My very early build (week 3) R56 had what could only be described as having a warning tone akin to an ice cream truck with a speech impediment.

Picked up my newer (week 32) replacement R56 and was pleased to find out that the tone had been banished and replaced by a digital sounding DONG (although MINI refers to it as a GONG in the stereo controls).

The new cruise control feature shows your current set speed in the tach below a crescent (resembling a frown).

Update: Also forgot to add when you depress the "Sport" button it appears as "SPORT" in the display.

My PFMs (powerfolding mirrors) are much quieter - the week 3 versions always seemed like they were one step away from breaking - whether there was a lack of lube in the rollers they just never sounded right - according to my rabid car enthusiast friend Mike, the Week 32 version "sounds like the set off a MB S550 sedan."

I opted for PW/B and LOTH (combo blue and black leather/cloth seats) - they seem to be even more comfortable than the checked cloth only seats I had in my Week 3 prod.

Clutch takeup seems to have been repositioned and it's not as high on the clutch travel as it was with the week 3 production model. Gearbox changes are very BMWesque.

The only thing missing that would make it an 08 is the USB functionality (cutout area duly noted by the AUX input).

All for now - I'll post some pics later.

 

How much $ did you lose on the week 3 build .I'm asking because I might do the same .

 

Yes, why did you get rid of the week 3 and opt for a new one???

Also, does it have the auto-up driver's side window? That should be a new 08 feature as well.

Congrats on your new car. It sounds great!

 

Can't discuss my deal unfortunately - it's a legal agreement between me and BMW/MINI. Suffice to say problem solved and I'm happy with the resolution with the replacement of my Week 3 MINI R56.

No auto-up driver's side window.

 

Good to hear, since I'm a week 34; however, I wonder if the build quality is still good enough. Still seem to see many problems around the boards, especially with the sun roof and the 3-2 squeal sounds like a nightmare.

 

Like you I have read all of the posts about some issues some new owners are having. If you compare the number of the "issues" to the number of Mini's produced each week (approx 4,300) and to the number of NAM memebrs that have not had any "issues" you should see as I do, the percentage is not large.
I have had Skeeter for two weeks now and the last four days he has been treking around in temps as high as 109 degrees. Granted he only has 1045 miles on the ODO at this moment, but I have had none of the issues posted on NAM such as :

1) AC not cooling well (been working fine set at 72 derees)
2) Sunroof (no noise, shades stay shut, works as designed)
3) Excessive heat of bonnet ( I can put my hand on the bonnet at anytin after being driven and yes it is "warm" but no where near burning)
4) weeping (the rear washer had a slight weep, dealer knew how to fix, no more weeping)
5) No CEL issue (not saying it may not happen, but the posts I have read it appers to happen shortly after delivery)
6) No clutch,transmission, engine noises at all.

I did have a minor issue with the hactch unlatching, happened 3 times. Well having the Ipod installed I mentioned the issue, they found the cable had been damaged and it was replaced. Now it could have happened at any point including the day and a half it was at the shop I used for the clear bra/tinting as Skeeter went right from delivery to the shop.

So in my opinion your concern about "build quality is still good enough" is nothing to stress about. The Mini build/quality control is not the issue, the issue is there is no such thing as 100% 0 defects in anything you buy. What matters is when those units with issues show up, does the company prodcing the units solve the issues.

Good luck and hope you take delivery soon and have trouble free motoring.

 

Yah, I was wondering if the 3-2 and heat issues ever got resovled. From what i've read there has only been temporary solutions or something along those lines, but I couldn't find anything definitive. I would love to see the stats on whether most of the problems announced are earlier builds.

 

For owners that think Min's have problems, at least from what I have found on the web, at least Mini attempts to ressolve the issues.

In November of 2004 I purchased a new 350Z for $38k. I was good for the fisrt 9k miles or so, then the road noise gradully increased. The 04 has a problem of wearing out the front tires, Nissan would replace them once and then expect owenrs to sign a release of further responsability. The cd changer ate 3 cd's before they replaced it, that took a month. The 04 was in the shop every 3 - 4 weeks and at 18k miles, I traded it off on the 2006. Being assured the 04 issues had all be resolved.
The 06 was a convertible and ran out to $40k. Had zero issues it with it till 18k miles, on the usual commute to the bay area (63 miles one way) during the last 30 miles the clutch went from working as usual to not having any clutch left at all, from the smell inside one knew it was totally fried.
It was hauled to the dealers, and to make a long story short, they claimed "not usual wear/tear". SO they were saying after my over 46 years of driving standard transmissions, I abused it and I had to pay the $2,300 repair bill. Well it was in the shop for four days, I went the Mini route, dumped the Z and took a $10k loss.
In searching on the web, the Z's can have a problems with the clutches, going out in as little as 400 miles, Nissan needs a class action suite to force them to take responsability. I'm now in a legal battle with Nissian, my point is after $80k in Z's and having a company that will not stand behind there product, Mini looks more like a company that does care......at least some.

 

I wonder if a "programming" upgrade would add this functionality?

 

Awesome! Aside from the auto up windows (which really isn't THAT big of a deal) those are the main features I was waiting to be introduced in the 2008 MCS; major kudos to MINI for introducing them early

 

BIG change I discovered when I went to put on my previous gen R99 wheels - MINI has moved to an ACTIVE tire pressure monitoring system. I noticed the valve stem covers are MUCH bigger. Evidently there are some electronics behind the valve stem that transmit tire pressure and temperature to a sensor. That sensor then alerts the master control for lack of a better term and alerts if something is amiss. Since those sensors actually sit inside a slight cutout in the wheel there is no guarantee that my TPS would work correctly. So I've decided to sell my R99s (with only several thousand miles on them) and just continue on with my all-season 16's. :-(