My beloved 2007 Mellow Yellow R56 is nearing the end of its life. It's leaking oil like there's no tomorrow, and the diagnosis yesterday of needing a new oil-filter housing ($1500 per the dealer) has convinced me it's time to upgrade.

Generally speaking, it was an expensive car to keep on the road, even though I did 50% of the repairs myself. That said, I still loved driving it, so I'm willing to overlook a slightly high TCO and get a new one.

The dealership searched the region (Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota... etc.) and only found 3 in the color I want (volcanic orange), let alone other options, so I'm going on the assumption I'll be ordering-to-build.

So, my open question to you all is, of the newer features available, what are the must-have and/or don't-get options? I know I'm asking for opinions here, and I have my own ideas, but I'm looking for some out-of-the-trunk thinking. Anything you got that you regretted? Anything you didn't get that you still wish you had?

 

On the R56 : you can get the oil filter housing and DIY for far less. Its mostly the gaskets and not the housing, unless it was damaged or something.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...leak-pics.html







F56 2015 : LED headlights, LED fogs , heated seats, sport seats (they are a little wider on the bolsters now ) . HK stereo , Nav and MINI connected if you can swing it. Thats my picks.

 

I appreciate the heads up on the parts. It's not that I can't fix it. It just seems to be the start of a slippery slope into repair hell. It's still a great car for someone who likes to work on them--and has another car to use while doing repairs. I'm trying to sell/trade it while it's still worth something, and before I have to replace the turbo or something more significant.

Good tip about the sport seats. I drove a 2015 and the seats felt a little narrow. Still comfortable, but a little wider would be better. I'll check them out.

Is the HK stereo worth the $750? I don't mind paying for a better stereo, but that seems like a lot. Also, is the Nav worth it? I like the idea of a built-in nav, but have a hard time justifying it since I have a relatively new Garmin. I think it probably ads a few features?

 

I can empathize. I recently gave up my 2007 Mellow Yellow (FTW!) MCS when it developed oil leaks and transmission problems. I'm picking up my new Volcanic Orange manual MCS in a week.

I had the sports suspension on my '07 and I spec'd it again as I really like the tightness of the ride. I think that's a better option than they dynamic damper control as I doubt that I'd end up twiddling the ride all that much.

I got the nav, but it's mostly because I'm a gadget geek and I like having a live map in the car. I had the nav on my '07 as well and found that data entry was a pain and that it went out of date pretty quickly...ended up using my phone a lot when I needed directions instead of the onboard computer.

I think the HK stereo is a good buy. I'm driving a loaner Cooper from the dealer right now that has stock stereo and the difference is noticeable from the HK in my '07

I avoided the HUD (although lots of folks really seem to like that), the driver assist/adaptive cruise control (I do have the backup cam, makes city life nice), and the dynamic dampers but that's about it.

 

I've opted for the HUD-- I'm an avid gamer, so having information up on a HUD makes sense to me. And with the other options I had, I think it only adds $250 to the price.

Good info on the stereo and suspension. I'm not sure if my '07 has sport suspension (got it used), but I suspect it does. It has very tight handling, which I love. I'll take a closer look at that.

 

Wow, this could be written by me as well.

I am trading in my 2007 Mellow Yellow MCS tomorrow for a 2015 Volcanic Orange MCS as I'd be about to start riding the repair roller-coaster on my 7+ year old car.

I did go with the variable damper on the new car (after having driven the 07 with the Sport Suspension), but I'm looking forward to the less-harsh ride. When it was just me in the driver's seat I was okay with the jolts, but when I'd have a passenger, I frequently got embarrassed at just how harsh things could get. After two separate test drives of 2014 MCS's with the VDC, I'm not expecting much out of the system.

Had the NAV, getting the NAV. Skipped the HUD (though www.navdy.com is an appealing alternative -- and one which apparently will work with polarized sunglasses to boot). The consensus of NAM when I got my 07 was that the HK was not really a significant upgrade to the stock radio (I would agree), and that for the F56 the HK is a real boon. I had the HK and am getting the HK.

I was intrigued by the drivers assist package, but the barrier to entry was significant (needed to also get the park assist function, for significant $$). Since that was an intriguing feature mostly to see how well the technology works, I didn't feel too badly about leaving it out. I did, however, take the back-up camera, as that's clearly a safety feature, and there have been enough times that I'd have liked to have one for my R56.

In terms of packages on my new car tomorrow, I have them listed here.

 

Personally I think the LED headlights are a must. They are significantly brighter. I think the sport seats in the F56 are a tad annoying to get into as it seems like I always crash right into the part that sticks up a little higher on the sides. Course that could just be me. Depending on where you live, the heated seats could be a must have as well.

Having had an MCS without H/K stereo and now having a JCW with, I would suggest getting it. Unless you plan on putting in a different after market stereo system. I also think comfort access is a must but if you're used to getting your key out of your pocket and sticking it in the ignition, then it could be different for you.

I would pass on the sunroof and auto A/C though on my next MINI. The sunroof makes my car hot in the summer, it's noisy and it's a pain having to buy the shades for them. I end up changing my temp and fan speed a lot so auto A/C only does me good for maybe ten seconds throughout my drive.

 

Xenon or led lights are a must. Pass on a sunroof, I never use it. I really like the auto AC and wipers.

The best stereo. (and even that isn't enough. Lol)

I really like the cloth seats, but the recaro's are an option, I'd get them.

And no, I'm not a young guy, but I still like fast, loud, and sporty...lol
( I just turned 58 )