I am conditioned(40 years of driving) to expect a car door will open when I pull the ****, not just unlock the door, then requiring me to pull a second time to open it. A little aggravation in my opinion. Problem solved though through programming the door not to AutoLock.

 

It's a typical BMW trait, and all of our BMWs (except our '69), plus the MINI, have had it. Personally, I like it. I like the fact that the right side door doesn't automatically unlock, because that's where I keep my purse. Lately there have been videos on the news about "creepers," who are thieves who crouch down in gas stations and steal from the right side while the owners are busy gassing their cars on the left side. For urban areas, it's a little more protection against car jacking, although I realize this is uncommon. If you believe in locking your doors while in motion, it's one less thing to think about, and the double-pull quickly becomes automatic.

I started driving 45 years ago. I admit my 96-year-old father tends to forget, although he only rides in the car a few times a year.

 

WoooHoooo! I made it! Made it to the end of this thread. Took me 9 days, but hey, I was also taking time to drive the MINI.

It's only fitting that the most valuable player on this thread, yes you daffodildeb, answered my last post as she really has been informative along the way. There are others of course, but deb stood out for me. I think it was that she shared bits of her life along the way and you got to know her, not just learned about your MINI. We all know both her and her husband are German car enthusiasts, they're going to move to Arkansas one day, and they have a beautiful daughter.

It's been an enjoyable read, this thread, and it's nice knowing you all, especially you Deb!

Motor on!

 

Why, thank you! It's been my pleasure, and hope I didn't bore everyone else.

Actually, we did move to Arkansas, and we love it! We found a house with parking for 7 cars (yup, you read that right), room for a lift, and a lovely house attached to it all. All this in Hot Springs Village, which is the nation's largest gated community. I work out of the house, and have installed 2 bird feeders right outside my office window (one's for hummingbirds, and the other has 2 different types of seed). I just saw Hubby drive out in the '64 Porsche, on a test drive (he's been troubleshooting an electrical problem). There are lots of distractions to keep me from working, including wonderful twisties and various sports car clubs. Life is good.

If you ever get a chance to come to Arkansas, look us up! A good excuse to come would be MINIs In The Ozarks (MITO), held in Eureka Springs October 24-27, and hosted by the Arkansas MINI Owners Klub (AMOK). Most fun you can have with clothes on!

 

I have found that even my wife has gotten the hang of the double pull to get out. We don't take my car much together so it's not really hard to get used to.

 

I've found I'm so used to the double pull I end up doing it in the Nissan when I have to drive it. ( Pepper doesn't do dump runs )

Happy Motoring! SouthernMAMINIs.com

 

PULEEZE tell me a "dump run" is a trip to your area's landfill, and not to a local outhouse...

 

I must have "it" bad! Another thing I didn't know is the MINI would cause my girlfriend to have nightmares. Last night my girlfriend had a nightmare of me running away with the MINI. In the dream a friend told her that I inquired with him about a passport! I knew I was paying attention to my MINI, but I guess I need to pay a little more attention to her.

 

Not mine. She pulls the first time and when the door doesn't open pulls even harder. I swear, sometimes I think she's going to break the handle off. After she pulls hard for a bit she remembers and then pulls the second time. I quit saying "pull twice" because she always says "I am, I am" just after she bends the door handle.

 

Yes. I was talking about taking the trash and recycling to the local transfer station.

Happy Motoring! SouthernMAMINIs.com

 

My wife just had the seat heater on to warm her buns.

 

My wife does the same..

I've gotten use to nailing the unlock toggle as soon as we hit the driveway ramp.

I HATE THAT SHE DOES IT.

 

I have this theory. When a new passenger tries to open the door for the first time, 80% of men will release the handle and pull it a second time, whereas 80% of women will just keep pulling harder and harder on it. I'm not being sexist, it's just an observation.

My Skoda (which is a VW-copy ) door handles work the same - must be a general German thing.

 

Not sure it is a 'German' thing as i had three VW GTI before the MINI and believe all had a conventional single pull door release.
Two Audis as well that had a single pull door release.

Sent using NAMotoring

 

I don't have to pull my handles twice, 2010 S.

 

Do you have your doors set to AutoLock? If the doors are not locked, you don't have to pull twice.

 

Just rode to lunch yesterday in a Chevy Equinox and I had to pull twice to get out of the passenger door. Maybe MINI quirkiness is invading GM.

 

The double pull comes from BMW. Makes sense it would be on the MINI too

 

In the manual it shows how to have both doors open when the keypad unlock button is pushed. If this is set up, I think when the car turns off, both doors should unlock instead of just the drivers door.

Cheers,

Ken

 

Auto unlock is not an option without recoding the car.

 

I just set up my 2008 FJCW (yes that is 2008 build and delivered from the factory) to open with one pull of the door handle. The Australian manual shows how to program unlocking for either single door, or both doors with the onboard computer. Took all of 30 seconds. Now when the car is turned off, both doors unlock, and it only takes one pull to open. I did this because my 82 year old father keeps trying to break the handle by pulling harder when the door would not open. This is handy, as it is also programmed to lock the doors when I reach approximately 16 kph (10mph). It might be a North American thing that will not allow this to happen. My 2006 BMW X5 Diesel unlocks also when the ignition is turned off. On my 2005 Defender, I am lucky to have it be able to lock

Cheers,

Ken

 

Damn... Not in 2013 in the US... Frankly it's a huge oversight.. Just like my voice connect button being worthless... Auto lock at 10 mph, yes.. Auto unlock.. No...

 

Agreed. No go with the 2013's. I heard earlier models could be programed to unlock with the on-board computer settings.

 

Sorry to hear that, but you should have Bluetooth as standard, which I am researching at installing as an aftermarket (read very expensive) item

Cheers

Ken

 

I have a 2013 MCS (bough October 2012) and have coded the doors to unlock when the fob is removed (module CAS, variable ER_KEYOUT_AUTOVR). Google something like "mini coding NCS expert" to get started.