Looking at purchasing a 2013 CountryMan. My girlfriend has a 2012 Convertible and it is an absolute blast to drive. Did part of MTTS 2012 and test drove the CountryMan on Mini-Cross. Not quite as fun as hers, but much better than I thought it would be. Test drove one, and with my two kids think it will be what I need, really like the ClubMan, but four doors will be easier than the partial 3rd on the Club. So, planning on selling my Grand Cherokee and enjoying the better gas mileage.

Pretty much decided on manual, S-All4 (JCW just is too much of a bump $-wise although the HP would be nice), bucket rear seats, PKGs (cold, tech-if I get Connected, sport w/blk wheels, prem), JCW stripes (side and hood), moon-roof, red or black body color (undecided), white turn, black headlamp housings, garage door opener red-line interior for door inserts and the red cloth/leather seats. I keep my cars to a long time, Jeep is a 2000, so I figure I'll get everything I want. Why hold back?

1) Having trouble deciding whether or not the full or split rail. Like the idea of split as the extra foot or so of rail vs being able to put something lying down in front of the rear seats seems worth it to go split. Plus, dropping kids at school would be nice for them to scoot out the passenger side. How is the rail after living with it split or full?

2) Mini Connected. Want it, seems nice, but is it worth it? GF didn't get it and I am not going to get the navigation, but is the connected useful at all? Have an iPhone and currently plan on sticking w/them. Also, anyone have the 5 and how is compatibility? Probably upgrading to 5S or 6 when it comes out, 5 just didn't seem worth upgrading from the 4.

3) Roof rails. Are the factory rails any good or should I get aftermarket? Have a Thule carrier I want to mount four my yearly summer road trip from FL to ME.

4) Also, what option did you get any really wish you'd got? And, what did you get and turns out you felt was not worth it/didn't care about afterwards?

Thoughts?

Thanks,

 

I'd get the bench seats if they were available when I did mine. They really don't have a "benchy" look to them and they are much more practical. Can't tell you the number of times we needed to squeeze a fifth one in the car (friend or two of one of the kids) for a short distance but could not and had take the Highlander.

 

I love the full rail but don't have kids. I tend to embrace the quirkiness of the MINI though.

I probably could have gone without the flat load floor option. I think I've only used it once and it now sits in my storage room. Nice to have when I need it I guess.

I have the factory roof rack and like it fine. Attaches in a few minutes without hassle. No complaints.

Xenon headlights and heated seats are probably my favorite options. The adaptive headlights are cool but not really necessary.

 

The bench seat becoming available sold me on the CM personally

 

1) The full rail might be slightly better than the split... I have the bench seat so no back rail. The front rail is too small and poorly located to be of any value in my opinion. In order to use it, I need to have the rail accessory under the arm rest and raise the arm rest to access the accessory - not convenient to me.

2) Connected... I have it without Nav. It's .... ok. Currently the "plug-in" feature doesn't work with the iPhone5, and is spotty on earlier phones. However you can still browse your music an playlists without the plug-in feature. If you're a frequent Podcast listener like I am, it's less useful thanks to Apple breaking out Podcasts into the separate Podcast app which you can't browse through the MINI's display. As for the other features - I got tired of Mission Control nagging me and it spends most of it's time off now, same with the MINIMalism analyser. You need an adapter to connect it to an iPhone5 and I think overall Connected would be much more useful with Nav... Plus since Bluetooth is standard even without Connected it's not really necessary. However, I like the big screen and honestly right now view that as the only redeeming feature...

3) Roof rails any good? Not sure what you're asking. Are they a good value? Can they withstand any weight? As for MINI rails vs Thule rails - I believe the MINI ones are rebranded Thule rails - I know the roof box is a rebranded Thule box....

4) However my question is - do you really need the All4? Do you regularly have to travel in snow and ice? If you're living in FL, I wouldn't bother with All4.

 

NPF --

Connected is a very expensive option. I have it with the Navi and it is...well...ok. It isn't worth $2k IMHO. Also, the joystick and associated buttons for Connected take up precious front rail space.

Is Connected cool? Yes, I like using it, seeing album art, and I think it is much easier to use than the buttons on the non-Connected models I have been given a loaners. Is the Navi worth it? Well, its redeeming feature is that it is integrated into the center stack. As far as performance and features go, my motorcycle's Garmin unit is better.

We also have the bench seat to accomodate our very large and incredibly goofy GoldenDoodle. I guess I like the styling of the rear buckets but for those of us who need room for 4+, the bench fits the bill. Remember that it is a 60/40 split bench with individual seat-back folding and fore/aft sliding.

I have the flat load floor and feel it is an absolute must!

The roof rack is absolutely top quality! It is capable of holding 160 pounds (as dictated by the CM roof structure) and I can personally attest to the fact that it will hold 158 pounds based on last weekend's trip to Ikea! The MINI crossbars may be rebranded Thule products but they are well done...and quiet.

BTW - make sure you mount your crossbars according to the manual; front bar 270 mm (IIRC) from the front of the roof rail with the rear bar 705 mm on center with the front. This places the crossbars directly above the structural reinforcements inside the roof.

