I just got home after picking up my new MINI, after a 157 mile trip from the dealer. I'm still playing around with all the controls, and there is a lot to learn, and much to be confused by. Now, other than the interior fabric being just plain wrong, an issue that comes next, I've only discovered one other problem that I know of so far.

I'm figuring it's a fluke, and I'll hopefully be able to get it fixed the next time I visit my dealer. For whatever reason, my down volume control on the multi-funcion steering wheel doesn't seem to work well at all. More often than not, I end up changing radio stations, up or down (though usually up) when I press it, instead of getting lower volume. The up volume button works just fine, but I've done my best to find down volume's "sweet spot", and I've had no luck. Anyone else had this problem?

Ok, about the interior cloth, I don't know if they'll be able to do anything about it. I doubt it, but hope springs eternal, eh? It's a real disappointment to me. I ordered the Octagon black cloth, but got the silver with black trim (Space cloth?) instead. Now, with the interior chrome trim, I have to admit it doesn't look bad, but it's a light enough color to be concerned about over the long haul. I went ahead and bought the car anyway, even before I'd really noticed the mistake. Sort of silly, eh? But, heck, I'd been waiting so long, and my old car is already gone, so...what choice did I have? Still, it's very disappointing. (Otherwise, things would be nearly perfect, other than the monthly payments. )

I wonder if they've ever changed out the seats at a dealer to correct an error like this. Think I'll have any luck with their doing something like that?

It's a little late to cut a "deal" with them, and MINI dealers aren't much prone to deal-making in any case. Heck, if I'd known I'd be at risk of getting stuck with Space cloth, I'd have opted for black leatherette instead. What a downer. (For those that are curious, yes, it's WAY too much silver in the back seats, among other things, IMO.) The car is a LY/B MC, which would've worked well with an all black interior (of ANY material). Though, like I said, the exterior/interior chrome trim does give the silver/black cloth SOME redeeming value. In other words, I guess I'll live, no matter how this turns out.

On the other hand, they sure as heck better get that MFSW fixed! (Boy, I sure miss the S-Style MFSW. ) I guess this makes me an official MINI owner, now that I've got something to complain about!

 

P.S. I DID get the anthracite headliner, as ordered, so I guess THAT'S something of a miracle I should be happy about, eh? (Yes, it's cool, but...er...doesn't go as well with the Space Gray/Panther Cloth seats. The standard headliner would've worked better for that color combo. )

 

The switches on the my MFSW are rocker switches with another switch in the middle of the rocker. The left rocker switch changes the radio station when pressed briefly - extended pressure will cause station scan. Left center switch does nothing on my 03 MCS. The right rocker switch is the volume control. Right center switch changes between radio and CD. :smile:
Charles

 

For what it's worth... I have the space cloth in my car -- now pushing 2 years and 38K+ hard-earned miles. I did have some back-of-thigh-sweat staining on the seats (icky poo) after motoring for an extended period of time through a great plains summer. I used some upholstry cleaner and they were good as new. Since then I've also cleaned up Doritos powder (the orange stuff that makes them nacho cheesy) and several types of soft drink splotches.

They still look as good as the day I took delivery of him. :smile:

 

Ah, yes, sounds like you've got the 2-spoke MFSW, of old, while I have the, somewhat less desirable, 3-spoke. (Which is all that's left in the States now, apparently, for new models.) It's funny to me that the DVD ROM that came with my car, explaining all the gadgets, only shows the old 2-spoke MFSW. It looked like a real good, intuitive, handy, set up (barring malfunction), and I still can't understand why it was eliminated. (Something about British fashion sense, I think.)

I'm glad the space cloth is working out for you, and I can certainly understand that there are those out there that like that option. But, for me (just came back from a moonlight drive), I find that my space cloth interior is the one thing about my new MINI I'm beginning to really despise. A terrible thing for me to say, I know, but there it is. I'm figuring, that if the dealer can't be of any assistance with the error, then I will eventually have to re-upholster. I thought which bothers me to no end, because I can't afford it right now. (Not until I pay my credit card down payment off!)

