I've had literally everyone that I've called while driving in my Roadster tell me that I sound terrible due to cutting in and out, road noise, and sounding tinny and low-bitrate. I've had a couple people say "Are you seriously on the phone with your top down on the freeway?" :( No, dang it, I'm at a red light with the top up! >:(

I'm pretty bummed! Is this a normal thing? Is there not any noise cancellation going on? Should I even bother talking to Mini? I've adjusted my mic volume and other settings trying to get it improved and ensured good reception by taking the phone out of my pocket with zero improvement.

This car is far enough into premium brand and pricing that it shouldn't be skimping on the stuff that is almost a necessity now days.

 

I've had my 2013 since August and use the Bluetooth phone frequently. I haven't had any complaints so far. Good luck with your issue...

 

Same here, since April 2012. With a Samsung Galaxy II, voice quality over Bluetooth seems to be fine, top up or down.

 

What phone do you have?

 

I prefer not using Bluetooth anytime (much prefer using ear buds with wired connection) but when I do, the bluetooth in the Roadster is better than the bluetooth in my Fiat 500.

 

I have a Samsung Stratosphere, I use the Bluetooth all the time for work and people say it is terrible. I close the vent over the mic and have tried to adjust the volume while talking and no luck..

Sounds like I'm in a tin can or keeps breaking up.

I'm not pleased that the voice commands for the 2013 model where removed by MINI, the dealer which I really like didn't mention it until we were almost ready to leave after purchase. Not his fault, I just expected it to be there as my wife has it in her 2011 Cooper.


I hope MINI fixes the issues and reinstalls it , but I guess that's wishful thinking...

It's a good thing I love the car...........

Andy

 

My parents have a clubbie and her iPhone Bluetooth is horrible. I make her take it off because you can't understand anything she says. I hope with Bluetooth being standard they can figure this out soon

 

Surprised how good the quality is on mine - even with the roof down.. Zulu - what voice commands have been removed? Think my 2013 has all the same voice commands as they used to have?

 

Minis Bluetooth sucks compared to what I had in my F350. Good luck with your issue.

 

It's wild that some of you don't have any issues. I have an iPhone 4 (Have tried a friend android and iphone 5 to troubleshoot) along with Mini Connected (no Nav) but I do have all the hands-free voice commands.

I have an appointment set up in a week to have it looked at. They said that the quality should be usable, maybe not so much with the top down at high speeds, but I have people ask me if the top is down when I'm at a stop light with the top up! lol

 

As far as I know the mike is on the steering column, so I usually yell at the wheel and it seems to be passable, even top-down. I don't hold conference calls with customers from my car though!

 

With the top up I still have to YELL just to get mini connected to accept voice commands

 

^If you talk a bit more naturally as opposed to robotic and loud it seems to work well for me. The issue is the microphone is terrible, though. I'm wondering if any company has looked into replacing the microphone with a dual-mic array... One on the steering column, and the other over by the passenger-side tweeter or something that would help cancel out noise. If this is an issue with all MINI I think it would be something that would be highly sought after. Have the two mics connect to a small module that connects to where the stock mic's input.

 

Agreed the mic is terrible. I have a 135 too and the mic is in the location similar to the R56, works much better in that environment... ie: not a convertible

 

My Samsung Stratosphere died so I'll be getting a replacement on Monday.

It's a work phone so I get whatever is free at the time. This one will be an iPhone 4.

I'll let you know how it works and what if any voice commands work. I think all of the voice commands are disabled, though I haven't touched the button since I got the car in December.

Andy

 

I finally got my iPhone 4 cabled up, docked and ready to use.

Mini Me GB,

My 2013 Roadster has it's voice command system disabled. Push the button on the steering wheel and nothing.

I got a call the other day from MINI asking if I had any electronic system questions. I said the only issue with my vehicle is it's disabled voice commands. Other than that I'm very happy. I also said that "it would be nice to get a call from MINI someday saying bring your car in the voice command system has been fixed and we will update and activate it for you. I'm not going to hold my breath".

Back to the phones.

When I bought the car I had a Samsung Stratosphere, I now have the iPhone 4.

I'm not an Apple kind of guy, but I have to say the Bluetooth sound is much better, nice and clear. Of course that's based on one phone call. So we will see (just got the phone yesterday afternoon).

Pandora sounds a ton better too, I got a lot of chirping on the Samsung.

Andy

 

Did you get the Mini Wired Package on your Roadster? I have not received mine yet, but it shows 620 voice command on the design sheet? Hope it is there!

2013 R59S/SO/Black Stripes/Manual, cold weather package, mini connected with nav, premium pkg 1, sport pkg, technology pkg, mini wired pkg, zp1 equip., sport suspension, chrome lined interior/exterior, chrome cap mirrors, center armrest, adaptive light control, rear fog lamp, rubber floor/boot mats. started production:2/22 vin: 2/24

 

If I understand correctly, You have to have Mini Connected on 2013s and later to have voice command.

 

Hi mb 2020 and TheZlog,

I received the iPhone adapter cable with the mini.

I have Bluetooth and the voice command button on the steering wheel (which doesn't work).

I'm not sure exactly what the connected package is. I thought that was the display screen in the middle of the dinner plate without the Navigation component. If that is the case I don't have that or the Navigation package.

My wife has voice commands on her 2011 Cooper which looks the same as what I have and the voice commands work great.

Mine you push the button and nothing.

My dealer said the 2103 cars had the voice controls disabled. He could have been giving me a line of @%$*.

In any case I'd like to know what the real story is. I really need/want the voice commands.

Andy

 

All 2013 DO have the voice command disabled unless you have MINI Connected - sorry I was a big vague on my wording. I have the feature because I have Connected (and barely use Connected, for what it's worth, so don't feel too bad).

 

Just wondering?

Is it a display on your dinner plate or is it just an option that you can't see?

Is it expensive? can it be retrofitted?

I really need voice dialing for work so I don't kill my self searching through my hundreds of contacts on my phone.

Thanks,

Andy

 

Mini Connected is mainly a big color 7.5" (?) screen in the speedometer that offers some additional features over the regular system. I'm not sure if it can be retrofitted.

http://www.bmwblog.com/wp-content/up...onnected02.jpg

 

Ok, that's what I thought..

Interesting that it has the voice commands working..

Ok so I don't need connected as my wife's car doesn't have that and the voice commands are a part of her car.

I hope MINI fixes this feature and gives me an update..

 

Honestly, I think the voice commands on the Mini are rather cumbersome. I understand they took them off the base models because people were not very impressed by it. It's likely that the only reason it's been left on Mini Connected is that leaving it off of a premium upgrade like that would really tick people off. It's one thing to remove a "standard" feature, but for $1000 I would have thrown a fit to not have the function.

 

Well, I dropped her off during lunch yesterday and they took the mic assembly apart and ensured that everything was set up proper. They even tried removing the foam disk that is between the mic and the grill that must act as a filter or insulator and said that it didn't seem to help.

They said that "it's as good as it gets", and I think I believe them. The loaner car I drove, a 2012 Mini Cooper hardtop, has just as poor quality according to my friends. This is tested on both my iPhone 4, and my new iPhone 5 that I just got. Lots and lots of road noise, almost like the top is down. I was able to create a voice memo on my iPhone through the car speakers to capture it all and it picks up everything from rain on the windshield and roof, turn signal clicks, and actual road noise and bumps.

There is ZERO noise cancellation and I actually find it a bit insulting to think that BMW/Mini engineers think that this is passable to their customers. They must think that we're either all driving on brand new paved roads at 20mph, or that we're all dolts that don't know better.