Hi Don, just ordered mine today, can you advise is that antenna something i can have added @ delivery? This is my first new car purchase so I have no idea how this stuff works?

 

Congratulations!

You have come to the right place - these forums are a wealth of knowledge. Just about any question you can come up with - *somebody* will have an answer!

The antenna just unscrews by hand, and the replacement is attached the same way. You can do it yourself in literally a minute. You can find cheaper 3rd party antennas a bunch of places, most are made of aluminum.

The MINI accessory antenna:
MINI Sport Shorty Antenna
Item# 65202179727

is somewhat flexible, which I like. It is pricey though - you can find an aluminum one for about $20, but the MINI one ran about $35.

If you decide to go aluminum, the CravenSpeed folks are great, their antenna is here: http://www.cravenspeed.com/products/...y-Antenna.html

Don

 

thanks Don i will look into it

 

Don, congrats on your new roadster! Looks great in chili red!

 

Took a few more pics in the sun today, and added them to my SmugMug album. Here's the link to the top up pic: http://islanddon.smugmug.com/Cars/MI.../DSC8844-M.jpg

Sun was a bit low - too much shadow, so I still need to find a good scenic location a bit earlier in the day and get pics I'm truly happy with.

Don

 

Thanks! We're pretty happy with how it all came out. Still contemplating the JCW side skirts though.

Don

 

IMO Don side skirts a must!

 

I hear you.

Since we have a red and black theme going, the black side skirt doesn't bother me like it might with a different scheme.

I'm also not sure I want to pay what will probably be in the $1000 range for a fairly minor cosmetic mod. Should have tried to roll that into our loan.

It is on the list, just not sure where. It probably comes after suspension mods and the JCW Tune. (and with the cost of those, that makes it pretty far down)

Don

 

Wow, that's sweet! Love the wheels (of course).

I miss Chili Red sometimes, like during the Golden Hour.

 

Thanks. I like the driving lights on your car - yet another add-on I'm debating.

My first MINI back in 2004 was Chili Red, and I did miss it - enjoying coming back to that color.

How have those wheels been to keep clean? I'm hoping easier than my previous wheels!

Don

 

Your link is to only one pic. Can you change it to the album?

EDIT: Here is a link.

 

Yeah, I'd posted the album link earlier in the thread, my goal there was just to show BigNewt the "top up" pic he'd asked about.

I'm hoping that this weekend I can drive the car to someplace more scenic than my driveway and get some quality pictures, still not really happy with any I've taken so far. (lighting has been either too flat or too low of an angle, backgrounds too busy etc.)

If I get to do that I'll post a link to a new album.

Don

 

If you do, look forward to this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53074154@N00/6591629749/Have to buy a whole light unit to replace the glass.

The wheels don't show the brake dust at all, except when you get close and look at the aluminum.

 

Have you tried the clear 3M film to protect the glass in the lights?

I saw a demonstration once where they shot at the glass in lights with a .22 caliber pellet rifle.

The glass broke every time without the film, but once the film was applied they were able to shoot it multiple times and no breakage occurred.

It is incredible stuff, and it never ceases to amaze me what just a little bit of film cushioning along with tensile adhesion strength can make to reducing damage from rock impacts.

 

Congrats Now go back and trade it for the GP

 

Thanks! I tried to do that, but I couldn't get the dealer to agree to saw the roof off. Something about structural integrity.

Too bad because it did have the right number of seats...

Don

 

Hi Don,
I know the Roadster has a single layer roof. I would like your thoughts on sound levels with the top up. Would you say as "noisy" as the Cabrio? Thanks.

-Steven

 

As soon as we drive it with the top up I'll let you know!

May be today - high of 50, which isn't too bad, but we have a party to attend this evening and on the way home in the dark it will no doubt be a bit chilly for top down, at least on the highway.

My expectation is that the difference due to the top itself (versus the different chassis and window glass area) will be tiny. That extra layer of thin cloth isn't really much in my opinion.

I will say this about the handsfree phone - MINI did an amazing job with the noise canceling. My wife was on the highway, top down, windows up, windscreen in place, and I could hear her just fine. Sounded like a little running water in the background, but that was it. Super impressed by that capability.

Don

 

Glad to hear that about the phone, Don.

I was a bit concerned about that. Same with the phone speaker system / Radio. I was wondering with the sound system playing while the top is down can you hear everything OK?

I would think there will be some noise difference with the top up compared to the more insulated double layer top of the convertible but probably not much more noise.

How about the road noise? Do you get a lot of noise off the performance runflats on the road?

 

Really good news about about being able to use a hands free phone. I went with the Mini Connect/Nav., so this is good news.

-Steven

 

Ours has the upgraded HK audio. So far I've done music and podcasts with the top and windows down (windscreen up) and it's sounded fine. Caveat: I'm not an audiophile by any means.

Not noticing a lot of road noise, but again I'm not the best person to judge that - had the run flats on my JCW, and the 370Z that I just traded isn't known for being quiet either. My baseline for road noise is probably pretty high...

Well, that and top-down the wind noise is going to mask it a bit also. Probably a better idea of that too when I get some top-up time in the car.

Don

 

Just got back from our first top-up drive.

Definitely noticeable wind and road noise from "behind". Did seem a little louder than the 2006 convertible we had, but without being able to drive them back-to-back it's really hard to quantify.

Since the expectation was for it to be louder, I'm not sure I'm able to be unbiased. But it did seem louder. Not objectionably so, but louder.

Also the second time driving at night, so I got to look for how the adaptive headlights worked. They clearly pivot as you corner, it's really kind of cool.

I'm so totally enjoying this car, even top up! Even keeping under 4,500 RPM for the break-in. As we got close to home I told my wife I really just wanted to keep driving...

Don

 

Dont wait too long to break that motor in.....300 miles

Today engines are made with higher tolerances. During past years cylinder clearances were typically in the thousands of an inch...today they are in the ten thousands. Babying an engine today could actually cause some harm. Be sure to read the manual if there is ever a question. Understand that in order for the bores to be shaved properly for perfect fitting a little cylinder pressure is necessary to drive the rings out. If there is too much babying during the beginning stages, the rings will not be pushed out. This will cause them to rub and burnish the surface. The proper settling will not occur.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Properly-B...cle&id=1725791

 

Oh yeah, the old break-in controversy. Right up there with oil change intervals, run flats, and manual vs. auto!

I stand on the side of the engineers who designed the car. As much as possible, I try to follow their recommendations. I suspect the folks who designed the engine know a little bit about rings, and perhaps even a thing or two about how their engine is built.

(On a side note - oil changes are a different story. When the car company has a financial incentive to save money at the risk of engine problems after it's out of warranty, I suspect the bean counters might just be overriding the engineer's judgements.)

And just to be complete - for street use I actually don't hate runflats, and I like automatics.

Don

 

So the top is still up on our Roadster in the garage. This is the most I've looked at the car with it up. I have to say that IMHO this car looks pretty good with the top up - an unusual trait for convertibles. (our previous convertible didn't look very good with the top up in my opinion)

This roof manages to have some curvature to it. Not bad looking at all!

Don