I was specifically pleased when I learned that the MINI had climate control air inlets in front of the windshield which were fully shielded and filtered from intaking any foreign objects.

However, it did not actually solve the main problem, which is one that every single car I have ever owned has had and has always annoyed me.

There is still a space between the rear end of the hinged bonnet and the body which allows pine needles to slip inside and work their way into little nooks and crannies on that little shelf area under there!

Drives me freakin crazy to pick pine needles out every time I open the bonnet!

Ggggrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!

_________________
~Yucca Patrol~
I'm just here to have fun, participate, and not make an @$$ of myself!

 

Oh that's nothing...at least needles are easy to get out...try little itty bitty tree seeds that float down and get EVERYWHERE!!!!!

R

 

Oh....

 

Garage...

 

Solution: Do not park under a Pine Tree....LOL

 

Chainsaw....

 

I like the chainsaw idea.

Does anyone know which side of the tree to cut on so that it falls away from my MINI?

 

I 2nd the Garage concept!

Besides, it's called production tolerances. Pine needles are very thin objects, I bet every car make would get pine needles between the panels! You wanna see bad gapping, however, look at a Saturn! They need to put such huge gaps 'cuz the plastic panels expand much more than metal.

_________________
Wisdom is not a function of age, but a function of experience.
*Keeper of the CWFAC list*

 

Bulldozer...

 

I don't think the production tolerances should be a factor here, because I remember some MINI advertising or video or article in which they bragged about their laser beam precision fitting of panels. I'd think that the thickest base part of a pine needle with 2 or 3 needles attached to it is certainly big compared to their claimed precision!

Wonder if a little piece of weatherstripping underneath the bonnet might make a difference?