I have a 04 with the standard speedo. I am not sure if the 05’s are different. I happened across this info on another thread found here. Go down to post # 18. It worked great for me until I took my MINI in for its first service. They updated my ECM and forgot to turn this feature back on, and I didn’t notice until I was half way home (which is about 300mi). Oh well, on my second service I will hopefully get that fixed.

 

Yes I am!!

I was driving along late at night and looked up at the clock and saw 00:20 and thought that I had entered the Twilight Zone or The Outer Limits!
Good point.

 

Yep. Here is the picture of mine: http://www.sunshineminis.org/forums/...015&highlight==

 

Actually, it's a contest to see who can call it first. Our rules, however, require the "caller" to include body color, roof color and any other distinguishing features, (flag roof, etc).

 

[quote=Tarzan]Here are one or two:

WIPERS/LIGHTING:
You activate "follow-me-home" headlights by flicking the highbeam stalk after removing the ignition key.


COOL ... THIS ONE I DIDN"T KNOW

 

Always let the computer check itself FULLY ... BEFORE cranking the engine to start.
The "check" is random ... if you don't something may not work (windows, Ac, etc)

To be sure this has been done DON'T crank untill the lowest fuel indicator has changed from RED to orange !

 

i get SO much flak for yelping "MINI!!!" in a high pitched voice of excitement. (*sigh*) some people will just never understand the unspeakable bond we all have with each other.

sometimes, if i'm walking outside and a MINI passes me, i'll whip my keys out of my pocket, hold them up and wave while yelping.

one thing i didn't know about my MINI is how it would turn me into an obsessed owner and introduce me to a world of acceptance among other owners. (sans those people i like to call the, "mid-life-crisis-i-only-bought-because-they-said-it-was-cool-i'll-sell-in-a-year-anyway-underappreciating-owner")

 

Does anyone know what that triangular shaped hole is for on the inside of the glove box lid between the two round areas for drink placement???

 

Sunglasses

 

The glovebox is only refrigerated if you have the vent open in the glovebox and the a/c is on. :-)

 

what are all those slots for in between the alleged cup holders and the sunglass holder??

 

Where'd you hear about this? That could 'splain a LOT of the random problems some folks occasionally have with their cars.

Rawhyde

 

The top brake light illuminates slighty before the two lower ones

 

Change, and their about as useful as change holders as those cupholders are...

 

I had issues of the windows not working, AC, dead sterio and a sunroof that wouldn't opperate.
While in for regular service I mentioned it. (thought I might have BIG issues)
When I picked up my car the SA had called MINI/BMW they asked me to call them.
A nice interesting conversation and this guy seemed to know EVERYTHING !
(from ECU versions, NAV stuff and, computer info.)

Since then I follow the red to orange system and NOT A SINGLE PROBLEM !

The people that I have shared this with are ALL now without issues (well you know ... this kind of issue)

 

Hehe, I do this and I don't even have one... yet.

 

Thanks! You have probably posted the most important message in the whole thread!

Rawhyde

 

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but the rear wiper speed varies depending on the speed of the front wipers. Coming in to work this morning I noticed that the rear wiper "wiped" about every 9 seconds with the fronts on intermittant, and every 3 seconds with the wipers on normal My Audi has the same interval regardless

 

Every MINI owner I have ever had in my MINI does this high-pitched MINI-recognition yelp whenever they see another MINI on the road! It is AWESOME and really fun! I love it!

 

Wow, who'd have "thunk" it without being told? I always just jump in and start the thing, well, used to. It should be different NOW. They said the same about my Buell XB, but it doesn't have nearly as many things to operate as the MINI, just the FI and the electric fuel pump really.

 

Here's one someone told me about: To be a trickster, turn the rear window washer jet around (they said it can be done with a screwdriver) and when you spray to clean, the stream will spray the person behind you. I've seen it done, and it's also effective if someone is tailing you to get them to back off.

And, the refrigerated glove box does not get cold enough to keep a gelati from melting (I've tried....)

Final note: my entire family and best friends now report all their MINI sightings to me complete with "we yelled MINI and waved at it and everyone around us thought we were crazy!"

 

In my 2002 MC, the rear view mirror was easy to remove with a twist (a very handy feature for better visibility when running autocross).

In my 2005 MCS, when I twist the mirror, there is enough resistance that I fear breaking it if I twist harder. Bearing in mind the story I heard about the guy who wanted to see how far his fishing rod would bend before breaking ...... , I'll ask before trying harder. Has anyone tried it in an '05 or '06?

BTW - no electronics (garage door opener or auto dim) in my rear view mirror.

 

The removal process is the same for your mirror, Johnna. I forget which direction, but it does remove the same way. There's some wire which tethers it to the roof of the car, however; I think you need a torx bit to disassemble the bracket and free up the wire. Once you've done that once, tho, you can just pop it off when you're autocrossing.

 

Unfortunately they changed that in the 05 models. I can do it, but my wife can't with hers!

 

Here's a little tip:

Should you ever need a jump-start, you need to let the battery "charge" about five minutes before you attempt to start it. If you don't everything will flash on your dash and you'll hear the scary clicking noise (and it won't start). This goes for jump kits, another car, and tow trucks.

Also once you get the MINI jump-started turn on everything before removing the cables. This is supposed to prevent a possible overload.