My car is fairly optioned, so the only thing that I do not have, but wish I did was the DTC. Not a huge deal, but that definitely helps for "spirited" driving.

Things that I love: H/K sound, heated seats, comfort access.

Wish I did not have: Mini Connected.

 

Love mine but if I had had the opportunity to actually see one / test drive one I probably would not have gotten the automatic. Car just screams I should have been a manual.

Option I really regret not getting the factory alarm. Viper smart start not as great as I thought it would be

 

I'm planning to get MINI Connected but leave off the Navigation. Garmin is/has com out with a heads up display for navigation that is used in conjunction with a Smartphone. It projects the Nav directions, Speed and a few other bits of info on the windshield. I think I saw it was 130 dollars. Anything is better than the current Nav in a MINI including my wife sitting next to me with a paper map screaming directions at me with her best Mrs. Wolowitz [Big Bang Theory] voice.

 

I just wish Connected worked without having to leave the app open.

 

Yeah, with Navigation, you're paying just to not have wires running across your dash, or anything suctioned to your windshield, not for an actually GOOD nav unit. And, I suppose, more flexible integration with the audio system.

Sent from my Galaxy S3 using NAMotoring

 

Favourites: Harman Kardon sound, comfort access, Xenons, heated seats

Least favourite: half-leather seats. I had been expecting a leather seat with a cloth centre panel, instead I got a cloth seat with a very few leather accents, basically a little bit on the top face of the bolsters, and the lump between your legs at the front. The headrests aren't leather, and neither are the sides of the seat cushions. The sides aren't even vinyl like on many lower-end "leather" seats, they are a nasty shiny cloth. The seats look a bit better now I have the leather Redline headrest covers with the MINI logo on, but I definitely feel ripped off by the half-leather option.

Regrets: I wish I had got the parking sensors, the rear visibility is totally awful top-up. I now back into all parking spaces if at all possible so I don't get squashed backing out.

 

Surprised no one mentioned this, maybe it is no longer an option? But, it is great having a spare tire mounted under the back since most of you will eventually tire of the hardness of the runflats and switch them over one day.

 

I got most everything I wanted because I "ordered a la carte"; however few things though: looking back I really wish I had ordered H/K Sound. The upgraded stereo is really nice but the sound quality is nowhere near approaching that of H/K Sound. I also wish I would have purchased the rain sensing wipers... if someone would have told me the standard wipers have only one wiper delay setting I would have purchased the rain sensing ones because they have several settings. However, I'm delighted I didn't purchase the auto dimming rear view mirror... The stock one blocks too much of the driver's view as it is. Regret: I REALLY wish MINI would offer memory seats... I would have ordered it in a heartbeat. They're so doggone handy, especially since you don't have to worry anymore about spending 10 minutes just to get your seats back into the correct position after taking your MINI to the dealer, or let someone else pilot your MINI (e.g. spouse, boy/girlfriend, etc.).

 

Oops. I didn't see this was a roadster forum site... I had searched "new posts" and forgot to check the forum. Mea Culpa.

 

Is the auto dimming mirror bigger?

Sent from my Galaxy S3 using NAMotoring

 

Fortunately there's plenty of room in the Roadster's boot. That is where my space saver spare resides in the winter, in a nice, black canvas bag.

 

Same here...a bigger jack, a torque wrench, space saver tire in a bag, Slime Kit, and AAA.

 

i passed on the mini alarm system, figuring for $500 in the aftermarket i could get a better alarm ...

not so ... the aftermarket alarms are more expensive and very expensive to install...

should have checked

otherwise i would not change a thing

scott

 

+1

 

WTH? I did get rain sensing but only because it is part of the premium package with the sunroof on the CM. I was planning on turning it off though and doing it manually. I use rain-x so often don't need the wipers.

You are telling me though that Mini doesn't have a variable intermittent wiper control? I didn't know any car today didn't have that as a standard feature.

 

Yeah, even if the cost were the same, I think I'd go with a factory system on any car that has a fob (or fob-like key). I would want multiple dongles on my keychain.

 

For those of you with the space saver spare tire: (1) Do you have it sitting free in the trunk, or will it fit where the tools are located? (2) 14" or 15"? (does it matter?) (3) I see a mounting bracket for the same, but for the R50 hatchbacks; I am doubting that these will work for our car, but has anyone used one?

 

Bungee cords or Cargo Net should work...but the weight of the tire should be OK.

For alarms...I didn't buy one because MINIs are not in high demand...the car sticks out like a sore thumb and no one is stealing the radio out of the MINI.

 

That is correct. At least for the 2009 (hardtop) anyway. That's the one MAJOR British "quirk" that makes me go "hmmm". Only one (irritating) intermittent wiper setting unless you get the rain sensing upgrade or as you say, use copious amounts of Rain-X. Made me grumble at first, but now just accept it. With the rain sensing upgrade, as you have, the multiple intermittent options are as you are using now (either auto or the options you can select manually), but not so with the standard version. The only other wiper setting "option" I have is I can set it so that the wipers are intermittent when at a stop and then continuous when moving. That's it. Dealer confirmed it (and other MINIacs) long ago. I would be shocked if they didn't address this post-2009 at some point but have never bothered to ask because I kind of don't care too much anymore - just one of those "I wish I would have" items now. If someone else has information to the contrary for the 2009, ... holy mackerel... by all means, let me know!

 

But you're not supposed to drive your Roadster in the rain....

 

Regarding Spares, Although my Crossfire does not, nor ever have run flats [only a Mercedes version of a slime kit] I store my spare under the false floor. it is bungeed down and I surrounded it with rigid foam to keep it in place and cut down noise. the only effect is that it raises my cargo floor a few inches.

 

As long as I'm going 70 and windows up rain seem to skirt right over until I find an overpass lol

 

Thanks!! Exactly what I wanted to know.

 

I have mixed feelings on this issue and I am going to answer from a purely asthetic point of view because my roadster was purpose built for what I use everyday on my commute to work. The only thing I would change is my standard A.C.

The digital looks so much better in the car and I find it hard to believe that a car this expensive still has ***** and dials instead of electronic unit as standard. The A.C. works fine (because I drive with the top down 95% of the time) but I prefer the look of the digital.

 

Shucks, there was a time when I first got my r59 that I thought that every time I put the key in the ignition that it was now ok for the rain to start raining.