In the meantime, I'll just ignore it as best I can. Which isn't all that hard, as long as I never even bother to glance at the rear seat, or the passenger seat, or my own seat when I get in or out. After all, I should just be keeping my eye on the road, right? (Actually, it's not so much that space cloth is ugly, which it's not, it's just that...darn it, it's NOT what I ordered! *sigh*

Anyone know what a good re-upholstery job runs on a MINI these days?

 

Ah -- I see. I thought that you were worried because it was so light.

I doubt that your dealer will do anything for you. Had you refused delivery of the car, you likely would have had to order another to spec, but since you DID accept the car, the dealer is under no obligation to rectify the problem.

I'd start saving up for a reupholstry job!

 

Billy,

Do you have a copy of your original order? Does it list the Panther Black Cloth? Did they give you a printout of your order after they entered it into the computer?

 

Once you signed the "dotted line" you are basically done. If the car was not to your 100% liking, you should have turned down the delivery, period and re-order the exact configuration you wanted it.

But once you accept and take delivery of the car, the dealer has ZERO obligation to rectify any inconsistencies with the car. A signed buyer's order is a legal instrument that corroborates full acceptance of the goods as presented.

 

Sorry to hear that you didn't get what you'd requested. That's pretty aggrivating. I'd try to coax the dealer in to at least giving you a deal on new seat covers. (BTW, I don't think there's anything wrong with letting us know who the dealer is, and how they treat you.) If that fails you can price other options.

However if you're stuck with it, I'd suggest that you live with the space cloth for a while, before you shell out a lot of hard earned cash to replace it. It is cool in hot weather, warm in cool weather, and easy to clean. So, if you can live with it...

As for the MFS, I don't know how the new 3-spoke version works. I'm curious about your problem and hoping you'll get more feedback on that, since I'm considering an '05 purchase myself.

I hope all works out for you.

Good luck.

 

These are some of the coolest seat covers I've ever seen in a MINI:
wet okole seat covers
they're neoprene, like wetsuit material, and they look really great installed! Plus, you can order them in lots of styles/colors.

Good luck getting the MFSW fixed. I'm sure that'll be done by the dealer under warranty without any problems. If not, you need to find another dealer!

 

sweet...neoprene. If the decision was totally up to me, I'd get leatherette seats and put neoprene covers on 'em. My wife wants leather so leather it is.

 

Sounds like your friendly "Motoring Advisor" blew it. I'm also amazed that anyone would sign on the dotted lines before actually seeing and carefully inspecting the car. But what's done is done.

Have you discussed the upholstery issue with the dealer? I know what most Mini dealers would say ("too bad, buddy") but I have to believe there are a few good Mini dealers out there who will do what it takes to make their customer happy (although I personally haven't encountered one). It's definitely worth a try.

 

i was under the impression that space cloth is only available on an mcs, and it's the only cloth seat you can get. the octagon black cloth is only for the mc. i could be wrong... if your ma hadn't pointed that out, you could still bring it up and try to get a break on seat covers.

i've got an 05 with anthracite headliner, anthracite interior, and space cloth. no chrome interior, but i like the space cloth. yes, a bit light, but i'm happy i got it over leatherette.

i totally agree about the mfsw. hate the buttons. we should start another petition to bring back the s style.

 

I too have the problem with the MFSW. I thought it was just me being clumsy and accidentally pressing too far to one side of the D-Pad, but I guess maybe it's not. I'll do further testing and let you know of my results.

BTW, it doesn't happen often, but may five or so times in the three weeks I've had it.

 

See my discussion thread about signing a petition for MINI to bring back the classic 2-spoke sport wheel, which is clearly better in regards to the multifunction button placement.

 

A petition to bring back the 2-spoke? Hey, that sounds good. It seemed to work for the anthracite headliner, eh? (Although people have to pay $200 extra for it now, for something that amounts to just a different color headliner. ) Actually though, I'm fairly ok with the 3-spoke. It's not as cool as the 2-spoke, but (assuming it can be made to work, which it should) it's still a nice steering wheel IMO. I like how it feels, and the look is acceptable.

