I know that BMW corporate personnels surf on NAM from time to time. With upcoming new MINIs, perhaps the current MINI owners can contribute to BMW's effort by making a few suggestions for the design and improvement of future MINIs. After all, no one knows MINI better than its owner. :smile:



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04 IB/W JCW MCS

 

I'll start!

1. Cruise control cannot maintain the set speed, which totally defeats its usefulness
2. Sun visors in the car with sunroof are way too short to cover the sun from the side. An sentension would help.

:smile:

 

The biggest improvement they could make is to stand behind their products better. I haven't had any real issues, but many people have i.e. windshields, stumble, yo yo etc. They need to address these issues and solve them.
Motor On
MB

 

First off, I LOVE MY CAR !!
The paint quality need improving.

The paint is so damn thin. I have a small scratch on my door and it is clear thru to the primer. I am use to VW quality paint, which I believe is 29 layers THICK !! Vw paint is much more durable than what I have experienced with my MINI. The shine and all is great but needs to be stronger !

 

Great thread, I was thinking the same and hoping it would not end up in performance mods which are covered elsewhere quite thoroughly...

Okay, here are my design suggestions:
1. Make door panels, arm rests and pockets useful and better padded to eliminate rattles.
2. Have front windshield pillars guide rain up and away from side windows (I have suggested a cheap work around elsewhere using body side molding)
3. Solve the no spare tire issue for MCS owners. I and many folk on this site feel very uneasy about going on long journeys without a spare and the run-flats have limitations if the sidewalls are damaged. In Australia, with long distances between towns, this can quickly become a personal safety issue.
4. The top of the steering wheel effectively cuts off the top of the speedo or tach (depending on your country) for most drivers. And do we really need a speedo that loses more useful smaller speed increments in favour of showing >200km/hr top speeds?
5. Recaro seats with side bags
6. Low-dust brake pads
7. Offer more upgrades directly through Mini at reasonable prices!
8. Ditto previous comments on cruise control and sun visors
9. Better road and exhaust noise isolation
10. More shoe room between centre tunnel and clutch pedal (RHS drive) for those of us with E-width shoes!

Cheeers

 

a V-6 engine option would be nice. I recall a very small (1.8 ltr.) unit that Mazda made in the MX-3 some years back. Something along those lines that would increase torque for greater overall driveability while allowing those of us who mod to get to a reliable 250+ hp figure.

 

Brake dust is a problem (and a long-standing BMW tradition.)

The visor is indeed useless.

Many would prefer a solid sunroof shade.

Interior storage is lacking, and the door pockets aren's very accessible.

Fix the yo-yo, pronto.

 

My pet peeves:
How about making the key smaller? Or a least flip out. Its enormous.
While I'm on the subject of keys: make the hole for the key ring bigger.
My dealer gave me two nice MINI key rings one of which (the compass) the MINI key won't fit and the other (the wire with the mini logo) has to be threaded through. If you are designing a MINI key ring wouldn't you want to use a MINI key to make sure it fits?

 

>>My pet peeves:
>>How about making the key smaller? Or a least flip out. Its enormous.
>>While I'm on the subject of keys: make the hole for the key ring bigger.
>>My dealer gave me two nice MINI key rings one of which (the compass) the MINI key won't fit and the other (the wire with the mini logo) has to be threaded through. If you are designing a MINI key ring wouldn't you want to use a MINI key to make sure it fits?
>>
>>
>>
>>

The Mini Key Ring provided by your dealer was likely purchased by the dealer from a stock set up. The dealer thought the key ring was cool, bought a bunch with the mini logo and then gives them out to each customer. They likely bought them from a catalog, so didn't see that they didn't fit the key properly.

 

1. Fix all the rattles
2. Center arm rest
3. Tires for 15 inch rims should be at least 195/60 not 175
4. Xenon headlamps standard equipment

 

>>>>My pet peeves:
>>>>How about making the key smaller? Or a least flip out. Its enormous.
>>>>While I'm on the subject of keys: make the hole for the key ring bigger.
>>>>My dealer gave me two nice MINI key rings one of which (the compass) the MINI key won't fit and the other (the wire with the mini logo) has to be threaded through. If you are designing a MINI key ring wouldn't you want to use a MINI key to make sure it fits?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>The Mini Key Ring provided by your dealer was likely purchased by the dealer from a stock set up. The dealer thought the key ring was cool, bought a bunch with the mini logo and then gives them out to each customer. They likely bought them from a catalog, so didn't see that they didn't fit the key properly.
>>

You are probably right. This still means the hole in the key is too small if a generic key ring can't fit through.

