R59 What wre they thinking moments......
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 558
Likes: 2
From: Middle TN
My biggest annoyance is the way the top and windows (don't) interact. This might be only something that afflicts the few of us with the manual top though. It may also require comfort access and the key in your pocket not in the dash for full effect...
If the windows are up when I close the top, the windows go down and keep going down until I latch the top, even if the car is off.. (If I'm quick I can get them before they are all the way down, it's sort of a game now.) I guess this is a safety thing, in case I'm putting the top down on someone's neck, but really they only need to drop like they would when you open the door to let the seals seat.
In and of itself, this isn't too bad, except for the fact that if the car is off you can't roll them back up without starting the engine. Not just switched to accessories, actually started. Seriously irritating... I often stop, switch off then do the top only to have to restart to roll the windows up.
If the windows are up when I close the top, the windows go down and keep going down until I latch the top, even if the car is off.. (If I'm quick I can get them before they are all the way down, it's sort of a game now.) I guess this is a safety thing, in case I'm putting the top down on someone's neck, but really they only need to drop like they would when you open the door to let the seals seat.
In and of itself, this isn't too bad, except for the fact that if the car is off you can't roll them back up without starting the engine. Not just switched to accessories, actually started. Seriously irritating... I often stop, switch off then do the top only to have to restart to roll the windows up.
The way I've been getting around it is car off key out open door. At that point windows stay up! That's how I functioned until Helix figured out and coded one touch up
I want one touch badly.. Maybe helix would be kind enough to share their ncs magic for the roadster!
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,341
Likes: 10
From: Nr. Boston, MA
If I have a passenger and I stop windows-up I get them to crack open their door, I crack mine open, I close and latch the top, then we get out and close the doors. If I'm on my own it's much trickier.
4th Gear
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
From: Lake Saint Louis, MO
On my Roadster I find the windows really need to be down just a little to close the top without feeling like you are forcing it.
If I have a passenger and I stop windows-up I get them to crack open their door, I crack mine open, I close and latch the top, then we get out and close the doors. If I'm on my own it's much trickier.
If I have a passenger and I stop windows-up I get them to crack open their door, I crack mine open, I close and latch the top, then we get out and close the doors. If I'm on my own it's much trickier.
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 558
Likes: 2
From: Middle TN
I'm confused by all of the discussion on this but maybe it's because I have a 2013 with the semi-automatic top and no comfort access. If I stop with the top down and windows up, when I activate the toggle to raise the top, the windows go down about four inches and stop at that point. After I close the latch, I then raise both windows with the window toggles. This works whether I keep the engine running or stop the engine and leave the fob inserted in its slot. When I remove the fob and then open the doors, the windows go down a fraction of an inch or so and go back up when the door is closed (for proper sealing of the top). When putting the top down with the windows up, I unlatch the top and nothing happens with the windows but as soon as I operate the toggle to put the top down, the windows go down all the way. If I continue to hold the toggle for a few seconds after the top is down completely, the windows go up all the way.
Curios what is your toggle set up?
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,341
Likes: 10
From: Nr. Boston, MA
That's what mine do on my manual top 2012. My problem is rolling them back up again, which I can't seem to do without the engine running. Do you have comfort access?
2nd Gear
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
From: Salt Lake City, UT
Yes, I have CA. I turn off the engine, but leave the fob in. I put up the top, then raise the windows, and eject the fob.
2nd Gear
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
From: Guelph, Ontario, Canada
I am in Canada, and Roadsters here are not equipped with the Open Meter 
Not sure why, but glad they don't. Maybe the BMW/MINI engineers don't think we have a summer here 
I'm having JCW temp and torque % gauges installed. Pics when I get the car.
Not sure why, but glad they don't. Maybe the BMW/MINI engineers don't think we have a summer here I'm having JCW temp and torque % gauges installed. Pics when I get the car.
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,341
Likes: 10
From: Nr. Boston, MA
I'll have to give that a try. I don't usually even put the fob in the slot, it stays in my pocket. I'll let you know...
2nd Gear
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
From: Salt Lake City, UT
Mine has the convertible four seater... Kinda irked me.
4th Gear
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
From: Lake Saint Louis, MO
Mine has the convertible four seater...so does the toggle for the semi automatic top. The spoiler toggle has a different icon but I can't tell if it is the Roadster, the Coupe, or the two morphed together
1st Gear
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Charlotte, NC
What were they thinking when...
They put the analog openometer in the Roadster instead of putting useful gauges like oil pressure and engine temperature. You could always use the digital computer readout for time the top was down if the analog openometer was missing. I know this is not specific to the Roadster since many Convertible owners have the same complaint, but it is even more of a WTF moment with the Roadster because of its "sports car" ambitions. MINI even says they didn't put an insulated top on the Roadster to stay true to traditional roadster form. My guess is that an insulated top wouldn't fold flush with the rear deck so they had to go with the uninsulated. Just more MINI marketing speak.
