I picked up my 05 MCS today. I learned that the factory alarm option will NOT work on the 2005 model. The "low window washer fluid" light was relocated to where the factory alarm's LED was formerly. It's a very silly place for that light - you cant see it while driving anyway. My dealer said that a service bulliten came out a week ago, and Mini is working on a new alarm that will work with the 2005 models, it should be available in March.

I wish I could just do without the washer fluid light - I'd much rather have the alarm anyway!

 

I have the "factory" alarm system in a 9/05 build 2005 MCS. It and the iPod adapter (along with changing to 16" rims) were the changes I made to the car when I bought it from the showroom. [Living outside the country didn't give me the time to order.]

In order to install the alarm system, they took off the original wiper stalk which I have. Unless they changed all the wiring (which definitely could be), I would think that you could take off the low fluid stalk and put on the alarm one.

Anyone know more about this than I do?

Saludos

 

I have the factory alarm and it was installed without hesitation or issue at the dealership. My '05 MCS was built Nov. '04 so maybe the issue is with cars built Jan '05 and later.

 

Wait a second, the 05s have a low windshield fluid warning light????

I'm so jealous.

 

Yeah, I think that it is only on Jan '05 or later builds. It is the new orange light at the end of the stalk on the right side of the steering wheel. While I agree that they should have come up with somewhere else for the alarm before getting rid of it's location. I kind of like the light and its location as it is on the wiper stalk, and I think you could see an orange glow from it while driving. Mind you though that this is from a person that has not taken delivery of their car yet and only gets to visit it until next Thursday, so the actual experience of it may change my opinion

 

My understanding is that there will be a new stalk with the alarm flasher for the left stalk coming out for post-Jan 05s. I have no idea when, but you might contact Brian Flick at Classic MINI. If anyone knows, it'll probably be him. (You'll also get a 20% discount from Classic if you mention NAM - that's a lot when it comes to the alarm!)

The low washer warning is a cool idea, but I'm not sure why MINI/BMW thought it needed to go on the wiper stalk. (Okay - I understand the wiper-washer connection. But they could have put a warning light on the dash or in one of the gauges just as well.)

Some people have complained that the red alarm flasher in the center of the car is a bad location and welcomed changing it to the driver's side. But my experience (and yes, I am unfortunately speaking from experience) is that if someone wants to break into your car to steal your stereo or whatever, they're going to break into the passenger side. Much quicker in-and-out - no steering wheel to get in your way. Having the alarm flasher on the right side of the wheel made a lot of sense to me. That's also the side people walk past when you're parallel parked.

Depending on how big a rush you're in to get your alarm installed, it looks like your choices are:

1) Find out if the old set up will work. (Obviously, the point of your thread.) If it will, then you have to decide if you want to go back to your original wiper stalk and install the left hand stalk when it becomes available. (Don't know how much the stalk by itself will cost, but I'll bet it's the most expensive part of the three items in the kit.)

2) Find out how long you'll have to wait for the new stalk with the flasher on the left. The '05 Fog Light kit came out last month, so it may be pretty soon.

3) Go with an aftermarket alarm. You can get some very good ones with more features (like paging!) for the same price or less. Of course, it won't be integrated with the MINI's key remote or have the "coolness" of the flashing stalk tip, so it's up to you.

I'd probably go with #2 - but your needs are surely different from mine.

 

Oops - I just went back and re-read the thread. I see you were told it would be available some time in March. So you'd be - what - at most six weeks without the alarm?

You might be able to contact Brian at Classic and pre-order one. Get it sent to you the minute it becomes available.

Buy one of those stick-on flashing red phony alarm LEDs and put it on your dash until it comes?

 

I already paid for the alarm, the check my lender wrote included the total for the alarm - and I did not want to wait for another check to get here. So, I have an "IOU" from Towson Mini.

The point to my post was to warn other Jan 05 build owners about this one - my dealer did not mention it until two days before I picked up the car.

 

I'm waiting for the new alarm as well. I just hope they position the new alarm led in an easily seen location and not tucked away between the door and steering column. The main reason for the led is a deterrent, so it needs to be easily seen.

 

If we end up with a light on each stalk, I wonder if the wires and colored bezels could be swapped to put the washer light on the left, and alarm back on the right??

 

I had no idea I had a LWWF indicator! Twice I've run out at the WORST possible times!!

