I am new here and would like some input from experts.

I just bought a beautiful 04 MC in Pepper White (see my pictures) and am thinking about adding some accessories.

Here is what I am thinking about.....please give me an honest opinion:
1. Chrome door handle cups
2. Black rear bumper step cap
3. Smoke out tailight covers
4. Sunroof wind deflector

What's your opinion on bonnet stripes? I really like the clean look as is but I see so many with stripes that look good too!

 

everthing mentioned is bling, your personal preferation

You should do whatever makes you happy

 

I like my MC simple, at least on the exterior. Very minimalist looking, no stripes or chrome door handle thingys. Especially on peper white would seem to be a waste of cash since it would not show up much anyway. I have the factory sunroof on mine and it includes a rather complex wind deflector. Not sure of the purpose, perhaps to keep the interior from getting too noisy.

 

Mostly bling, but I already have a scratch almost all the way across the top of my driver-side door handle recess. After I touch-up, I think I will get the cups.

 

When I spent my first day cleaning "Little Bit", the one area that I could not clean to perfection was the fingernail scratches under the handle. I eventually took a "Magic Eraser" to it and it came clean, but the cups would eliminate the unsightly look!

 

After looking at your pics, I would have to say, IMHO, chrome door cups would look out of place. I believe I have seen clear ones, and that would be a much more tasteful addition.
Black rear bumper protector? Most definintely!
Smoke out tail light covers: check your local laws. Not legal everywhere.
Sunroof deflector? If the noise is bothersome, go for it.

 

2&4 can be functional, don't know how 2 looks on a PW, might want to see if you like the contrast.

I think that 4 looks very tacky, and that the lines of the roof shouldn't be messed around with, but I have heard good reviews on its noise reduction, that said I've never added one and have the roof open whenever it is dry out.

1 can ethier be tacky or tie into the look of the car, all depends how its done, on my JB I'm minimizing the amount of chrome so that it only remains as subtle accents, but thats how I think my year/model/color combo works best. On a PW like yours where there is a good chrome base (bumper inserts, grille, driving lights) it might be and effective but still subtle mod.

Smoked tails may not be the way to go with little to no black back there, have you looked into the OEM white tails.

If you like the clean look without a contrasting roof I wouldn't do them. If you know a means to get vynl cheap, you might want to give white stripes a try, but I wouldn't do it at the advertised $70 a set, it would have to be much more cost effective, and the good part is if you do it and don't like it that you can take them off. Remember suit your needs.

You have my opinions, but here is the part that you actually do need to pay attention to... Like Chowsie said you've got to make it what you want it to be, so that you are happy. The biggest reccomendation I have is veiw pics of these items on PW MINIs so you can have an idea of what the end result looks like. Hope this helps your descision process.

 

Thanks for the honesty!

Is there a way to view PW's without reviewing every gallery to find a few?

 

Check out the Galleries of the folks listed here

There are PW photos posted throughout, there is a PW/PW MCS with a semi minimalist approach (bottom page 7). It's a different starting base and direction, but I think you can see how most of it is neatly tied together and lots of sublte and make a big wow when its tied together (black aero grille, black belt line and black wheels). And I've found it's the tying together of the details that makes differance in MINIs that cause your head to turn and a very memerable and those that you glance at, find athsteicly pleasing but won't have a clear mental image of months later.

And I do believe that owner happiness is the most important part of the whole thing. MINIs make people happy, and each MINI emulates the owners personality and character, from the factory alone, there are more possibilties of package acessory combinations than MINIs sold to date. Everybody has different preferances and I understand what I love about my MINI may not be what someone else enjoys about theirs.

 

My wife's PW convertible 'S' has the chrome door handle cups, and I think they look very sharp. Of course, she also has the chrome line exterior package, so it's not as if the door cups are the only chrome on the car. I can see how they might look out of place if there were hardly any other chrome bits on the car.

Scott

 

Ditto what Chow said....

There's plenty of choices, so have fun and enjoy the process.

 

Worst case, if you get something and change your mind, uninstall it and sell it on NAM... Someone will buy it off you for a portion of what you paid.

Tinted tails definitely for the PW... I'm not a fan of the door cups at ALL myself, but to each their own. The scoop... I dunno. I think it would be a bit "much" myself... Maybe start with a black scoop grill instead? MINI people DO notice it and it's more subtle - there's a user on the Marketplace forum that's selling some of them. I have one and I love it.

 

The black scoop grill is a bold move, do you have any pics?

 

Like the bonnet stripes, don't care for any of the other stuff.

To me the factory sunroof wind deflector is big and ugly. I ordered a smaller, and I thought better looking, deflector from WeatherTec. Put it in place on my MINI and it too was ugly. Sending it back today.

 

Is the wind deflector the one that automatially pops up when you open the sunroof, or a different one?

You must have the one that pops up, anyone that has a sunroof should try this...open JUST the sunroof and get on a road going about 60mph and push it down with your hand. It'll hurt your ears! I call it my "torture" device as I have one friend who she goes nuts when I do it saying it's killing her head.

 

Little bit...
Well one thing is BEYOND argument...you DEFINITELY made the correct color choice!

I think the "bumper step cap" you are referring to is listed simply as "bumper protection" in the catalog (the black plastic strip where the hatch opens). If this is the part you are referring to, then I think it is a good idea...better than scratching up paint while loading luggage, etc.

As far as the stripes, well I think they are just fine. My MCS Conv has them (they are "viper stripes" and go up the bonnet and down the boot). You can see it in my gallery. On the other hand, I also like pepper white without the stripes. So do what you think.

Chuck

 

Do you have two MINIs, a cabrio and a coupe?

 

'

Not on a PW but here is the JCW CF hood scoop on CR

 

As I said, I am new. But so far, I think the Pepper WShite is the classiest looking color and I'm just not sure I want to "trick it up"

Thanks for the pics

 

i have a set of chrome door cups
i purchased them two weeks ago.
Put them on but did not care for them.
So i pealed em off they are still like new.
If someone wants them make me an offer.
i paid $48.00 for them.
thanks
send me a private message

 

For those considering a sunroof wind deflector but leery of appearance on a white roof here's my solution:

I ordered the weathertec deflector after our first roadtrip when my husband kept closing the sunroof because the wind noise was so loud. When it arrived I simply wiped it down with a microfiber towel to make sure it was clean and there was no lint on it and then used Krylon Fusion for plastic gloss white spraypaint - dries superfast, goes on really easy - great coverage with just a few coats, then finished with Rust-oleum American Accents clear topcoat which has UV protection.

It now looks like the deflector belongs on the car and the decrease in wind noise is amazing - we were able to drive home to San Diego from Utah after T-day with the sunroof open almost the entire time without getting headaches from the wind noise or from having to crank the stereo all the way to hear it over the wind - best accessory I could have added.

The picture in my gallery shows the deflector pretty well.

Happy motoring!

 

Very nice solution, Mapdoggers! I've contemplated the deflector, but the color issue was a big roadblock.