They put the analog openometer in the Roadster instead of putting useful gauges like oil pressure and engine temperature. You could always use the digital computer readout for time the top was down if the analog openometer was missing. I know this is not specific to the Roadster since many Convertible owners have the same complaint, but it is even more of a WTF moment with the Roadster because of its "sports car" ambitions. MINI even says they didn't put an insulated top on the Roadster to stay true to traditional roadster form. My guess is that an insulated top wouldn't fold flush with the rear deck so they had to go with the uninsulated. Just more MINI marketing speak.
I have to COMPLETELY agree with this one. I talked to the guys at the dealership about removing the POS, and they said it would cost me almost $500 to get rid of it!! You'd have to purchase a tachometer from the R58, and then they have to install and re-program the ECU.
Speaking strictly as an automotive development engineer, you can't always blame the engineer for the way some things work out in the execution of a vehicle. More often than not, the engineer gets it mostly correct and then the other departments step in:
Marketing wants it in 6 color choices and move it over here while you're at it (for example, I've sat in a meeting while HD styling commented on the REFLECTION of an O2 sensor in the casing of the chrome oil filter). Also, they want those color choices on a material that was never designed to be colored, so you're back to researching a way to make something black or chrome or purple AND stand up to salt spray, 500 degrees C or whatever else is required.
Purchasing comes in and says "Great, say, instead of carbon fiber can we spec some other material to lower cost? I'm sure used toilet paper tubes would be adequate here." Then you hold a series of meetings to essentially educate a kindergarden class on why you need a light weight structural material instead of the brilliant cost saving approach offered by someone who has trouble folding a paper airplane. So you compromise under management's direction and used glass filled nylon or a stamped steel part.
Then the public steps in and wants a redesigned vehicle line every 7 years, which means as soon as you launch, all the heavy engineering muscle is already working on the next generation vehicle. Remember when engines and parts and frames and even body panels had 10 and even 20 year life cycles? Things *often* get ironed out and improved over time for a reason. A vehicle is a complex piece of machinery that has several thousand engineers interacting with every single component on it.
Then the Fed steps in and says "By the way, you now need a 10mph bumper and exploding hood bolts because 3 people got run over last year." Also, make it 2 mpg more efficient, we're changing our measurement method this year (maybe), plus cars that produce chocolate during the combustion cycle cause fewer birth defects in California mice - make chocolate fumes come out the tail pipe.
So what were they thinking?
The engineer was thinking "Hey, I'm designing a car."
Marketing was thinking "Hey, that car should be magenta and shiny."
Purchasing was thinking "Hey, this is too expensive to produce, can we make it from slightly recycled diapers intead?"
The public was thinking "Hey, a new car! When is the redesign due out?"
The governement was thinking what it thought everyone else wanted, which makes it essentially schizophrenic.
Marketing wants it in 6 color choices and move it over here while you're at it (for example, I've sat in a meeting while HD styling commented on the REFLECTION of an O2 sensor in the casing of the chrome oil filter). Also, they want those color choices on a material that was never designed to be colored, so you're back to researching a way to make something black or chrome or purple AND stand up to salt spray, 500 degrees C or whatever else is required.
Purchasing comes in and says "Great, say, instead of carbon fiber can we spec some other material to lower cost? I'm sure used toilet paper tubes would be adequate here." Then you hold a series of meetings to essentially educate a kindergarden class on why you need a light weight structural material instead of the brilliant cost saving approach offered by someone who has trouble folding a paper airplane. So you compromise under management's direction and used glass filled nylon or a stamped steel part.
Then the public steps in and wants a redesigned vehicle line every 7 years, which means as soon as you launch, all the heavy engineering muscle is already working on the next generation vehicle. Remember when engines and parts and frames and even body panels had 10 and even 20 year life cycles? Things *often* get ironed out and improved over time for a reason. A vehicle is a complex piece of machinery that has several thousand engineers interacting with every single component on it.
Then the Fed steps in and says "By the way, you now need a 10mph bumper and exploding hood bolts because 3 people got run over last year." Also, make it 2 mpg more efficient, we're changing our measurement method this year (maybe), plus cars that produce chocolate during the combustion cycle cause fewer birth defects in California mice - make chocolate fumes come out the tail pipe.
So what were they thinking?
The engineer was thinking "Hey, I'm designing a car."
Marketing was thinking "Hey, that car should be magenta and shiny."
Purchasing was thinking "Hey, this is too expensive to produce, can we make it from slightly recycled diapers intead?"
The public was thinking "Hey, a new car! When is the redesign due out?"
The governement was thinking what it thought everyone else wanted, which makes it essentially schizophrenic.
Don't we have a "like" button? That's funny as hell but so true.
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,613
Likes: 55
From: Western PA
The last time I dropped our MINI for service they had a new MINI on display. I took a look and it did not feel out of character. It is better in real life and up-close. From a far not as much.
I still can't swallow the front end but overall it stays a MINI and in this overly practical world dominated by SUVs must have perception it is inevitable that a more tamed MINI (more comfortable with a more supple/sophisticated driving feel) is what it needs to become to grow sales.
But overall it stays a MINI and most of it is a good evolution IMO.
I'm just crossing my fingers they will do something different to the front end.
With the grill, I cannot help but think of the Ford focus ST introduced years ago already (which I don't like) and that does bothers me quite a bit.