I concur that you may not need the All4 even for spirited driving in a relatively flat and temperate climate. Now, if you will be tracking the CMS, that might be cause to order All4.

Finally, we did not go with the sports suspension on our CMS. Our other car is an R53 JCW set up for the track, so we wanted a more compliant ride for the CMS. However, you may want to consider the sports suspension for this one reason: there is considerable weight transfer from front to rear when "briskly" accelerating. This weight transfer is manageable in a straight line but less so in a lane-changing situation...like when passing another car. The steering becomes very light and a bit "disconnected" with the transfer of weight to the rear. The situation is not helped with the reduced power assist from the Sport button. I recently tested a CMS with the sport suspension and did not feel this weight-transfer-induced light steering anywhere near the level found in our CMS.

FWIW,

 

1. Got a bench so can't help
2. Did not get connected. Thought it would be trouble after a few years and also become dated and frustrating. I have a BMW with a gen 2 iDrive so I've been to the rodeo. Only thing that would make me get connected today is if Sirius had more features such as artist notification and song replay. I know these features are available on My Ford Touch from rental cars. I know theyre not on the standard display MINI radio, not sure about connected.
3. The roof rails are standard. The MINI cross bars and attachments do a fine job with two bikes or a Kayak.
4. Not sure if your build includes xenons and arm rest but I highly recommend both. One option I have I could live without is the sunroof. Gets really loud above 40MPH. Another one is the flat load floor. Collecting dust in the garage.

 

My choices were I in your position today:

1. JCW instead of S All4
2. Either Bench Seat (I have this) or Split Rail. If you want to have a couple of cupholders for back seats then split, otherwise get bench
3. Skip Connected & Nav and use money toward JCW. I have this and an iPhone 5...works fine exc video output with new 8 pin connector
4. Get Sports Suspension to improve sportiness/handling (wish I had gotten this)
5. Only get factory cross bars IF dealer gives big discount for installing or they give big discount for installation by the port. (ie: dealer cost)

 

What install is needed? Isn't it merely a matter of snapping the cross bars to the roof rack base?

 

I have the rear buckets w/split rail and it's much easier to live with vs single rail. Single rail is more of a divider to rear passengers.

I passed on the connected, my phone & laptop are usually within reach and I have gauges & GPS so connected was overkill.

I'd go the JCW route (it wasn't available this time last year)

 

I started on a good relationship with my salesman and I asked him so what's the best for me with our weather, driving conditions and how I plan to use it. His answer- "S" model- auto (all4 for what?)- flat floor-pass, cold weather pack- pass....Oh you might want the auto climate control.
So---I was more into getting the basics, and saving some money for future use.

Don't Miss- Who cares
1. flat load floor
2. mini nav (use my phone's app)
3. I was sold on the adaptive lights but after test driving one- didn't see what all the
fuss was about
4. Live in the carolinas and get maybe one snow 1-2 inches a yr so no need for the All4

Glad I got
1. center arm rest
2. sunroof- very very noisy but way cool just driving on side streets, etc....Don't open it on the highway.

Things I wish I had gotten
1. auto climate control - I am a big guy with big hands and fooling around with the manuals dials is painful sometimes- I miss "set it and forget it"
2. checking into an aftermarket sound system but didn't look hard at the HK system

 

Glad I got the rear bench seats!
I should have gotten the adaptive lights!

 

I only bough the cross bars after I was offered a big discount for "Port Install" which is: I purchased at dealer cost from Port and they installed prior to delivery to dealer.

 

+1 on the bench with the kids, makes it easy for them to just slide to passenger side and exit curbside rather than driver side. Full rail is a definate NO NO with kids forcing you to exit streetside, not safe in my opinion. Just dont see the purpose of dividing the rear seats , the rear buckets do seem cool but just the idea you could put 5 passengers if need be makes bench worth it for me, but a big NO on full rail in my opinion..my 2 cents...

 

I was so glad to see that they offered the bench rear seat! I have two boys and they sit very comfortable back there! Also you can fit 3 people back there if needed.... Not 3 adults though... And the only advantage of the rails is cupholders... My kids always complain about not having cupholders in the back...:(

 

Great thinking! I got mine loaded up for the same reason, I'm on the ten year plan...
I have the full rail. I love the idea of the rail, but so far they've come out with very little that attaches to the rail. I would say if you have kids that are getting out from one side of the car all the way to the other door, get the split rail because they will be inconvenienced more getting out than you will be helped with it being in. What I do like the full rail for is that I can have a cup-holder behind the armrest which is mandatory with your next feature...

TOTALLY WORTH IT. I have EXACTLY this config, Connected, no nav.

Connected (the app) is OK, but I don't really use it much. It has some potential but only when they open it up to more third party development (currently I think only Pandora supports Connected).

Why recommend the Connected feature then? These reasons:

1: (huge benefit) backup sensor shows a sonar image on the screen of where something behind you is exactly, so you don't run into a pole or kid. Worth it for this alone.

2: Center speedo looks better with the screen in place and the speedometer around it than without the screen.

