I agree!!! Worst change was the tail light/fog light change

 

With all the changes that have happened to the MINI between model years taken into account, I'm going to have to account for the care of my 03 indi blue S in my will. I expect him to still be in my garage when what's left of me after the organ recyclers are done is put in the ground. :smile:

I'll take the '03 engine management issues in exchange for what BMW got right in 03!

 

I reckon it's due to my having no personal experience with model year '02 - '04 MINI's... Joni Mitchell said it: "you don't know what you've got, 'til it's gone..." or, I may be just a tad less persnickety, or have different expectations from/goals for my car, BUT ()...

I am seriously digging my '05. My kids both dig it, and my wife bless her heart puts up with hours spent on weekends puttering/detailing/generally obsessing.

Topic Rescue: If I be honest (but ONLY for purposes of addressing the thread topic) I could do without the goofy cup-holder, and the previous location for the clock WAS better! And, aren't there "useless" spaces in just about ANY car (I'm thinking of the doors here, which some DO find useful)? Lastly I completely agree with the poster who expressed a certain distaste for the "dust collection cup" under the e-brake handle.

I put a little matchbox-sized red MCS in there (mascot MINI - of course I painted its roof black). What a dork huh?

Passenger side dashboard rattle has appeared (current miles 4,500)...

Driver side window rattles when it's closed... (I have NO clue)...

...and yet I remain a very satisfied customer, go figure,
Tatt

 

Let me jump in here as I have owned an 02, 03, 04 and now 05.

I REALLY, REALLY thought I would not like most of the changes, but after you have the car and see them in person and drive with them for awhile you wonder how you lived without them. The 05 Cooper (which is what I have) just looks so much more sportier than the previous models.

I didnt think Id like the xenons, in person they look badass and at least on a chilli red they dont look bling at all. They look GREAT at night. Way better than my old xenons. Just makes the car look more modern.

I didnt think Id like the new bumpers. But now I cant believe how cartoony the old bumpers looked. These are styled more agressively and give that same sporty look thats found on the MCS bumpers.

I didnt think I would like the new taillights, but they look great in person. Not ricey at all as long as you keep them stock. They put out so much more light than the other years which is great for safety. They are so bright I have had people ask me if they are LEDs.

I didnt think Id like the new steering wheel. But I LOVE it now. The three spoke is so much sportier and feels much more substantial when taking the turns. Also it doesnt scratch on the MINI logo like the old wheel did as they have redesigned logo area. I miss the buttons on the back a little, but Ive gotten used to it and you dont need to take your hands off the wheel.

I didnt think Id like the new clock, and I dont. That being said I do like having the map lights/ambient lighting.

I LOVE the fact that the British voice is back on the NAV. Nothing better than having a passenger in the car and having the NAV say "In 30 yards turn right to enter the motorway."

Dont like the chrome pack or that new useless info speedo, but its optional.

Love the new door pulls. You can actually keep some stuff in the door pockets now and they dont protrude out at all. Makes the interior look more refined and the puddle lighting is a nice addition..although not nessecary.

LOVE the new key. Its slimmer and fits in my pocket better, also seems to unlock/lock in a more reliable fashion then my other keys have.

HATE the new stupid sunvisor on the side. Its too small, rendering useless and makes the headliner less clean looking. The "oh crap" handle is not needed but my passengers seem to use it.

I also like how the chrome grill on the Cooper is smooth now and does not have those "indented accents" on it. Makes it looks cleaner and its easier to wax.

I dont like the wiper fluid light. Dont really need it and would rather have the alarm light on that side. (still waiting for the new alarm stalks)

Umm...thats about it. :smile:

 

in mine too. I'm going to have them look at it when I get the oil changed/take it in for a checkup. same mileage as well. I think it appeared at about 4k miles, though.

anyone know what it is?
Janell

 

I have also owned '02 '04 and '05 MINIs and I also agree with Anstmini comments. I think 99% of the changes for the 2005 model year make the car more refined and certainly go a long way in enhancing the driving experience. I also dig big time the shortened gear ratios in the MCS 6-speed gearbox and the added power, not to mention the burbly exhaust

While I like the 3 spoker wheel as it fits the hand better and feels more substantial, the old 2 spoker has it beat with the MFSW controls, I much prefer the old setup with the buttons behind the spokes. The new ones are tiny, tricky to use and you no longer can switch between radio/cd or AUX from the steering wheel. Now you have to use the "MODE" button in the radio faceplate.

I love the new light group package. The LED "Cascade" lighting in the interior and LED lights inside the door release handles oooze with class. The interior at night looks cozy, classy to the point I don't want to get out of the car after a night drive.

The map lights up front (The map lights in the center are still there so now you have a total of 4 reading lights) are a welcomed addition. The lights under each door look awesome and provide a good margin of safety.

