As you all know, I have 2 minis. My Pepper White mini is fully loaded, heated seats, the works.

My Black Mini has the German favorite mock leatherette seats, no climate control, etc.

So my question to you all is: How hard is it to swap interiors? Do the relays just have plugs or do I have to rewire the seats and make new plugs etc?

In my STI, anytime I wanted something that was OEM that I didnt get as an option, I could usually buy a used one and just plug it in IE: fog lights.

The Fog lights just had plugs and went right in. No modification needed at all.

Will I have any such luck moving my nice interior to my wife's car?

 

nope. ECU changes required for something like adding rear fogs. Stuff won't work mostly. Components have unique CANBUS ids, so I expect the cars would start and say, "where are my seats?" and turn on the airbag lights.

 

Seat warmers too?

 

I edited. Pretty sure a dealer trip would be required for the car to 'see' the switches. This is a common owner regret (not getting heaters), and I saw Todd from Detroit Tuned was recommending an aftermarket seat heater on Amazon. So think about that route.

 

Paint the white one black and the black one white.

Or paint both black and white but on opposite panels.

Now the interior swap is not needed.

 

^Wish it was that easy! Hers is auto :( She is not willing to learn the ways of the manual transmission :( I would prefer hers as it has no moon roof either.

Maybe I ll just pull the heating elements and put them in my Bride's.

 

I believe that you can swap seats out in this manor.
Disconnect battery, + side.
The power for seat heaters comes off of the mirror switch.
It is a double switch.
The issue is air bag connector.
They vary from year to year.