I just heard from my MA about the alarm and storage box. The alarm is supposed to be available "by the end of March" but there is no price yet.

My MA says that the storage box has been locked due to rattles and will not be open unless the cd changer or i-pod adapter is ordered.

 

The MA also says that all MCs's and MC's are supposed to come with a jack and tool kit.

 

My understanding is the MC comes with a jack, toolkit, and spare tire (at least the ones I have looked at all do), and the MCS only has the toolkit.

 

Thanks for the update!

 

My MA says the S has the jack, too.

 

That very well could be LynnEl. I am not sure what is supposed to be in the MCS as I only inquired about the MC and verified it.

 

Dang, so now I'm thinking even harder about the iPod adapter. Getting the CD changer wouldn't allow me to have the thing open and used, and I really don't need multiple CDs.

And I've already bought the Belkin charger/amp to use for aux in, along with a swiveled 12V adapter so I can run the radar detector at the same time, and I'm getting a wee holder to maybe be able to hold my nano, so I'm already in this for a few bucks.

I think I'm gonna wait.

 

I talked to my MA tonight (got my production number!) and asked him about the storage compartment above the glove box. He said that all the Mini's he's received recently have had the compartment open and in full working order.

 

That's very good news because I'm picking my MINI up in two weeks!

 

Ohhhh cool. Mine should be working then as well. WOOT!

 

Geeeeez. Guess we will just have to wait and see. Is anyone else beginning to wonder if MINI has a clue????

 

I think the issue is MA's having a clue. They're still just car salespeople. Some will have "done their homework", some not.

 

My SA is waiting on the parts to open mine up again. She has been very good to me over the years and I take her at her word that she will get it functional again as soon as she can. I would make it a point to ask to have it opened back up as soon as possible.

I will report back as soon as I get my upper storage open, maybe sometime in April.

 

I don't know why I just thought of this, but once they get the door working again, wouldn't that be a great place for a "snake in the can" type of gag?

Time it to pop out a half second after the door is all the way up. A small discrete "Don't Press Here" label. Instant comedy.

 

My question is that since it is an "Advertised" option in the mini brochure will they have a retrofit for the owners that it is sealed up on? I know I really liked the secret door and rattles or not, that would be false advertising. so I wonder what they have up their sleeves. haha I love the "Don't press here" gag idea.

 

If they have new hardware at the factory, then perhaps the retrofit is coming soon.

 

The idea that they would just seal something up and leave it, rather than engineer a fix is bothersome. If that is true about the storage box, makes me wonder what else was handled like that. I didn't live that far from Chernobul... Not a comfy feeling.

 

Sorry for your Chernobyl experience but equating a temporarily sealed storage box to a nuclear power plant meltdown?

That's a little much even for this list!

 

LynnEl, I would imagine they sealed it up to give them time to engineer a proper fix. The problem is not life-threatening nor does it have any ability to cause catestrophic failure of the vehicle.

So, a temporary work-around seems quite appropriate to me. But then, I am an engineer, so I may have a biased perspective on the subject.

 

Just came back from a bunch of upgrades (steel pedals, "old style" arm rest, sports stripes and so one). Nice, clean job.

I bought the iPod stowage box ($10) in hope that they will open the compartment and they will install the iPod box (fyi - my compartment was open before delivery and was subsequently closed at delivery). The iPod Stowage box is just a box (duh!) that keeps the items touch the CD changer connector that is visible in the back of the compartment.

They did not open it. I was told that there IS a recall on the door/compartment and there will be a solution but - for now - they are not allowed (by MINI) to open it. Down-the-line (unknown when, though) they might open it (for the CD changer and the iPod adapter only).

BTW - for those interested in the Sports strips: I ordered them for the MC (non-S). They are ... nice. They are different from the regular ones in 2 ways (in fact 3): 1. they do not have the white thin border that the regular ones have - so there is less contrast (it is ok for me - my roof is black and my car is Pure silver - so I am fine with that. I think it is more of an issue with bright color paint - the white border really makes them stand out). 2. the strips run on the bonnet (duh again!) but also on the trunk, and that is quite nice. 3. they are less expensive than the "regular" ones by $14 (bah!).

MMM

 

My point was, that if they couldn't fix such a simple thing quickly, I worry about what more complex things they "fixed" by burrying them.

 

I think it is a matter of priority more than anything else. We are not really privvy to what they have on their plate. And that is just a guess.

I see this happening all the time in engineering a product. We get handed 12 items they want changed and we tell them to prioritize them as they cannot all be worked on at one time. On occasion the 'domino effect' will automatically set the priority based on the head item.

This happens in software more than most engineers want to talke about.

I can see your point, but I also can see a perspective which makes it an insignificant item to be concerned about.

 

I picked up my BRG/W MCS last Saturday. My MA told me the compartment was sealed shut. Wrong!! I opened it up this morning by pressing in on both ends. Thanks to the 5 yr old that figured it out and her dad who posted it on NAM!

 

Okay, last week my MA said the box is open if you order either the cd changer or the i-pod adapter. Now she says there are 3 different glove boxes. So, assuming the ipod/cd changers are put in the storage area, are we to assume that (1) people who have the ipod adapter or cd changer will just have to live with a rattle, or (2) the rattle has been fixed. Or, (3) are those items now being put in the regular glove box????

 

Like I said earlier... I think the issue is MA's having a clue. They're still just car salespeople. Some will have "done their homework", some not.