Yes. I'm sure I'm stuck with the seats as is, though I'm still expecting to hear something back from Niello Mini in Sacramento. The car is an MC, not an MCS, so I'm very surprised to have gotten the Space Silver Cloth. Does this make my car special? Since I'd already turned my old lease car in weeks ago, I didn't have much choice but to sign off on this MINI. These are the only two issues with a car I'll be driving for at least 6 years, and they are both correctable problems, one way or another, so I don't feel the situation is all that bad. I was just REALLY hoping for perfection.

Re-upholstering is a bit much for me now, though REAL NICE, fitted, seat covers might make me happy. I was wondering about the possibility of...please, no one faint...of...dying the silver material black. I know that sounds a touch nutty, but if done well (by...?) it might work out very well. So...um...what do you folks think of that as an option?

Have you had the neoprene thing done? How much was that? It seems like neoprene might be kinda weird, but there seems to be a wide color selection (some pretty crazy looking, ALL yellow seats is just TOO much yellow) and I guess this stuff would certainly hold up well. I guess, if I know what all my aftermarket options are, I may end up feeling better about all this...somehow. :smile: But...damn, now I'm spending even MORE money on my MINI? Already? Ugh, this is terrible. *sigh*

 

Hopefully, you will get used to the seats in time. The Neoprene seat covers seem to me like a pretty good compromise that will not break your bank account.

Enjoy the car, the driving experience alone will make you forget the color of the upholstery .

 

I don't have the neoprene seat covers myself, but I've seen them installed on a couple of other MINIs. They look great, and feel pretty good, too. I think they even have some kind of airbag compatibility built in. My lapis leather is cool and smooth so no need for seat covers for me!

You might be able to get a sample of the material from the company to see if you'd like it. Doesn't cost anything to ask...

 

Yes, I've looked at that Neoprene seat cover site now, and I think they look pretty good, though not really the kind of "texture" I'd prefer for a car seat, plus...they are still pricey for a guy like me, even though quality looks very good. I'd have to do front and back covers, so that'd be...about $400? Ouch!

I've not had a chance yet to touch bases with Niello MINI, so I still have no news on that front. In the meantime, am I enjoying my MINI? You bet I am! More and more every passing day. :smile: But, do the seats still **** me off? Yes, everytime I look at them! I keep trying to envision how they should've looked, and that vision looks pretty good to me. Then, I open my eyes, and just try my best not to cry. So far, no actual crying has occured, just a need to remind myself to stop looking at my darn seats so much! *shaking head in quiet despair*

I really have liked everything else about this car. I drove it for work today, putting another 100, or so, miles on her, and I enjoyed every "not looking at the seats" moment of it. I thought this car might not work all that well for deliveries, but she has surprised me with her flexibilty. I had to train a new guy today, and so I only had the boot available for work cargo, but that turned out better than using the front passenger seat, so I'm in heaven about that. (I thought the pizza bags wouldn't fit back there. )

The new guy liked the car, including the seats (silly man), so that was nice to hear. In fact, everyone at work, from my boss on down, was pretty WOW'D by the car. Then I turned on the Xenons, and they were even more WOW'D! One cute little gal in particular was...very excited about the car, and said, as soon as I walked in the door, "Oh my God, I love that car! I want that car! If she wasn't 15 years old, despite her beauty, I would've...er...offered her a ride, or maybe even a test drive. Hmmm...she's turning 16 soon, so...just maybe...nah, forget I even mentioned it. I'm just daydreaming. But, I sure hope to get MORE of the same sort of reaction from...um..."slightly" older females! (God, thank YOU for my being single again!)

My ex-wife took one look at the car, and said, "Are you still going to be able to make your child support payments?" If we were still married, she would've been thrilled, as she...uh...likes NICE stuff. She's still got my/our first Toyota RAV-4, which I payed for (somehow, unbelievably) before I left her. It's got 100+ thousand miles on it, and is holding up well, despite looking a little less for wear. I think she'd like to buy a new car (though certainly not a MINI, too "impractical"), but she's bought a new house instead, after finally selling "our" old house. Me, I'm still living in a cheap studio apartment, and will apparently be doing so for at least another 6 years, when my MINI will finally be paid off! I SHOULD prefer to have a house, but I think I'm happier with the car instead.

