Since I was pressed for time I had to buy from the dealerships limited stock on hand.BTW I do love my '08 MCSa as is but if I could do it all over again...

Wish I had:
MINI Nav,MINI Hi-Fi,Anthracite headliner,DSC and Lounge leather w/lumbar support.All Dark Silver instead of all Chili Red.Also the JCW engine upgrade package.

Wish I hadn't purchased:
Sunroof after finding out the sun shades are useless in Florida,17" wheels with runflats due to the extra cost and added weight of both.But that is how the car came.

 

Good thing you dont' live near me as I might need to keep an eye out for you puling the old switcheroo between my JCW & yours!

(but then you'd still have sunroof & 17" rims... so I guess I should be safe anyway )

 

First off, I have already traded my R56 for a different car. I didn't order the car though; I just bought one off the lot that had most of the options I wanted.

I had a lightning blue '07 S, with auto trans, DSC, anthracite headliner, piano interior trim, the Boost audio system, speed-sensitive wipers, and sunroof. It had no rear fog light, no traction control.

I wish I had the Xenon headlights. The regular halogens are very, very poor in lighting dispersement. I even swapped out the bulbs for the Sylvania Silverstar bulbs ($45 item), and that helped just a little bit. It made it somewhat driveable at night.

I wish I hadn't bought an automatic. My biggest gripe is the sensitivity of the gas pedal (drive-by-wire) upon takeoff. In normal mode, the car will not go with a soft right-foot. But once the pedal reaches a certain point, the computer registers the pedal position and the car just jerks off the line. In Sport mode, the pedal is more linear and does not do that. But in Sport mode, the pedal is harder and the steering is harder. Keep in mind that the car starts in normal mode and you keep having to turn on the Sport mode every time you start the car.

When coming to a stop, the automatic downshifts the car is slowing. It's not so bad, except right before you come to a full stop, the car is still downshift back to first, and that causes the car to keep lunging forward. It's not a comfortable feeling. Get a manual transmission.

I wish I got the manual tranny with the limited slip differential. With the automatic, there is LOTS of torque-steer on a hard launch.

The stereo is one more thing to gripe about. I like listening to MP3 discs in random order with the full title of the song showing. The Boost system resets the random feature and the title feature every time you turn the car off. I have to turn on the random and switch to show the titles every time I start the car. Annoying.

The full sunroof roof was a great idea ... until the temperatures reached 90 degrees or so. I live in Sacramento, CA, so those types of temperatures aren't unheard of during the summer months. Anyway, I work about 20 miles away and the AC hasn't cooled down the car enough by the time I get home. And that's freeway driving. The auto AC is still going on fullblast and I'm still warm. Not hot, but still warm. The lack of an actual sunroof blocking panel (don't know what it's called) doesn't help.

The speed-sensitive wipers are a pain too. When my windshield (and rear window) is dirty, I like to turn on the wipers full speed and then go out and spray water from the hose to clean the windshield before I go to work. Doesn't work. In park, the wipers are on normal speed at best, even with the wipers turned on all the way. The car has to be moving a little for the wipers to turn on full speed. And for the rear, as long as the car is in park or drive, it is intermittent. The only time it really goes to normal speed is when you are in reverse and the car is moving. No workie for what I use it for.

Ok, one last thing, then I'll stop. The interior material is cheap cheap cheap! For something that BMW supposedly owns, I am not impressed. The door panels scratch too easily, and inadvertently.

Oh, one more then I promise ... the runflats are awful. They are noisy and bumpy. It's not the suspension either. Okay, I'm done.

 

I'm curious now. what did you end up getting to replace the mini?

 

...and also @ nytwolf, wondering how much did you lose on the deal turning it around in a year? (wondering how my car should hold its value)

 

LOL.

With an evil grin.

 

If you want the iPod integration, make sure you specify that you want the "secret compartment integration." Otherwise, the iPod connection is at the base of the console and the iPod sits front and center for the world to see.

 

...too late for me I guess. :( edit: I do always take the iPod w/me and never leave it in the car anyway, so it probably doesn't matter.

 

I got an 08 Infiniti G35 sedan. I lost $4000 on the trade-in. Not too bad.

 

I'm getting the Euro style installed by Minspeed tomorrow. I now have the factory armrest and I'm getting rid of it. The Euro style is really useful an it's very comfortable.

 

Rear fogs @ $100 as a check option , but since I bought off the lot. I bought Bogus lights for $60.

