I just got my baby....OB/B '08 today! Driving her for the first time down US-1 was such a great experience that I became obsessed and wanted to learn everything at once. Well, there are two things I still didn't figure out how to do...I am impatient, I guess (okay...I KNOW I am!).

I believe there is an option to get the car to beep or make a sound when I get out and lock the car up (to let me know the car is locked). I can't find it in my manual, although I am 99% sure I heard I can do that.

And, although I know my first service is 15,000 mi, at which point I get my oil change, IS there a way for me to see exactly how I"m doing on oil....not just service in general?

And, what IS The second service after the first 15,000?

Wow....there's a lot to take in, and I guess I must have OCD because I want to know EVERYTHING at once. My last car was a Beetle and it has no bells or whistles, so maybe I was deprived

I really never thought I'd love a car

Sharon

 

only if you have the optionalalarm. You can get the lights to flash but no SOUND w/o alarm package

 

Would you happen to know how to get the lights to flash?

And...thank you for responding!

 

Look on pages 20+21 of the manual.

 

It's all in the owner's manual, you can program lots of things just the way you want them... Daytime running lights, locking the doors automatically, etc...

 

Maybe not what you're looking for, but...

There is a NAM member who fashioned his own doohickey to make the "chirp" sound when locking his MINI. I saw it in person- it was quite the rat' shack/no-brainer mod. I will proceed to comb old liks, email, and memory banks for the info.

 

Hi

I have an '04 MC and on the first generation/electrical forum they were writing about this.......you simply connect off the wire for the actuator for lock for the fuel fliller door...they gave the description of which wire to splice into and how to connect up a piezo buzzer from radio shack....I did this mod and was one of the best and easiest mods I've done...cost only $11....BUT THIS WAS ON THE FIRST GENERATION....(that was my disclaimer) so not sure if the wiring wouldbe the same on the newer models. Here'sthe link: on page 2 you can read my posts of how I connected the buzzer and what it sounds like, but kudos goes to whoever thought of this(not me)

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...t=piezo+buzzer

 

Actually, Sharon, you don't know. This generation of the MINI uses Condition Based Service, your on-board computer tells you when the next service is by date and/or miles-to-go, and these will vary from car to car, and will vary as you drive. For an introduction and a how-to, read the MAINTENANCE section of your owner's manual.

 

Correction, sorry, I just looked in the on-line version of my ' 07 manual, its the SERVICE REQUIREMENTS section, which is page 49 there.

 

Guys, thanks SO very much. I missed the part in the manual that says you have to have the alarm option to make beep once you lock your doors on the way out. And, since I brilliantly wanted to speedily read the WHOLE MANUAL and learn THE WHOLE CAR in about an hour (it MUST be a newly developed car OCD!), I didn't even read pages 20-21 carefully enough. And...okay, through my on-board computer I will just be informed about service maintenance in general then.
Thanks so much for the great responses.....they are really appreciated!! Couldn't be learning the ropes through a better bunch!

Sharon

 

Post some pics when you get the chance...I'd love to see what your new arrival looks like. What are the specs?

 

We all miss stuff, or, we misinterpret stuff in the manual. If we didn't, we wouldn't have this thread:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=93485

 

Every time I'm in a parking lot and hear the annoying beep, or beep beep of someone locking or unlocking, it makes me so happy my MINI doesn't do that. I can hear the locks click and watch the lights flash and that is enough for me.

But admittedly, my head is screwed on differently than most.

YD

 

There's a lot more of us out there than you would imagine. The Brits think we're crazy for insisting on the annoying noises. They're right.

 

I guess I can try to understand being annoyed at noises, I know squeaks and rattles and blaring alarms annoy me. But a chirp in a parking garage, even the one as echoey as where I park daily, doesn't get to me. I would like to be reassured by a beep as I walk away with my hands full, without having to turn around to see lights. Especially if a loud chevy drowns out the the subtle thud of the locks. Besides, it's an easy way to locate the car in a garage as well. Especially if you have to park in the same lot, but can't get the same spot every day.

 

I'm with you Black&Gold...need a small beep in a parking lot or garage. It's different than when your at home late at night/early in the morning, when beeping could wake someone up. A beep in a parking lot shouldn't annoy anyone (who is not already high strung to begin with that is).