3: More useful information displayed on screen even when not running Connected, like conditions related to car issues (which tire is low for example).

4: Even not using the Connected app you can use the screen to select songs to play using the screen and the control ****. Incoming calls show up on the screen so you can see who is calling.

Basically all around it's just a really useful screen to display information, and Connected still has a ton of awesome potential if they open it to app makers that can display anything they like on screen. Getting a screen in your car provides great benefits now, and lots of potential for future awesome.

Sorry, no roof rails, cannot comment.

The thing I didn't see listed in your setup that is my favorite feature is the headlights that turn as the car turns, I forget the name (something like active lights?). Very, very nice.

The convenience package (where you can start the car with the key in your pocket, and unlock the doors outside also with key in pocket) is also great. I think that package also included the garage door opener.

Also the best way to make use of an iPhone is not the cradle (don't even think they have a cradle for the iPhone 5 yet) but to mount the Cravenspeed X-smartphone holder on the tach, as in this thread:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-question.html

(images of it installed if you scroll down)

You can find the product here:

http://www.cravenspeed.com/products/...nting-Kit.html

I run a long USB->iPhone cable under the floormat and up behind the steering wheel to connect to the phone when I have it in the dock. It's a great way to use the phone for navigation.

Also if you were at all thinking of getting automatic it works pretty well, using the paddle shifters and leaving the car in sport mode I don't miss the clutch too much...

 

Great information. Thanks everyone.

Still thinking All4, and yeah, really don't need it in FL. But, do like the small changes to the body it adds. Sides, grill opening.

Unfortunately going JCW jumps my price from about $37K to $45K , just too much for about ~28 more HP and that sweet chili red roof. Plus, I added those nice leather red trimmed seats, etc... I'm not about holding back, but damn. For less than that it would probably be possible to get the engine output up and paint the roof!

I have found some more pictures of the full/split rails and think I am going to go split after all. Makes the back rail short, but I think functional enough.

Appreciate the input on Connected, my girlfriend got a Mini Convertible (Monte) about 1.5y ago and that is the one item she continues to mention she should have ordered. If for nothing more than the iPod interface, controlling and searching w/that couple of lines interface is pretty annoying.

This is what I am currently looking at from the configurator below, I'll try and attach the PDF...

[FONT=MINITypeHeadline-Bold][SIZE=4][FONT=MINITypeHeadline-Bold][SIZE=4]

2013 Cooper S Countryman ALL4

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2GU 18" 5-Star Double Spoke Jet Black

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ZMC MINI Connected Package

[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=MINITypeRegular-Regular][SIZE=1][FONT=MINITypeRegular-Regular][SIZE=1]Black Side Stripes
[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]

 

nice work!

I ordered mine last night (absolute black/white roof) but I think if it were up to me, I'd have gotten that red. I think it's an outstanding color on the CM. My wife was not having it.

 

The cross bars take 5 min. to install with the supplied tool. I bought mine at a big discount from a NAM vendor.

 

Good second choice/back up plan. If you can't go Pure, might as well Blaze. Also nice movie reference.

No comment.


Sealy - Who's still fighting a lost cause.

 

Ok, I went down and looked at the red at the local dealer. The Blazing Red looks real nice. I was not crazy about the orangy red they had before, but this new red looks nice in person. I also got a chance to see the red cloth/leather seats and the red color line together inside a blazing red. I am definately going to be getting that combination. Really like that red stitching on the black leather portions of the seats and the way the red color line breaks up the interior. Still don't get why the arthancite headliner is not standcard, don't really care for the beige paired with the rest of the dark interior surface.

Just sent an email out to the guy I've been dealing with. Can't wait to get this going.

 

I too have invested in the armrest/cradle and for the past 2 years have dealt with its issues. It's all nice if it works... And unless someone can prove the 2013's cradle issues have been resolved... I'd think twice. The 5 is out and there has been no thoughts of a cradle for the 5...so you'll be limited as me to the 4/4s. Recent software updates have even worsened my experience with the cradle..... Found and dusted off the supplied Y cable. Purchased a 2' extension for the Y cable. Purchased and snapped in this cradle made especially for the countryman and works like a charm... Here: http://www.proclipusa.com/brodit-dev...mper-case.aspx
Pros vs cons, with the phone in the cradle, it needs to be out of any type of case...so every time i remove it from my cradle I need to pop it in or out of a bumper case or fumble it and hope not to drop it. The plus side is once its in the cradle/armrest its out of site of your eyes and those of outsiders!

 

Ok, pulled the trigger. Now I must 'patiently' (NOT) wait during the estimated 10wk arrival. It's the one I posted the PDF for. Rise, Darth Mini!

Thanks again for the info guys.

 

Wow, seems like forever but got pics from my MA of my car on 5/8. It finally arrived at the dealership. It now has tint and I will pick up Saturday. Too busy at work, have user group conference, and cannot get away. Ordered 3/18 picking up 5/11!

I swear, the ability to track the car through this entire process has only made it seem longer!

 

Congrats, great looking ride. I'm still tracking.