Please let me know how the swtich goes. I have a feeling it has more to do with the iPod then with the stereo though. I'll be experimenting this weekend.

 

Biggest regret that I got: Surprisingly, the toffee stripes on my MCS Mayfair. I love the PW/B color scheme, but adding the toffee just makes for too many different colors on the exterior. Got 'em because they were unique to the Mayfair, but I'll probably peel 'em off before too long. Maybe replace 'em with black for a simple black/white color scheme.

Biggest regret that I didn't get: The HK stereo -- all reports seem to indicate that it's well worth the extra investment.

Glad I didn't get: Sunroof and heated seats. Never been too crazy about sunroofs, and the comments here reinforce my belief that they're a waste. As for heated seats - I don't get the love. I live in Minnesota of all places, but I just don't see the need for the seats to be hot for that 30 seconds it otherwise takes for my rear end to do the same thing. And after that initial 30 seconds, my rear end gets way too hot with heated seats, so I'd turn 'em off anyway.

Glad that I got: Lots of things, but the one that stands out is the auto-dimming mirror. Love not having to reach up and adjust when a truck pulls up behind me.

 

I did the channel swap the second day I got the car. Trust me, it sounds a million times better than the stock setup (finally some bass!). I don't know how the H/K system sounds so I can't compare, but the swap is totally worth it especially if that's the least you'll be doing audio-wise IMO.

Here is the thread:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nnel-swap.html

 

I regret not getting the rear fogs. I don't like having that empty switch either. I also wish I had gotten the blue color line. I still love it, though!

I certainly don't regret the HK, it does sound great! And I don't regret getting the 6spd. I went back and forth because my wife doesn't know how to drive a manual, but she told me to go for it and I'm glad I did.

 

My MCS is my second MINI. I learned from my first MINI not to buy off the lot-- to order the car you want, and to have fun waiting for it. I am VERY happy with all of my options. (When it is hot my sunroof makes me cranky but I still love it).

My only regret is not getting the leather interior-- not because I like leather or wanted it, but because it has lumbar supports in the seats. I didn't realize that my interior choice (checkered cloth) would mean no lumbar for me. I feel ripped off, and my back hates how deep the seats are.

 

I have no regrets what-so-ever after 1200 miles. I don't know why everyone is hating on the sunroof, I love mine!! Every time I get in the car I hit the two window switches (index and litte fingers) and then the sunroof gets fully opened. I bought off the lot as well but only because they had the exact car I wanted sitting waiting for me. It got me a huge discount too.

I wish the bluetooth allowed me to voice-dial from my phone's phone book, not from one I have to create on the car (I've driven Kias that did this...).

I'm thinking about adding the JCW suspension and some driving lights but I know they are expensive to do. Since they are expensive I would never have ordered either from the dealer.

On a side note - I wish there was somewhere good to put the garage door opener... I hate clipping it to the visor because it leaves a mark (has done on all my cars) and I can't find anywhere else for it!!

 

I bought my Clubman S off the lot. It had a bunch of features I didn't put in the one I built at MINIUSA.com, but I got a free automatic transmission, so it almost cost the same as the one I wanted. I like all the extra stuff, cold weather package, sunroof, Bluetooth, armrest, HK radio.
Had I ordered the one I wanted it would have cost much more, so I'm glad I didn't.
I think I'll get the Clear Bra, the dealer wants too much, $785, so I'll have it done elsewhere.

Dave

 

Some folks get a bad rattle, others get a bad whistling noise, and others have theirs stick when it gets hot. Mine will stick on occasion, but I can push it up from the inside to get it to open. Like you, I love mine in spite of that little issue.
I keep mine in the netting on the tunnel in the passenger footwell. It is a reach, but it is always there, doesn't rattle, and is "invisible" otherwise. A neat spot built in somewhere would be a nice touch if MINI could create one.

 

'05 R53, 6sp, JB/JB.

First, let me say that I enjoyed all four pages of this thread so far.

As per my own traditional practice, I seeked out and bought the cleanest lowest-mileage used car (this time, a MINI) I could find, reguardless of asking price (I know how to work those BASTUHDS, so "asking price" never scares me away). As such, I almost always make out well with the car, but the downside is that I don't get to pick my options.

