I just want to make sure I get this straight:

Keyless Go Comfort Access lets you get into the car without fubmling for your keys, get in, and push start and you can drive away.

In the "things you didn't know about your MINI", I recall seeing things like being able to roll up/down the windows from the keyfob. Can this be done from the non KGCA keyfob as well? Is the only difference with unlocking/locking doors automatically and starting the car?

I don't want to spend the money on the Convenience package and it seems KGCA isn't worth it on its own. Plus, I'd probably lose the keys if I had it. :P

Thanks.

EDIT: Also, can you start the car with the keyfob either with or without KGCA?

 

With comfort access, the key can stay in your pocket and never needs to come out. There are little black buttons on each door handle. You walk up to a locked car, press that black button on the door handle and the car unlocks. Walk up to the boot of your locked car, press the boot button, it detects the fob in your pocket and unlocks the boot. It re-locks once you close the hatch. The car will start without putting the fob in the slot in the dash when you have comfort access.

When you arrive some where, press start/stop to turn off the engine. It leaves the radio on. It will turn off the radio once you lock the car or you can press start/stop button again (without the clutch in) and it shuts down the radio. Get out of your car, press the black button on the door handle, the car locks.

I have this option so I don't know how the fob works without comfort access.

 

How does the comfort access work with the alarm? When you walk away does it lock the doors and set the alarm?

 

The car never locks the doors on it's own when you walk away. I don't have the alarm. Some one should chime in soon.

 

True. It is quite simply, the future.

Yes, all of the keyfobs will allow you to roll down the windows. Rolling the windows up is a mystery to me, I know it has something to do with the pinch sensors.

Its so worth it once you live with it. Getting in the car with a load of groceries in your arms or back from a long trip without fumbling for your keys is pretty nice.

Yes, without comfy access, you need to put the keyfob into the dash recepticle to start the car.

 

Just to clarify, can you use it as a remote starter, say, in the winter? So I can start the car from in the house and let it warm up?

I don't want to pay $1250 for the Convenience package but also don't think I can justify $500 for this one feature. Honestly, it's not worth the money to not have to dig the keys out of my pockets, methinks.

 

No. You may be able to do something aftermarket, but currently I don't know of any MINI product that allows this.

 

Nice to see your sig

 

Here's the odd thing.

If you hold the unlock button on the keyfob, the windows will roll down and the sunroof will vent. If you hold the lock button on the keyfob, they won't roll up.

If you hold the button on the door when the MINI is locked, the door will unlock but the windows won't roll down, and if you hold it when it's unlocked, it'll lock, then roll up the windows and close the sunroof.

Weird eh? I can understand the rolling down via keyfob, and I understand the rolling up when you lock via the comfort go button, but I also think locking via the keyfob should let you roll up the windows and close the sunroof.

That's just me though

 

hehe...

 

I added an aftermarket alarm to my previous vehicle (auto tranny)that had the remote start feature. It was great in both the winter and summer, but I understand that you cannot get this feature with a manual transmission since it could cause big problems if you left the car in gear. Makes sense, but I still wish I had it on the MINI.

 

I've never tried this!!
I'm so doing it when i get home (assuming its not thunderstorming out).

I assume that the thought process behind not letting you shut the windows and sunroof remotely is that you don't want to decapitate people or animals when you close your sunroof out of sight.
Same reason that you have to hold the sunroof toggle to close it when you're in the car.
Oh, how i wish i could get a magic antipinch sensor added

 

Funny thing is i don't see why it would not roll up the windows from the key fob. my 2003 BMW does it and the new BMW's at the dealership do it so why can't the MINI.

As for remote starters for cars. Most can be installed in a manual transmission car but if the car is not left in neutral then the car will not start. They put a neutral sensor switch in the manual cars.

As for having it done on a BMW/MINI i am not sure. as of 2004 it was almost an impossibility to put a remote start in a BMW because of how the electronics functioned and BMW expressly made it difficult as they see it as a theft problem.

I know on my 2003 BMW i had to buy an extra key ($180.00) that is now hidden in the car so that the BMW Electronics see the correct signal from the key to allow the car to start. I will have to remove the key before this winter to replace the battery so that it starts working again.

It is probably very similar on the MIN as you can not just stick in any fob and have the car start. If the fob and car are not coded to each other then the car will not start. thus you would have to get another fob and have in hidden in the car somewhere and this would only work with the comfort access as the non comfort access requires the key to be in the fob slot to function.

So as for remote start probably not, but maybe you could find a way to fool the electronics into thinking there was a key in the slot for non comfort access or in the car for comfort access.

BTW key fobs are some where around $280.00 i believe. So don't lose one.