Hello all!...I'm new here.....I currently drive a 2002 M3 and i'm looking for another car to use as my daily driver...

I plan on prdering the following car tomorrow.....please let me know what you think...are there any options i have that you dislike or any options i don't have that you feel are a MUST have......thanks

2007 MCS Chili Red w/black roof
Automatic
Cruise Control
Black Bonnet Stripes
Center Armrest
Rooster Red Colorline

 

A lot of people seem sorry they got the armrest, and didn't get the rear foglights (remember the rear fogs are a factory option, and fill that blank spot on the bank of switches).

 

thanks for the reply, i was just reading the thread above about the armrest, i will def check out the cars on the lot to see what i feel about it ( i'd like it because i usually put my wallet and cell phone there)....in terms of the rear fogs, can you post pic of the blank spot you are reffering to?

 

if you do NOT order rear fogs you get 2 plastic outline cutouts where they would be as in this picture. I do not care for that look.

 

hmm, anyone have a close-up pic of the rear without the fogs?

 

We have two with armrest and one without. I prefer the armrest. Some people say the top slides back while driving but I never had that problem with either of our '06s. It's reasonably comfortable and aesthetically pleasing (doesn't detract focus from the cool stuff).

Of course, you can get aftermarket armrests that are nicer (but also bigger and more intrusive).

Agree with others on the rear fogs... nice feature.

 

Wish I would have gotten the rear fogs.

I was iffy about it, but Sat Radio has been my most used option. Consider the LSD.

 

They are all too ashamed.

There is an after-market arm rest that is supposed to be much better than the factory version. I have the factory armrest as part of a package with Bluetooth phone prep. I'm going to either rip it out myself, or pay the dealer to do it. It is very annoying.

It sounds like you are getting a rather bare-bones MINI. Here are some options I feel are necessary or desirable.

DSC: Necessary, IMO. This is a safety feature. It can help you maintain control of the car if it starts to go out of control. The situations where it would be useful are ice, rain, spilled oil on the road, or an unexpected event happening in front of you that you wish to avoid -- someone not seeing you and pulling out, child running out into the street, debris on the highway you don't see in time, an accident happening in front of you, etc.

Heated Seats are nice. They warm up quickly so you don't freeze waiting for the engine to warm the heater. They are part of the Cold Weather package.

Park Distance Control: Unless you fold the seats down, the rear visibility in the MINI is not that great. Even with them down, the high waist on the car makes you blind to low objects such as dogs, cats, low walls, etc.

Multifunction Steering Wheel: required for cruise control.

Rear Fog Lights: For many, this is a cosmetic option. They look good, and they fill a void in the toggle switch panel. For those reasons it is thought to be worth $100. However, if you live in a place like the California Central Valley, they can save your life by helping drivers see you in dense fog. There are numerous multi-car pile-ups in the tule fog there because people can't see the car ahead of them.

Anthracite Headliner: This is another item people regret not getting. I have it and like it.

 

IIRC, not available with auto trans. If it has become available, get it.

 

It's not really a close up, but in this pic you can see the difference. My Chili red MCS does not have the rear fogs (wish it did!) and my dad's mellow yellow does

 

Yes, I'm getting minimal options in an effort to save $......do you know how much the aftermarket armrest goes for? Is it DIY'able? Any links or pics??

I may have to add those rear fogs now...i think i can see what you mean by a blank space.....

 

I think this is it, but you should search the forum for threads on "armrest" to see who has it and what they say. It is $200 and looks like it wouldn't be difficult to DIY.

 

07cr, In your flickr account, your dad's MINI has a different, very unusual rear bumper. Is that an aftermarket bumper ? Very cool !!

 

The rear bumper on the yellow MINI is part of the JCW aero kit. The body shop painted the middle of the bottom of it black, were most paint it body color. I love his rear bumper, can't wait to get the JCW aero kit on mine!

 

I'm sure that was quite pricey. But it changes the whole appearance of the rear end. Very nice, indeed !!

 

Actually, the JCW aero kit, painted and installed was only around $2500, but you're right, it is very nice!

 

I'd check out the armrests on the lot before you order. You might be hard pressed to put your wallet or your phone in there (especially if your wallet is rather stout) let alone both.

An even bigger advantage to getting the rear fogs is not only will they eliminated the blank spots on the rear bumper (which you will only be annoyed by if you're standing behind the car), but it'll also fill in the one missing toggle switch (which will annoy you every time you're in the car).

 

Not sure if clear rear lenses are standard as of now but that may be something you want with a red/blk car. I would like to see the anthracite headliner with that color combo also.

 

Here's a pic of the anthracite headliner on my CR/B MCS. It's not the greatest pic, but it works!

 

6 Speed Manual definiately.
You left out all the nice packages that have some pretty decent features.
Like the sport package, performance, convenience, and cold weather pkgs.
Go online and build one to see what you are missing.

 

Definitely DSC, LDS, Xenon headlights, rear fogs. Arm rest is okay by me (don't have the problems with it that others do), but you cannot fit wallets or phones in it!

Personal choice, but I really like the 6-speed...

 

I agree with Robin about the DSC, i believe this is an important safety feature.Q

 

Thanks for all the opinions, i placed my order today, now the waiting begins!

I ended up getting the cold weather package and no armrest

 

Good call, IMHO. You can always put the armrest in later for the same price if you decide you want it, but it'd be a pain in the arsenpepper to retrofit the cold weather package for $300.

 

So, no DSC? You're going to live dangerously?