I bought my 2004 MC auto from a private seller and will be taking it to the dealer to get some minor things done. I would like some suggestions on programmable options.

1. I hate the fact that it locks at 10 MPH so I will have that changed.....If I don't do it soon someone will rip my door handle off!
2. I want all locks to open with one touch of the remote so I will have that changed......I hate the fact that I am forever walking from the back of the car to unlock the boot!
3. I want to change the auto-open windows.......I can't lower the window by a small amount because a quick touch activates the auto open......can this be changed?

I am interested in knowing what options are recommended for:

1. The wipers
2. The lights
3. Any options for the climate control?

Any other thoughts?

 

Direct answers......

The autolock is lovely, it means that nobody can open my door or my boot from the outside while I am sitting in a traffic jam in downtown LA. Just explaining to people that its a double-pull prevents the 'rip the door handle off' issue. Smacking your ignorent ham-fisted passenger in the ear will also prevent it.

However, you can also unlock both doors and the boot from the little lock toggle switch - flick it up.

Single open option - again, I love the setting that you hate, coming back to my car which is parked in a parking structure, I'd rather it just opened the drivers door so that nobody can dive into the passenger side and steal my car / belonging etc.

When my wife is with me, I press the open button on the key twice, and both doors and the boot are unlocked.

The auto-open windows - again really easy to adjust to - if you tap it then you are activating the auto function, however, if you press and hold they open until you let go once you understand that you need to hold for about 1/2 second you can easily open the windows 1/2 inch or less.

As for the other things

Wipers - I have non-rain sensing - they come on when I tell them to. I prefer that.

Lights - again, they come on when I tell them to, and go off when I want them too.

Climate control - I leave it on Auto, and its set to 68 or 70f all the time.

 

When you do this does the A/C stay on all the time? I notice that when I set mine to auto it will turn the A/C on and it stays on, does this mean the A/C is always working thus killing my fuel consumption or only on when it needs to be?

 

Darn.....I guess I should have asked for suggestions on what options are available in certain categories.........oh wait.....I did!

But thanks for the book on how to option your Mini in downtown LA

Anybody have any real answers?

 

Real answers for what you want, or real answers on the available options?
For the latter, look here.

For the first 1/2/3:
1. That, or educate your passengers
2. Agreed - I did that.
3. MaxN has it right - no changing it, but you can change you.

For the second 1/2/3:
1. The only option is to not have them switch to intermittent when the car is stationary.
2. Lights? Other than DRLs, you can adjust the timing of the 'follow me home' feature.
3. No options on climate control.

Also, if you do a search on 'Programmable Options' you'll find many opinions.

 

It's always 'on' when the light is on, but the compressor isn't necessarily engaged. I always turn off the AC unless it's hot enough to need it on.

 

erm actually I explained the reasoning behind the functionality, and that anyone that tries to rip your door handles off is an idiot and maybe you should explain the function to them ?

Secondly I explained how to prevent it being an issue for the uninitiated - flick the lock switch UP as you come to a stop.

Third I explained how to open all of the doors and the boot - press unlock TWICE. From the inside, simply flick the lock switch UP.

All of these features are becoming standard on many cars due to the issues and concerns I outlined.

The AC - yes the light stays on - but if it is not required - its not drawing power (I guess thats the question, it was kind hard to figure it out).

Oh - and the book comment - my version is WAY shorter that the explanation in the handbook - try reading it

If you want your car re-programmed - talk to the dealer, they will quote you for it, I was just trying to help you to understand WHY things are like this and how to get around them or even take advantage of them.

 

Thanks for the link.....where can I find out what the cryptic text means?

 

Which cryptic text??
If you have specific questions, just post 'em and we'll do our best.

 

You explained how "you" like your car optioned.

I do not live in LA or anyplace like it (thank God). I do not want my doors to lock unless I lock them.

I want my remote to unlock "all" of the locks with one touch.

I am asking for knowledge/suggestions/recommendations regarding dealer programmable options.....not an opinion.

I am going to take it to the dealer as I said in the original post.....I'm curious just how much he will care about how "you" optioned your car? It will go like this.......Me.........."Some guy in LA said everybody should set their locks to do this" Dealer............"Let's figure out what you want for your car" Geee why didn't I think of that! Oh yeah.......I did!

