After 18 months and 20K miles the only quirk that still confounds me is the placement of the stereo volume button. I still almost always need to pause and consider if I'm grabbing the correct button. I don't think I've had a single issue besides this small complaint. I don't think I'll ever grab the "correct" button without double thinking it.

Oh, maybe one other minor issue. I love my Laser Blue / White wheel combo, and I knew when I got the white wheels that I'd have to clean them frequently, but my wife...well, she gets that "rolling eyes back" look every time I clean the car. But she does love the car, and if I let her drive it enough she forgives...doesn't forget, but forgives

 

It helps when you have the multifunction steering wheel, the volume button is right there at your finger tips...

 

Volume doesn't bother me much, it's that darned turn signal that drives me up a wall

 

I actually like the placement of the volume control. Its very conveniently located close to where my right hand is all the time anyway, the stick shift. In fact I rarely use the mfsw for changing the volume the **** is so conveniently located.

 

I came from a car that had windshield wiper on turn signal (too often, got a dry wipe with turn sig).

I love my MINI's Turn Signal and wiper control too.

Volume control (all by itself) is fine and the push to 'mute' is really great!

 

OP must have an automatic. The volume **** is just so easy to grab with a stick shift. Heck, I almost never use the MFSW buttons for volume.

 

I use the MFSW all the time, too...but the other volume control **** comes in handy for passengers. They seem to have no problem w/ it.

 

What's the problem with the turn signal?

 

It was absolutely set up for a stick. I love where it is. It is exactly where I would have put it for this car. I never use my volume on the steering wheel at all. Someday I will order a JCW mini and it will have a plain steering wheel.

 

It doesn't stay clicked like most cars. Another example of German engineering reinventing something that already works just fine. I also find the wiper controls a bit annoying in this regard, though I do like the fact that you can mist without leaving the intermittent mode. I haven't had that since my 93 civic!

 

I guarantee you this will magically disappear for MY'10

Bah, the whole center stack is weird, it needs a redesign for future models, imo. A sign of good design is not having to "get used" to the controls, they should be intuitive.

 

if you dont like the blinkers , try a benz and you then will love them!

 

I find it hilarious that so many people have such a hard time learning how to operate minor functions of the car.

 

From reading the literature of the MINI, it's pretty obvious that the point is to be a little non-intuitive. It's nothing like TVR's controls, that's for sure!

As for the turn signals, I think they're brilliant! No brute snap back after your turn, the whole 3 blink lane change option, just great!

 

+1.....love 'em!!

 

Three blinks can be done with a detent in the turn signal stalk. Heck, even a vehicle as screwed up as the '04 VW 'Reg has the triple blink option on a conventional stalk.

Also, if the whole point is to be a little unintuitive, then whoever came up with that bit of brilliance is an idiot. JMHO.

 

Perhaps you folks are used to German or Japanese built cars where everything falls perfectly in hand. I've owned a few British and Italian cars in my day and I have found that getting used to the odd things about these cars is what makes them fun. I think getting used to the odd quirks of the British and Italian cars I have owned makes them interesting and gives them the personality that is lacking in the stark "form follows function" German and Japanese cars. Just another perspective to consider......

 

I've gotten so use to the Mini's turn signals that now my Jeep's turn signals are the strange ones...

 

The turn signal stalk works the way it does due to the nature of the turn signals being digitally controlled as opposed to mechanical control. It is cheaper to use a momentary switch than adding a device to simulate the stalk returning back to center after the signal expires.

I never use the center stack volume control. I rearely use the volume control as I am the only one who drives Romi and I remaster every CD to make sure they are all at the same levels (you would not believe what pre-recorded CD's are like,..OY!).

If I ever adjust the volume, it is via the MSFW controls.

 

Actually I can understand the method to why they did it this way. Most cars have plastic "detents" built into the turn signal stalk, over time the plastic can get brittle and sometimes break. The turn signal still works but will not latch in place, you have to hold it down.

My wife had a car this happened to and our state inspection refused to pass it, the signal worked fine, you just had to hold the stalk down.

I pointed out to the guy that nobody used the stupid turn signals anyway so why the big deal but he flunked the car.

It was an older car with a lot of miles, so we just got rid of the car because pulling the steering wheel and accessing the part was going to cost $200 or so, probably would be even more with an airbag equipped wheel.

Now in true German/BMW fashion, the electronic switch thingie in the MINI will probably also fail, right around 80k and then cost even more to replace but hey the plastic part won't break at least!

Analogeezer

 

The turn signal really tripped me up on the test drive, Although i completely expect to get used to it once I get my mini and start driving it on a regualr basis. Crazy

 

I have my Mini for just over a year now (close to 20k miles) and I still get annoyed by the turn signal once in a while.

The volume **** doesn't bother me, I always use the ones on the wheel. The one thing that irritates me the most is the CD player restarting the same track after a long stop. I wouldn't mind if it was music, but it is extremely annoying listening to audio book on CD. Sometime I have to sit in the car at my own driveway or work parking lot for an extra 5 to 10 minutes so I could finish the current track. It should be an option to let you select if you want to restart the track!

 

Why do I hate the turn signals? I am a compulsive user of turn signals; lane changes, turning into parking spaces, you name it I will use it. So I am in fast heavy traffic where I don't want to take my eyes off the road, I want to signal a lane change, but most times I don't think 3 is enough (why can't I program for 5 or 6 clicks?), many times I engage it past the click. Now I want to cancel it, but when I go the other way I realize I didn't quite engage past the detent and now I have signaled like I am going back to the other lane, then I may go back to try to cancel and end up signaling the other way. I end up looking like some kind of drunk I drive three different cars, and I don't want to have to make that mental adjustment.

BTW; This is not a cool British quirk, this is a German/BMW thing. It is on every new BMW. I also think it contributed to the low JD Power score, because I sure called it out as a design defect.

 

Iti s not a design defect, it is a design choice.

The choice being to ether use an all digital turn signal system, or stick to using the old analog mechanical system.

If you know how computers work, then it is easier to understand why the turn signals work as they do.

If you want me to explain it in detail, I can, but it will be a long post. Bottomline, is this is the most cost effective all digital turn signal system as it is currecntly implemented. To add a mechnical lock/detent and motor control to release it would be cost prohibitive.

 

i understand what you're going through, When i need the turn stalk to click more than three times I turn it on, When I'm ready to disengage it, I push it the same way I'm turning and it turns off just fine. I know that there is a tendency to go the opposite way your going, but if you do it this way you will never look like a drunk again. Motor On.......!