had "Snoopy" about 4 mos. now & just drove in the rain for the first time.

Pretty Cool feature ....when on low, med or high once you stop, the wipers slow WAY down, and if you pay close attention, they speed up or down a little at any setting depending on your speed.

I remember that being an option, just finally got to see them work!

 

Actually, they're rain sensing. It's just that you tend to get more water on the windsheild the faster you're going.

NM, actually, I don't know what you're talking about. I tend to put my wipers on auto, so mine do what I said above

 

Rain sensing auto wipers is an option, the speed compensation is something different. The wipers actually wipe fast the faster you go, regardless of rain.

 

The non rain sensing wipers are speed sensative at any of the settings. I personally have the rain sensing ones and love it - but from what I've heard this feature makes them not as necessary as they otherwise would be. I've also heard that even our will do this if they aren't on auto - but then why would they not be on auto?

 

That is correct! I do not have the "rain sensing wipers" option on my car,. I made sure I did not order that from the factory, these are speed compensating wipers...they do not come on automatically when it starts to rain.

 

These are speed compensating, They do not come on automatically when it rains!

 

Having them always on Auto will cause problems if you should go through a car wash.

 

People take their MINI's through car washes

 

I'm pretty sure I signed something saying that I would never do that, right?


Annette

 

No car of mine...almost all black cars too....has ever seen a car wash!

Car Wash...impatient: eek2:

 

LOL....better get out that magnifying glass to be sure......know how that fine print can be!!!!

 

Except that if you leave the wipers on Auto and turn the car off... When you start the car, the wipers won't come on if it starts to rain... You must either turn them to the off position and then back to the auto position, or to the on position and then back to the auto position...

This is done specifically to lessen the odds of running through a car wash with the wipers on auto...

 

I've just noticed this feature after we've been getting these once-a-week storm clouds moving in, and I love it! I love features I didn't know I had

 

I know...It's too cool....like having a new gadget installed!

Glad I did not get the auto rain sensing wipers....I'd hate to drive by a sprinkler....get wet and the wipers come on in broad day just to leave streaks on my WS....Yep!....I'm O.C.D.

 

They are not completely automatic and do not quite work that way. The sensing wipers reset to off when you turn off the car. Next time you start up the car, the wipers will be completely off, and won't start up automatically. Even if it starts raining, they won't start wiping until you put it back to auto sensing mode. As noted earlier, one reason why it operates this way is to prevent the wipers coming on in car washes.

 

so can these be retrofitted?

 

The factory option is actually auto-wipers combined with auto-headlights. The rain+light sensor is mounted on the windshield near the top of the rear view mirror and would require a new windshield. If retrofittable, I think it would be $$$$$.

 

My bad!

Aren't they pretty much what I have. Mine don't come on until I turn them on...once I do..they adjust with the speed on each setting.. but the do not shut off until I turn them off...I guess once it stops raining the rain sensing wipers shut off...then come back on again if the rain starts back?

 

Not even close.

It's a great inexpensive convenience feature that you grow accustomed to and then never want to be without. The convenience package was worth every penny.

 

Yep, I don't have the rain sensing wipers and the wiping speed is adjusted according to the movement of the vehicle; just like my headlights I know when to turn winshield wipers on, lol. ;-)

 

That's correct, and their frequency of wiping adjusts to how much rain falls on the windshield.

I have mixed feelings about the auto-wipers/auto-headlights option, and could go either way if I were ordering again. They are convenient but work imperfectly. I never touch the headlight control, which is nice. However, sometimes they turn on when it is very bright out (it happens inconsistently). The auto-wipers work well for me on the highway. In slow stop and go driving during light drizzle or mist, sometimes a lot of moisture may have to get on the windshield (much more than I'd like) before it triggers the wipe. On the other hand, I don't like the MINI's manual wipers having only a single intermittent wiper setting which is not adjustable like on most cars.

 

Rain sensensing wipers do more than just turn on or off when it rains.

Just like the speed sensing wipers, the rain sensing wipers also adjust the wiping speed based on the speed your driving at... However they also adjust the wiping speed based on the amount of moisture that they detect on the windshield.

Why is that a big deal you wonder? Take for example your driving down a road in a light to moderate drizzle. You have the wipers on at a slower speed because the spray isn't accumulating quickly on your windshield. Suddenly a car traveling in the opposite direction passes through a puddle splashing water onto your windshield and completely obliterates your view. Do you wait for the intermittant wiper to clear the windscreen or do you quickly reach over to flick up the wipers? Now with the rain sensing wipers, by the time you've registered that you can't see... The wipers have already started to clear your windshield.

Bottom line though: Most who have choosen the rain sensing wiper option are satisfied with their decision. Also most who have choosen not to get the rain sensing option are satisfied with their decision as well... Which means that the smart alec posts about how wonderful you think you are because you do/don't have this option does nothing more than irritate the other members. Please keep such posts to yourself as they do not contribute to the forums

 

True. And work wonderfully as stated by many.

True, true. Good stuff. I'm with ya!

Good analogy.

When driving through Italy on the way to Monaco, you go through what seems to be a hundred short tunnels while driving along the coast of the Med. The road is quite curvy and a blast to drive semi-aggressive. Without auto headlights and auto wipers (when raining), you'd be constantly adjusting both to the point that it'd spoil the fun and may even be dangerous considering all the exotic cars that go blowing by you, and all the toads you get to blow by.

Where did this come from??? Is it not OK to speak positively about some feature you like? The original post was a expression of appeciation for the option he chose. I don't see any self-reported wonderment from anyone, nor bashing someone for not opting to spec their MINI the way they would have. Even you sing the praises of it. Wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? I'm confused by your final para. It seemed way over the top. Just my opinion. Not trying to spark WWIII.

 

This is what my dads MB has. I drove it last night and am like NO WAY, THAT IS TIGHT!

 

Thanks! This is the kind of information I started this thread for!

No big deal, just wanted other MINI owners input who had or did not have the feature!

Good example....to me it's not that big of a deal either way. I drove for UPS for over 8 years & it is going to take a lot more than a puddle splash to obliterate my view or break my concentration on my entire surroundings....but that is a very good analygy & exactly the kind of input I started this thread for... Sounds like you are in favor of the auto-sensing wipers?

OK, I am saying this since you quoted me and not someone else here.... I definitely do not think I am "wonderful" because of my chosen option and no where in this thread did I try to indicate that I did think that! If anyone took a comment of mine as a "smart alec" post, Sorry!...It was not intended for that purpose in any way!

I started this thread to get responses on a feature I just realized, I had...or that I finally had the chance to use, and I wanted to know what other MINI owners thought of their chosen option! THANKS TO ALL who have responded!

If I irritated, seemed smart-alec to, or offended anyone I APOLOGIZE!