Me too, I kind of wanted holies.

 

I bought mine used off a non-MINI lot, with no knowledge of the brand, so no regrets. After checking out a few others post-purchase I'm very glad I lucked out with the options I have! Cold weather package, xenons, auto dimming mirror, etc. I like the leatherette. I'm a baker, and I am always covered in flour. I religiously clean my car so it does not get built up, but cloth seats would make that MUCH more difficult. The leather in other models I've looked at were nice but not all that great.

I could live without the sunroof, I rarely use it, and I dislike how hot the car gets. Going to tint/zippeshade her soon, but go fast/corner fast mods come first

 

I don't think I've seen a car with those since about 1985! I could be wrong though and it is a PIA to get the windows to adjust to a point where you can get air in but not soaked!

Why drink anything else (except for tequila which is frowned on by the local constabulary when driving)?


+1


Can't say I've noticed, of course my A/C compressor died and I didn't know about it until I went to FL and my sister drove the car and then complained to me. What can I say, if I'm in the car and it's not pouring down rain, the top is off!

Can you say "convertible"! It's the only way to go!

 

After having a few days with my car, I have to say I am VERY happy with the choices I made when doing my build. (Promise more pictures to come...but the stripes went on yesterday and they are the wrong color, so gotta get that fixed first)

So, some thoughts/advice to anyone out there agonizing over which options to check.

1. I wish I had gotten the rear fog light. I didnt realize until it was too late that not checking that $100 option meant a blank toggle on the dash. Small thing that most might not care about, but I wish I had it.

2. I went back and forth on the chrome interior package. Im glad I skipped it...most of the areas that would get chrome have a matte silver finish anyway--I thought all that would be black plastic if I skipped the chrome, so the silver was a nice surprise.

3. I have the 15", 5 spoke wheels that were a free option on my Cooper Clubman. The car would look better on 16's. I doubt I'll change it because the somewhat dorky look the 15's offer suits me, but dropping the bucks for the larger wheels is probably worth it.

4. Seat heaters. I have the cloth/leather seats. Where your butt goes is cloth, and the seat heaters will toast your buns! I guess they are made to get some warmth through thicker leather, so coming through the cloth they get the job done quick!

5. The upper grille on my car (again, a non-s Clubman) is basically solid. I ordered a grille badge while I was waiting on him, and there is only one, not ideal, place where there is actually a hole to thread the badge holder through. I guess the lower grille is actually doing all the work and the upper one is just for looks? (Anyone got a solution to this short of breaking out a drill?)

6. The carpeted mats that came with the car look slick, but are impossible to keep clean looking. Santa is bringing me the MINI Urban mats, which I hope reduce the number of times I have to turn on the shop vac.

7. The stock antenna on my car is way too tall and goofy looking. It reminds me of cell phone antennas circa 1992. Stubby antenna mod coming very soon!

8. My roof rack was a last minute add and I have to say I really think it adds something to the car's looks. (especially since my roof is black)

9. I wrestled with whether to get the Harmon Kardon upgrade. Have to say the stock system seems fine to me, so I'm glad I didn't. (have NOT heard the HK to compare the two, and don't want to!)

10. If you get MINI Connected, plan on spending an hour or two just playing with it. It's overwhelming at first, but not completely un-intuitive.

That's it for me...any others out there care to share what they might have done differently?

 

I bought a CPO'ed MINI, so every car on the lot was a compromise of some sort.

These items were my absolute must-haves (I would not even look at a car without them):
- sunroof
- bluetooth
- iPod interface
- manual transmission
- cold-weather package

Things that I preferred (and would definitely put in a new build):
- Xenons (too expensive to retrofit)
- foglights front and rear (will retrofit these)
- center armrest (will retrofit this)
- alarm (will retrofit this -- shocked this wasn't standard)

Things that I thought that I wanted but learned to live without:
- rain-sensing wipers
- auto-dimming mirrors
- homelink
- auto-lights

I thought the convenience (keyless) option was overkill and because I have it on my motorcycle and know what can happen when you start your vehicle and drive off leaving the key behind. Don't ask I like knowing where my key is rather than having to remember it's in my jacket pocket, my front jeans pocket, my backpack, etc.. That being said, I'm not a huge fan of MINI's insert-the-fob-push-the-button starter. The fob, which seems identical front to back, must go in front-side up and sometimes there's some resistance if the angle isn't quite right.

 

regret when I bought my Camden, I didnt like the 50badge on the front and had the dealer take it off. I kinda with I had it now.


Fail !!!!

