Picked up my Pure Silver MCS at MINI of Mountian View today. The whole thing was very smooth. Although I had been told there was a $1,500 dealer markup when I ordered, it seems to have been dropped. It was all MSRP, and no mention of the markup.

Everything seemed to check out OK, except the voice activation on the NAV. As reported by others, it simply doesn't turn on. This was the news to the MA. BMW hasn't given them training in the NAV yet, and mine was the first one he had a chance to try. Most buyers take their MINIs and run. I stayed so we could go through everything, and he was happy for the chance to see it all work (or not). He went and talked to the tech about the voice activation, and I decided to wait until they'd had more experience with the update before I bring mine back in for that.

The MINI had 3 miles on it when I picked it up. It now has 182.5. After driving back from Mountian View I found a yellow slip in my mailbox for a package too big to leave. So, I headed out on a short trip to the Post Office. The MINI didn't want to stop at the Post Office and went on out Carmel Valley Road for about 40 miles. At Arroyo Seca she turned around and took all those wonderful curves from the other direction.

I know photos would be demanded, so here are some obligatory snaps. I'll try for better shots later.

This is right from the dealer. In a few weeks I hope to have her dressed up a bit more. So, these photos will show where she likes to play as well as how she looks.








And now some interiors -- at least the important part of the interior.
**** is made of Goncalo Alves with a Doug Whalen adaptor

**** of African Blackwood. This what they make clarinets out of. This was meant to be a clarinet bell, but the wood had too much curl to the grain, so it will find a home in a MINI instead.

Blackwood with a burl inlay.

Aboyna Burl

Another Aboyna Burl.

 

Nice pictures man, the view and the road look amazing!

I presume you have the iPod hooked up through the AUX Input. How is that for you? I will be going that route until I get a DiCE for the R56 (if they make it) or I can install the factory iPod adapter myself.

Kevin

 

Awesome snaps! Glad you're enjoying the Mini!
Btw, what are the specs on this one?

 

Our minis are siblings! I picked mine up on 5/10 as well, drove about 80 miles, got home and spent 2 hours in a dark driveway playing with everything. I LOVE MY MINI (and my zune in my mini too...***wink in reference to another thread***).

My voice command is also not working, and what bums me out is that my dealer is really far, not so much in miles or distance, but really far because of traffic patterns in the DC area. I really want it working, but I am probably going to have to wait a few weeks before I have the time to do it.

Anyway, don't want to commandeer your thread, those ***** look SO cool. Congrats

 

Congratulations Robin! My second color choice. Looks like your Mini has a nice playground! Nice ***** too! hehe,...I said *****...LOL!

 

Beautiful car. Congratulations! All Pure Silver looks great. And, of course, the ***** are spectacular. I particularly like the blackwood - I'm a clarinet player. Look forward to seeing your mods.

 

She's a looker! Great snaps. I do envy you and the mountain twisties.
Enjoy all the miles.

 

Very nice! Happy Motoring!

 

Okay, now I can see why you list your location as "paradise." The MCS is amazing looking...silver is so nice w/ that black grill and trim. I feel obliged to warn you about posting pics of those gorgeous ***** though...you may wind up inadvertently spawning a little cottage industry!!!

 

Terrrrrrrific! Congrats!!!Looks like you're already enjoying some mild twisties!

 

Congrats Robin -enjoy!

 

Reading your story took me back to my first days with my first MINI. What a revelation it was to find such joy in driving during those first days. The beauty of it is that the joy just keeps on coming mile after mile even though the novelty of it has worn off.

Congratulations and welcome to NAM.

 

Robin, based on my experience, it looks like it's safe to go in for the software upgrade. It took 6 - 7 hours, but everything works perfectly now. Except my radio seemed to have gotten reset to a spanish language station. The fact that the voice isn't the same as the one on the nav surprised me some, though.

 

Thanks everyone. It has been an interesting transition from the 1990 Integra. The MINI is taller and seating position is much higher (even with seat all the way down), yet the MINI handles better than the Integra. It is odd adjusting to those seemingly counter-characteristics.

Yes, the iPod is connected through the AUX. I've tried both an iPod Shuffle (the latest small one), and an iPod Video 60 GB (pictured). They both work fine. The iPod Video is connected with Griffin TuneFlex AUX Flexible Charging Cradle purchased from the Apple store. It works fine. The iPod tends to wave around a bit on bumpy roads, but no ill effects so far. It may actually be acting as a shock absorber. Right now that iPod has my entire CD collection as mp3 files, and only a small part of its capacity is used. I'm thinking I might redo most of the collection as AIFF since they would probably still fit.

The CD player works fine with mp3 files, but it takes a lot of CD switching to play different parts of my collection.

$600 seemed a lot for the iPod Integration, but it would be convenient. I'm not sure about the HIFI system yet. I'll give it awhile to decide whether to upgrade speakers, or not.

MINI Cooper S, Sports Package, Convenience Package, Cold Weather Package, MFSW, NAV, Park Distance Control, LSD, Anthracite Headliner, Piano Black interior, HIFI upgrade, Rear Fog Lamps, Black Checkered Cloth Seats, Auto AC.

I wish it did not have the arm rest. It seems more in the way than convenient. Unfortunately, it doesn't fold back far enough.

Soon I'll add the JCW Strut Brace, Floor Mats, Invisishield Fog Light Kit, Mud Flaps, Glove Box Organizer, and Boot Box. I'll install them myself. I'm having a Lojack installed.

I'm still not decided about stripes. Just got a real estimate (vs. over the phone) for painting the stripes I want, and it is way too much $$.

There isn't a convenient time in the next few weeks to have it done, and was not worth delaying pickup over. I'll wait until MINI of Mountian View has done a few and has the procedure down pat.

 

Robin,
Very nice indeed. Those shifter ***** are awesome. That may well be my first upgrade once the mini finally arrives.

 

CONGRATULATIONS! She's absoooolutely beautiful! I'm glad you're having a good bonding experience.

Cheers to many years of happy motoring together!

 

Verrrry sweeeet indeed! Enjoy!

 

Yeah Robin! Hard to believe it's real right? The shift **** look great. Happy motoring!

 

congrats robin; looks beautiful.


p.s. i was a huge Glider fan!

 

Robin, I noticed in your close-up pic of your AC controls that you do not have the "Windshield Heating" button shown (at the far left position of the four) in the Owners Manual. Why is that?

 

First off congrats on the new ride and that pic is AWESOME The shiftknobs look to be first rate and I'm sure you'll be selling some of your own with the help of the Whalen adapter. Is there one that matches the English wood option?

 

Thanks. Personally, I wouldn't want to exactly match the "English Oak" panels. I would want the **** to be more of an accent to the interior, as the burl inlay is an accent in the blackwood ****. Different woods look great together they don't clash. I wouldn't worry about a match.

I think the MINI's English Oak is stained to look an like antique furniture color. Trying to match both grain and color would probably be very difficult. If one did actually achieve a match, IMO, the result would not be very impressive.

 

When are you going to be offering your ***** for sale?/

 

when are you going to be offering y our ***** for sale?

Thanks

 

Probably in a couple weeks. I want some time for "field testing" and get some good studio photos done. My studio strobes are currently in Los Angeles. I'll be down there next week and can bring them back home.