I guess that means I'll survive this wrong seat cloth fiasco, eh?

Well, we shall see about that.

 

Hi BillyB,

Did you order the sports package?
The fact that you got Space Gray tells me that you probably did order the sports package. I just played with the MINI configurator, and noticed that Black Octagon cloth is "not available" with sports seats......

 

No, actually I didn't order the Sport Package, as I didn't want the heavier wheels, or the hard riding runflats. I did get the sport seats as a seperate option though. When the car was ordered, the configurator was far from being up and running (some people STILL don't think it's properly up and running yet). Despite that, at the time I placed my order, the MA seemed to have good knowledge of what was available, and what wasn't, and which options could be combined with which other options. It was then that I found out that rear fog lights were out (at the time), that the anthracite headliner and the chronograph gauges option were in, and that the 2-spoke MFSW was no more, among other things.

I was told that Space Gray was now a cloth option for the MC, but I was specific about wanting Octagon Cloth. The MA said nothing about it's no longer being available in sport seat configuration. In fact, I recently saw pictures of Octagon Cloth sport seats on MC's over at the MINI2 site, although those were admittedly, likely, all British cars. No one ever got back to me to say anything about unavailability of Octagon Cloth for sport seats in an MC. When I could check to make sure my options were right online, I contacted MINI by e-mail, to double check that my options were ok, and to make any changes if required, knowing that errors are not uncommon. When MINI e-mailed me back about this, they sent me a list (by e-mail) of my specified options, and everything was there, including the sports seats with Octagon Cloth, as I'd ordered.

At the time, that was quite a relief, as I'd had no confirmation of my options until then. So, everything looked cool, and I felt I had not much to worry about it. I've still got the e-mails on record, if anyone at MINI would care to see. But, I doubt that it will matter at this stage. If there was going to be a necessary change to my options, it would've been nice, and entirely appropriate, for them to let me know, thus giving me the chance to reconfigure something that WOULD work to my liking BEFORE it was too late. I would have been ok ordering black (dark gray) leatherette instead of cloth, since it was my second runner up choice anyway (and by a very narrow margin). Gray Space Cloth had never even been in the running.

If what you are saying is true, that I'm even more P.O.'d than I was before, since these kinds of model year changeover problems should've been foreseen by MINI with ALL orders made in the few months before the configurator went up. Heck, my car was already made, and being made ready for shipping, by the time the USA configurator went up. According to the configurator, Liquid Yellow is now a metallic color, but MY '05 LY/B MC is definitely NOT a metallic color. So, who are we to trust, if anyone, at MINI? And how are we supposed to factory order a car, without it getting messed up, if these guys can't get their crap together?

If I ordered a LY (or any other color) MINI, and that color suddenly was no longer available, you'd think they'd TELL ME, don't you? (Instead of just building some other color car, and sending it over, expecting no one to notice the...er...MINOR difference.) I mean, geez, that'd be nuts, so I don't see this thing with the seats as being any different. (Ok, it's SLIGHTLY less major than the car color thing, but not by much.)

I'll see if I can get in touch with someone who can help over at Niello MINI today, and hear what they have to say for themselves. (Hey, who knows, maybe I'll here some sort of good news, eh?)

 

Hi again William, thanks for your reply as well!

I checked our records and have attached the list of your options below. If there are any errors, let your MINI sales advisor know. While we can view your order here, only your sales advisor can enter and make any changes to your order.

Model Cooper
Color Liquid Yellow
Upholstery Black/Panther Black Cloth
Options
cold weather package
heated mirrors and washer jets
heated front seats
interior surface anthracite
premium package
multi-function steering wheel
glass moonroof
automatic air conditioning
on-board computer
automatic transmission
DSC - Dynamic Stability Control
space-saver spare
rear spoiler
chrome interior accents
chrome bumper inserts
roof and mirror caps in black
door mirror caps in chrome
sport seats
Anthracite headliner
foglights
xenon headlights

I found that your MINI is currently in the "Scheduled for Daily Production Pack" status. This is the last step of the "On Order" stage and the next stage is "Scheduled For or In Production", of which the first step will be "Production Started". They estimate your MINI to have completed production on or by Friday, August 20th. We have updated our tracking system and the last update that we will have is when your MINI reaches the port of exit in England. We don't have access to the shipping company's records as they are a separate company so I couldn't offer any further information for that portion of the process but on average it usually takes around a month to reach the port in California. However, the shipping company's name is Wallenius Wilhelmsen and you can do an Internet search to find their website for more information. Once your MINI arrives at the port in the U.S., your MINI sales advisor at the dealership will be able to provide you with the current status of your MINI.