So obviously, there are appreciations and regrets.

What I like:
-The S's power...glad I didn't jump on the blue/silver '06 "Justa" Checkmate I had looked at previously.
-The handling. The versitility of cargo carrying (previous car was a Miata).
-The fact that it's made by BMW (I'm a fan).
-The color...JB/JB is one of the very few colors that does not make the MINI look like a girly car!
-The interior, in general: Anthracite interior trim, "schwartz/space" CLOTH seats with, cold weather package, strong A/C (for an all-black car), chrono pkg (just oozes coolness, imo, plus I still like having the tach and speedo in front of me, as God intended), easy XM upgradeability to the (otherwise dreadful) stock stereo, auto-dimming mirror, red-amber lighting (like I said, I'm a fan...), and finally, the nice thick steering wheel.
Regrets:
-No sunroof...would have been nice with the car being all-black (assuming it worked properly...I've read the horror stories...).
-Chrysler-derived engine...I promised myself long ago that I would NEVER own another Chrysler product.
-No cruise control...I didn't even realize it didn't have it until AFTER I bought the car...I didn't even imagine that a modern car would NOT have cruise control!
-Rain-sensing wipers...I find them useless--like they have a mind of their own. I would have preferred the speed-dependant intermittant wipers instead.
-Absolutely abyssmal-sounding stock base stereo...I would have been content with the HK (if still not totally happy), and I'm finding the high cost of the (failure-prone, and, lately, hard-to-find) DPSM upgrade, too tough a pill to swallow. Currently weighing my options for upgrading, but regret having to do it to begin with.
-Built-in-on-purpose popping exhaust...I know it's supposed to add character and sportiness to the MCS, but to me it sounds like an old car in need of a tune-up. (This was supposedly purposely added to the engine control software...I would actually consider PAYING to have it "un-added", if it were possible.)
-Throttle control sometimes makes the car difficult to drive smoothly...I know there are remedies for this, but I've learned to live with it the way it is.
-The somewhat sloppy-shifting transmission... I know the Getrag was a great improvement over the older Midlands unit, but like I said, my previous car was a Miata. ('Nuff said.)
-Run-flat tires...they're too expensive and they're too rough. Once mine are worn, they will be replaced with regular tires, NOT run-flats.
-Finally, the bone-jarring ride over any kind of rough surface...sometimes I feel like the car will literally split in half! I'm always paranoid of the well-known mushrooming strut towers issue...even with the stock 16" wheels; I feel like it's only a matter of time... I'm hoping that regular non-run-flat tires will go a long way toward remedying this harshness.

EDIT: One more regret: The rediculous fact that you have to have the dealer program the selectable convenience options, which, of course, they charge you for.

 

R53s have always had Getrag 6 speeds. it's the R50 base Cooper that had the clunky and quirky MG 5-speed tranny up to 2005? when it was finally replaced with a smoother and more reliable Getrag unit.

and for those of who complaining about how hot yr moonroof is, I have one word for you to Google: Zippeeshade!

 

I bought mine off the lot as well for similar reasons. On the configurator it is way to easy to check to many boxes. I originally wanted Chili Red but ended up with the Sparkling Silver, which I love.Luckily it had all the options that I really wanted anyway.
The only regret that I have is the lack of color on the inside. I would like to change the color of the "Halos" on the doors but it seems a little pricey for OEM parts. Still looking at options though.

Minis and their many options!!!

 

MINI wants you to buy the upgraded rear view mirror with the auto dimming and the home button thing... They are still owned by the only car company whose motto is "why offer it free if we can make them pay?!"

 

I thought long and hard about spending $$$ on the garage remote/mirror dimming feature, and regretted not getting it at first. I got the windows tinted which has helped with needing the mirror dimming feature and I made my own garage remote mount.
I ordered a small black remote and mounted it with velcro to the back of the plate holding the sensor for the rain sensing wipers. Its a bit of a stretch to reach, but it works great and only cost $25. Pictures posted in my gallery.

 

I wouldn't mind having Xenons and the JCW aero kit... Not sure it's a regret, though - headlights are plenty bright and I can add the aero kit later. Wouldn't mind the bluetooth, but I don't think it's worth $500 for no more often than I'd use it.

