a moment to consider how your message is composed is a worthwhile habit. For instance, it frustrates the helpful people if they have to ask you what year and model you have, and then wait for your reply. It's a courtesy to them, since they are willing to answer the same questions over and over. :-) and if you mention that you looked in the manual and dudn't find the answer, or couldn't understand the wording, always helps. If your post makes it sound like you are asking first, instead of spending a couple of minutes looking at your manual, then you are likely to get a few sighs and eye rolls. That is universal to this kind of forum, it isn't just NAM. Any forum where people ask questions and depend upon the willingness of total strangers to answer them, there will be a little frustration over it. A good rule is to use the search function first, then if you don't find the answer, to post in such a way that you show that you have given it some thought. :-)Actually, NAM is one of the most polite forums I have experienced!

 

Regarding the trip computer display, I found an interesting function that I missed when reading the manual. On the base sound system display, when selecting Menu, Comp, enter, you get a display of four values: Consumption (average), Speed (average), Range, and Temperture (outside). I now routinely select this after selecting whatever station I want to listen to. That way I don't have to scroll through the trip computer display on the tach if I want to see any of those 4 values. I set the tach to a different value (usually instantaneous fuel consumption).

 

I hereby nominate you for NAM den mother. When will the cookies be out of the oven?

 

What? You can't read the directions? Twenty minutes at 350 degrees or until lightly browned.

 

Ahhhh that's sweet. Hope you like chocolate chip with pecans. I was a moderator on a large and fairly contentious forum, and my specific job was helping the newbies. Mainly, like a nurse in a doctor's office, I 'prepped' their posts so that the real experts could come through and answer their questions in helpful ways. Sometimes the trick was figuring out what the person really needed to know, which can be different than what they are asking.

Remembering that no one is obligated to answer questions on a forum, and that you are asking a favor of a total stranger, is important. No one is getting paid, no one is at that customer support desk in India. And, the information that you get is subject to a grain of salt, since anyone can answer you but the answer may not be correct, or may be opinion only.

However, forums like this give us so much good information, that they are an invaluable resource, used correctly.

 

+1

 

I can see where starman is coming from...personally, I would be very embarassed to ask a question on the internet that I knew I could answer myself by reading the owner's manual. Different ways of tacking a problem, I guess.

It's not a dumb question, it's a lazy one.

 

And will be my last one.

 

Don't listen to Royson. I agree to search first to avoid comments like his, but otherwise we are here to help each other. I often find that I am not always searching for what I want in just the right way and a quick question on the forum saves the day.

 

Honestly, I didn't look in the manual. I was sitting at work, and the thought popped into my head, and I figured it would be no big deal to ask a question rather than waiting for a chance to go look it up, and figured it would be a quick easy answer, which it was. If I had known it would cause such an uproar, I never would have asked. There are plenty of threads on here that don't pertain to me in the least, but I don't get annoyed for having read them. Even if they don't pertain to me, but it interests me, I'll continue reading, I just might learn something. If it doesn't interest me, or feel it is a silly question, I will hit the Back button on my browser, not take the time to belittle the poster.

 

Exactly. I've been various members of forums since their inception. On every one of them there are folks that need to stop and ask themselves why they are even there.

Any question is a good question. Even if it has been asked, one may get a new answer because there are always new people in a forum.

Ask away, ignore the negative posts, like the ones that don't interest you. Some forums call that "don't feed the trolls" not that those above were trolls, but if any post isn't helpful, skip to the next, it probably will be.

 

Off topic, and since someone here usually knows a shortcut or a bypass to accomplish things... And i have not searched the forum yet, but I have been through the owners manual and just can't seem to get the garage door opener option to work for me... 6 years ago I got the cayenne to work on one garage, but never the second garage... The mini, neither garage ...

It just won't program... Anyone here got a trick to program them... An extra button to click step on a pedal or ....

 

You might find the website www.homelink.com to be a big help.

 

Thanks, will check it out later...

 

Because you're going to read your owner's manual? Bravo, I say!

Seriously, are you really letting a little mild chiding over a fairly silly question offend you that much? Come on, life's too short.

 

Well, I will still come around to read the posts, but now that I'm aware that the Manual Gestapo is out there, judging which questions are "silly" or not, I will be very reluctant to ask another.

 

Just took delivery of my new CM (see options in signature below) from Mini of Antarctica (no discounts off MSRP as the closest competing dealer is several weeks away by ship). The window sticker included an $83,500 freight charge, but the good news is that there's no sales tax here and the title and registration fees are quite reasonable. I know this is the second stupidest question ever posted on this website, but my MA does not know how to open the sunroof. He claims no one ever ordered that option here before, but he told me there's a great group of people who are active on this website who would gladly be willing to help me. Sorry for not mentioning the color of my car. I'll know when the sun comes up in another month or so, and will post photos.

 

Can anyone assist me find in finding that dealer's website? I want to order one of those heated brake pedals. I'll be the first one in my area.

 

Here's the third stupidest question ever posted on this website - how do you delete your account?

 

Oh crap, I clicked on this thread by mistake again. This is the boggest waste of time on NAM. Can we move on??

 

HA HA HA HA!!! That's awesome! You might want to check out the freezing value of the manufacturer's recommended oil, too, it might be a bit tricky there in McMurdo in the winter. Can we assume a heated garage? (grin)

More than a photo of your car, I want to see a photo of the MINI dealership planted firmly in that vast wilderness of ice. Bet it isn't hard to get a service appointment, though, the lines can't be too long.