First question is, My Mini has the keyless entry on the key. Press the button the doors lock and the light flash.. no horn chirp. Should the horn chirp?

Second. Does simply having keyless entry mean you have an OEM alarm?

Third. If that does indicate that my Mini has an OEM alarm how good is it? Will the horn blow if someone breaks a window in an attempt to gain entry?

Fourth. If I do have an OEM alarm is it worth upgrading to an aftermarket alarm or should I even bother?

Newb can ya tell

 

1. There should not be a horn chirp but a beep. Once when engaged, twice when disengaged.
2. No, if you didn't spec it, it's not stock.
3. The OEM alarm is sub-par to many other after market alarms but is sufficient as far as alarms go. The Mini has other stock features that help your Mini from being stolen. I believe it's mainly motion detection. In other words, if it senses motion inside the vehicle, it will trigger. So if someone breaks the window, then yes it goes. However, the kicker is, if a vehicle with a loud exhaust passes by, it might go too(depends on sensitivity level that can be set by the dealer)
4. No, IMO alarms are a waste of money on the Mini. If a thief wants to smash and grab, they'll do it regardless of an alarm. If they want to steal your car, the only way to do it with a Mini is by using your keys or towing. Both circumstances won't be deterred by an alarm.

 

Mine does not chirp or beep.

 

Mine does not make any sound when locking or unlocking. It does flash the lights when locking. I would prefer a horn tute so I did not have to stand there and make sure the lights flash.

 

Thank you for the info.

 

Now I dont have a alarm but from what I have read you would have a factory alarm installed if the blinker stock has a light on the end of it.

 

Forgot to note, mine's an 09 Clubman so might differ with 1st gens.

 

On my 2003, my alarm only chirps when locking if the windows are down. The chirp means that the cabin motion sensor is disabled, since the windows are down.

 

On my `05, it does not beep at all when locking or unlocking, but the "thunk" when the doors lock is easy to hear.

One other question - when you replace the wiper stalk with the red-blinker version for the alarm, do you still get any indication of low washer fluid?

With the standard yellow light on the wiper stalk, it flashes at engine-start if the fluid is low.

 

The chirp is a user (ok, dealer) selectable option.

For the '05s they moved the stalk to the left side. The earlier cars didn't have the low washer fluid warning light.

 

So the replacement stalk that's part of the 05-06 alarm replaces the light-switch stalk?

 

Yes that is correct. Pretty easy to install too. I put the alarm system in my car myself, which, again was very easy to do. I spent the same amount of time cutting the plug for the horn/ tilt sensor out of the wiring loom as I did installing the other few bits that are part of it.

I didn't find the cost to be that high and while I know your car can still be stolen it does help as a deterrent.

 

what should i do if i want my mini to "beep" when i lock and unlock, I have a 2005 Mini Cooper s

 

I just installed the retro-fit kit for my `05 S. What a simple installation. The car is all pre-wired for it, and the motion sensor was already in place.

It took me about 45 minutes to install the siren (with tilt sensor integrated) and replace the turn signal stalk. That's the whole install.

I still have to pay a half-hour to MINI to enable it, but that's certainly less than the 2-1/2 hours that the dealer wanted for installation...

Here is the DIY I used: http://home.comcast.net/~sfconnell/mods/alarm/home.htm Kudos to SFConnell, whoever he might be, for a great set of installation instructions.

 

Me too, I don't have the alarm, I just want it to beep or chirp.

 

Check this thread if you don't want to add the OEM alarm just to get a chirp.
The pics seem to have disappeared, but you should get the idea.

 

I've always felt that the chirp just alerts the neighborhood to the fact that there is someone standing there with the keys to a nice car in his hand.

Seems to me that the 'thunk' that the MINI locks make when they lock/unlock is just about right - not obvious, and not readily identifiable. I'd be even happier if the lights didn't blink.

 

The factory alarm is ideal in my case. It was cheap, easy to install, and does not go off every time a loud car or bass goes off near it. If someone breaks in or jacks the car up, it will go off. The wiper stalk is not mandatory but a good investment if u want an added theft deterrent because it flashes once its armed

 

And, of course, it is fully integrated with the key - no additional lump in the pocket. I really can't see any features on aftermarket alarms that I'd want.

 

thanks just what i was looking for

 

I got the factory alarm enabled on my `05 yesterday, and requested that the alarm not chirp (actually more of a teapot whistle) when locking or unlocking the car.

The dealer told me that the only way to do that on my `05 is to cut off the alarm siren entirely, and only have the blinking lights as an alarm.

Is this true, or does the shop just not where to find the option in the menus of their controller?

 

I just installed the OEM alarm in my '04 mini. Some woman at the BMW/Mini dealership (where I ordered the parts) said that it didn't need to be activated by the dealership because it is an '04. The red light flashes, but takes exactly one minute to begin flashing (is that what it's supposed to do?). To try to set off the alarm in some way, I locked the car with someone inside. They waited until the light started blinking and then tried to set off the alarm. I even told them to try to hit the box in the backseat on the roof where the motion sensor is located, still didn't set off the alarm. They opened the door from the inside, and nothing happened. (the light was still blinking as they opened and then closed the door from the inside.) So what's the deal? do I need to get it activated by the dealership??

 

Yes, you need to get it activated by the dealer. The light will flash without activation, but the alarm (as you have discovered) isn't activated.

It was the same with mine - installed OEM, watched light flash, tested functionality - oops, no function.