I can't speak about 2nd gen but I can about 1st gen and if this is a list of complaints, I gotta agree with some ppl here. This ain't nothing. Sounds like you got a decent car there.

 

I'm still just too darn happy that I finally was able to get the Mini that I've been drooling over for a few years now. Every make and model car will have its things to be irked about. I'm still just having too much darn fun to find problems.

Some of you folks need to just go for an enjoyable ride and think about why you bought this car to begin with. It's a Mini thing and some buyers just don't understand. Yes, we need a bumper sticker on that last statement I do believe.

 

I definitely agree about the seatbelts. I'm tall and I still can't fit, in spite of various seating adjustments. I don't think it is a safe belt when it fits next to my neck instead of across my chest!

 

Maybe this should be a sep' thread but here goes.....

I've an 02 S - early build, son is now driving it as his daily....and recently brought home an 07 S...I've about 2 weeks on it now; almost 500 miles

My biggest 'gripe' started b4 I bought the new one. It appears to me that MINI/BMW went on a campaign to shut off owner mods.....

1) SUPER CHARGER boost improvement? Pully job. Equiv for a TURBO?
1a) I'm sure someone will release an intake some day.....
1b) for that matter, I can't even find brake pads yet .... EBC PLEASE HELP the dust is killing me

2) Tired of service dept over tourq of the oil bung? old = Fumoto valve.... new = who would put one of those on a bottom facing drain?

3) Change the radio head unit? Where IS the radio head unit?

4) Can I keep my Whalen shift ****......noooooo (but I doubt he'll complain if I buy another.)

5) I'd think that a redesign would solve the oil filter location problems.....I guess that engineer got another bonus... You must MOVE something to get to the filter..... Oh joy.

Please add to my list. I like my 7 but I miss my 2. My 7 keeps reminding me of my 1975 Cutlass Salon....b4 GM really screwed up the Cutlass.... oh damn the Cutlass was dark green with a white landau and the 7 is BRG/white

 

The inside rear view mirror is too big and I'm sick of looking around it when I drive.

 

However, it has more power than most modded R53s, and mods will be coming.

Have you looked in the mods forum? Alta has one out and DDMWorks is about to release one.

Hawk claims they are working on them, but it wont be until early next year.

Yea, that is kind of annoying.

Knowing where it is wont help you. The head unit is much too integrated with the OBC to be replaced. Things were simpler in the old days.

If you had one of his billiard ball *****, or one of my wooden *****, you'd just need a new adaptor. On the other hand, what would your son use?

One screw, is it that big a deal? I suspect that its placement was determined by where it best served the engine over how easy it was to access.

You couldn't pay me to drive a Cutlass, not now, not then.

 

It seems the R56 is a perfect case of "you can't please all of the people all of the time but you can please all of the people when the engine is running".

 

I have a few little "nags" on my R56, One is the sport button, the pushing the button every time I start the car is dumb, I bought an "S" why do I have to push another button for it!! Next is the key fob does not work from far enough away. Last it should have come from the factory with a alarm as standard in this day in age. Oh one more thing I also would like a regular shade for the sunroof and not a screen. All in all I am very happy with my R56 and would buy it again. I drive this car very aggressive and it still sips fuel at 32MPG and leaves a smile on my face every time I arrive!!

 

how far to you need it to work? i can unlock and lock my doors from at least 20 feet. no the windows only start to go door when i'm within 5 feet of the car.

 

I have a few gripes, but most people think I am cray-zeee for the main one.

1) I DIDN'T WANT POWER WINDOWS, dangit. This is really against the entire auto industry. Why can't they make a car I want to drive without them? Of the cars I considered, only the Caterham and Lotus allow you to get manual crank windows, and the Caterham does not really have windows. I swear I will come to peace with this someday, but it just seems like the auto industry hates me.

2) How come all the good looking wheels are 17"? I ended up with 16" bridge spokes, because I knew why the ride was bad on the 2 cars we drove with 17" wheels. But dang, some of the 17"s looked good. Oh well, aftermarket wheels later.

3)(Partially) Blocked hood scoop. Why block up the airflow at what is obviously the hottest part of the engine bay? Ram air I do not expect, it would not do that much on a turbo car, anyway. But come on, how can just a little bit more air in the engine bay be a bad thing? Don't mention rain, a little water on the outside of the engine should not hurt it.

4) Yeah, the sport button. The car has the throttle response of my wife's TDI for the first half of the pedal travel with the sport button off. I always almost stall after reversing out of a parking place, then hit the button. I think that I will make a sign telling me to press it, and place it on the dash until someone hacks the button.

All in all, pretty small fish. I already have workarounds or fixes in mind for all but #1. I know that is not gonna change unless there is some sort of gigantic shift in the auto industry, and I am not sure I want that. I have driven and worked on cars built in the 60s-00s, and they really are better than ever in most ways. (Don't believe me? go fool around with a vacuum advance distributor and get back with me.) This car is almost the pinnacle of automobiles in my mind at the moment. It is the first car I've owned that is a better car than I am a driver, and I have had a few fast cars. I was able to pick the options I wanted without being forced in to packages that had crap that I did not want. Everything is a compromise, but this car is pretty flexible sports car.

Now, ask me the same question when it has reached 100,000 miles. If it can match the Fords I've bought and inherited for reliablility, my response will be even more shining. Only 999,450 more miles to go!

 

I would say 50 feet, Why have the window roll down when I am nearly to the car? It does not give the interior enough time to let the warm air out. You notice I did not say "hot air" out. No use hanging a target on my back This is totally unrelated but Mini really did their homework on child Car seat fitment, I dont know how many of you use car seats in your Mini but their latch sytem is FANTASTIC! I wish our 06 Pilot worked as slick.

 

the thing that irks me the most is I don't have one and can't wait to get one. But now, since the 08' pricing is out on the website, the car is going to be $2000+ more than it was two days ago.....now out of my price range.


I AM PISSED.

 

I almost waited for the 08, got my 07 in june, glad I didn't.

But you shouldn't be so sure about 2k more being out of your price range, I ended up paying 2500 over what I thought was my budget! I wanted it, I got it, I love it and my first payment didn't seem to hurt too much.

 

This too is my bigest gripe.