 

I have no regrets at all about the way my car is configured. I spent a lot of time researching the options before I ordered it and it has everything I want and nothing I don't. It's the first time I've ever ordered a car and while the wait was frustrating, I think I would do it again. What a really love: Comfort Access, Xenons, black headlight housings, Spice Orange color, lounge leather seats, anthracite headliner, black star bullet wheels, S versus Justa. What I'm happy I didn't order: Nav and Connect (too pricey and don't like the look of the nav in the speedo - for the few times I need it, my Garmin works just fine), sunroof (never a big fan and almost never used it on my previous car - just adds unnecessary weight IMO), heated seats (never used those either on my previous car, but my wife is not happy that I don't have them). One thing I'm not happy about is the $100 "ransom" you have to pay to get the blank switch filled for the rear fogs. I paid it, but I don't see myself ever using them but I like the fact that the switch is there.

 

I don't have my car yet. The only thing I really wish I got and didn't is the lounge leather. But at $2000, it was out of my price range with everything else I selected with the car. I'm also second guessing not getting the auto tinting mirrors (75% of my driving is at night for work) and maybe the Comfort Access, but both were at the bottom of my Want-List and I already maxed out my build budget.

If I had unlimited $, I'd get all of the above and everything else I actually ordered in a JCW. :-D But I'm sure I'll be more than happy with the S.

 

Things i wish i did:
got it in stick
got an r53

Regrets: I wish i did a better job on the grill, got fatter stripes, didn't drive it as hard

 

Regret nothing, premium package, sport package, added JCW Stage one tune kit and love it all. Would not change a thing.

 

I got my mcsa off the lot, but it just came in a day or two before I got it. It pretty much had all the options that I wanted except black headlight housings and black rims. My only real regret would be not ordering a jcw. sadly I never got to learn how to drive stick , but i hope to learn in the next few years. Then I will order my jcw!

 

Not buying two

 

only regret is not getting mini connected. based on my build, it would have only added $500 to the cost since i already added a bunch of the technology package options.

 

I bought off the lot. My choice was a loaded Chill Red MCS Automatic with a JCW aero kit or a Factory HZB JCW with Sport suspension for less, or a red silver completely stripped JCW Clubman for about the same. While I love the aero kit look in the front, I hate it in the rear, also I prefer functional features over visual ones so of course I ended up with the JCW cooper. (and as you can see a JCW Clubman for the wife a year later off the lot but spec'd nicely).

The features I love on the JCW: The brakes are ridiculous awesome. They make you really brave. I still don't think I have found the limits of them, never a close call, no fading. I love the transmission over the MCS manual. It shifts buttery smooth. Of course the power is nice too. I bought it with big plans for a new intercooler and plumbing and a tune . . naaa it's fast enough right now. I'm not touching the engine. I love the stock JCW exhaust, especially with the rear seats down. I do like the sport suspension but it needs a little work to get rid of the ricochet feeling (NM springs fix it). The stock wheels are a little heavy and hide those awesome brakes so I fixed that. Stock Audio system is just fine for my 49 year old ears. even the dumbed down instrumentation grew on me. I was appalled it didn't have a temp gauge and a boost pressure gauge of some sort when I got it. I like the pure driving experience and don't worry about it now (I do watch the fluids way more carefully on this car than any other I have had so that is the tradeoff, but this is done when I am not driving).

Now some regrets: Stock Halogens are dim enough that when I upgraded the fogs to hyper yellow I could not tell if the headlights were on. I put on xenon look LED eyelids and you could see their reflection in the halogen light on the car in front of you. Those had to go.

I wish it did not come with a sunroof. It is annoying to not be able to block out the sun and I can only imagine how much better it would handle without a heavy weight up so high in the car. I may tint it but that sounds risky. .this sunroof is very clunky too, it chatters all the way down . I can't stand the chrome-line interior. If there is a way to remove it I'm.

That armrest only works on an I-phone which I do not have. It was advertized to do much more than it does. Now it just gets in the way and opens when you don't want it to.



Features I had no idea I could not live without: Convenience package with keyless entry. It is so annoying to drive another car that needs keys now. Rain-sensing wipers. It is amazing how much attention you waste flipping on and off wipers, adjusting the intermittent speed. I learned this in California Superbike School from Kieth Code himself in the 80's: "You only have a finite amount of attention, use it wisely" and rain sensing wipers really help when you need it the most. Bluetooth, it's the law, can't live without it now for the same reason. USB ready radio. Do you know how many songs you can put on a 8GB dongle? I haven't found out yet! I drove 6 hours and got halfway through what I do have on there and it's barely 1/4 full. This really eliminates the need for a CD changer which used to be a must have. No cables running all over the place to tap into the mp3 player either. I dont have an Ipod but my friend does and the ipod interface works good enough for me to consider getting an ipod . . . naa the USB is much easier and cleaner and I can still control it form the steering wheel.

