Very nice specs! I'm quite jealous. Wish I had gotten the S now.
Re: the factory armrest, I have it in mine and it is not something I would repeat. Very flimsy, doesn't fold back far enough to get out of the way, too short to be useful (for me) and the storage compartment is pretty much useless. Try doing a search for people's opinions of aftermarket rests. Some of them look much better than the factory one.
Can't help on the leatherette, I got the space cloth (love it!).

 

nice spec....i love the R99 rims!

•*bonnet stripes: go aftermarket or swing down to your local sign shop & chat with the guy about what you want to do. The black might be too harsh, but matching the stripe to the anthracite color of the R99's might tie it all together.... I plan to do this once i get my bronze Rotas on my 06 RG MCS.

•*Sport package - I see why you are doing what you are doing and it makes sense to me. We did the same on both our cars, only did it with the non sport package to get the 16" tires. (I come from miata land...a 16" rim is huge & heavy as it is!) I think you are on the right track, you should be able to at least net the $200 for the rims to break even. Not sure how much 17" rubber is, if it's worth it to sell rims & tires together, or do that with the 16" ones... have to run the numbers...

•*Seats. If you like red at all, take a look at the 1/2 leather seats with the tartan red inserts. We got them for my wife's 05 CR/B MCSa, and i fell in love with them & had to have them on my 06. Check my gallery for pics of both. Also, IIRC, you only get the lumbar support if you order leather...

Other than that, looks good!

-jac

 

My automatic climate control has a gremlin living in it. It often doesn't activate when the car is first turned on, and I have to turn the car off, then turn it back on for the unit to work. I just brought it to the dealer for the 3rd time and there's actually a service bulletin regarding this problem, and they said all was fixed, but this morning it did it yet again. I like the old style *****, too.

 

Well I have decided two changes. I'll fork out the extra $20.00 for the Invisi Shield on the foglights. Why not? And I'm not goin gto get the factory armrest. Now I just need to find a GOOD aftermarket one. The ones I have seen are cheap.... and they look it. As for the R99's...... I HAVE to get those wheels. This car the way it's built and the adding the Aero grill are going to look fantastic. I can't wait to get this thing and add myself the the Dark Silver is best thread. I'm goin gto keep the leatherette..... only because I dont want to spend the extra money.... just hope I wont miss the lumbar support. The dealer told me 6-8 weeks for delivery. Is that really accurate? I've seen so many peopl epost about how long they waited for a Mini...... and I can't imagine spending much more than what they tell me!

 

Ordered mine the last day of December and picking it up the first week of march. Like 8 weeks. i only had problems with getting her on a boat. finished being built Feb. 4th not on a boat till Feb 10th.

 

Do a search on lumbar support.....it may change your mind on whether to order leather of half-leather. I couldn't do without the lumbar support, personally.

 

Have you given the Convenience Package any more thought?

 

My 2 cents...

I am getting ready to order my new Mini. Here are the specs. Just looking for advice and/or feedback:

2006 MINI Cooper S
Dark Silver Body Color
Black Roof/Mirrors
Cold Weather Package
Heated Front Seats
Heated Side Mirrors and Washer Jets
Premium Package
Automatic AC
Dual Pane Panoramic Sunroof
On-Board Computer
3-Spoke w/Cruise and Multifunction
Sport Package
Dynamic Stability Control
Front Fog Lamps
Xenon Headlamps w/Power Wash
17" S-Lites (Run Flat All-Seasons)
No Bonnet Stripes
Sport Suspension Plus
Limited Slip Differential
Rear Fog Lamp
6-Speed Getrag Manual
Sport Seats
Leatherette: Black
Int. Surface Anthracite
Center Arm Rest
Anthracite Headliner
8-Spkr. Harman Kardon Sound System
Invisishield: Upper Kit
Invisishield: Lower Kit
Black Carpet Floor Mats
4 R99 17" Anthracite Wheels & Caps


I got my '06 in Jan. Looks like we got the same tastes. I got mine off the lot but it was very close to what I wanted. But here's my 2 cents:

I don't want to look like everyone else....so no stripes and anthracite wheels.

Black floormats REALLY look dirty after a short time....mud, dirt, salt. I had little choice with black interior.

Rubber floor mats over carpet.....definitely. I did this on my Jeep and did it on my Mini. You can hose those babies down and toss 'em back in. And they will last much longer than carpet. The carpet will eventually start to disintegrate where you rest your heels. My mini dealer threw the rubber 'S' mats (front and rear) in with the deal. But I had to ask.

The Mini is loaded with really cool gadgets....almost too many to remember. With that in mind, I would seriously consider the convenience package. I don't technically have the convenience package. I have all the items but one....the auto dimming mirror with Homelink. My dealer won't order his cars with one of those installed. He claims no one wants to pay the extra $200 for this option since not everyone has a garage. I'm not so sure I agree with that. All I can say is that with all the bells, whistles, buttons, and auto this-and-that, going without the auto dimming mirror leaves a gaping hole in this otherwise spectacular automobile. Even if you don't have a garage, this item can help resale. If you want Homelink after you buy the car, it's going to cost $400-$500. The convenience package will also get you the auto headlights and wipers. There are mixed reviews on the wipers. They are not perfect. But I like 'em.

Center armrest? I wouldn't have bought the car without it. My understanding is that I have the new and improved version. Mine ain't flimsy at all. It also gives you a little extra storage place for cell phone or sunglasses. It's a beautiful thing.

As for the HK..... It came with my car. I wasn't impressed when I first heard it. But it was on FM and wasn't adjusted properly. After I got it home and with some tweaking, the sound turned out to be fantastic. I'm no audiophile. But I know decent sound when I hear it. To me it's GREAT!

I too added the invisishield. I'm beginning to notice dirt gathering around the corners (at the foglights) and getting underneath the invisishield and sticking to the adhesive. On a white Mini, it don't look so hot. Nevertheless, it's a good investment.

Hope that helps!

 

I would listen to JDJeff... and think about the JCW... just for the FUN of it. its just money.. work a little smarter.