 

Little Bit,

There are a lot of Mini's sold here in the US, the options are set to please the majority. The minority is broken down into the ill-informed and the well-informed camps. The ill-informed often do not realise or understand why things are the way that they are.

From your first post I assumed that you did not realize that you can unlock the whole car by pressing the key twice, or by flicking the lock/unlock botton twice. I figured that you where part of the ill-informed set. I guess that part of it was because you are convinced that someone is going to rip your door handles off.

My comments on that bit was that I tend to explain that its security feature. Secondly if the gorrilla in the passenger seat is too dumb to remember, then flick the unlock - simle as that really.....

Now that I know better, I will duck out of here, you have asked questions (well sort of, in a cryptic way), some of us have answered.

However, I would just like you to point out where I said that everyone should have things set this way, because I was simply explaining the reasoning, not that you or any other should do it 'my way' or in fact any other way.

 

Now that would be helpful...........

 

I just took my car in to have options set how I liked them. I looked at all the possibilities and settled on what fit me. I did keep the auto lock feature, being in a city it was nice. I did wish that I could not have them automatically unlock until I pulled the key from the ignition but that wasn't an option. I set my wipers to automatically go to pause/intermittent when I come to a stop at a light, that is nice. No squeaking of the blades across the windshield when it's not raining hard. Climate control... no options that I know of. I also had daytime driving lights programmed. I like the safety feature of people being able to see me coming so I had them set to be on.

Now... has anyone directed you to the post where there is a pdf download of the options that are programmable? No? Here it is. You can see what can be set and go from there as you figure out your needs. The dealer charged me a 1/2 hour programming fee (I think it was something like $35 or so) to set the options I wanted.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...3&postcount=33

 

Thanks PotterMom:

That is helpful. I actually did get that list but without knowing exactly what the two or three word explanations mean I will just go to the dealer and ask them to review them with me. It's just too bad that people are so quick to tell you how they do it, and why, rather than answer the question you asked.

Thanks again.

 

Little Bit,

Not trying to steer you toward anything. I only want to point out that a locked door will probably be safer during an impact collision.

Just a thought.

 

Good point ..... and I don't mind if they lock at 10 MPH but can they unlock when the car is put is park? Can they open with one pull of the handle? And can all of the locks unlock so I don't have to dig in my pocket or go to the togle panel to open the boot?

 

From the original post:
What's with the 'tude, dude? You asked for suggestions and thoughts. You got some. You didn't ask for a list of the available options, though that's apparently what you wanted (and that was provided as well.) If you don't understand the nomenclature on the document, ask specific questions and you can get answers.

 

No tude....and I'm not your dude.

I asked for options regarding some specific functions i.e. what "options" are available. I did not ask for lengthy opinions as to why someone may do it different than me.

I appreciate the link and I will get further explanation from the dealer as to exactly what each means. If you want to play medeator go query the person who answers a question with an opinion.

 

When you end your post with that it opens the thread for further discussion, so don't complain when people are trying to help, or even give an opinion.
If you don't want people to comment then try not to ask people for their thoughts, also try either reading the user guide or calling the dealer before jumping on someone for answering a post.

 

I agree..that's some 'tude you got there Little Bit, even if you don't think you have a 'tude, dude

 

I sure am glad I live in Los Angeles.

 

There are two auto-unlock options. One is auto-unlock when the engine is turned off. The other (new for 2006) is auto-unlock when the key is removed. Yes, you can have everything including the boot auto-unlock.

 

Thanks

 

You can ALMOST get this. I have a friend with an 06 and hers unlocks everything when the key is turned off. It doesn't unlock in PARK, it waits until you switch off the ignition. I'm 99% certain that the boot also unlocks too.

As for wipers (the rain sensing kind) there is an option listed in the spreadsheet to make them MORE or LESS sensitive. There are also similar selections available on the spreadsheet for the sensitivity of the automatic headlights. On my Feb 05 build MCS, neither of those options were actually available on the programmer. (I stood over the tech's shoulder as he coded mine. He actually let me make the selections on the screen) I know this is long and confusing, but the spreadsheet says these are changeable whereas in reality they are not (at least on the software version my car is running)

I hope this helps.

Rawhyde

 

anyone have the list of programmable options for 03's?