With as much as it rains off and on in Oxford where the mini was born, I miss a delay wiper that I can speed up or slow down. Is there something I missed in a package that had that on my 2010 S ?

 

Have you checked your manual for the instructions on how to use the Auto Wipers. This is not to say that they are actually installed but they are different that many cars out there.

On the end of the stalk is a button that when pressed in will activate the Auto Wipers (if installed) and they will wipe as needed depending on the amount of rain that falls on the front windscreen.

There is an adjustment in the computer settings that will adjust the amount of rain that is needed to cause a wipe action.

Check it out on you car. As I stated they may not be installed and i am not sure if they were standard on the 10's but I know on the 08 cars is was either part of a package or stand alone feature, but they were not standard on the US version. Other country versions "will" have different options as standard though.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by delay wipers. Do you mean an intermittent speed? Every mini has at least three wiper speeds.

 

No, you all missed his question - he wanted to know if there was an adjustable intermittant delay setting - meaning can he change the delay time between wipes - the answer is no.

And I'm very disappointed that this feature missing too, on a car that costs this much.

And for those who point me back to the automatic wipers - I had those on my previous MINI and they were miserable - and there was no adjustment there either - they simply wiped when they felt like it.

I wonder if there is an aftermarket kit I could adapt?

 

BMW rarely puts adjustable delay wipers in their cars. Mostly it is one just one speed-dependent intermittent setting.

For the R56 I haven't seen any way to adjust it, but I will double-check the next time I look at the NCS trace files.

 

The 2010 manual states that the interval time is preset rather than dependent on vehicle speed.

 

I know when you stop they get slower. For example low speed goes to delay at a stop.

So they are speed dependant in that respect.

 

Yes, but that's still not a driver adjustable delay setting, is it?

There are times (ie:light misting) when the delay is still too frequent, and other times when it's not frequent enough, but you still don't need them running constantly.

The idea is that the automatic wipers will adjust according to conditions, but they don't - at least well enough to suit me - which is why I didn't order them on my '09. Imagine my surprise (and disappointment) when I got my car and there was no manual adjustment either!

Strobeyprobey, hope you find something that will let me add a speed pot, or stepped delay or something.....

 

you bought a low price vehicle

but loaded it up with options

and now want to know why the standard equipment of this low price vehicle does not match that as the low end of a high price vehicle

......

my Hondas have a slow speed wiper and a high speed .. no variable

......

if the wipers on my 79 come on at all I'm happy

 

Add PIAA super silicon curved wiper blades and your attention will be on the way they make the water bead and scoop it up in the curve. So efficient at gathering the water, the passenger side throws water bead streams across the drivers side.

 

I don't think MINI's are considered low price vehicles. Any model with even the most basic equipment is going to get you in the 20,000 dollar range. If you want an S, that goes up to 25,000 easy. All my previous cars including my 93 Accord have had variable wipers.

I too think that MINI should have put a variable wiper on these cars.

 

I've had interval wipers on every new car I've ever owned including my first-a "low end" 1985 Dodge Charger. I don't think it's asking too much to have interval wipers. I certainly don't think it's a "high end" feature. I agree with the OP that it should have some system for interval wipers. As it is, it sux.

 

So glad you brought this up this point. My last test drive was during a light misty rain and I was trying to find the intermittent wiper adjustment. My salesman was new and didn't quite understand what I was looking for. Obviously, there isn't one. I've got one on my 19k Mazda 3 that works great. Guess Mini overlooked it for some reason. I had the rain sensing wipers on my Mercedes c230 and wasn't impressed with them. A friend of mine has a 2009 Mazda 6 and he loves the rain sensing wipers on his car. Maybe it is just a matter of adjusting the sensitivity which Mini does offer.

 

" I agree with the OP that it should have some system for interval wipers. "

Just to be clear: The 2010 does have intermittent wipers. Press the button in the end of the stalk to turn them on. The complaint here is that you can't adjust how frequently they wipe.

 

My buddy's 1980 Trans Am had variable-speed intermittent wipers. It's not rocket science. C'mon, Mini. OTOH, my Element, which cost about the same as my Mini, doesn't have them either. Maybe the secret died with Pontiac.

 

Rain Sensing Wipers are in a sense, Intermittent/Intervaled what ever you call it. You can adjust when the wipers wipe, a little mist *wipe* or a Heavier Rain *wipe*, the adjustment is made in the OBC. Pgs. 44-45 of the 2008 Owner's Manual explain the Rain Sensing Wiper settings.

 

Just put Rain-X on the windshield. You won't need the wipers unless it's pouring rain!

Dave

 

Oh well, the rest of the car makes up for lacking that small detail...

 

The thing is the rain sensing, speed sensitive wipers is the high end, it's sort of a convenience, "You set it and forget it" kinda deal. You'll find them on every BMW. The problem is it isn't quite on par to human standard of adjustability. Personally, i much prefer the "OLD" manually adjusted intermittent wipers. Had it with the FJ, never felt the wipers speed is right so adjustment is constant.

 

My 1979 Firebird had them too, but they were an option. They were called "Pulse Wipers" and were option code CD4.

Let me add that there is a guy who owns the patent for the adjustable delay. If any car manufacturer wants to offer adjustable delay, they have to pay him a royalty. Possibly, BMW/MINI just doesn't want to?

 

The '87 Civic, that my MINI replaced, also had an intermittent setting, but as with the MINI, no adjustment of the delay between wipes was possible.

 

 

Actually NO i did not miss his point. There IS an adjustment it is just not a convenient as on other car. Read my post, paragraph #3 I stated there is an adjustment. It my not be the exact adjustment he is looking for but there is an adjustment.


I have the Automatic Wipers on my 08 and they work PERFECTLY. Just PERFECTLY. Speed up when they need to and slow down when they need to. Yes it did take a few adjustments of the rain sensing adjustment to get it right but after that, it works perfect every time. Even better that on my BMW 5 series which was a lot more expensive (more than twice the cost).


As this is a computer controlled function it would not be an easy function to change.

 

The patent is still in force after 30 years? Didn't think that was possible.

 

Thank you Kimbell
You could always pose the queston to ask mini.com
I found alot of direct, and to the point answers to my questions.
Please don't forget about that resource, very helpful !!!
MINI 's are soooo cool, and such a blast to drive.
Ask them your questions, they are concise and to the point.
Motor on my MINI loving friends. May you be bless with many miles of smiles.