 

Would highly recommend getting the cold weather package regardless of where you live. Living in SC I did not think I needed it back when I spec'd out my Z3 in 97 and have always regretted it. Now as I spec out my 4th Mini a JCW here in Phoenix on a 112 degree day, I'm still adding it and always will. When it's 50 here, I'll be glad I did.

The armrest slides open all the time--I'm going with the Euro next time. The Xenon lights are well worth it, also always go for the better stereo with a BMW--unless your going to do an aftermarket. Won't order the rear fogs this time. Cloth seats are great and brushed aluminum dash is very nice. Multi-function steering wheel I have no need for and wouldn't do again.

Cheers.

 

I had the butt warmer in my Z3 and it was nice because it was a convertible but I don't miss it in my mcs.

 

@debiw
I'm down here in Tucson and contemplating the cold weather package for my first MINI (I'm from Montana originally, so it feels wrong not to have it). What did you regret about not having the cold weather package?

And tell me, do you have the sunroof? If so, how does it work for you up in Phoenix?
I love the moonroof on my current car (mostly at night), and would sorely miss not having something similar on a MINI... but my moonroof has a solid shade for the midday sun.

 

Just a thought on nav systems...I have a cell phone outfitted with GPS and I think it's so much more convenient than having something stuck in your car.
It goes everywhere with me (the boyfriend's car when we don't take the MINI) and works great--I stick the bluetooth in my ear for the audio. I don't think I personally would spend the big bucks on that option...but for others, maybe it works.

 

I'm in Chandler, and I ordered the CWP as well . We get plenty of freeze warnings in the winter

 

Not that anyone should plan their car based on resale, but a built in NAV system will lower the resale value of a car. It's actually better to buy a Garmin or something similar (like your phone GPS) and use that instead.

 

+1 on the negative comments on built-in Nav. That just seems the biggest waste of money to me. It's overly expensive at $2K, you're stuck with what you get, and you can't use it anywhere else.

I bought a Garmin Nuvi 760 for less than $500 and for another $100 I added the MSN Direct receiver for traffic and weather reports, gas prices, etc. I can update the maps every year at a reasonable price (about $70...I remember BMW charging $200 for updated map DVDs), and I can use it in other cars, which is especially handy when I go on business trips and have a rental -- I just program all my routes in advance before I go.

Now that I'm switching from an M3 to a JCW I just carry my Nuvi and mount to the new car. If I had been buying built-in nav, that would have been a $4K expense for something that's not even as good (BMW does not have a rep for great nav) instead of $600.

 

Well I cant comment on the Mini nav. except that it looks fantastic, but I do think its way overpriced (like all factory equipped navs). I have a Nuvi 650 in my MCS, and an Eclipse 6620 in my Audi (which is a 7" DVD based Nav. double din HU).

I really prefer the Eclipse Nav over the Garmin, the larger screen, better software and added search features just make it so much better/easier to use. It was over twice the price of the Garmin though, and obviously isn't an option to put in my MCS.

 

I got the nav and love it but I put it in all my cars since I don't want to hassle with taking one out depending on which car I drive that day. The only thing that sucks is the idrive stick I wish it was touch screen but I hate cleaning the fingers prints so it works out ok. :-)

How would Nav lower resale value? It is only a plus I single out all cars without nav when I am searching for a car.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...ale-usat_N.htm

 

If I were buying a used car, I would base the value on it as if it didn't have nav, especially since I'm not likely to use it. Not to mention, built-in nav has been superseded by technology advancements (GPS chips, software, etc) by the time you go to sell it. In fact, built-in nav is probably yesteryears tech by the time it even rolls off the factory floor.

 

Bulit-in Nav:

From the provided article it looks like
1) Higher Absolute Value
2) Lower Relative Value

So, the price of the car will be a little more, but the overall depreciation rate will be higher.

I originally bought vehicles (new and used) with factory installed nav, but lately, I seek out the vehicles without factory nav, since the portable units work great and are convenient and inexpensive in comparison.

Theft is an issue of course with the portables.

 

I generally just remove it from the mount if I'm in a hinky area and either stow it or take it with me. The Garmin Nuvis are generally pretty portable and fit well in tight hiding spaces.

 

Yeah, I do the same. I love my Nuvi.

A friend had their portable stolen from their driveway. I suspect they left their door unlocked since their was no sign of forced entry, plus the unit was in plain view.