I took delivery of my MINI yesterday ... here are some pics





I wanted to take pictures of the engine and so, I pulled the lever inside on the driver side. Then I looked in the manual and was trying to press the release handle under the bonnet to opening it and just could not do it.

I don't know if it requires a lot of pressure or I am doing it wrong. This is the one thing that I missed to ask my MA during delivery. Now, I don't want to go back to the dealer (1hr drive) and look silly.

Anyone has experienced any resistance from the release handle under the bonnet while opening bonnet or it is just me.

The car otherwise is great. I haven't checked out all features, still cannot get past the looks. This is my first manual transmission car, so maybe will take couple of weeks before I can really have fun with it.

Congrats on your new MINI!

One trick to help ease bonnet release is to use your other hand to lift the bonnets' weight off the latch while you're pressing the release. That helps tremendously.

Is not only you. I have that experience also..hehe.. hold your hand on lever and then press the lever hard and move the bonnet up and down gently then lever pressure release and it will open!! ^-----^ My english level is short I can't explaine with detail sorry

Isn't the bonnet release on the passenger side???

Driver side

Not on the 2nd gen R56. It is at the driver side...

Maybe its time to hit the gym.... I guess I have to wrestle with it some more. If there are any pictures available to show what I am dealing with... I would appreciate it.

on a side note: how do you make the attached pictures bigger?

The hood release mechanism on my R55 Clubman works with little or no effort. If yours is balky I'd have the dealer adjust it so it's easier to open.

congrats on the car. Don't feel too bad, when i first tried to open the bonnet at the dealership I could not figure it out either.

One trick to find the lever under the hood, is to draw a line in your mind from the drivers side washer jet...straight down towards the front of the car. This is where the release arm is on the underside of the hood.

(You click on attached pictures to make them bigger in a new window - site has size restrictions on photos for space-saving.)

They're right - after you pull the inside relase lever (new models = drivers side; 2006- models, passenger side) go back out to the front. Lift the bonnet a little w/ your left hand until you feel it hit resistance...and then you'll have to look silly poking your head down to see where you're going while feeling around the driver-side headlight for the latch. it's not easy, and it takes a bit of practice to look COOL doing it, but... You'll get the hang of it.

It took me a while to figure out that the actual lever to release the hood is near the lip of the bonnet itself, i.e. you have to press upwards with your fingers towards you to release it. It's unlike any other hood I've dealt with.

That 'safety-release' was a little stiff on mine as well, I could only move it by putting the pressure on the rear portion of it.
Lifting on the forward edge caused it to 'bind' and not move easily.

A little lube cured that, lubricated the main latches and cables as well, after reading in here about failures due to lack of factory lube.

Took me several frustrating attempts to try and open the bonnet but finally managed.The latch is rather difficult to find at first and then press but once it is open note where it is for the next time.Plus like was posted earlier by Minidrivr use the driver side washer jet and trace an invisible line down to the front for the location.

Thanks for the response. I am pretty much sure that I am pressing the right thing. I can see the spring, the pivot and the hook by looking through the gap. There is a very little clearance between the latch handle and the inner bonnet surface, making it difficult to press it. Maybe the spring is stiff or it needs lubrication, or worse the handle is bent

I don't really need to see what's inside... but its something thats bothering me. Maybe I should wait till my next dealer visit.

It's also something you OUGHT to be able to do - so let it bother you until you get it down pat! Are there any MINI-ers near you to give you physcial hand (vice cyber hand)? Try somebody in your local motoring club.

My bonnet release lever on my R56 is on the passenger side but I do have a right hand drive MINI . I also had difficulty opening mine when I first got it, in fact the cable snapped in the first week of ownership. It shouldnt be difficult to open, I would have the dealer look at it.

yea same here when i first got my baby, it takes some getting used to but yea, just lift the weight of teh bonnet of it a bit and then push and itll come right up

Incorrect for 2008 model of an R56. I find the release on mine by starting at the right side of the bonnet scoop (as I face the bonnet). Draw a line from the right seam (not the opening) to the front edge of the bonnet. The latch is there.

Our 2006 has the latch below the light as described. On the second generation when they mounted the headlight on the body instead of integrated with the bonnet, they had to move the latch.