Key fob from BMW X5 for my Clubman. Just thought I'd share that this is possible. This is probably good for those who have problems with accidental trunk release, since there are numerous types of covers made for this key fob (leather, silicon, plastic, etc), whether they be OEM, non-OEM, or cheap knock-offs.

CB is direct swap.

 

Cool! Thanks for reporting your success!

 

Wow! I desperately wanted to do this, explored it in detail, but gave-up on a BMW fob solution. I HATE MINI's cheap, thick, plasticky fob!!!!!
I ended sticking the CB into a very small, slim Mazda fob, with non-working buttons. I was pretty certain that the two circuit boards did NOT correspond in shape (to my surprise), so I'm puzzled how you were able to conclude otherwise.

Questions:
How did you deal with the key blade? Did you have a BMW blank one cut, or just not dealing with it at all?

How did you remove the circuit board without destroying your MINI fob? I could not find any reversible way to extricate it!

 

As far as knowing that the circuit boards correspond, I did not know for sure at first. Then, after lot's of google-ing, I saw a picture somewhere of the X5 key opened up, and noticed the shape of the CB was the shape of the MINI remote. Still, it was just a picture so there was no reference to size and scale. So I just went on eBay and bought a used X5 key as an experiment. I opened up the X5 key, removed the CB and held it up to the MINI remote. The button locations and shape seemed to correspond. I took the risk of opening up the MINI remote and thankfully my guess was right, and the circuit boards were the same. Even the holes drilled into them to hold the board in place in the remote were the same.

As far as the key blade, I ordered a blank (knock-off part) from China, but have yet to receive it, so I can't speak to the quality of the part. If the blank is no good, I'll probably just cut-off the BMW metal key, and bond my original MINI metal key to it somehow.

As far as removing the CB from my MINI remote, the original MINI remote is completely destroyed because the remote is epoxied together. The BMW remote is actual epoxied as well, but I used a dremel to open a slot, and then used a small flat-head screwdriver to pry it open. On the BMW remote, once the remote is put back together, all the exterior parts cover up the dremel-ed slot anyways.

Anyone looking to do this, I can only vouch that the X1, X5, and X6 key will work. I actually first bought a key off eBay that was from the all new 7-series. The key on the new 7, and probably new 5, looks EXACTLY the same as the X keys, literally the same dimensions and everything; however, literally no parts are interchangeable with the X keys. Every exterior and interior part is constructed differently, yet looks the same! Strange!!

 

I think my mistake (where I gave-up) was that I was looking at 3-series remotes, and never looked at recent X-series ones. The 3-series CB is different.

Sucks that you, too, destroyed your MINI remote. I came to regret that! There must be a way to remove the CB cleanly.

 

Do F-series MINIs use 315 MHz or 433 MHz key transponders?

Can we have three (or more) fobs linked to our cars simultaneously, or just two?

Do you think it would possible to have simply straight-up reprogrammed the X5 key to the MINI, if the fobs are truly identical? Hmmm.

 

Don't know the frequency.

You can have many fobs linked. Can't remember the max, but I believe it's like 8 or 10 max, or something crazy like that. But if you lose all 8 or 10, or whatever the max is, you are screwed.

key fobs are programmed by VIN by BMW/MINI and need to be ordered pre-programmed for your car, and I don't think you can place an order for a BMW key fob with your MINI VIN.

I believe the i3/i8 fob case fits the CB as well, but have fun opening that fob up.

 

I found a place on Alibaba that literally sells our naked circuit boards. However, I understand there's still the issue of the key transponder and the key blade (which I don't care much about, because we'll never need it!).
Fob CBs