 

Unless you just picked up your car, you don't. The change is only effective on Jan 1,05 builds and after. Or did you not see that yellow light when you pulled on the wiper stalk and nothing came out?? brgfan - I'm sure someone will figure out how, but I think it would be a mess. Besides, it makes sense to have the LWWF indicator on the wiper stalk, no?

 

It does make sense to have the wiper fluid on the wiper stalk, but for those that want the alarm to be visible on the passenger side of the car... if it was an easy swap... But it sounds like not.

I had the alarm on my'03, and liked the position of the light. If MINI had asked me, I'd have said to keep the alarm light where it was visible to the sidewalk and put the washer light on the dash where its visible to *me*.

Of couse my opinion is moot, since I didn't get the alarm on my '05 MCS, and it was produced before the wiper fluid light was available. So no lights for me.

 

I pre-purchased and have at home a factory alarm that now won't work on our yet to be delivered 01/05 build car. Bummer. Going to put it in the classifieds I guess.

 

The thing is that the LWFL light is NOT visible while driving! It's directly behind the steering wheel. At night, I supose I'd see a yellow glow from behind the wheel, but during the day, I'd have to auctually look at the light to notice.

I just want my stupid alarm! *GGRR*

 

I would imagine having the alarm light on the left stalk would be a better idea. If someone was going to steal your car, wouldn't they try to attempt to open the drivers side door first for a quick getaway?

 

They may not want the whole car though. They may just want to break your window and grab something from the inside. Granted, an alarm isn't going to stop anyone who really wants to take what you have, but it is a deterrent and IMHO it makes more sense it to make it's presence known in the highest visible way.

 

So why do people think having it on the right side of the steering wheel is better/more visible than the left? Because that's the street side?
At night I would think the glow would reflect off the driver's window. I suppose it would be less visible on the passenger side during the day, but it seems the current one has that same issue on the driver's side.

 

Actually, I don't see why they just don't do the "clown nose" on the mirror like BMW???

 

'cause it looks stupid

You gonna go for the factory alarm? Do you happen to know if it has shock sensors - I don't want to have to rig something up again...

 

In my nearly 30 years of driving, I've experienced four break-ins*: stereo, stereo, a pair of cheap swap-meet sunglasses, and a lady's topcoat. Respectively, through the: passenger side, passenger side, passenger side, and convertible top (slashed). Not once through the driver's side. I like the alarm flasher on the passenger side.

* None in the MINI, so far. (Knock on wood.)

 

I have an early '05 alarm (ie, with the flasher in the wiper stalk - no low washer fluid warning light). It doesn't have a shock sensor. I'm told it has a TILT sensor, however, in case someone jacks the car to steal the wheels or tries to tow it. I haven't tried this, though.

FWIW, the motion sensor is VERY sensitive. I was wiping my car down with Z6 the other day. The windows were down, but the car was locked, and therefore the alarm was armed. (It activates automatically when the doors are locked.) I sprayed a squirt of Z6 on the roof, and apparently a bit of the mist must have oversprayed into the interior and set off the alarm!

 

You might think so, but it's effective

 

The interior motion sensor is sensitive under certain circumstances (I have, I'm guessing, a very similar setup with factory alarm in the E46) and good if someone breaks the glass or the like. Thing is that without a shock sensor you won't know if someone hits your car and this can be key - at least it was for me when, with a previous car, a hit and run would have got away if the alarm had not been triggered when they struck my car parked outside where I lived. I heard it go off and ran outside to find the situation in progress.

I tested the BMW factory alarm and it did not go off with quite an impact to the car - I ended up adding a third party shock sensor. Perhaps I can move that to the Mini, not sure that I want to mess with it again tho.

I might consider aftermarket alarm; the one installed on the M Coupe is very good, has lots of programming options, and graduated levels of alarms. I've also heard that some alarms can be set-up to use the key like the factory alarm, but I am not certain yet. Lastly they can put the led whereever you want it then

Hmm, will have to see I guess...

 

Yeah - I agree. I would like to have a shock sensor, and wouldn't mind getting my nails dirty if there were some way to add it on to the factory unit. (Anyone know a way to do this?)

I went for the factory alarm, though, mainly because: (1) it's integrated into the system - no extra keyfobs to carry, no extra buttons to push, (2) the lighted wiper stalk end looks cool (in my opinion, anyway), (3) I got a discount price buying it from Classic MINI and installing it myself.

I would like a shock sensor, though...