Hello Mini friends,
I hope someone can give me some insight. I just got my beautiful mini last week and loving her! Today was the first time I drove her in the rain. When I got out of the car rain started pouring into the car:( It left a huge puddle on my cloth seat. It's coming from the end of the rain guttler on the convertible top - is this just a life with a mini convertible or a problem the dealership should resolve?

Thanks to all the great people who answer posts. I have already learned so much.


Waving back at ya.

 

Rain should not enter the cabin with the top up. Unless your windows are open or are in sunroof mode. If the rain gutters poured water into the cabin then I would suggest taking it in to have it looked at.

 

What sajacobs describes is correct, sort of.

So with the top up, and when it rains, there is a little rubber lip on the sides of the top just above the drivers and passenger window. The problem here is that the lip is to catch a few drops of rains, but don't expect much.

As it catches it lets it slide to the back, however you'll notice that the lip doesn't extend much beyond the length of the front windows, so you may occassionall get rain into the drivers or passengers seating area.

Now last year, we had two bad storms in late April, and I noticed that while the lip cause some of the rain water, much of it did enter my seating area.

I wish Mini would have made the rubber lip larger, and ofcourse longer so that it went all the way back beyond the rear side window.

 

I have an '05 Cabrio & under the gutters, where the top meets the headliner, there is a rubber flap near the top of the A-pillar.

The windows keep this flap pressed down most of the time so that stops it from springing back out to catch the rain. The rain flows down the pillar & out near the bottom of the door.



Durring showers, I will pull out the "rain catcher" (as I call it) when I get out or roll down the window & I don't have the issue of the water pouring down & puddling in my seats or on my leg.

I have been toying with the idea of putting a piece of foam or something in the rain catcher that will compress when the door is shut, but spring back out when you roll down the windows. Any ideas?

Let me know if the R57s have the little rubber flap there too. Has the design of the rubber changed any? It doesn't sound they fixed the issue in the new model.

 

Thanks everyone for the input.

You're right Not4No1. My mini has the same rubber thingy. I called the dealership to see what's the scoop. But I have a feeling...it's part of the mini experience. The rainy day was extremely heavy and I was even soaked walking from the store to the car. I guess I need to start carrying a cup to catch the rain Still love mini even when I have to sit in a puddle. If I get more info from the dealership I will post it.

Thanks again.

 

Spoke with the dealership and yes this continues to be a design flaw for the convertible. Well I guess the mini stays home on rainy shopping days.

 

With my '06 cabrio this was a terrible problem. I had hoped the '09 would haved this problem corrected and I will say that my '09 in somewhat better than my '06.

 

i know this drives me crazy as well but it doesnt drip, it runs onto my leg when i get in, i think it would have been better if they didnt bother with the rain gutters at all....having them makes the water build up and creates a water fall.