I can't believe anyone on this site, no matter how elaborate they spec'd it out, buys a Mini and just drives it. This is not a Toyota forum for Pete's sake!

 

Nice!!

 

I REALLY REGRET my house only having a single car garage. I hate keeping my Z on the driveway, especially when its raining and the morning moisture.

 

Regret: Nav/Connected, Manual. I have been driving stick for 25 years, and this is the first car I have had that I wanted an automatic for. Combination of all4 and manual is not fun.

No regret: auto-dimming rear view/side mirrors. Love that.

 

I bought mine used so I can't say I had many choices. I test drove and passed up a loooooot of other used MINI's and I was finally glad to settle on the one I bought. I definitely don't regret the sunroof, or the bluetooth. Thought I'd regret the color (Laser Blue, my last car was bright red), but I've come to absolutely love it.

I do regret the fact that it doesn't have an iPod input. I use my iPod so much, and it would've been nice to be able to control it with my stereo controls. Especially since I had an after market touch system installed in my previous car, I'd gotten used to it.

 

I regret that I was unable to order a red interior... The red "accents" didn't do it for me, and since all-red seats were not available I wound up with black cloth.

 

We custom built Darla and we tried to not go crazy with options (cold weather, convenience, cloth, LSD, rear fogs, xenon, parking sensors, HK, white turn signals). The only thing we truly regretted was not getting Automatic A/C.

If we do buy another MINI it'll suck not having a real LSD.

 

After a few attempts in the snow in my '11, I really miss my '09 with the LSD. The '11 works great--probably largely thanks to the Blizzaks--but that LSD made a big difference on the snow and ice. If I keep my car for four or five years, I may entertain the idea of having an LSD put in. Maybe.

 

@FerRrai: I wouldn't be too upset about not having the auto A/C. I have it and, frankly I enc uop using it more like a manual anyway. One of the issues with it is that while the temperature is automatic, the fan speed isn't. So, if it's warm and you set the temperature to say, 66, it will blow cold air un til it reaches 66 degrees and then ir will adjust the air temp automatically to maintain 66, but you still have to set the fan speed to high until it cools down and then manually lower the fan speed once it gets there. More sophisticated auto A/C systems control and automatically adjust both air temp and fan speed. It was part of the premium package that had a lot of other things I really wanted and am glad I got (auto dimming rear view mirror, comfort access, auto wipers/headlights), but as a separate option, I wouldn't buy it again.

 

Thats strange- my system automatically adjusts the fan speed also. It starts on a higher speed to heat up or cool down the car as the case may be, then as it gets closer to target temp, it gradually lowers the fan speed. Works just like other Bmw systems.

 

In ordering the new car, I definitely tried to determine what I loved and what I could live without in my current car. I have no regrets on the Clubman but I def learned I did not need all it had, including a larger size.
I did not get leather this time and I hope I do not regret getting the leatherette. It's just such a big jump in cost and not really happy with all the options and colors, or lack thereof for matching trim. I do not like cloth just for the cleaning factor, and I have kids and dogs. I just wasn't all that wowed with my current leather (punch carbon black), it's stiff and kind of a pain to clean, especially getting off sunscreen! Love the lounge leather and the new grey, but not the pleats and the grey did not have enough interior to match and the cost drove it all too high. I hope the leatherette is comfy, cleans up well and lasts.
I did not get the sunroof this time, I am one that needs to stay out of the sun and having to wear a hat in the car all the time is a pain! I did like the sunroof though to vent and the light does open up the car a lot, esp with the anthracite headliner. Did not get that this time either, to brighten up the car a bit.
I did get the dimming mirrors, side and rear, I think I'll love those at night, I have wimpy eyes!
I did not get the auto lights and wipers. Not sure if I'll regret that or not, I can turn them on myself but it was nice to get in and go.
I did get auto air again, test drove a car without it and found it very counter intuitive to use, but I am used to the Auto AC. Plus I like the way it looks on the dash better!
Still no NAV, and no regrets there.

What I really regret is not having enough $$ to buy and own lots of MINIs at once!!

 

Hmm...interesting. I'll have to look into this. It seemed odd that it didn't control the fan as well as the air temp. It's not a huge deal because it isn't that much trouble to hit the fan button now and then, but I would like it to work as it's supposed to.