I got fabric seats and not the cheap vinyl however I'm an *** dragger when I get out of the car and my door handle reminds me every time. Has anyone here purchased and installed a grounding strap?

suggestions? thoughts? links?

-Joel

 

Just touch and hold onto the metal on the door (somewhere, anywhere) as you get out. This works for any cloth seating situation. Has worked for me any time I sit in a cloth seat.

 

Hi Joel! I have the same seats and same issue...I always expect the SHOCK and have often wondered why it happens. I posted about this topic a few weeks back and most people say it's 'normal', happens on other cars(not specific to MINIs), etc. I really have no solutions, but this grounding strap sounds interesting. What is it and how can we get one...? Any thoughts appreciated!:impatient :impatient :impatient

 

I can't not endorse or support any of their products as I have not used any, but here is a link.

http://www.stopzap.com/

 

my 73 beetle did not have cloth seats but I would get shocked in that one, my Focus had cloth and I would get shocked as I got out of that one too. It tends to be based on the type of day. Such as low humidity. I found that by tapping the glass just before closing tended to resolve that problem 98% of the time. Granted you will have a bunch of fingerprints all over glass if you stick to that habit. But that shock kinda hurts if you ask me. Hasn't happened in a while, but used to occur at disneyland entering the space mountain ride, I would touch the hand rails inside and it would give me a good shock. I think that the goodyear tread on my shoes have helped to reduce that. Hmm, I wonder if the driving shoes are grounding me.

 

To the person who said touch metal on the way out, I presume he doesn't own a mini because that's impossible. A grounding strap will resole the issue, but I don't want to void any warranties installing it in the wrong place. I'll probably just ask my dealer to do it for me. It takes all of ten minutes.

 

what to have some real fun???? since you have stated you are an *** dragger... Next time you are filling up your Mini at the Gas station - put the nozzel in the tank and get it started... Now sit back in the car - wiggle around a bit then do your *** dragging to get out, walk straight back and touch the Gas Nozzel - Might want to check your Life ins policy first - this is exactly how people really get hurt - the above post says it right... As you are putting your feet on the grount, just hold onto or be touching part of the metal on the car - that will ground you and stop the 'spark'.... Be careful and remember if you get back in your Mini while filling up at the gas station... touch something eles before you grap the nozzel..

 

Gee, if only anyone actualy beleived that myth harley, perhaps you should spend some time watching mythbusters?

 

Are you refering to the "Cell phone" myth??? to that I agree, to my statment - that is a possibility - http://www.snopes.com/autos/hazards/static.asp

 

just fyi.


http://www.cartalk.com/content/colum...7/June/07.html

 

I've had a static problem with most of the cars I've owned. In the past, I've had some success with spraying the seats with Static Guard (from the laundry section of your supermarket or pharmacy). I don't need it any more because I got in the habit of touching metal as I get out. Usually I grab the metal loop on the door jamb (for the door latch) as I lift myself from the seat.

 

I had a Mazda MX-3 a while back. It actually had a spot on the door you could touch to ground out. Never shocked myself when I got out. I have always wondered why nobody ever duplicated the feature. It was fantastic. Having said that, in dry weather, to defeat the static shock, I usually let my calf touch the door sill when I stand up before I touch the door with my hand so that the shock goes through my leg and pants instead of my fingers. That doesn't bother me.

 

I got the "cheap vinyl" and haven't gotten shocked at all. When I had my WRX, though, I thought I'd get electrocuted... it was bad.

 

I own 2 R56's and have had several cars before the MINI's with cloth as well as leather interiors. If it's a cloth seat I have to sit in I always check the door of the car out for the best spot to touch, pinch or otherwise hang onto to exit.

</SOAP_BOX>

The MINI has an area you can touch and hold at the hinged end of the door or touch the inner door jam (where the tire pressure sticker is

 

Yes because I should lunch forward to hinge for the door instead of installing a grounding strap so I can get out of the vehicle instead of looking like a complete idiot doing leg lunges in the car!

No offense people, but if you don't have any experience with grounding straps and the mini I'm not at all interested.

 

I actually still own my MX-3, trying to sell it at the moment so I can buy me a mini. It seems there were a lot of questions about this little spot. For the uninitiated the "spot" looked like a little button with touch embedded in it. You couldn't push it and it didn't do anything except ground you. I'm sure allot of people received it's benefits though just from shear curiosity.

Aren't cars cool!

 

Glad to see someone else that has come to realize how simple it is to just touch metal and not worry about getting zapped. This shows there are others out there that try something (and can figure out ways to try it) first rather than dismiss it since they didn't come up with the idea first or whatever.

Look at the door next time you open it up and you can see metal that contacts the weather strip. This is a good place to touch as is the loop on the door opening where the door latches when closed as well as the roof of the car (or the metal exposed under the roof gutter strip (plastic part).

Just had to rant about the new guy on the forum commenting without trying it.

 

jjshoe, a simple youtube or google video search turns of tons of these, not that it proves anything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAaRk8vNLzo