Wow, what great advice from everybody - this will really help. I'm taking the day off work today, and plan to go test driving .

I've thought about installing a carputer - I've certainly got the stuff laying around to do it, but I didn't realzie how much data there was vailable via iBus and that there was a computer interface for it - I was just going to stick with OBDII. Sounds like fun!

I think I am going to stick with the manual - the girl will just have to learn. I think she's mostly just nervous - shes had a couple accidents(none her fault) including having her car totalled, so i think she's just nervous about adding something to her driving. She'll get over it .

The Cold Weather package seems to be a cheap, nice addition, so I'll add that even though I will be in SF. Heated seats always make me feel like I've had an 'accident' though .

Newbie moment: MFSW? My Favorite Season is Winter? Mini Flood System Warning? I really dont know what that means.
Edit: Just got it: Multi Function Steering Wheel
Yes, I was planning on getting that.

 

But it does add this weight in the WORST possible position.

 

and if u do carputer, u can put the money from satnav into it and save money and get more functions at the same time!

 

Heated seats rock!
On board computer is fun.
But I think the auto A/C isn't really worth it unless you're like me and it was stupid not to get the whole package. (It does look cooler than the manual controls though - I've actually had a few compliments on the temperature display.)

 

Yeah, I sort of got "hooked" by the MINI configurator on that. I was ordering things "a la carte" and the configurator popped up a new window telling me I could add the auto A/C for next to nothing if I got the Premium Pack, so I went for it. My wife's Volvo C70 has auto A/C and it's one of the few things I like about the car. Pretty much set it and forget it.

I haven't got my car yet - does the MINI auto A/C work pretty well? I've heard some complaints that it's noisy. That doesn't make sense to me - aren't the ducts, fans, vents, etc., the same?

 

I like it. My only two complaints are that the fan runs on high when on defrost, and the display doesn't show the fan speed when in auto mode. Minor problems.

 

I have no regrets with my 2003 IB/w it has all factory available option even the PDC, I just went down the list on the configurator and check all the options, all I can say if you can afford it get it, I track my car extensivsly and have no great problems with the weight since I don't race it just HPD schools.

67K miles and still loving it

 

So, I went and test drove this morning. I spent about 1.5 hours at my local dealership (:smile, and made them let me drive every style they had (Cooper, S, Works, Convertible). I think the Cooper is a little anemic, the Works has too much power, and the convertible is too loud. The S was utterly perfect though.

I didn't like the combos of any of the ones on the lot, but they have one arriving saturday that looks perfect. Its an 05 MCS Dark Silver Metallic w. black roof and stripes, and blue leather interior + sunroof. its got the cold weather, premium, sport and convinience packages (so, basically every option besides the NAV), plus the HK. They are basically asking MSRP for it, but we'll see if I can drive them any lower. I am really seriously considering it. We'll see Sat once I see it!

I was surpised how how much nicer the the transmission was compared to my focus, and how much faster it stops. I made them let me spin it out and stop the brake to really test it, and I was VERY impressed witht he handling.

So, we'll see. But its looking good.

 

Early Apex,

Have you tried holding the defrost button in? When I don't hold the button, the defrost about blows me out of my seat. If you hold the button in until the lights stops flashing, you can then adjust the defrost to a setting you prefer. You can also select one of the two other settings (feet or dash vents) with the defrost selected. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks Swing, Ill try that

 

Just to throw in my two cents -

Heated seats in San Francisco are an absolute no-questions-asked option. They are great at toasting you up a bit on a cold wet morning (like you'll have plenty of in SF). My wife and I like them because I can cool the car a little more to my liking and she can heat the seat to keep herself comfortable at the same time. And I've been using mine to keep my back relaxed after a day at work. Great feature for not a lotta $$.

As Mark Twain said, "the coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco." It's my favorite city to visit, just can't afford to live there.

