Well... I had a full day and a half with my MCS. This is a very different car for me, for anybody! This is a good thing! The driving experience is very unique.

Here are a few quirks I noticed... The cup holder on the dash is too much of an after-thought. Can it be removed without leaving marks or a hole? Why did MINI do this? Should have been an option for those that have to have 32oz big gulps.

This little motor pulls and wants to rev. Breakin period is going to suck.
I can feel the torque very early and its very useable for everyday use! Kudos for the low end power! Feels like a V6. Me likey very much!

The shifter makes a hollow sound sometimes.. maybe its the floor resonating but it sounds, cheap. Reminds me of the old VW bug.

The wind noise is very minimal and the ride is nice! I have the upgraded wheels and run craps, but it does ride nice! After reading about all the harshness on here with the bigger wheels, I'm glad to say my threshold may be a bit higher than most. I guess the last six years of owning corvettes has paid off. It also rides nicer than my xB.

I opened the passenger door the other day and heard this motor come on for a few seconds and go off again? Any idea what that is? Sounded like it was on the passenger side.

I went to check the dip stick and sliding the dip stick in and out was difficult. It felt like it was grabbing on something? Is this normal or is mine messed up?

The shifting is smooth and precise! It is very easy to drive and the clutch grabs low but easy so you have time to modulate the pedal and make starts and shifts smooth... Very nice!

Looking forward to more miles so I can scrub the tires some and see how it handles the on ramps. Also will push it a bit harder once I get to 500 miles.. but still stick mostly to the manual on break-in procedure.
Thanks for reading and I look forward to your responses!

 

I'm pretty sure it's the fuel pump. It primes itself when the door is opened. At least this has been the case with cars I've owned previously.

I should have my new MCS in a couple of days and I'm glad to hear that the 17" wheels and the run flats aren't as horrendous as some might say they are.

 

I cant imagine the fuel pump coming on when a door is opened, especially with no key in the ignition? Must be something else, I dont have the auto climate system either.... hmmmm. Will have to listen closely next time.

You will be pleased with the larger wheels. I'm old and don't consider the ride harsh..

 

It comes on in preparation for you to start the car. It makes the assumption that if the driver's side door is opened that the car will be started. This way there is fuel in the pump. This was a confirmed feature on a couple of Volkswagens that I owned. I'm making the assumption that this is what you are hearing on the Mini. :smile:

Glad to hear about the wheels, I consider myself to be getting more sensitive to ride quality in my "old age" also.

 

The window "dips" when opening the door and goes back up when closing the door.

The dip stick is hard to get out of my 03 MCS, just a tight fit

Whalen Shift Machine is the answer for the shift ****

Went with 17" aftermarket rims (SSR Comps) and non-runflats.

PUSH IT HARD (after break-in) you'll love it even more.

Earl

 

mikem53

Cup holder - comes off with two screws just replace them and you can't tell it was ever there.

Shifter and clutch - mine felt much inproved after about 900 miles

Dip stick - normal, just rotate it a bit as you hit the point of resistance.

 

Wrong!

Mike, what you are hearing is the motor sensor for the "active" passenger airbag re-setting itself. MINIs built since January 2005, have the "Intelligent" airbag system and have sensors in the front passenger seat to either activate/deactivate the airbag accordingly and to adjust the deployment force of the airbag according to the body weight of the front seat passenger.


WARNING: DO NOT USE SEAT FRONT SEAT COVERS AS THESE MAY INTERFERE WITH THE PROPER OPERATION OF THE DUAL ACTIVE AIRBAGS IN CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE FRONT SEAT SENSORS.

 

Cup holder has been removed! Thanks for the tip! Glad they engineered it that way.. Looks MUCH better!

 

Mike I also agree with you on how strong the MCS engine feels. Torquey and eager like a larger V6 powerplant.


Having previously owned a 2004 MCS with the original taller gearing, I can tell you the '05 MCS feels like a completely different car, made by a completely different manufacturer The revised gearing (1st gear is 11% shorter), the revised exhaust, the revised ECU feel more like 45-50HP right off the bat that what BMW officially claims (5-7 horsepower).

You should drive a '02-'04 stock MCS to feel the vast performance difference between them and the '05s.

The Getrag box is noisy so better get used to it. It is the nature of the beast but it is generally a very reliable gearbox that provides excellent feedback on every shift, unlike those flubbery and vague feeling gearboxes on some new cars today.

I love my cupholder! It takes the MINIUSA mug or my 32oz bottled water with no problems.

The windows drop 1/4 of an inch whenever you open the doors. this is a feature designed to ensure a tight fit between the glass and the rubber seals to prevent water intrusion and eliminate air noise. You'll find this feature on high end cars with frameless doors such as Mercedes, Corvette etc.

Be very careful when you close the windows because sometimes you think they are all they way up but they really aren't! Everytime you exit the car, make sure that the window drops down 1/4 of an inch. It it doesn't its because the glass is not all the way up or there is a problem with the motor! If the glass is all the way up and fails to drop down 1/4 of an inch BEWARE! Do not close the door because the glass may not clear the weather stripping and cause damage to the black plastic A-Pillar cover (Crack it). Lower the window, close the door and with your key raise the glass again. Test gain. Open the door and it it drops, it should be fine, if it fails to drop, the system may need to be reset (Hold affected window switch toggle up for 10 seconds to reset the drop down memory in the computer). If it still fails, take it back to the dealer.

Also make sure the windows raise automatically 1/4 of an inch whenever you close the front doors.


Any other questions, feel free to fire away!

 

I was wondering what the motor noise was, since it only happens when I open the passenger door.

thanks.

 

It also caught me by surprise when I first got the car, but yes it is the mechanism for the "intelligent" self-deactivating passenger airbag.

 

Almost forgot.... The AC works great! It was 93 today in Charlotte and the humidity was very high... Had no problem keeping cool.

Love the Horn.... they got it perfect!

 

Wait untill u hit high rpms. that's where the fun starts.