I know that the waiting is the hardest part but hang in there, it'll be well worth it in the end! Let us know if you have any more questions. Have a great weekend!

LET'S MOTOR.
Jen Schuelke
MINI Customer Relations and Services
Representative
866.ASK.MINI (275-6464)


-----Original Message-----

From: billybc96@earthlink.net
Sent: 8/6/2004 12:00:00 AM
To: "MINIOwnersLounge@askMINIUSA.COM" <MINIOwnersLounge@askMINIUSA.COM>
Subject: Factory ordered options. [1-189249731]

WILLIAM BOWERS
billybc96@earthlink.net

To Jen Schuelke,

Thank you for your response, it's much appreciated. My production
number is: 7460879. I just want to be sure that all of my chosen options
are officially part of my order. There was not any one I was concerned
about in particular, just all of them. I also wouldn't mind knowing when
the car is scheduled for production, as I can estimate delivery time from
that. Since I'm leasing my current vehicle, and that lease will be ending
in mid-September, that production information (if available) would be of
some assistance to me. I can extend the lease, but not for any time period
less than an additional five (5) months. It's not a critical issue, as I'm
aware that delivery will very possibly occur after the end of my lease.
However, knowing how much later would help me plan the change-over a little
better.

Sincerely,

William Bowers




> [Original Message]
> From: <MINIOwnersLounge@askMINIUSA.COM>
> To: <billybc96@earthlink.net>
> Date: 8/5/2004 4:14:23 PM
> Subject: RE: Factory ordered options. [1-189249731]
>
> Hi William, thanks for writing MINI.
>
> Congratulations on your upcoming MINI, how exciting for you! I'm sorry
your options aren't viewable on the Owners' Lounge at this time. I know
that's frustrating! We're trying to get the website updated and ready for
the new model year and unfortunately, this process has taken a little
longer than we anticipated.
>
> I would be happy to check our records for you but I'll need your
production number in order to do so. If you would please send me your
production number and your specific questions, I'll be happy to let you
know what I find out. Let me know if you have any other questions as well,
I'm here to help. Hang in there and have a great week!
>
> LET'S MOTOR.
> Jen Schuelke
> MINI Customer Relations and Services
> Representative
> 866.ASK.MINI (275-6464)
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> From: billybc96@earthlink.net
> Sent: 8/5/2004 12:00:00 AM
> To: <MINIOwnersLounge@askminiusa.com>
> Subject: Factory ordered options.
>
> formid: 1001
>
> Comments: Hi,
>
> I was very excited, happily so, to get my production number for my MINI,
> from my dealer a few weeks ago. It's certainly comforting to see my order
> listed here. However, I don't see any information in the factory ordered
> options window. All I can see is some basic information on model and
> color selected, which is fine in and of itself. I've double checked with
> my dealer, Niello MINI of Sacramento, California, and everything SEEMS ok.
> Does it just take awhile for the options to show up where I can see them
> online? I figured a few weeks would be long enough. I imagine this is
> something you get asked about a lot. It is just something that's a little
> disconcerting to me, and I can't help it. Please let me know. (MINI
> dealers, at least in the US, have a reputation that is, sadly, not all
> that great when it comes to this sort of thing.)
>
> Sincerely,
>
> William Bowers
>
> Reno, Nevada
>
> P. S. Looking forward to having a look at the new '05 configurator,
> whenever it finally shows up!
> phone: (775) 348-8569
> AccountNo:
> VIN:
>
> From: billybc96@earthlink.net
> Subject: Factory ordered options.
>
> RouteCode1:
> RouteCode2:
> RouteCode3:
>
> Section: Priority Email
> ModelYear: 2005
> MfgNme: MINI
> ModelNme: Cooper
>
> firstName: William
> lastName: Bowers
> ContactBy: email
> ContactPhone: (775) 348-8569
> ContactTime: Morning
>
> address1: 805 Kuenzli St Apt 116
> address2:
> address3:
> city: Reno
> state: NV
> zip: 89502-1128
> HomePhone: (775) 348-8569
> WorkPhone:
> email: billybc96@earthlink.net
> Vins:
>
> UserName: BillyBee
> Urgency: Not super urgent
> Regarding: Your Owners' Lounge account
> NetworkScreenName: BillyBee

