Hi!

I am going to order a new mini clubman... being a college student I am trying to skimp as much as possible but I want to get the best deal...

anyway... from reading the forum I have a question...

does the mini clubman come standard with an aux. jack or do I have to order the bluetooth package? and what are the pros and cons of this?

Thanks so much!

 

You can order the Ipod connection seperate of the Bluetooth which is what I have done. The Ipod connection is the bomb! You can control your Ipod from the radio. I do believe thier is an aux. jack that you can use to plug the Ipod in. All controls are from the Ipod directly.

 

Yes, the Clubman has an Aux jack in the center dash, at the top of the opening below the climate controls. It accepts any compatible device with a 3.5mm stereo minijack connection. That would be your Ipod, portable satellite radio, etc... It does not provide any on-screen controls for any of these devices, it's just a generic audio input. I use it for my XM radio, and it works fine.

 

AUX jack is standard. But for best sound, the iPod adaptor provides better playlist navigation, ability to use our MFSW controls and, like I said, the sound is much better because the adaptor hooks to the iPod's digital dock, not the ear phone jack.

 

I have a love-hate relationship with the iPod interface. I love being able to see the song titles by glancing at the dash instead of having to fumble with the iPod while driving. I love controlling the tunes from teh MFSW. As a big last.fm user I hate how the Recently Played playlist randomly skips updating songs. Minor peev, but I think about it every time I plug it in.

 

you need the belkin dc adaptor/amp unit. Ipod dock interface gives you the "line out" of the ipod, for much better audio, plus a small amp that you can almost make level match into the aux in...

works quite nicely.. but still no way to mount the ipod yet..

 

Something to consider...

I have an iPhone, as well as the iPod adapter. I have never used it, only because it's a PITA to have to open the compartment and futz with the phone every time I get in and out of the car. If you plan on leaving it in there, it might not be such a hassle for you.

 

With no options on the car you get an AUX input port. For $10 you can get a cable that connect the iPod docking port to the AUX. This gives you the best quality should for the AUX. Going from headphone jack to AUX is not as good. The iPod is not charged unless you buy an adaptor that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket. iPod is in plain sight when you park.

With the Bluetooth option you get a USB port near the AUX. With a specific Y cable you can connect an iPod and control it via the MFSW. iPod is charged and in plain view when you park.

iPod Integration puts the iPod in the "secret compartment" above the glovebox, hidden from view. The iPod is charged and can be controlled via the MFSW. Some have said this connection produces better sound that the AUX.

 

Thanks so much guys! I appreciate all the input and will think about getting the bluetooth... hmmmm...

thanks!

 

You could always do what I plan on doing...

Take an old iPod (in my case, a 3G I bought back in 2003 that no longer holds a charge longer than five minutes), plug it into the adapter, and leave it there apart from taking it out to update.

Then use the iPhone w/ the integrated Bluetooth.

Also...at least it has proven the case with my 2006 MCS...if you don't secure the iPod it can shift while driving, and over time the movement can FUBAR the dock connector. Another reason I've been using the old 3G. If it breaks, I still have the 5G, shuffle, and iPhone to fall back on.

 

the Y cable came with the car, as I expected after reading it somewhere in here. On one end, it's USB and AUX, on the other, the perfect plug for the Ipod. I just leave it in the passenger side net inside the black cover that came with it. No One ever notices the Ipod is right next to them, and it's easy to unhook if I want to take it elsewhere. Since it stays charged with this setup, I rarely unhook, except to add music. I'd be bummed it I had to worry about charging it all the time. I'm glad I didn't settle for the AUX.

Also, because the no-cell-phone-while-driving law is about to take effect, It's nice not to worry about that anymore either. The bluetooth/USB is the most useful feature I ordered.

 

I am relieved to find that we are not the only MINI people to have drinken way too much Apple-flavoured Kool-Aid. (Three Macs, iphone, 30 gig video, 5 gig old timer, and a nano (albeit a freebie).

