Who here has a Mini Cooper?

[devilot]

Hmm, I wonder if I can retro fit the newer sun visors...

For those Mini owners, do your passengers often have a hard time trying to figure out how to exit the car? Firstly actually locating the door handle and then not figuring out you have to pull it twice? I find it very amusing.

Yup. And you only have to pull twice if they're bad and can't wait for you to turn off your engine. If you're engine's off, the doors auto unlock and then they'd only have to pull once.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Are the sun visors actually functional now? I wish that the '04s had arm rests, these better cup holders... and if the new ones have 'em, functional sun visors.

I did install the little parcel shelf that comes stock on European MINIs (underneath/behind the steering column). I love having that little extra bit of storage space.

I installed the parcel shelf too. The European models have a shelf on the passenger's side as well, instead of the glove box. I thought about making that modification but decided I'd rather have the closed compartment. Not even sure the parts are available here.

Sun visors, bad. Cup holders, bad. Oh well, the car's not perfect.

 

[devilot]

The European models have a shelf on the passenger's side as well, instead of the glove box.

Wow I didn't know that. I know that you can get a little shelving system thing for inside of the glove box... I've definitely thought long and hard about getting that.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Hmm, I wonder if I can retro fit the newer sun visors...Yup. And you only have to pull twice if they're bad and can't wait for you to turn off your engine. If you're engine's off, the doors auto unlock and then they'd only have to pull once.

Hmm, mine require a double-pull even with the engine off. A recent change, perhaps? BTW, this is a quirk Mini inherited from BMW.

 

[swiftaw]

Forgot to add that of course I got the ipod adapter as one of the options on my '06.

 

[swiftaw]

Hmm, mine require a double-pull even with the engine off. A recent change, perhaps? BTW, this is a quirk Mini inherited from BMW.

Yeah, my '04 didn't unlock the doors on key removal but my '06 does, so I would say it's a new feature.

 

[devilot]

Hmm, mine require a double-pull even with the engine off. A recent change, perhaps?

Really? I didn't think they'd change that just from '03 to '04. Hmm... makes me wanna try it out in my car and see if I'm nuts now.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Wow I didn't know that. I know that you can get a little shelving system thing for inside of the glove box... I've definitely thought long and hard about getting that.

Not inside of, but instead of. I have a photo here somewhere showing this feature if you're interested. It's of the Mini I rented for a week in England, the year before I bought my own.

 

[devilot]

In case anyone wanted visuals...

The factory parcel tray: link.
Glove box organizer: link.
And I have this doohickey, Factory Utility Box: link.

 

[swiftaw]

Really? I didn't think they'd change that just from '03 to '04. Hmm... makes me wanna try it out in my car and see if I'm nuts now.

Actually, it may be something that can be set up by the dealer, such as whether you have daylight running lights activated, etc.

 

[swiftaw]

Wow I didn't know that. I know that you can get a little shelving system thing for inside of the glove box... I've definitely thought long and hard about getting that.

The glove box organizer (little shelves) are the most essential thing I bought for my mini.

 

[swiftaw]

And I have this doohickey, Factory Utility Box: link.

Thankfully the '06 (and maybe the '05) now has a storage space here as part of the design. (and also another one under the parking brake handle)

 

[Glen Quagmire]

i looked @ um
when i was buying
and decieded they had zero storage room
so i got a golf
*(yes i know VW has their own issues)
but- my golf can fit a full sized washer or dryer in the back

the mini just had NO room for anythin other than like a laptop in the trunk!

crazy
i love camping & doing active things...
put the bike in the back or on the top
tents...gear...etc
+ friends can all fit in my car
the mini was just 2 small for me

but- that's just me
so think about ur lifestyle before u buy

Help? Can anyone translate this? (Text message language = bad.)

There's plenty of a room in a Mini if you stick the seats down. I fitted at various times in mine:

* A new toilet and bathroom sink, together with accessories and other bits and pieces.
* Four 15" CRT monitors and a load of other junk for taking to the muncipal dump.
* A desk, a chair and various other bits of furniture.
* Three fat guys (plus me, not so fat).