I was unsure whether the auto air was worth it, but it came in the premium package and, having driven a loaner with the regular air, am VERY glad I ended up with it. Didn't really consider the lumbar supports when choosing the sport seats with leather, but having the extra lumbar support has actually helped me out a lot - had bad daily neck pain caused by the seats in my last car.

All in all I love my car, ordered it the way I wanted it, and am happy with my choices. Of course, with the custom order my wife doesn't understand why I was shopping for mods before the car even arrived.

 

A couple more:
-No Xenons, although with 65W Osram bulbs, the halogens are plenty sufficient.
-No lumbar adjustability in the cloth seats...there's actually too much lumbar. I would have liked to adjust some of it out.
-Useless cup holders...I've remedied this with the MINI-Fini (getting rid of the rediculous-looking add-on stock one), but it too looks exactly like what it is...added-on.
-No auto-up windows...I've also remedied this, courtesy of Ian Cull and FES.

 

X33... I'm sure they'll be a lot of people that say that...

I bought mine off the showroom floor so I didn't have a choice. Having had Xenon's on other minis, I wish I had them on my car now.


Mark

 

So, All of my cars I've ever owned have had Xenon HIDs. Are standard Halogen capsules that much dimmer? I know that If the road is wet in the least I can't even tell my Xenons are on.

My Highs on the other hand........ Could be used as air raid spotlights.

My regret:
White top. (just too many different colors on the car with it. LY, white, chrome, silver, black.)
If i had a real choice I'd go PW/PW (factory Aero kit) then paint some wheels PW, and then some PW Viper Stripes with a Matte finish instead of gloss.

 

I don't know what the actual difference is, but the halogens are plenty bright as far as I'm concerned. It's really just the fact that they look better (on the car, not the light they produce) than the halogen units, and the potential to swap for the Camden units down the road.

 

HIDs produce a whiter (but not necessarily brighter) light, with the side effect of some blue-ish light added in. Most people interperet the blue-ish light as being brighter. Whether there's actually any real lighting benefit to HIDs, over halogens, is hugely debatable. The one thing that's NOT debatable though is that blue-tinted halogen bulbs...made and marketed to look like HIDs...perform significantly worse than regular white halogen bulbs (even considering a moderate wattage increase).

 

Mostly true. They do, however, put out a lot more light per watt. A bit more than 3 times per watt as I recall. Plus, they'll last a lot longer. However, as you mentioned, the benefits of having the light more in the blue spectrum is still debated. And, of course, because of the difference in the shape, size, and orientation of the filament/arc, the two types require very different reflectors and lenses to work properly. There's a reason every single one of the HID "upgrade" kits sold in the US and Japan and Europe are illegal not only here in the USA but also in all of those other countries.

And right-on about tinted halogen bulbs. (And this includes the reputable brands like PIAA and Sylvania.) The tinting, no matter how light, robs the bulb of light output. In order to counteract this, the manufacturers either make the bulb a higher wattage or make it brighter to begin with by subtle changes in the filament. But these changes greatly shorten the life of the bulb. What people don't realize is that they are paying a lot more money for a bulb that won't last nearly as long and actually puts out less light.

 

Regrets:

1) Not knowing the common issues to look for when shopping for a used R53.
2) Not getting a factory JCW.
3) Not being a man-***** before I got married

 

I couldn't find a good place for the garage door opener either. I ended up removing the clip from the back of the opener, used some 3M double stick tape and stuck it to the inside top left corner of the glove box. It's very easy to pop open the glove box and press the opener button sight unseen. It's also not visible to others so it adds a bit of security.

 

Spent too much on interior upgrades...

 

I believe that could also be phrased as "don't spend enough time in it"...

 

Wish mine had a better stereo other than the MINI Boost. Thanks to you guys, I will try the channel swap, and upgrade the front speakers with PolkDD6501 components so that should be a vast improvement. Also wish I had Bluetooth and Ipod controller with usb. So expensive to add aftermarket. Other than that I have what I want. I made the mistake of selling my earlier 2007 Cabrio in Lightning Blue that I had bought new, that was absolutely loaded with everything. All for a stupid Porsche Boxster. Missed the MINI, Now I have less than the original, but still very happy.