Does anyone know if it's possible to add variable damping post purcahse to a 2019 cooper S F56?

I found the damper units.. But no sure if the wring / technology / software is in the car already?

Seems like a 500 dollar update box i should have ticked at purchase time ( remorse!)

link to dampers is here.

https://parts.seattlemini.com/a/MINI...C/33_1802.html

 

Did you figure this out? I have the same model and opted out of the dampers but sort of wish I had done them.

 

Have either of you looked to see if the wiring is tucked behind the damper??
At least look in the front.

 

Not that this is helpful to anyone, but I special ordered my 2019 JCW 3 dr hardtop with the DDC. The paperwork I signed was clear as a bell that mine would have the Dynamic Damper Control as part of the signature package. I took delivery last week and it was built without the DDC. Just the sport suspension.

I brought it to the attention of the salesman (a nice guy) but he said: "It wasn't built at the factory with it, we cannot add it afterwords"

I said: "But I'm showing you my signed order sheet that has Dynamic Damper Control one inch above my signature."

Salesman: "But that's not the way the factory built it...,you cannot add it"

I said (not this kindly)..."I think you're missing my point...WHY wasn't it built as I ordered it? Can I talk to the manager?"

They tracked it down to an error by the dealership in the order process, and whole-heartedly admitted it. They offered either to take my car back and have one built correctly with another eight week wait. Or write me a check for $1,000 as a settlement. That morning I did the paperwork selling my other car to a different dealer. I had no vehicle at that point and they said they wouldn't provide one for me, which I totally understood. I took the check.

One of the bad things the manager talked about was there is no charge for it as part of the signature package. If you do the "Online Build" the box is pre-checked with it.

There's my saga...no Dynamic Damper Control either.

 

Let me correct the dealers statement.

: "It wasn't built at the factory with it, we DONT WANT TO add it afterwords"

 

If the car can be built at the factory with it, the dealer can add it. though it is often very expensive and labour intensive. In the case of DDC, it would require an entirely new harness (maybe more than one), plus coding and maybe a new module. this would have cost the dealer thousands in shop time and parts to fix their mistake. offering $1k check was the easy way out. I would have denied their 1K offer and tried to make a deal for the Pro exhaust and coilovers as a way to make it up to you.

 

I would think the harness would be there, only to add adapter wires. As there is no advantage to the manufacturer to build custom harnesses for every option. Harnesses are built with ALL options builtin.
Programming would be the same idea. Just add it to the VO, and turn it on.

Looking at realm.com, an adapter wire is part of the DDC parts list.

Similar to fog lights, all wiring is there, just swap headlight switch and program.

 

Was just looking at Real OEM, it does appear that the VDC harnesses for the shocks just plug into the main harness. Likely the dealer priced it out and found it was much cheaper to just offer a 1K retribution or to order a new car. they wouldve assumed you would not want to wait 8 more weeks and would just take the cash.

 

When I toured the MINI factory years ago, they talked about this. They said the early cars (2002-2004ish) had a single harness so it was easy to add options later. However, they started building custom harnesses after that to save on material (copper) costs. No idea what they do now, but at the time they were saving enough on copper to pay for custom harnesses for every car.

 

When building a master harness, the labor savings more than makes up for the copper cost.
All manufacturers make master harnesses for particular model. EG, one for the Standard cooper, one for the S, one for the JCW.

 

It's too bad the dealer made the mistake but I think it's common. I work at a dealership and have heard of cars coming in without options the customer ordered. Too bad the customer doesn't sit with the dealer when they do the order to make sure they get what they expected. No one is perfect but when the dealer makes these mistakes it cost them to make it right. Like you mentioned who wants to wait 8 more weeks for a car in hopes that one comes in correct.

 

A set of Koni FSDs, a set of NM springs, installation = $1000.00

You'll come out ahead!!

 

I sat with my dealer to spec out my car. It still came with a mistake. The factory can and do install the wrong part or option.