 

The above is a copy of the series of e-mails I was talking about. There may somehow be too much personal information in it, which I don't mind, but it still might get slightly edited by this forum in order to conform to privacy protection concerns. In either case, that's fine by me, and I think think the e-mails between me and MINI (sorry about the length) make it pretty clear that someone on their end dropped the ball in some way or another.

It's interesting to note, that at this time, the Octagon Black Cloth is still being shown as "Black/Panther Black Cloth", even though we all knew by this point that that had been renamed (and changed to) Octagon Black Cloth. This is something I'd already discussed previously with my MA, and was not an issue. I had actually tried to order the leather/black cloth combo (which would've been cool!) when I made my order, but was informed at that time that it wasn't available for my vehicle configuration, or even in the US at all (I forget which). What a shame.

P.S. I didn't post that e-mail because I thought anyone wouldn't believe me, I just thought it might be interesting for some of you to read, especially those that are considering ordering a MINI anytime soon.

 

It looks to me like MINI USA decided not to offer Octagon black cloth with the sport seats at the last minute without telling you. What did the window sticker that came with your car say?

I think you should definitely talk to your dealer then. Your car definitely did not come with the seat cloth you ordered. And it also appeared that your motoring advisor ordered it correctly for you. I think the problem is with MINI USA........ But talk to your dealer and see what they say.

 

Well, I talked to my dealer yesterday (my MA, and the sales manager), and we're still talking. So far, there has been no response to my e-mailing them the above copy of my earlier communications with MINI USA. The opinion they prefer to be sticking with, for now, is that Black/Panther Black Cloth IS Space Gray/Panther Black Cloth, and that I'M the one that dropped the ball somewhere, not them or MINI. Basically their take is that I'm an idiot, and that I don't know what I'm talking about, and that they are just going to have to talk me through it that way...until I give up.

They are not even willing to say. "Sorry, someone screwed up, and should've told you. However, at this stage, our hands are tied, and there is nothing we can do to correct this, other than offer our apologies." At least THAT wouldn't leave me feeling so angry at them for pulling the, "Poor, stupid MINI customer, doesn't even know what he ordered," card. They are not even making any offer regarding car seat covers, or some other form of placating me, which would at least make me feel like they give a damn, and understand the concept of customer service.

Of course, one has to remember that these are ALL sales people, and customer service is NOT really what being a salesperson is about. It's about SALES, and nothing more. (I keep having to remind myself of that any time I buy anything.)

I've not even been able to make an appointment yet, to fix the malfuntioning MFSW, because I've been so frustrated by (and caught up in) this other cloth seating issue. I'll have to try to get that done today, because one more frustration like that just tends to ruin my whole day.

At this point, I'm pretty much assuming that Niello MINI of Sacramento is just going to keep giving me the run around about the seats. And, so now I have to seriously start considering other means of satisfying myself regarding the seats. While I thought the idea of dying the silver gray cloth was sort of silly, I'm now beginning to think it might be doable, by an upholstery repair shop. I know these sorts of places do spot repair dye work for leather and cloth upholstery, and so they may be able to take on a larger job. Since it'd be black dye, to match the seat side bolsters and head rests, color matching wouldn't be a serious issue as it is with spot repair work, but it would still be more labor intensive, and thus costly. However, I fugure it would still be less than a full re-upholstery job, which I can't really afford right now anyway. Anyone reading this have any opinions about, or experience with, this kind of upholstery repair?