I have a '09 Convertible S with just about everything I want except sat radio. I ordered the Sirius kit from Morristown Mini and have had a look at the included parts. One of these items is a 'carpet template'. There one huge cut out in the center and four holes in the corners that appear to line up with the seat floor bolt pattern.

Inspecting the area under the passenger seat, I see carpet and a slot opening where a tech-flex electrical cable comes out and attaches to the seat. There's no access panel or other opening.

Do I have this right? To install the plastic box and radio I first have to cut a section of carpet out the size of a coffee table book?!?!

 

While cutting a hole in the carpet may be the easy way, on the '08 R56's, the Sirius installed beneath the carpet.

The cable that plugs into the bottom of the seat will cause an AirBag! Warning that can only be Re-$et by a MINI Dealer,
if ignition is activated while disconnected. Most disconnect the battery, I was ok with just not activating ignition.

LINK HERE to a thread that shows carpet removal with excellent photos and instructions (on an '08 R56).

I was able to fish out my Satellite Antenna lead (which was taped with the Factory Sirius connection plugs) through that "slot opening" to connect my portable XM SkyFi radio,
but don't think I could have installed the Factory Sirius Kit without removing the carpet first.

 

Ah ha! That explains the unexplainable, that adding this factory module would require any mod of a car that should already be prepped for it.

But- how to explain the 'carpet template'? It's actually labeled this, and is thin white plastic. Maybe it's some sort of support that's supposed to go under the carpet after you (I assume) remove that foam insert/placeholder?

 

From the look of this photo:


it appears that you would need to cut a space in that styrofoam to fit your Sirius Receiver. MINI probably used a different styrofoam block at the Factory when Sirius was installed.

I have never seen the Sirius unit, so I have no idea how large or what shape it is, but from this photo, I don't see any other way to fit anything in.

I would not remove the styrofoam and one easy way to cut out an area would be to form the shape you want to cut from a section of wire coathanger and put the ends into your 100 Watt Solder Gun (Weller, RadioShack or whatever).

The heated coathanger wire will cut through that foam like a hot knife through butter without creating any of the 'chips' you get from a saw or knife.

After install, you could lay the template on top to add protection from carpet shampoo or any other moisture.

 

You don't have to figure it out yourself. There are installation instructions for the kit. Ask Morristown MINI to send you the PDF.

 

Actually it makes perfect sense. The kit comes with four major assemblies, two of which make up a black plastic clamshell box. The bottom half of that box looks like a drop-in fit for the pictured foam insert. There's a slot on one side that the pictured rubber boot/strain relief cable assembly would fit right in to. The upper half of the box is mostly flat and ribbed for strength (I'd guess, not pleasure).

So, now I have to decide how much disassembly I want to get into. I'm not all that into puling the body panels apart, but I guess the dealer will charge me handsomely for the privilege.

 

Yes, get that PDF. Raising the carpet would not be much trouble,
but you could carefully slit your carpet and glue it back down, I guess...

After you have it all installed and hooked up,
you are going to have to visit a MINI Dealer to have your software 'flashed' to recognise that the unit is there.

After that, (make sure you are receiving the 'Preview' Channel) you will need to call
(or online) Sirius to have an activation code sent down from the Satelites,
make record of the Radio's Serial Number, which will be needed for this.

 

They make a cutout in the carpet and that allows for easier access after the install is completed in a R56. Whether it comes with the removable cover as in a R55 or not I do not know.

The R55 already comes with the carpet cut and a cover plate that screws down. Unfortunately you still have to take the seat out.

As others have mentioned DO NOT remove the seat without disconnecting the battery. Also DO NOT connect the battery back up with the seat unplugged. IF you do you will be going back to the dealer to have the Air Bag light turned off.

 

To follow-up on this thread and end the story:

I chickened out and took it to the dealer for the install. My sense of it is it took about 2.5 hours to do the manual labor and several more hours to get the firmware upgrade completed.

It looks as though the dealer did have to cut the carpet away. Before the install, I had a contiguous carpet piece running front to back on the passenger's side. Some have reported that their Cooper had an access panel of sorts already installed under the set; mine did not. Now, I have a large-ish black plastic plate directly under the seat that's screwed down to something (likely the clam shell other half of the box). So, the mystery 'carpet template' is just that, a cut-out template for those cars with under-seat carpet in the way.

Naturally, they made a mess of the tan side panels inside the footwell; that'll have to be scrubbed off later.

I was told that they tried to flash the firmware in the car to accept the new input but the computer rejected the upgrade after several tries. Eventually they 're-coded' the entire car in the way I assume they would do at the factory. It cost a few extra hours of install time (I was not charged), but they were totally cool about tossing me a lender Cooper S to have overnight.

In the end it was 2 hours of shop time, $240, to install what looked like a lot of time and effort on their part. Sirius is now a valid source right along side the radio, iPod and AUX. It sounds great, is easy to use and completes the comprehensive factory accessories list I wanted.

As an aside, Moritz had a Clubman Rally Edition on the floor that was smokin' hot, and now I have the hots for the JCW Aero Kit.