And so on. It's a Mini. The clue's in the name. It's supposed to be small. You don't buy it for its load lugging ability. You buy it because it's great fun to drive, it's cute, quirky and different.

Incidentally, I traded my Mini for a '06 Golf (a diesel automatic - I must be getting old.)

 

[rogerw]

space for a bunk up?

 

[medea]

I can't wait until the 2007 model comes out. I've seen lots of spy shots of the new body but I haven't seen anything about the interior.

 

[Greebazoid]

I have a Cooper, 2004 model automatic. Black, white roof - very very nice.

My other car is a 2004 Range Rover - so between the two of them, they average out at 2 normal sized cars.

 

[ldw5555]

A little help

I just picked up a 2003 Mini Cooper S and it has the driving lamps mounted in the grill works. I don't seem to be able to find the switch to turn them on. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Luis]

Here we go... link to photo in the "Picture of your car" thread... linky

Veryy niiicee. Pretty cool license plate also.

 

[swiftaw]

I just picked up a 2003 Mini Cooper S and it has the driving lamps mounted in the grill works. I don't seem to be able to find the switch to turn them on. Any help would be appreciated.

Try by your left knee (or right knee if it's right hand drive). There should be a button that toggles whether the driving lights come on when your high-beams are activated.

 

[Abstract]

i looked @ um
when i was buying
and decieded they had zero storage room
so i got a golf
*(yes i know VW has their own issues)
but- my golf can fit a full sized washer or dryer in the back

the mini just had NO room for anythin other than like a laptop in the trunk!

Yep, true.

I ended up getting a pretty big "small car", IMO. It's a Hyundai not available in North America. Too bad. My car can actually fit things, unlike cars such as the MINI, and even the Toyota Yaris. I had to hire/rent one for 4 days and wow, talk about a downgrade. I drove around 500+ km in it, and was glad to give it back.

On the other hand, the MINI really is a nice looking car. However, I'd never take style over substance. Not owning a car that does what you need is like buying a new computer that can't do what you need it to do. I wouldn't do either.

 

[RedTomato]

Anybody here still have a classic Mini? I was kinda hoping to see a thread about the classic, not the new one.

My late granny had one, and I seem to recall her doing 95mph down the motorway to Cornwall with me in the back. This must have been around 1985 or so, and I remember her telling me exactly where to park my 9 year old skinny arse to keep the car properly balanced for better handling. Not bad for a woman in her late 60s

She also kept a highly detailed record in a small notebook of the exact milage reading, writing it down every time she took the car out, even if it was just to the corner shop and back. I was never quite sure why.

She later got a normal sized car, and complained that it didn't have half as much storage room as the Mini classic.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Yep, true.

No, not really. The back seats fold down. The Mini has more practical space for hauling than the full-size car I used to own.

 

[jb60606]

If you're going to get a Cooper, get a real (vintage) one , not that BMW nonsense.

 

[mperkins37]

My wife's cousin bought an American version 06' model, POS!
Was in the shop more than she drove it. It was a convertible, and the top went first, after 6 weeks, then it wouldn't start. then it started smoking, (new head) then it needed a new starter, then it wouldn't start again! ( bad computer)
She sold it just after 10 months on the road, and it spent 2 of them in the shop.
As for this post
Of course these aren't muscle cars, but that doesn't mean they are slow. MINI's beat the crap out of other cars, especially muscle ones, on the track. There is a huge performance MINI scene and plenty of options for upping your HP.

They aren't even close to a Muscle car & anyone wanting to back it up with a pink slip can come to Phoenix & watch the rear of my Muscle car pull away.
I'll take it in a quarter mile any day, as well as a road course.
Performance upgrades and all!
Be nice to sell it when I win it for New ACD 30's, and a new macbook Pro for the wife.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Since we're being so scientific, my Mini will be five years old next month and I haven't had a spot of trouble with it.