Again, I don't see how any of the enhacements MINI made for 2005 have diluted the feel and look of the car. On the contrary the car is now more attractive than ever before.

 

I really like the door pockets, actually. I don't use them as arm rests, but they store multiple soft CD cases and maps really well.


I also really like the LSD.

 

The only thing I preferred on the 03 that I wish was on the 05 is the non-leaking rear window washer. I also liked that you could aim it before - the new one is fixed and drips

Other then that I love all the changes they made and we appreciate them all the time

 

That's one of my favorite options. Accually I find all of the info very useful everyday. I couldn't stand the speedo in the center "Yes I know it is a classic as with the original Mini" But I loved to just be able to glance down to see how fast I was going. Plus I think it looks better in my opinion with 2 gauge pods over the steering wheel. I have gotten alot of complenments on the gauge combination. And the 3 spoke wheel is another big thing that I love. I don't like the look of the 2 spoke. 2 friends who have mini's wish they would have gotten the 3 spoke they like it so much. But I guess it's just me. I love the auto wipers and the extra hp and gearbox of the S too as well as a few others like the led's in the door handles and lights under the door. Very useful!!!

 

I agree! I didn't realize they had changed it when I order mine. I was thrilled when I saw the 3 spoke. the two spoke is ugly,IMO.

 

Ditto!!

 

Oh, I know what it is, the dash panels are not "adequately" fastened to whatever it is to which they fasten. It's not a matter of some "contact surface" made of rubber or foam stiffening up or wearing out (not on a 3 month old car anyway). Older (American ) cars might rattle a bit due to this kind of wear (you know the ones with worn out innards, you can tell them by cracked vinyl on the dashboard from the sun, etc) but my gut feeling is that the folks who drive those aren't quite as particular.

I think the dealer will likely use the principle of the wedge to fix it (similar to what I did with my creaky wooden staircase @ my house, but that's another story - what a can of worms I opened up with THAT project).

Point being, I know it can be fixed, BUT.... Would sure be cool if they would try out some different fasteners, and make some new (additional) fastening points. To me that would constitute a bone fide "fix". I at least appreciate the subtle difference between fixing what's wrong vs. merely zapping the symptom .

In this case though, I'm not holding out for a manufacturing change, just make it quit rattlin', eh (provided the official MINI duct tape isn't visible from the cockpit)?

I saw where one NAM poster mentioned some (fugly, very visible) foam squares affixed to the bottom edge of his windshield, as a result of taking his rattling dashboard to the dealership for attention.

Anyway, I didn't realize I was in such a gabby mood,
Tatt

 

Oh boy. Drove an '05 Cooper 5-speed hardtop today on twisty roads. AWESOME. I really like the new gearshift, and I drool to think what it must be like with a short shifter. After spending a good long time in the car on real roads, doing real driving, and not being distracted by an open top, I really like the car. The door armrests didn't protrude into my space like I thought they would (I tried to make them bother me!), and as far as the clock goes, whatever. Who cares... The car rocks. The new tranny totally transforms the driving.

Of course, it helped that I was with Hrach at Mini of Peabody, constantly telling me to downshift and push it through the turns, and yakking about how he went 85 around this turn in a S once...

Ants, thanks for the lengthy review! I suspect that most of my ranting in my last post can eventually be converted into your raving.

 

ChrisNL that's a nice post (and funny) to read . Reaction to what you said about trying to make the door armrest bug you, I remembered how I use the padded part to OPEN/CLOSE the door (avoiding wear and tear on those bars upon which the padded gadget is mounted).

That was ha-larious about the MA buggin' you to drop a gear and proceeed spiritedly thru the turns (complete with the past experience references)!

You can always tell them "well they don't make them how they USED to" LOL,
Tatt

 

Yeah, this guy is sort of a legend in the New England Mini community; he's owned and raced dozens of them. He was seriously getting agitated when I wasn't cutting the corners sharply enough! I was like, hey, this is not my car, and that curb was 6" away, tops!

 

Never owned a pre-05...but I will say this.

Love the Chrono pack. I want my speedo in front of me, not 2 feet to the left, and I think the huge speedo is tacky and toyish looking.

HATE the convertible. Granted I hate convertibles and can only stand a topless ride if its a true roadster. However, the lines of this car were NOT meant to have the top chopped off. It just looks wrong, and the rear end really suffers. Convertibles are for chics and old guys...sorry.

And dammit, this car ain't cute, its cool, and rather mean looking if its done right.

TJM

 

I agree with you entirely. The changes make the car feel much more "corporate," and I was more than satisfied with it the way it was. I am more than happy to be frustrated-- and frustrate my passengers-- to stay true to the spirit of the car, and to its British heritage. If that means a few details are a bit weird, it NEVER bothered me.

