I am about to buy a Mini Cooper S, but I need help with 2 or 3 questions.

1. What is the difference between "Bluetooth Prep" and Comfort Bluetooth. I want it where I can control the iPod and Phone from the steering wheel. You may want to look at my config here https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=124547.

2. Comfort Access... worth it?

3. Should I go for the sunroof. Does anyone think it is worth it?

 

I was just looking at Mini USA and really can't see any difference except the price of the two bluetooth options. Talk to your motoring adviser, or call Mini USA and see...that is if no one else here has any idea.

I have comfort access in mine and love it! The key never leaves my pocket. There is a small black button on both door handles. If the car is unlocked and you press that button it locks. If the car is locked and you press it, it unlocks. With the hatch locked, you just touch the touch pad and it opens. This is really convenient when leaving a store and your hands are full. Instead of digging through your pocket, finding a key or hitting an unlock button after getting the remote out of your pocket, you just press on the touch pad and it opens.

I have the sunroof as well and enjoy the light it lets in. I find I drive with it open or vented a lot, especially in the twisties.

 

Does anybody else know about the bluetooth?

 

1. The bluetooth prep gives you hand free calling capability and does allow control of your iPod/iPhone through the steering wheel with the USB to dock connector cable. The comfort bluetooth adds on top of that the actual dock in the center armrest which charges your phone and provides it with a strengthened antenna signal.

2. I don't have it as I bought my car off the lot and frankly wasn't so concerned with it. That said if you can afford the $500 I'd spring for it. Obviously not a necessity, but it seems like a very cool feature which I'll probably spec on my next MINI.

3. Have it and love it! Brightens up the interior quite a lot and gives it a more spacious/airy feeling. Probably wouldn't be such a big deal to me if it wasn't two huge panels - so cool! Also I find the headliner of the car to be rather ugly without it. Just my opinion.

Opinions on it seem to be very split. Some hate that it doesn't have a solid sunshade. However, I live in the NE so the mesh shades are just fine for me. Some also complain about the weight it adds, and right at the top center of your MINI at that. I'm not tracking my car or anything of the like so I couldn't care less. Some even complain that it defeats the purpose of speccing a white or perhaps body-colored roof. Mine is black, so it blends in perfectly. Finally some have reported that it adds rattles and/or wind noise, but I've had no such issue(s) with mine.

Congrats on your potential purchase and keep us updated!!!

 

The dock for a phone run about $150. Why that feature is a $500 difference on the configurator is still a mystery. Maybe that includes the armrest and pre-wiring for it? They need much better clarification on the site.

 

That's for sure. One thing to be aware of is this: Very few newer phones have one of the $120 sleeves available for it. And even if it is available for your phone it may not even connect into the car's antenna, it may merely charge the phone. In order to connect to the car antenna the phone must have an external antenna jack and the sleeve must have a connection for that jack. So for my Blackberry 8100 I get a phone charger for my $120. Nice, huh?

 

I took my sleeve apart and found even though it didn't have a connection to the phone for the antenna, it has a metal loop at the base of the phone, which nearly touches the internal antenna in the phone. From that loop is an antenna connection to the car's antenna. This is the same principle that those "through glass" cell antennas work. Your Blackberry cradle is more than likely the same way. An "air" connection to the phone to grab the signal before it sends it up to the roof mounted antenna.

 

1. No Clue, sorry. . . .

2. Yep (YMMV)

3. Yes, I wouldn't have ordered mine if I couldn't have the sunroof!