I got my '08 Cooper two months ago, and this week I learned (on a few occasions) what happens when I enter my car during a rainstorm. When I open the door, a stream of water pours from the roof onto the driver's seat. The same thing happens to the passenger seat if I open that door. I had to go into work with a soaking wet butt. The next day I remembered to bring a towel. Isn't that what the rain gutters are there for? My '06 Mini didn't have this problem. Anyone else? I have a sunroof, but otherwise it's a rather standard Mini. The car is parked on a level driveway.

 

You are not alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

OMG.....I HATE WHEN THAT HAPPENS. Once in the summer it had rained in the afternoon, and when I started driving with the window partially open it POURED all over the left side of my body. At least I have leather seats.

 

What can you do?

 

Carry a 2-by-4 in your MINI.
Lay the board under the driver's side when you park.
With the car tipped, the rainwater will run off
(This is the only time studded snow tires are permitted in many states.)

Just be sure not to turn off the engine when you do this, unless it's already warmed up, else you will have the cold-start rattle. But at least you will be dry while you obsess over the noise your engine is making

 

Well, it's a British car and they don't get much rain there...

 

wtf i hate this but feel better now that i no its not just me.

 

Dont open the door in the rain.....

 

Me too, I guess we can park it on the curb. Driver side.

 

Same thing happens with snow. Its a fairly bad design flaw. Still love my mini though!

 

Wow, how does that get by quality control? And seemingly every 'professional' review. I'm not one to jump on bandwagons of when a mechanical part fails. That happens with everything, but rain isn't exactly an infrequent occurrence to miss in testing :-p

Guess I'll be pondering ways to work around that when I get mine.

 

on rainy days just cover yr seat(s) with big microfiber towels.

I used to have to do this with my 05 S at the car wash, lest water'd get all over the red cloth

 

I park in the last parking spot at work (on purpose), next to a fence and a fellow co-worker (he knows I'm OCD about my car), at night when it is dark and I'm backing out of the spot I roll both windows down so I can listen for what could happen (but hasn't yet). The other night it was raining pretty good and as my window went down a steady stream of water ran down the door and into the door pocket, I got a little wet as well. Until Vent Shades are made for the MINI this is just something we will have to learn to live with.

 

This is one of the first things I noticed about my MINI right after taking delivery because it was a rainy part of the year. The boot lid drips too. But neither of them seemed to drip very much, I've never been soaked. But I keep a small hand towel in the car just in case.

This is number 3 on my "Top 5 things I don't like about my MINI" list.
Of course, number 4 is "I can't complete my "Top 5 things I don't like about my MINI" list"

 

I feel your pain...or your wet butt.

On second thought, I'll stick to the pain .

 

Try this with about 6" of snow on the top of the car.

 

It's a bummer, but it's simply the shape of the car. The R53's did it too. My best effort is to slowly open the door so I don't disturb the drips on the rain gutter until I've gotten in the car.

 

Try this:

When you get in, don't plunk down like you normally do (weight dependent). Just glide into the seat as fast as you can and grab the door and close.

What I found was the sudden downward trajectory of the vehicle when I plop into the seat (I'm 175 lb and 6') caused more water to pour right at that critical spot. But if I got in with less downforce to the seat, and shut the door fast enough, I got very little water.

 

What Eric (Plug Guy) suggests is very true (don't plunk down) and I would like to add that before opening the door, you blow hard on the rain channel to lower momentarily the water level (not foolproof, but everything helps).
My Mini also has the leaky back window. Taking it in on Monday to have that fixed.

 

Eric,, that would make a great "how to" you tube video...

Seriously,I have never heard this before, I am not looking forward to getting rain water dumped on me on rainy days..

 

In Oregon a wet butt is considered a good omen.

 

There is no way to quickly get in before it drips when the car has a fresh coat of wax on it!

 

Run your finger underneath the rain channel to get rid of the hanging drops of water. Works for me, I havent had a wet butt yet.

 

good to know, haven't had my mini out in the rain yet but its inevitable. Also wondering if anyone in snow areas has noticed that when its snowy and windy, snow seems to accumulate inside the doors? (not inside the sealed cabin, but on the wall where the door latch is?)

 

I just have my wife hold an umbrella over me while I'm getting in, after she's used a tea towel to dry the area at the top of the window.

Right.