Well thanks to MINI's current financing options I am looking at upgrading from my '07 Cooper S to a drop top. Here is what I am looking at for options and such.. any thoughts? feedback?


MUST HAVES: MINI COOPER S Convertible – 6 Speed Manual – Goal of under $30,000 MSRP to stay reasonable – Owners Choice 3 yr/45k miles
COLORS: Horizon Blue, Interchange Yellow, British Racing Green or Midnight Black (from first to last choice)
TOP: Black (sorry the blue and brown look ridiculous)
16” Black Bridge Spoke Wheels
All Season Tires
Cold Weather Package
Leather Multifunction Steering Wheel
Hi-Fi Stereo (test drove one without with the top down and yikes…)

WANTS but not deal killers: (listed in order of importance and I would not want all of them from a $$ standpoint)
Xenon Headlights
Cloth Seats – I am worried about the leatherette being too hot with the top down
Rear Fog Lights
Bluetooth/USB Ipod Adapter

 

We bought an R57 MCS-CA about six weeks ago and love it. The car is pretty much loaded. It came with a few options we didn't really want, but as we bought it off the lot with 0.9% / 48mo financing we're ok with it.

Here's my take on these options for a convertible:

Color: ours is dark grey / vinyl. Black is a real PITA to keep clean. The blue will be the easiest. My other car is a silver Subaru and I haven't washed it in years.

All-season tires: pretty much necessary if you want to drive in temps below 45F, unless you want to spring for a second set of winter rims/tires/sensors for $1k.

Black wheels: your choice. It will hide the incessant TuV-approved german brake dust better. I personally think black wheels look like spare donuts, but the Mini wheels look a lot better than some others.

MF steering wheel: cruise is nice if you're in the flyover states. The radio controls are dubious, as the buttons are small on the wheel and the volume is easy to use on the dash.

HiFi: very useful in a noisy convertible. It was a must-have for ours.


Xenon HID: our last car (Nissan) had them and I hated the sharp cutoff and blue light. Our R57 has them, and they are a lot better. The beam pattern is more diffuse to the side and the reflector appears more intelligently designed. The light is pure white as well. I like them, but I would have been equally happy with incandescents.

Cloth seats: tough call. I'm a huge fan of cloth seats. Our R57 came with vinyl sport seats. They are high quality and comfortable, but you do sweat a little more than with cloth. OTOH, I still sweat on the cloth seats in my Subaru. In a convertible everything will constantly be covered in dust and you'll want to be able to clean the thing out easily. Cloth will be more difficult to keep clean compared to vinyl. We have the rubber floor mats as well.

Rear fog lights: Useful. We have them on ours, and it has been foggy here every morning for the past week. In such a little car you can use all the help you can get. They are also useful if you'll be driving in heavy snow.

Bluetooth/USB: we have it. Of very marginal value IMO. The bluetooth is not compatible with a lot of phones so you need to see if you're "on the list". My wife's RAZR works fine with it, but it is difficult to hear her when the top is up. When the top is down - forget it! The iPod interface is a real PITA compared to just using the clickwheel on the iPod. I believe all Mini's come with a standard 1/8" aux jack anyway, so I would just use that instead.

 

I know you said that brown looks ridiculous, and I thought as well until I saw these three pictures of an R57 Convertible. I have to say that it looks pretty sharp.

Picture 1 = http://www.theopenone.com/profile/gallery/image/496
Picture 2 = http://www.theopenone.com/profile/gallery/image/495
Picture 3 = http://www.theopenone.com/profile/gallery/image/494

For your exterior color choice, go with Interchange Yellow. I hear that it's one of the best colors our there

 

I heard the same thing.

 

Thanks for the support everyone... I still can't warm up to that brown top even if that is the 'hands down' best one I have seen...

 

The brown and blue top really only lend themselves to certain body colors. PW, SS with brown, HzB, PS with blue.

 

Well cue to sad trombone... apparently 2 years into my 3 year owners choice I am $3000 upside down (trade in value vs. what I 'owe')

Maybe there won't be a R57 in my future after all... (or at least not for another year)

 

Oh no! You sounded so excited too.

 

Just start planning - Anticipation can be fun.

 

Forget planning... I just kept negotiating... could still blow up in my face or I could actually pull off the upgrade... only time will tell...

 

damn and now the waiting game... I won't know until this weekend... damn...

 

Yeah that takes the cake I think I have seen another white with brown top very nicely done.

 

dealer gave me a R57 as a loaner while my R56 is in for it's first scheduled service at 23 months...

tease!!!

 

Oh no! They must be monitoring NAM and knew that you were waffling over the idea of an R57.

 

I see you underestimate my negotiation skills

Things are still dragging on... but who knows if this will happen or not...

 

Just an update: Not gonna happen... at least right now...

No more '09s in the midwest with the HiFi + Cold weather + 6 Speed Manual... (ok there is one but they won't dealer trade it)

I guess I will have to wait until they start some incentives on the 2010s or wait all the way until October 2010 to turn my hardtop in on a convertible...

 

Well I am still trying to go from R56 to R57... hahaha this may just drag out all the way to October when my Owners Choice is up...

 

You should be able to work a deal on an R57 now. As the temperatures drop, so do the prices on convertibles.

 

Of course I also must be CRAZY for buying a convertible now... shall see what the prices are doing as I am going into the dealer tonight...

 

Not at all, it will be summer sooner or later .

 

I bought mine on December 6th a few years ago...an early Christmas gift

The price was so good that I am never buying a convertible during the warm months again. I hope you get what you like.

P.S. With the cold weather package, there are quite a few winter days I spend with the top down...in Indiana.

 

When I'm driving alone I keep my top down. Heated seats and occasionally heat on the feet makes driving around in temps in the 30's very bearable. Though, when my girlfriend is with me I just put it in sunroof or keep it closed for her comfort.

 

Heated seats are definately one of my 'must haves' as I seems to be comfortable about 20 degrees cooler than my wife...

 

Hmmm worked out the numbers with my dealer... and well MINI resale is taking a nosedive with the current incentives... My payoff in Oct 2010 is currently $2000-3000 higher than the current trade in value... let alone the current balance...

I will be continuing to bother my dealership right up until October... and I do think EVENTUALLY we will work something out...

Now come on lottery tickets!

 

Only 5 more payments left on the lease... already hunting for a R57