I added rain-sensing wipers to my clubman post-order after finding out that the non-rsw include only a pre-set, fixed interminent speed and receiving very good feedback (on this forum) on the functioning of the rsw's.

Haven't received my clubman yet so can't speak from direct experience.

I ordered Hi-Fi (in premium pkg) and while I don't have high expectations (I have aftermarket speakers in present car), I agree with MiniTopher re A-Pillar tweeters...

 

+1 for the rear fogs. It is a must for this exact reason.

 

I didn't order rear fogs, but kicked myself later. It is the ONLY thing I would do differently if, Heaven forbid, something happened to Zippeee! I didn't get them because we don't get much fog here, and it's never bad enough to require special lights. It wasn't until the car was in production that I read someone's rationale for their order--rain. Of course! THAT we do get, and sometimes it's pretty bad. I remember driving my first week in the Houston area in the mid 70's, and using the little pavement bumpers to find the road! Oh, well.

 

We all vote differently. And of course, we're all firm believers in our choices. That's the beauty of MINI!

OK, the stuff below is my opinion only. I don't disagree with anybody else's decisions.

You should think about the purpose of your car and make sure your choices are consistent with that. For example, I built my car for freeway commuting when it is wet or too cold for riding my motorcycle, with an eye toward driving it to go skiing if my 4X4 PU gets too expensive. Plus, I really like to drive (probably too) fast. And I really like good music.

I believe my config below would come out to very slightly over $26K if you delete the upholstery upgrade. If I had to get below $26K, I think I'd delete that and the rear fog lamps (even though they're a screaming deal for $100).

I agree with comments above on the cold weather package. Seat heat is luxurious in cool weather.

I test drove every combination of S suspension and wheels short of JCW. I preferred the way SS/16" felt on the road. And I value compatibility with tire chains above looks. You may wish to note that you really don't save any money on the sports package if you really don't want one of the components in the package.

I chose LSD fairly early on after reading a lot of opinions. I don't buy the argument that they're only good for dry driving -- I know my PU LSD kicks in all the time when it's getting slippery, that's when I know I should already be in AWD.

I too have read some negative comments about the HiFi stereo, but I also read that it's way better than the base stereo (and if I read it on the Internet, it must be true...right?). I also read that it's easier to upgrade the HiFi with aftermarket speakers than the standard stereo. Deleting the stereo was never a really serious consideration. I believe you'll have a difficult time finding an aftermarket head to fit in the MINI center console. IMO, driver upgrades are way more effective than transport/D-A/amplifier upgrades (assuming enough power), so I'm betting that upgrading the HiFi speakers will address any shortcomings I find.

I don't like the automatic temperature control in Mrs. ()()=='s BMW 3 (XI). It's the only thing I don't like about that car.

I ride when it's nice, plus headroom with the sunroof is a bit of a concern for me, so I never seriously considered a sunroof.

I like auto-dimming rear view mirrors, but not for the price of the ala carte option.

I didn't think the Clubman felt as good on the road as the coupe -- less of that sweet gokarty feeling-- so I chose no on that after driving.

For me, DSC is just too valuable a safety feature during everyday and mountain driving to delete. I'll turn it off when I want to drive twistys and want control over trailing throttle effects.

One last little point: If you are sensitive about price, you may want to make sure you take into account dealer prep, licensing, and any sales tax. You may wish to aim somewhat below $26K MSRP if what you really need is $26K delivered. My "28 and change" MSRP car came in over 30 after dealing with all those costs.

All this said, my MINI is just now being built, so I haven't lived with many of these options (and omissions) yet. But for what it's worth ($0.02?), this is what I came up with.

Play with the configurator a lot. It's fun, plus you can really get a feel for what benefits the packages offer vs. ala carte options. Have fun!

 

Actually, I agree with pretty much what you wrote. I got 16's for the ride (never need chains!), LSD to help tame the torque steer, and wouldn't have bought the auto air control if it weren't for Hubby. His decision, in fact, made it even HARDER to get the ventilation I wanted. No on stereo upgrades (I have a tin ear, and listen to audio books mostly, anyway), passed on the auto dimming mirror, and got the DSC. The rest, like the sunroof, are just individual likes and dislikes. I don't ride motorcycles--this is my all-weather car. And I still came up at about 26,000 (can't remember exactly) INCLUDING sales tax, etc.

Not bad, but Hubby still wishes I'd considered other cars. I didn't WANT another car. I wanted a MINI!

OMG--just noticed--we got another smilie!