I was trying make a U turn right in front of my friend's house, couldnt make the complete U so I had to back up 3ft and all of sudden the car couldnt move backward........Sh!TTTTT I must I hit something behind my back, so I got out of the car and walked around few times for a quick inspection.........rear bumper is about 2mm away from the van right behind me.....thank god the huge a$$ rock underneath blocked my tires from going backward. This lesson taught me one thing.....DONT EVER TRUST PARKING DISTANCE CONTROL, now is time for me to make an appointment with my service advisor.

 

I know it may be important to some for what ever the reason, but I to this day have a very hard time understanding what someone needs PSD in a 12 foot long MINI? BTW it's a MINI. Shortest car on the road in the US.

The motorhome I understand, but a MINI.

 

Had the same feature on my other car as well, kinda used to it........nice feature for lazy driver like me....

 

Never understood why a Mini needs a PDC until I got my MCC. ..
Now my question.. I heard that there is camera that can be installed so as soon as you put the car in reverse a video will show the "parking" area.

Does any one know what I am talking about ?

MD STREGA2 (sans rear window, for now)

 

PDC is a big help in the convertible - precision while in reverse would be very difficult without it due to the large blind spots. PDC will only detect what is BEHIND the bumper - it that rock was lower than bumper height it will be invisible. For the camera, Lastrega, you can install one and have the image show up on the NAV screen or an aftermarket screen. I would imagine it to be cool but a big PITA to install.

 

petey- it didn't detect the van behind him....

 

" Lastrega, you can install one and have the image show up on the NAV screen or an aftermarket screen. I would imagine it to be cool but a big PITA to install "



I have a factory NAV screen (I love it) so it should not be too hard to insert the camera in our cars (since we have 2 cabrios everything must be purchased in pair !!) Do you or anyone in this board knows where to get this special cameras ??

MD STREGA2
driving "Pepperina" the loaner

 

Let me get this straight, if I can. You didn't look behind you at all? Not even a glance in the mirror? Relying on technology is all well and good, but that just seems foolhardy to me.

 

I'm with sndwave on this one. It is a cool feature, but anyone who really NEEDS it on a MINI would be better off using the money for additional driver's education classes. .

I also agree with the original poster that such techonology is not to be relied upon if a simpler technology like mirrors and eyes are more consistently reliable.

 

MINI themselves has a backup camera available for Nav-equipped MINIs, though I have yet to see one installed other than in the informational post I saw. There is a .pdf of the installation instructions and all.

 

PDC may not be absolutely needed but it is very handy in a world of low walls and odd short poles in parking lots, dogs/kids that suddenly scoot behind the car as you are parking (does happen around here sometimes), not to mention low boxes and the like the significant other might leave in the garage . Again, not necessary but certainly nice to have.

Anyway, let us know why they say it failed

 

The Cabrios come standard with PDC. The best thing it's done for me so far is kept me from killing my trash cans Also people love to stand behind my MINI & hear it beep it's head off Personally, I don't think I would miss it if it weren't there.

Lois

 

...Nor does PDC detect vans of any kind

 

Got the URL for the PDF?

 

Ok, my 2¢ on this feature... I ordered it, and every time I back up, and do not see something (like today, car honked because I did not see him.... BIG bush in the way) ... I do not know if the PDC would of been usefull, but it does start to work about 4ft away... so... maybe... I hardly heard his honk.... oh, and you can only see so much with your eyes ... Every now and then I find myself backing up, looking in the direction I am backing, only to find someone else was backing up into the opposite side of my car... geesh... more people need to pull out VERY slowly, and *LOOK* .... I back up as slow as I can, last thing I want to do is hit a kid.... that would be a horrible feeling.... not to mention the beating the kids father would give you once he janks your *** through the window (which, if I where a father, and someone hit my kid I would go total nuts on them... ahem)...

PDC - an addition to your senses, not a replacement for them...

Doug


BTW: Anyone know if it is POSSIBLE to retrofit PDC?

 

I look in the mirrors,turn my head if not sure
Set your mirrors properly,and use your neck

 

All you had to do was ask.

I meant to link to it before. Really.

 

NP... thanks... Oh, and BTW, I can not seem to tell... where does the camera actually get mounted in the back of the car??

Doug

 

The camera gets installed where the hatch release button is. Currently there is a rubber pad with a switch under it that opens the hatch. The camera replaces that setup with a tiny camera looking down from under the hatch lip, and the release becomes a small button next to the camera itself. The whole thing hides under the the lip of the license plate trim and seems to look no different than stock. Putting the car in reverse swaps the currently displayed information on the nav screen with the camera's view. Shift out of reverse and the original nav display is restored.

 

My PDC has saved me many times from backing out of the garage with the door still closed! As soon as I put the car in reverse, that sucker beeps off saying "Hey, stupid, open the door before you back out!" :smile:

 

The only place I've needed the back up helper is at....

 

mmm, Waffle House

 

How sure are we that this isn't just another elaborate hoax by the MINI marketing department?

 

If it is, it's a really cool hoax