I did a double take at the LightInSight comment too. I'm 5'7'', hardly a towering person and even I had to crane my neck at every light I stopped at during my test drive, so much so that my MA told me about LightInSight and how to get it before we'd even started heading back to the dealership. Quick searching when I got home revealed tons of people using it and universal love for it... seemed like a no brainer!

And yes: Black = hotter. Physics.

 

I found pictures of traffic light finders and traffic light viewers that were on cars with visors, very cool.

 

The headliner color makes zero difference in the overall temp of the car, it's statistically insignificant. Are we saying there is someone among us who could prove or disprove the color of the headliner, while blindfolded, by temperature feel alone? Think of how ridiculous that even sounds.

As for the Light In Sight, I'm on the tall end of the spectrum and I'm yet to find a single light that's difficult to see. Not saying the product doesn't "work", it's just that my car already came with technology that makes seeing lights easy, Brits refer to it as the "windscreen".

 

So you can see traffic lights from your normal sitting position??? Seems impossible unless you sit right up on (i.e. hugging) the steering wheel. I'm only 5'8" and it's very rare to be able to directly see any traffic lights if I'm in front of the line. The only exception would be when occasionally the lights are situated at the far side of the intersection (maybe all of yours are like this????). For all others, Light and Sight has been a great aid for a real (albeit minor) issue.

 

Maybe stop lines are further back or lights in a lower position where SubZero is. 5 feet back from the stop line on my test drive and the lights were significantly out of sight here in NY. Regardless, the condescension is dripping from your posts, and hardly necessary.

 

When I first started reading about the stop light issue, I had one thought. Why not just stop far enough back that you can still see the light from the normal driving position? A person is not required to pull all the way up to the lines. Besides, by stopping a little further back, it gives you more distance and time when the light changes to avoid getting t-boned at the intersection. Just a thought.

 

This video shows what I see, at 25:40.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvKHN2cQvRg

 

If I stopped far enough back to see all the lights... I'm not sure I'd even be triggering the sensors. (Many traffic lights have magnetic sensors near the stop line to tell if a car is there, during off-peak hours, and if not, doesn't switch to that side). Its an issue, may well be posture related, but there's a simple $17.50 fix that many of us love! Not sure why people are trying to make likes its not an issue at all.

I like the video hammerhands posted, the traffic lights disappeared from view 50 feet from the stopline. Stop there and people behind you are gonna be pissed.

 

I'm 6'1" and with my drivers seat all the way back and with it low as it will go, with my sun visors down in the morning while driving into the eastern sun, I CANNOT see the stop lights no matter if I'm parked on the crosswalk line or if I'm behind six cars... With the visor up I have to tilt my head to get a good view of the upper lights, If I'm behind a big rig I cannot see the lower stop light... That dash board mounted mirror light sight looks like a good idea

 

Mkay.

Wow.

 

I am curious to know what the options are that you wish you had not ordered or got on your F56.

PS: I saw your armrest removal thread - I find it in my way as well, especially when using the controller, and wish vehicles with Connected or Nav were available WITHOUT the armrest.

 

Mmm. I haven't had any issues with stop lights. I'm 5'9" and have my seat down low. Maybe it's your seating position?

 

Interesting to know people have tinted their sunroofs. We found the mesh sunscreen on the F56 seems to block more sunlight than the mesh in our R56. However, we have used ZippeeShades in our sunroofs between the mesh screen and the glass. They really block the glare and reflect the heat very well.

We're getting our windows tinted (35%) in a couple of weeks...will look into tinting the sunroof glass as well...Thanks!

 

The location of traffic lights with respect to the 'stop line' can vary from state to state. Here in TX I don't think it is much of a problem, most traffic lights are on the opposite side of the intersection. But some places I've lived the lights seem to be more 'over head' and sometimes harder to see if you are close.

In this part of the country, tint is a matter of survival. I lived in Ohio, SoCal, Virginia... never needed tint. Couldn't live without it here. I even have my windshield tinted with Air Blue 80. I have a ceramic based tint on my current car and on the Mini I think I'm going with the 3M Crystalline. It has good heat rejection without being as dark as other tints. Might be pricey but worth it.

 

I was surprised that they tinted the sunroof when I got mine done at the dealer before delivery. The sunroof is already tinted a little, but mine is pretty dark now. I like it though. I also have the zippee shades, but no longer really need them after moving from Houston to Seattle!

 

I want know if you can put GlassKote on a car.

http://www.glasskoteusa.com

 

I've noticed a similar issue when I'm driving such that the sun is directly hitting the dash board. From about my nose to the top of my head felt hot and I immediately remembered this post. A little investigation indicates the heat is somehow reflected off the dash. Dropping the sun visor reduces it as does turning such that the sun isn't directly hitting the dash. It seems to occur mid day with the sun directly overhead. This may only apply to folks as tall as 6'5". I have an Anthracite headliner, but no sun roof.

 

a car with black interior will run hotter than a car with light interior even with the same body color.[/QUOTE]

My 06 MINI had a sun roof and dark interior. A mistake in terms of cabin temp. It was WAY hotter than my new F56, which has the anthracite headliner, BUT a white roof (no sun-roof) and white interior option. This one is much, much cooler, so it's not an issue with the black anthracite headliner alone. I'll bet the car would be sweltering if the roof were black or the interior were dark. And a sun roof would increase the heat, I'd reckon. Glad I went the lighter direction on white interior and white roof color.

 

Chuck - Thanks of course that makes perfect sense. I'm Dark Grey with a anthracite head liner. When I open the shade and touch the plastic around the sunroof it is very hot!

 

I've got cloth / leather seats (gray) and anthracite headliner, but with 3M crystalline tint, and it is hot, but not as hot as without the tint I suppose. My wife's Prius, has something else for tint, but it does a MUCH better job than 3M crystalline.

I'm going to go to the tint shop she used way back and see what they use. I might have the front windows, and sunroof changed to that stuff.

Will keep you all posted.

 

The 3M Crystalline tint is one of the best on the market for heat rejection, it is also not cheap. I'd be interested to know what is on your wifes car. Maybe you have a different 3M tint on the Mini?

We're planning to get 3M Crystalline but we also skipped the sunroof. We'll also get the windshield tinted with 3M Crystalline 90 or SunTek CXP 80.

 

Sorry, don't understand skipping tinting the sunroof, which is the source of a lot of internal heat. Particularly in Texas. I really wish the F56 had a solid sunroof liner, not the mesh one.

 

My newly arrived mini has a black roof, anthracite headliner, and no sunroof. It's been up to 100 out in so cal recently, and I feel absolutely no heat coming through the roof. I'm actually really really impressed!

So I gotta say with total confidence- it must be the sunroof letting it in! =)

Jeff

 

The angle of the windshield makes stopping at a stop light a bit awkward. I cannot pull as far forward in my MINI as I can in my wife's Hyundai Azera. So people behind me just have to live with the fact that I'm not as close to the stop light as they think I should be.

I believe the sunroof tint is the same as the side windows, 70%. That's not much of a block at all. And I can definitely feel the heat of the sun if the mesh screen is open. Closed, it's not as bad but I can still feel heat. I'm solving that problem tomorrow when I can the sides, rear and sunroof fitted with a 40% 3M Crystalline tint. I will no longer feel any heat through the sunroof with the Crystalline film.