 

my only three complaints:

1. Visors too small
2. Electric windows way too slow
3. Power steering electric motor embarassingly loud!

 

We had a 2 page thread on this once before:

MINI Version 2.0

 

Put a compass in the dash or rearview!

The motoring life requires a compass at the very least. For those of us who don't want to spend $1600 on NAV or prefer the 'classic' way of finding our way about, a compass is essential. It's a small thing that I'm very surprised MINI overlooked in their original design.

Ditto on the sunshades, windshield glass, stumble, yo-yo, etc.

 

This may have been covered before, and might even earn me a flame, whatever.
The Mini does not handle rough roads very well. I am no engineer, but I don't think I am incorrect in thinking that this can be improved without ruining the handling.
The Miata had the caster angle changed to improve this, and it worked on the newer one. There must be ways to improve this. I suggest Mini do some testing in the frost heaved, salt danaged, truck rutted roads of south east Michigan.

Probably related to this is the interior squeaks, creaks and rattles. Which are not uncommon in this area of the country I am sure. These and the aparently soft paint are my biggest disapointments.

 

The primary nag I found was the small oval rear view mirror. This design makes for blind spots. Nuf - said.

 

Just in case BMW does ever read this thread let me state that that while I agree with certain stumble, yo-yo, windshield, and soft paint items, I really don't agree with most of the other suggestions. Overall, the car's fine, IMHO.

 

My only suggestion (For now) Please add Homelink support as I am tired of carrying bulky garage door opener remotes!!!.

BMW offers Homelink as an option on its cars, MINI should do the same.

Oh yeah, an electronic compass embedded in the rear view mirror or made part as a prompt in the Tach's OBC LCD display would be the hot ticket!

 

>1. Cruise control cannot maintain the set speed, which totally defeats its usefulness


Really? mine is dead-on each time... humm..

1. Rattles
2. Turn signal lever too short and stubby
3. Variable intermittant wipers
4. Raise the clutch pedal height..it'll make it easiler to clutch.

 

haha...really?

I have to STRONGLY disagree here. The short clutch makes it REALLY easy to drive. I come from VW and Audi cars which have very tall clutch pedals and it makes it soooo hard to drive. I could never get a good 1st to 2nd shift in my A4 in the two years I had it. The mini is so easy. My MA even pointed this out.

 

>>I have to STRONGLY disagree here. The short clutch makes it REALLY easy to drive. I come from VW and Audi cars which have very tall clutch pedals and it makes it soooo hard to drive. I could never get a good 1st to 2nd shift in my A4 in the two years I had it. The mini is so easy. My MA even pointed this out.

If you think the clutch and shifter throws in the Audi were long, try driving a late 70's Ford pick-up 4 spd where 2nd gear was in your lap and third had you punching the dashboard. The clutch was like operating a one-leg stair climber with about the same work-out.

My biggest peave with the MINI? The seats. I don't find the seats very comfortable or supportive at all. Given the sporty intent of the car, a lot more side bolstering would be nice.

 

Are you guys talking about the clutch throw or the physical height of the
pedal to the floor? i am talking about the pedal height from the floor.
It's too low. I have to sort of 'push' the clutch forward with my left foot
instead of 'step' on the clutch. wear the wrong shoes
and the pedal'll just slip under the shoe around the ball of my foot and
make it hard to control the pedal.

none of my other cars had such low clutch pedals. The MCS's pedal pivots
fine and the stroke is good and engagement area feels okay, but its just
too close to the floor.

_________________
03MCS IB/Blk: 123, Aerokit, R90 17x7, Anthrasite Int, TK5 16x7, 6CDMP3, etc.

 

Luckily I have not been stricken by any of the more serious problems.

MINI should be embarassed by the interior squeaks and rattle.
I would like an LSD for the MCS, at least as a factory installed option.
As well as making body kits and the JCW kit factory installed options.
Who wants to store/trash all those left over parts?

 

I think first and foremost, MINI should improve the quality of materials inside the car. The MINI cap on my steering wheel has lost some of the silver and is easily dinged. The handles on the doors (more driver's side, since it gets the most use) are almost without paint now because of the crappy paint quality. I hope MINI reads this thread and realizes that the interior is completely sub-par in quality compared to any other car out there let alone their own BMW line of vehicles. They should be embarassed with this.

 

I wuld want to see them make too many changes as the Mini is great as is. Obvious problems need fixed... windshield, YoYo, etc.

Impovemnts.. I'd really like a digital gear display like the rally cars that show what gear your in. Guess I don't drive my Mini enough cause sometimes when down shifting, I'm not sure which gear I'm in... stupid, huh.