December 2, 2002:

GBMINI gets ordered at the factory

Called by MINI of Peabody with news that my MCS order had been placed; quickly I worked with my salesman to get the order exactly right - after having driven a MINI for 6 months, I knew what I did and did not want!

I did not want the sunroof, because you cannot completely shut out the light (at night, the streetlamps still shine through the cloth, which annoyed me!)
I also did not want the automatic a/c, since it has a number of irritating quirks:

• it will blow cold air in the middle of winter, since it does not wait for the engine to warm up [UPDATE: This was fixed in the 2005+ MINIs!];
• it will blow cold air to your face and warm to your feet, when you want warm everywhere;
• it sometimes continues to heat the air when you switch it off;
• the controls are fiddly if you want to control air flow manually.

On the other hand, it does look very cool, shaped like the MINI logo.

I also did not want 17″ wheels since general opinion is that the ride is harsher - and the 16″ wheels are already harsh (there is also some negative discussion about wheel weight).

What I did order!

Having been driving a MINI with black leatherette and silver interior for some time, I wanted my new MINI to look different inside …
I would have liked to order a Chili Red MINI with red interior, but this is not available for the MCS, so instead I ordered Lapis Blue interior (the only non-black interior available in early 2003), with an Indi Blue exterior.
Here is the GBMINI sticker when the car arrived at MINI of Peabody:






The options I chose are:

• Indi Blue exterior with Lapis Blue interior - as discussed, I wanted a different colour from the MINI Cooper;
• White roof - I planned to put a Union Jack flag on the roof;
• Anthracite finish to the dash and doors - I did not like the patina finish and again wanted something different from the MC;
• Because I did not want auto-a/c or a sunroof, combo #1 premium package is no use to me, just these options from it:
• Multi-function steering wheel - volume controls on the steering wheel are very useful;
• On-board computer - it does not go much, but I like gadgets!
• Because I did not want the 17″ wheels, I could not buy the Combo #2 sports package so I bought individual options:
• DSC - as much safety as I can buy!;
• Xenon headlights - better night visibility;
• Front fog lights - I don’t want empty gaps on the exterior (or on the toggle switch panel!);
• White bonnet stripes and mirror caps - MINIs look much better with bonnet stripes;
• Combo #3 cold weather package - heated seats are essential, and heated mirrors and washer jets should be useful;
• Harman-Kardon stereo upgrade - I hoped for better sound than the MC;
• Rain-sensing wipers with dimming mirror - the dimming mirror was the important bit, but the rain sensing wipers are included and might be useful;

UPDATE: One year on, what would I change?

If I was choosing another MINI today, what would be different:

• I probably go for Chili Red - perhaps try to get an MC40 with the red interior!
• No idea about the roof - they all look good; might even try a sunroof again to make Margaret happier!
• I might get the premium package again - the auto a/c is improved for the 2004 year, and if I did not do another Union Jack roof then the sunroof might be an option again. Otherwise:
• Multi-function steering wheel - essential!
• On-board computer - it does a little more on the 2004 year, and I still like gadgets!
• I would still avoid the 17″ wheels (and the sports package), so:
• DSC - it has not saved me yet, but one day it might …
• Maybe stay with standard headlights - the Xenons have a cool wash feature, but their light is not much better than standard and I have had a couple of reliability issues with them;
• Front fog lights - used a couple of times, and like I said, I don’t want any toggle switch gaps;
• White bonnet stripes and mirror caps - definitely;
• Combo #3 cold weather package stays - very useful;
• Stock stereo (not the Harman Kardon) - then an aftermarket upgrade;
• Rain-sensing wipers with dimming mirror - the dimming mirror works well and the rain sensing wipers are useful more often than not. It would be nice for the rear wiper to be rain sensing too …

2005 changes make for different decisions!

If I was choosing a 2005 MINI, some of the above opinions might change:

• Roof - the convertible offers a different possibility; no roof at all!
• Headlights - the 2005 Xenons are really cool and I would definitely order them!
• New gadgets - now we can have automatic headlights, automatic transmission, and probably some other toys that GBMINI#2 is missing!