Other than that, I didn't get a lot on my MINI (just DSC for safety) and I'm very happy with it!

Good Luck!

 

Sounds like a beautiful, well-spec'ed car!

Good luck, man - we'll all be pulling for ya!

(The dealer here in town is charging $2500 above MSRP, no exceptions - and he's a friend of mine! No, let me rethink that...)

 

Agreed. Way too much power.

 

Hey mcowger.... again welcome to NAM. When are you moving to CA? There are some really good motoring roads around here that Im sure you could take a liking to. We do alot of runs in the area with fellow MINI owners and the more the merrier.

www.norcalminis.com
www.goldcountrymini.com

Most of the drives we do with larger groups are fairly relaxed... but if you like to do some aggressive driving Lyle (lagston), James (sfjames2), and myself aer always looking for new companions to dominate the hills with . See you when ya get here

 

I am with you JDS. I kept my "S" simple, only ordering the Xenon HID headlamps as the only option, and I love 'em! The Cooper "S" comes loaded in base trim in my opinion. Would I change anything? I would have ordered Space Cloth upholstery instead of the sticky Leatherette, though it looks like leather. I also would have purchased the optional fog lights, but that's about it. A loaded Cooper "S" can run around 25K loaded, and I would have shopped for a base model RX-8 or 350Z for that much money.

 

my S came bone basic.. loaded with absolutely nothing.. one thing i did want initially was dsc... but other than that im very happy i didn't go down the road of speccing out a loaded S, since i know im going to be modding it for autocross and track work so might as well go light!

one thing i do regret somewhat is getting dark silver... it's a very common color... these days im in favor with electric blue, with black roof.. with that combo i would've went with a set of motegi traklite flat black with the aero grills

 

The sunroof heat really isnt a problem once you get a sunroof decal on it. We have the checker flag and it's great...I can see out of it and the heat is reduced quite a bit even without the shade closed. Heat seats are great..it gets foggy in most parts of the city at night and with leatherette you would appreciate the instant on heat..my wife likes it because of her back. Runflats? Ditched em and bought aftermarket wheels. DSC? Only seen the light go on once so I guess I am not motoring hard enough. Stick shift in SF is tricky but the ebrake trick works great although only on the steepest hills I do this and only if the engine does rev up high enough when I blip it. Rain sensing wipers are great! Let's see...can't think of anything else.

Oh, and order LY/W!

 

Don't worry. At most Autocrosses there is a special place for automatic transmission cars. Its called the parking lot.

 

Who are you, Goldielocks??

Earl

 

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Good one, Earl!

 

My 03 MC with heated seats,sport suspention,is all I need.Does not go like a MCS,but I get great mpg,handles like a MCS.The only thing,is next time I will get DSC.The ASC works pretty good though

 

Are those Rota wheels? Sub zeros?

 

Kosei K1 TS in grey

 

[QUOTE=meanboy]The sunroof heat really isnt a problem once you get a sunroof decal on it. We have the checker flag and it's great...I can see out of it and the heat is reduced quite a bit even without the shade closed.

Agreed, got a white decal on mine from the dealer, that way no big black blob in my white roof.

[QUOTE=meanboy]DSC? Only seen the light go on once so I guess I am not motoring hard enough.

I got Ian's DSC off switch. I don't like DSC and only put it on in the rain for safety. Every day I have to turn out onto a busy road and I can not afford to have DSC cut the throttle when it senses a bit of wheelspin coming on because I am trying to fit into 45mph traffic while making a right hander from a stop sign. It is quite disconcerting to have that happen. Other people never accelerate that hard and would rather wait for a bigger gap in traffic to come. But I want to control the throttle all by myself, thank you. I may motor too hard!:smile:

 

I'll be in SF on the 18th of Dec - apartment is in Noe Valley. I would love to get to gether for some agressive drives. One thing I love about my focus is the fanatics around it, so finding another club would rock. I will send you a PM when I'm in and settled.