So I took my MINI into the dealer this morning to have the alarm activated after I installed it. I also took this opportunity to have some of the convience features activated or disabled as well. They were able to get the alarm activated but were unable to change any of the convience settings. The car wouldn't accept the changes after they put them in the computer. They said it could be the key and I didn't have my second key with me.

Does anyone have any idea. They did charge me for a full hour though. Bastards

 

Nothing on a gen1 is stored on the key. That is gen2 only.
Sounds like the car needed a reflash of its software....options such as convience features, alarm, etc are all set ar this time.

 

Ok, well I will have to take it back sometime. However I think I will wait to do that after I have the Chrono gauges and I need to have them coded and the +chrono added to the BCU.

 

I am confused - the dealer always took the key from my 06 and could get vin, mileage and a bunch of other stuff from it...

 

When I take my '06 to the dealer, they insert the key into a reader and it displays service history, owner info, etc.

 

that's exactly what they did when I showed up that morning before taking my car to the back.

 

there ARE many things accessed, via the GEN1 key. MINI can read the key and retreive info saved under that key's ID.

but on a GEN2 key there are also individual things captured like your radio presets which are saved IN the key. Mrs and I load different radio presets.

Wanna know the limits? Why does the service guy go out to your car WITH the key to check the milage?

 

How long did they actually take?

 

I took my '02 in to get some convenience features set. The tech told me that when the MINIs first came out, they used to have a laptop thing they would plug in to program that stuff and his current dealer didn't have that item (MINI of Pensacola, brand new last year) so he couldn't set them. I wonder if an old dealer would have that and be able to set them? It drives me crazy that when my driver's door is unlocked, the boot is locked

 

Well to be honest I really can't complain because they had my car for 3 1/2 hours. I don't know how long they were actually working on it. My appointment was at 9am and I left a little before 1pm. The SA told me the tech tried to program 2x using on computer, then 2x with a different computer. I can't imagine that taking 3 hours though. Oh well. Next time I take my car in for something I will have the system reset so I can have those convenience features set.

 

So I really want to have these convenience features activated on my car. Is there a way to reset the computer without having to take it to the dealer? I know they have to do the programming but I just want to try and save some money. This car is has been sucking money out of my wallet, not for repairs but mods. Damn mod-bug!