 

if you don't have the interface go on ebay & buy a Harmon Kardon drive & play. Retails for over $200, but you can get it on Ebay for less than $30. It charges your ipod & gives You a large dash mounted screen so you can see the song listings, best of all it includes a console mounted controller that works much like the ipod controls. Put one in my wife's land rover & think it is superior in many ways to ipod integration.

 

thanks so much rockhouse... that is a great alternative...

 

Here's a link to ebay, where the seller has a number of new units for sale:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Harman-Kardon-DP...QQcmdZViewItem

 

One person posted that after negotiation a good deal on an R56 Coupe, the dealer told him the Y cable was $100 extra.

Most useful? That sounds dangerous. Have you seen the studies, or watched the Mythbusters experiment? They all indicate that driving while talking a cel phone is not safe. Seems we can't multi-task as well as we think we can. If we have to think about the conversation, we stop paying attention to driving. An insurance study watched eye movements, among other things. The Mythbusters drove a course at a police training ground. First first as a control with no distractions, then while talking on a cel phone (doing mind puzzles and memory tests), third while just a hair below the California legal limit for alcohol blood level (they had to stay legal). They fared about as badly on the cel phone as on alcohol.

 

I ordered the convenience package. There seems to be no Ipod connection inside the secret compartment. Should there be? If not, I'm not clear about what I would have had to order to get an out-of-sight connection. Can someone help?

 

As I recall the ipod adaptor is not part of the convenience package. The connector was a separate item in the configurator.

 

Nope, you won't have it in the secret compartment. That is a dealer installed add-on, and I was disappointed to not know this until after the fact(didn't do my homework I guess). As mentioned above, you want to ask your MA for ' iPod Integration', which is separate from the convenience package.

<rant>My .02....I think it's rather foolish that the default package setup is with a cable hanging from the center console that leaves the ipod in plain sight. I know some are comfortable putting it in the side net, but that doesn't work for me. I'd venture that the vast majority would want the connection in the secret compartment given the choice, assuming the $ was the same</end rant>

 

To Robin Casady:
Saw that episode, too. No cell phone at all would be best -- agreed. However, hands free is much better than driving one-handed.

I live in the one of the first towns and counties to mandate hands free, and I wish the law were enforced. Swerving for no reason in daylight; must be a cell phone. Swerving for no reason at night; get the breathalizer. That seems to be the rule of thumb.

Now, I can look use voice activation or the dash display rather than look at that little screen. That's a big improvement in risk (although I do admit, it still is risk.)

TO Clubwoman:
I agree.

I am an avid supporter of one particular brand of bluetooth headset. But I love my bluetooth-through-the-stereo/MFSW even more. It's fantastic. I am now traveling on business and really missed it in the rental car. And I've had the Clubman for only about 36 hours now! Once you use it, you can't go back.

To Weinerdog:
Rant away. I don't mind it hanging there -- it's tucked away a little. But...it would be better if it were as you say.

By the way, you've got two very charismatic friends there.

Finally -- To VeryVintage:
As I said, I love the ipod/bluetooth package. There seem to be other useful (or better) options, but I have no regrets -- I'd order it again.

 

That was not my impression. The main problem was when one had to think about the conversation their mind was not paying attention to the road. It was the inability to coprocess that was the most disabling.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I agree that secret compartment option would have been the more appropriate design from Mini when ordering the package.

 

+1

 

The iPod integration option only appealed to some persons, and it cost way more than any iPod out there (thus appealing to very few people actually). Didn't appeal to me because it's slower than the iPod itself (makes sense, because it's actually jerryrigging the CD changer input, not built for the iPod itself, with added software). I like the iPod screen better than the limited radio control screen that I have. I don't mess with it while I'm driving the car and from what I hear you don't want to mess with it with iPod integration when you're driving the car either. I think I have too many artists/songs for it to work well anyway.

 

I have a Gen 5 iPod video so it is the largest size made other than an iTouch or iPhone. It fits very well in the cubbie hole below where the cables plug in and it is not visible from outside the car even with the cables plugged in. Most of my passengers go looking in the glove box for even when i tell them it is not in there that have trouble finding it. It is that well hidden if it 's case is black.