http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgdLP...eature=related

 

YAY!!! After using the manual version, I opted for the semi-auto roof...wouldn't be able to raise it with the screen in place, plus the wife is little and couldn't pull it up herself :-(

Thanks for the link!

 

That's one of two items we may regret not getting. The roof on ours seems much "stiffer" than the one we auditioned on the "Traveling Roadster". Hoping it will loosen up with time.

And the screen folds - actually pretty slick. Doesn't go fully away but it may be enough to make accessing the roof practical.

Don

 

And the second item you may regret not getting?

 

Nice video. I would definitely go with the semi. Not having to contort to fully close or open would be a BIG plus. Oddly (I have semi obsessive behavior) one of the things I dislike is "blank" switches. I have one on the rear fog light and if I were doing over I would pay the $100 option to fill in the blank.

MINI should have made this standard or lowered the MSRP by $750, IMO. The Roadster is too high compared to an comparably equipped Coupé.

The handle looks convenient compared to latches but it seems to stick out (straight down) as the roof folds up. A little strange looking.

 

Nav, since we got MINI Connected. No good GPS solutions IMHO. You can choose the factory Nav and pay too much money for a nav system no one loves and that apparently doesn't say street names which the cheapest Garmin you can buy will.
Or you go the aftermarket route and get a good GPS for much less money but deal with a wire and having to hide it etc. Bottom line is I was going to be unhappy with either option.

Don

 

So funny - me too. I had the rear fog lights added (by the dealer) to my first MINI because the missing toggle switch bugged me!
(you can bet I got the rear fogs on the Roadster!)

I assume they use a different switch panel if you get the semi-auto top, because our Roadster has no "blank" toggles, and no dummy toggles either.

FYI, the handle should be placed in the "flat" position before storing the top according to the manual.

Don

 

Maybe it's just me, but it really doesn't seem to reduce the effort all that much - you're replacing an annoying reach back with an annoying holding of a button where you look silly for 20 secs. I think I'd rather do it myself in less time.

Now, if you could just depress the button once, and be done with it, maybe then it would be worth the money to me. It also would kill any electronic solution using the key fob, I guess.

 

Strange statement since all (power top) convertibles and all sunroofs require you to "look silly" by holding the button. Car manufactures don't make them 1 touch open/close for safety/liability reasons. While you may be able under ideal conditions to lower or rase faster less than 10 seconds (not 20) can't be beat by much time.

Also how does having a manual top offer a fob solution that is killed by having the semi auto?

The top can't be controlled by the fob under any conditions since you must hand twist the latching handle. This is why it's semi auto and not auto.

Also I had a SLK 55 and you could use the fob to raise/lower the top but it had a IR for this (RF for the locking) so you had to be line of sight and close (safety/liability reasons).

 

Just got back from some Motoring, and made two stops where I had to button things up. (ok, probably didn't really have to at the second one, but we're still "babying" the car for a while)

Either I'm getting more comfortable about applying the needed force without worrying abut breaking something, or the top is loosening up a bit. Wasn't too bad. Biggest problem was that both times I got out, put the top up, and then realized I still had the windows down. That's operator error though...

And depending on when we stop the clock, I think that 10 seconds can be beat by quite a bit. If it's a sudden downpour and you pull over, the time after stopping to get the car covered (but not latched) is much less I suspect.

Don

 

Julien - you're right about the key fob on the Roadster requiring manual release under any circumstances - i wasn't thinking.

Though you can get a Mods4Cars module that would open up your SLK's roof through the key fob using RF instead of IR; I have it on my C230, and use it all the time for opening up the sunroof/windows from several hundred yards away - it's a lifesaver in summertime, and much more convenient than holding down the unlock button on the key or the sunroof switch (too bad it would have no use with the Roadster, except for the side windows up/down [though might be worth it, since Mini has decided in its infinite wisdom to not do auto up on the Roadster's side windows]).

Good to hear about the improvement in manual operation, Bob. I'm guessing it's more a decrease in babying the top, if I were a betting man.

 

@Don - Good to hear you are finding the top easier to use. I plan on ordering mine manual, there seems to be a certain charm to doing it that way on the Roadster. I'm old school I guess

 

Good to hear the top is easer. I like the idea of a manual top and it makes for a more purest roadster experience. Not having a switch missing is another plus for me but I still think I would spring for the semi. Although I still say $750 is too much but this is how poor MINI makes almost Apple type profits.

