Ok after having had to avoid installing an auto-up circuit on both my cars (had a friend who had smaller hands), I found myself in the position of having to install it on a friend's car today.

06 MCS.

I tried to install it "blind" - i.e. not take off the downtubes. I struggled for like a solid hour and finally was able to plug the circuit back into the back of the toggle panel only to find out that nothing worked.

After double checking the direction of the plug (one side is labeled "up" so how hard can it be??) and cutting up my right hand I finally gave up on this method.

I opted to remove the two screws in the cupholder, the two screws below the side mirror adjustment ****, and the 4 screws holding in the down tubes. The tubes don't have to be removed at all - you just pull down on them and wiggle a bit and they kind of flare out, giving you plenty of room to get a T20 torx on the two bolts holding the toggle panel in.

In 10 minutes I had successfully installed the circuit!

So for any newbies out there that are doing this installation, I would highly recommend getting some torx bits and a screwdriver out. It's way easier and safer too - you don't run the risk of mucking up the pins on the back of the toggle panel.

As always, it's a pleasure to have Ian's auto up circuit. I just had to find out the hard way this time!

 

The newer '05 and '06 MINIs have these new downtubes that can be dropped a few inches, making for easy access to the toggle switch panel / stereo / etc. Makes for quite an easy install - but doesn't work on older MINIs where the downtubes don't drop.

BTW: I'm down to about 4 minutes putting the circuit in '05/'06 MINIs now

 

Sounds like a challenge

 

That's about the same time it takes me to install my engine damper.

Btw I should take pics of all the cuts I have on my hands!

 

There's a swap for us then