I will not re-state your complaints, (my comments on this topic appear elsewhere on this site), but in the end, I must tell you that, despite that I disagreed with virtually every change made with the '05, having had mine for about a month, I can see WHY BMW did so. To take one example, the taillights are ugly and too mainstream looking, (I will not prattle on...), but, being able to incorporate improved backup lights, AND the fog light, (which I have wanted for years), tilts the scale. So you see what I mean. And you can't argue with the "cascade lighting, led's in the door handles, or, finally, returning the horn to its rightful place in the center of the wheel--as well as a few other changes. I will have to ignore a silly added on side visor, have no choice about change boxe(s), and quickly handed back to the dealer that cup holder. What else can I do? BMW didn't consult me about what I felt should be changed. I just wish that in the end, BMW would have chosen to keep the car more devoted to maintaining its stubborn "English-ness," where some things, us on the American side of the pond simply won't like or will be bemused over. To accomodate every niggling comment, simply isn't necessary and pushes the brand in the wrong direction. If they become devoted to diluting the quirks of the car, at some point, it will become self defeating.

So I am quite satisfied with my '05, and can also note that the gearbox is much improved. I believe you will not appreciate a lot of things, but that overall, you would like an '05.

 

The '05 is my first, so nothing to compare to. I like the 3-spoke wheel. I like the side sun visor (I use is every morning in sunny Florida on the way to work and every afternoon in sunny Florida on the way home). I like the xenon's - day or night. I like the door storage - keep my soft CD cases in there. And I find the new add-on cupholder (there's a whole freakin' thread about the cupholder) very handy for holding a cellphone, sunglass case, etc. And I like a big old horn button dead center in the steering wheel (and the horn sound - no little beep beep for me, thanks). My most favorite addition - the two-tone black/gray leatherette! As for the obvious - I like the extra hp and lower gearing. I don't like that I have a blacked out rear bumper where the old fog light used to be - plan on putting another backup light there.

Mini Cooper S - not for the faint of heart.

 

Huh????? Love the chrono pack but hate convertibles? And convertibles are for "chics and old guys?" Sounds like someone needs an attitude adjustment...

Since I hate the chrono pack but love convertibles, I guess you and I provide balance to the universe. (Oh, and I'm a not-yet-gray-haired 35 year old male...)

 

Here's some stuff from a new ought-5 owner who never owned a MINI before but coveted them for 40 years.

I like the chrono pack. I'm out in the flatlands and I could use a compass. It's kind of inconvenient to have to switch between the clock and the trip odometer. The cupholder holds drinks. It's not pretty. It holds drinks. It's not in my way. It holds drinks. I guess I'll probably keep it there. It holds drinks. The little cupholders in front hold little bottles of water. The bigger cupholder at the back holds bigger things. I like all the gauges in the center of the dash. I wish there was an ammeter included. I have black or anthracite or whatever Octagon Cloth upholstery and anthracite dash and the stock headliner and it works for me. Nice MINI rubber floormats. Multifunction steering wheel just for the cruise control which works very well; I use the selection & volume controls as well. I don't use the Bluetooth buttons; maybe they could be reprogrammed as mode selectors? I like the door pockets. I have coins in the tray under the e-brake and throw my wallet in the little cubby in front of the little cupholders. I like the foglights front and back and I think I'll get good use out of them in fog and blizzards, but other than turning them on to see if they work I haven't used them. I suppose the Cold Weather Package will be nice once winter comes, but I wish there was an engine heater included in it. And having the mirrors and washers heated when it's 90 degrees seems unnecessary to me. The 5-speed Getrag works fine so far. Nothing rattles but only 900 miles on it. Lots of nifty buttons and such, and it all looks great at night. 37 mpg first day, 32 mpg second day. Probably partly ethanol-laced fuel the second day mixed with nasty headwind all day for worse mileage. What else? The engine really starts to pull about 4000 rpm but hey it's not broken in so I've managed to keep it below 5000 every on-ramp so far. 95 is illegal everywhere but one shouldn't drive side-by-side for extended periods of time and the MINI stays quiet as speed increases. Stability is excellent in crosswinds. The ride is so much better than in the pickup I drove getting out here that I don't suppose a comparison is valid; however, the ride is fine. No windshield nicks or cracks so far. I like the side visor. My wife will like the grab handle. Lots of leg room. My size-13 inflexible left foot barely fits in the clutch space but it fits. Lots of headroom. I like the back 12-volt power outlet but why not just put in a 110-volt inverter? The stock radio/cd/mp3 sounds great and gets good reception. Does not display ID3 tags but does display folder/track number. Does not provide direct access to songs (only 6 buttons). Ought to change that; CD's with MP3's can have hundreds of songs. Does provide up-and-down-album(folder). Enuf for now. Nice, nice car.