I know this may sound a little strange but I owned Roadsters (S2000 and SLK) for 9 years (and dying to get back in again) and I would almost always leave my top down (windows up) when I went in places and never had a (human) problem. Mother nature got me a couple of times.

Don you might also add Confront Access to your wished list since you could simple put up the windows (and lock doors) after you closed the top with a button press.

I had the module also. I just didn't say it since it was a mod.

Also are you saying Confront Access doesn't work on the Roadster? Or do you mean not having to hold the fob unlock button down to lower or the on door unlock button to rase windows?

On a side note: does the Roadster have one touch up on the windows or do you have to hold the switch up?

 

It's been lamented here in a couple of threads that there is no one-touch window up at the window switch.

Not sure about Comfort Access or the key fob control, honestly - was referring only to the window switch itself.

 

Yea (wait to here from Don) but I also have read that the Roadster doesn't have one press up. Hope someone comes out with a module for that. I have a Sports Mode engage module. Wonder if it would also work on the Roadster?

 

Yeah, I was going for the "pure" experience as well. If "pure" includes all the electronic gadgets our Roadster has!
I'm not regretting it so far.

I do tend to leave the top down when possible, and have also never had a problem. I keep a pretty close eye on the weather though!

I have Comfort Access - the ability to never take a key out of my pocket is priceless. It doesn't seem to help with windows up though. Can lock the car with the door button. Can lower windows with the fob. The only way I've found (both via the manual and experimentation) to raise the windows is with the physical key inserted in the door. That might beat getting back in, but just barely.

Indeed, the Roadster dos not have one-touch up, sigh. You'd think if nothing else they could allow it when the top is down as there is no risk of entrapment there! One more if-statement in the body control firmware!

Don

 

Glad to hear its not so difficult. I was really getting nervous, was unable to test drive the car was given the coupe as a " dimension" substitute. Never got to try the top, went for the manual for the whole nostalgia thing

 

Nostalgia FTW!

It does take some effort, but I think technique is important and can make it easier. I'm finding that pushing it towards the front of the car makes it easier than trying to lift it, which is what I was doing initially.

Not explaining this well... might need to make a video at some point!
(not that I'm an expert or anything)

My real goal is to leave it down as much as possible!

Don

 

Don,

You press and hold the door button (not the fob) with the fob in pocket/hand and the widows will rase and doors will lock. A little strange that the fob will lower the windows but you must press the door button to rase the windows. This is the way it works on my car. Give it a try and let us know if that works.

No car company will allow the top to go up or down with one press because of the chance that a child may stick their finger somewhere in the mechanism. If one touch you may walk off or look away. Also if a finger gets in the mechanism you will "panic" and freeze but you would instinctively release the button if you were holding it (human nature).

 

Just looked and the semi auto top switch is the same switch as the dome light in your pic. Wonder how you turn the dome light on if you have the semi auto top?

 

Nope, unless you have to hold the door button longer than I did before my patience gave out, the Roadster doesn't appear to do that. (raise the windows)
I'd really love to be wrong though!

The one-touch top movement I understand completely (I spent a lot of years as an engineer at a medical instrument company - I know way more about hazard analysis than I really want to! .

My point was one-touch up for the windows. Even if that's too risky with the top closed (although plenty of cars do it so it's clearly not 100% unreasonable), I'm saying that for the Roadster if the top is *open*, one-touch up poses negligible hazard as there is nothing for the window to press against.

Don

 

Since it's then so easy to open the top, you just open it if you need more light.

 

Just checked mine. Pressed/fold fob unlock and doors unlock, then windows go down and sunroofs pops up.

Push/hold the on door button and doors lock, then windows go up (about 2 seconds) and then sunroofs close.

Does this mean you can't drive it at night?

 

On our Roadster, the fob will lower the windows. I held the door button much longer than two seconds with no response from the windows.

When my wife gets home tonight I'll poke at it some more, make sure it isn't sensitive to some sequence of ignition on, then off, door opened once and closed then door button or something like that. But I think I checked most combinations yesterday, sigh.

Sure, you can drive at night, as long as there is decent moonlight.

Don

 

I checked after driving with windows down and got out of car. Pressed the door button and it locked doors and raised the windows. You may want to have your dealer check yours. Also there is a possibility that it must be enabled in the menu system.