For anyone interested in why the Recaro's are being held back for the roadster I have an explanation for you! I stopped by a local MINI dealer to take a look at the Recaros and a sales guy showed me the Roadster they had with Recaros. It turns out the folding mechanism for the rag-top clips the seat belt retainer and rips them out. Hopefully this will be fixed soon.

Some pics I took:

http://imgur.com/a/PgPwA

 

Thanks for the info Dan. Finally get to see what is actually happening. From your pictures, it looks like a seat replacement might be in order to fix it

-Steven

 

Don't hold your breath.

 

Very interesting, Dan. Funny that they called it a "wear issue". :D

 

Funny but not, they should call it a "tear issue".....damn How could they not know these would not fit the Roadster?

-Steven

 

Ouch! Turns out that's why my order got pushed back till end of June, now I've taken them off it's going into production now.

 

...so why does this effect the Coupé?

 

Mine as well, it held my order up for three and a half weeks. I then changed to the Lounge Leather and and it went into production the next day. I'm very glad now that they caught it.

-Steven

 

Thats a good question. It seems like this is not the whole story otherwise only the Roadster would be affected.

 

yikes.. hope it get fix

 

Probably because the seats are exactly the same I.E. they have the retaining loops. They probably stopped production at the supplier until they can get the fix out. I imagine they will redesign it to re-attach lower on the shoulder of the seat so it doesn't get clipped.

 

Dan

Incredible info Thanks for the post and pictures

Now I don't feel so bad that I had to drop the Recaro's

But I am amazed this was not found in testing

 

Keep in mind it was stopped on the Coupe too and their top does not move. These straps can not be pulled on. My dealer had a customer grab them thinking it was the seat release and ripped them right out. I am very Happy with my Recaros and was warned not to pull on the straps.

I honestly think it has more to do with the seat height and how it travels across the shoulder of the seat and the rear anchor point.

 

Just to keep playing Devil's advocate, then why would they still be offered on all other models except the 58/59 (or are they all being deleted)? Also MINI still shows them on the configure site.


This definitely LOOKS like a more plausible reason.


I'm sure even a "quick" redesign/testing (and not likly to rush and risk another blunder like this) will probably take 3 to 6 months and not show up until the 2013 model year.

 

I've been wondering something. There are a few owners who have taken delivery of the Recaros already. Have your dealers been telling you anything about how this will be handled? Retrofit, replacement, etc.. Assuming they know anything at this point.



-Steven

 

Actually, I just picked up a JCW Roadster yesterday with Recaro seats, and the MA said the whole staff had been gushing over the seats. Didn't warn me about anything, and said they couldn't be ordered now because of a supply shortage. Nothing about wear/tear issues we've heard about here and on MotoringFile.

So far, after 100+ miles, I'm very happy with them. But I will not try to release the seat by pulling on the seatbelt strap!

 

Julien321 I think what you bring up backs the theory that the seats were not pulled because of the loop strap the hold the belt or all seats would have been pulled.

the Hardtop Minis use a high position on the b pillar for the belt. One might ask why the R57 was not included? But even the R57 pulls from the b pillar not from a lower position behind the seat like the R58 and R59.

 

just placed my order today for 2012 JCW roadster. I wanted the recaro seats but was told that no mini could now be ordered with Recaros until further notice and probably not at all in the future. My MA said his dealership traded the last 2012 JCW roadster slot in the US and had to trade two regular slots to obtain this last ever 2012 slot for the JCW roadster. He did mention that the recaros were too tall for the roadster and coupe and that the factory had suspended all orders for recaros, period. Does anyone know a way around this, or a place I can buy after market recaros that will fit the roadster and have heated seats? Thanks. Bob in Oregon

 

Bob that sucks , me and the wife love the seats I am glad we got them, we will be headed home from AMVIV Tuesday and are looking at coming through Bend from Lakeview if you want to take a look, that is if you want and we can work it out we might beable to meet. Are using MINI of Portland?

 

That does suck. Besides the Recaros, my choice would be punch leather IF they didn't have the see through beige/white spots. (the punch leather on my R57 is completely black). Plus, I don't care much for look of lounge leather. Guess my order for the Roadster will have to wait...

On a related note, it's not right for the Recaro option for the coupe/roadster to be the same price as the hardtop. You don't even get any matching rear seats!

 

thanks for the offer to drive by and show me your mini...we live in medford and are often at our houseboat at lake shasta...I am using Mini of Portland. I really wanted the recaros for the comfort factor...not racing...I am not happy at all with the lack of comfort on the seats in my 04 hardtop...anyone have any thoughts to a good alternative to the discontinued recaros? thanks.

 

Your welcome, NP, I was lucky I worked with the dealer and they got me a slot as soon as the seat were available . I got them for both reasons, but to track the car you are going to have the same problem as the Z4 when it comes racesing harness wit cost.

Now if I had not ordered the Recaros I would have gone with the
Cloth. What seats do you have?

 

I went with the leather interior because I like leather interiors...also I am holding out with hopes than I can someday find a pair of recaro seats for the new roadster...I did find a set in England, apparently right out of a new Mini but were extremely expensive...still looking for a nice aftermarket pair that will fit into the roadster. Any help from this forum would be appreciated..my goal is purely comfort...I dislike the seats in my 04 hardtop...very uncomfortable on long drives..thanks

 

I personally love the look and comfort on the Recaro seats, but when I see the size of the seats in the Coupe, Roadster and even in the hatchback, they seem to be very large for the car at the shoulders.

 

Thanks for the info.........good news, I don't have the problem. My top is never up.