Please help folks; I'm confused (nothing new) and my MINI is close to going into production.

I've read up on the auto sensing wipers (which thus far I haven't ordered). Without reopening the whole question of whether people like this option, my questions are, for the '08 MC, are the the auto-sensing wipers rain-sensing, speed-sensing or some combination? Second, is the intermittent setting with this option "fixed" at one speed, set by the operator, or speed / rain sensing?

If I opt NOT to get this option, I have the same question RE: the intermittent setting.

Thanks.

 

I don't have the auto wipers but I do have the standard no cost wipers. In the intermittent setting there is no speed selection. The wipers will slow down when you are stopped and speed up when you are moving again. It is no where near as good a system as one that you can select 4 or 5 intermittent speeds.

At 1st I didn't like it. Now that I have had the car a year it is no longer a big deal to me.

Another thing to keep in mind is the cost of a replacement windshield is much higher with the rain sensing system.

 

All MINI wipers are speed sensitive, the auto sensing ones are rain sensing.

 

You mean rain sensing, they're all speed sensing.

That was the big reason we didn't go with rain sensing, we'd just had the shock of what a replacement windscreen cost, we didn't want an even bigger potential bill.

 

Ok, fixed it.

 

I have the rain-sensing wipers. There is no intermittent setting; they're either off, on low, on high, or on auto. The auto sensitivity is adjustable, so if you think they're wiping too much or too little, you can change it. I was impressed that they'll speed up on their own to the low (non-intermittent) speed if it starts to rain harder, so I've found that unless it's really raining hard, the auto setting is all I need.

 

Sorry, can someone elaborate more?

I generally get the rain-sensing wipers. Used them on my mothers 3 series and really dig em. Just to confirm, the sensitivity of the rain sensor is adjustable? I tend to be a "as low as possible" wiper kinda guy vs the type that has them on full blast when its just drizzle. There is a sensitivity adjust?

As far as the regular wipers, the intermittent only has 1 speed setting? I can't turn a little dial to speed up or slow down the intermittent? And, how exactly does this relate to the speed-sensing ability of the wipers? If I have on intermittent and am going 70, is the delay shorter than when I'm going 35? Or is that only for the full-on mode?

Basically, I can't decide whether to get or save the $250. I don't care about the auto-headlights. In fact I'd rather not have the auto lights. But I do find the auto wipers to be a pretty nice system, especially when it goes from drizzle to rain to nothing to rain, to a puddle, etc

 

Yes, I promise that there is a sensitivity adjustment for the rain sensor. Four settings.

The regular wipers only have fixed intermittent. No little dial. They're speed-sensing in that they slow down to the next lowest speed when you stop (from high to low or from low to intermittent). But the intermittent interval doesn't change.

The auto headlights are a separate position on the headlight ****; you still get the regular off position. So if you don't like 'em, don't use 'em.

 

Auto headlights are pretty nice too, there are three different sensitivity settings for them also (at least with nav, not sure about non-nav).

 

You can adjust the speed, its easy and love the wipers

 

I just wish that I didn't have to turn ON the Auto wipers. Personally, I want my auto wipers to just start wiping the minute they sense moisture on the windshield--not when I do.

The Auto wipers must be enabled when you turn on the car. If you don't push the Auto button each time you start the car, the wipers will never come on automatically.