I'm getting a new boot lid under warranty, due to rust. Getting a new coat of a paint on a quarter panel, too. And at my request they're leaving off my factory S spoiler. It's going to be like getting a brand new car back...in a WEEK!

Sheesh. In the meantime I'm driving an E34 535, borrowed from a friend. Not the worst loaner, for sure, but it's an automatic, and it's got 300k km on it. And it's seven times the size of my Mini by every parameter. At least it steers like a BMW, and is disquietingly comfortable. It's got better seats than my Mini, and I can no longer feel minor cracks in the pavement in my molars. But I MISS MY MINI!!! Sometimes it's easy to forget what totally stinking awesome cars they are. Don't take your Mini for granted. Buy it flowers or chocolates or beer or something today, and give it a hug.

 

Glad you'll be getting the Mini out soon. I agree, they are awesome cars even though they require a little more TCL than most.
It's worth it.
Why are you leaving the spoiler off?

 

I had my automatic gear shifter replaced last week ($1200, but covered by the dealership because they didn't catch it before selling it to me;, Enterprise gave me a 2012 Mazda 6. What a terrible car! Sure it drove incredibly smooth and I didn't have random buzzes/rattles coming from some area, but boy was it an unenjoyable ride. Worst of all was how big it was.

 

If the spoiler comes off what are you left with? And by that I mean, are there holes to which it mounts to? I am interested in removing mine so I can have better access to the boot when I have the roof box on. Also, I think the MINI looks better sans spoiler.

 

I just went in and had some stuff done and Enterprise gave me a Grand Caravan =/ Good thing it was only for the day =)

 

I had a prius...wow I was shocked when enterprise showed up with that. Since then I get a loaner from MINI.

 

Easier access and free range of placement with bike trays on the factory rack. Besides, I don't feel like the spoiler adds that much aesthetically, and it certainly services no real purpose.

Plus, I'm getting a new boot lid. It's way easier to reinstall the spoiler later if I decide I actually cared about it!

 

Ack! She's not coming home before Tuesday or Wednesday next week. I've never dealt with body shops before. Is this kind of nonchalance - "oh, you know, sometime next week" - relatively normal?

 

Just look at a BASE R50 (R50 with sport package has a more discrete spoiler all it's own). Obviously if the car hatch lid already had one installed there would be holes. However, to avoid a respray, an R53 owner could always replace the boy racer loop with the smaller R50 sport package piece, although it still disrupts the lines somewhat. For those concerned with rear mount bike racks, though, I think it would be worse, since you can't get the strap under the surface mount sport spoiler.

 

Yup. And be ready for the possibility that it won't be ready when they say it's ready. Doesn't always happen, but it does once in a while.