[roland2003]

Hi Guys, we've ordered our new MCS turbo ,but have a querie maybe you can help us with. First they say you CAN opt for LSD, then they say you CAN'T .
I've just read an article in the latest Modern Mini mag, and it says it is an option?.
Can someone (who perhaps works in sales at a BMW dealer / HQ etc..) confirm one way or the other. We want it but have not been able to add it to our spec. I'd be mighty cheesed off if the car comes without it, only to find out I could have had it.
Thanks in advance
Best Regards Roland Gt Tuning

[Paul]

It will be an option, probably from December onwards. That's the latest from the product management people who were at Paris.

[roland2003]

Thats good enough for me Paul, I'm going to ring the dealer to put it on hold. i'd rather wait a month or two more and have it,it makes a huge difference to lap times .
Many thanks Roland GTT

[hayesl]

My dealer got back to me today about this. He was told by the head of UK product management that it's not decided yet whether or not LSD will be included in the Chili pack. Furthermore, he said that people wouldn't be able to spec LSD until towards the end of January, meaning it's unlikely that it'd hit the road before March.

I was willing to hold off a month or so if it meant getting LSD for free/next to nothing (I've specced the Chili pack). But I don't expect to be taking my Mini onto a track, so it's not important enough for me, personally, to wait that long. So I'm sticking with my launch day delivery.

Either way, it sounds like it'll be available for those waiting for 07 plates.

Mind you, a different salesperson at this dealership tried to tell me on Friday that my MCS would have LSD. Another salesperson told me that Hill Assist was standard across the range. So I wouldn't take what I've posted above as gospel!

[hein]

my dealer told me the start with the production of cars with LSD in week 9 2007

[miniman23]

Quote: Originally Posted by hayesl (original)

My dealer got back to me today about this. He was told by the head of UK product management that it's not decided yet whether or not LSD will be included in the Chili pack. Furthermore, he said that people wouldn't be able to spec LSD until towards the end of January, meaning it's unlikely that it'd hit the road before March.

I was willing to hold off a month or so if it meant getting LSD for free/next to nothing (I've specced the Chili pack). But I don't expect to be taking my Mini onto a track, so it's not important enough for me, personally, to wait that long. So I'm sticking with my launch day delivery.

Either way, it sounds like it'll be available for those waiting for 07 plates.

Mind you, a different salesperson at this dealership tried to tell me on Friday that my MCS would have LSD. Another salesperson told me that Hill Assist was standard across the range. So I wouldn't take what I've posted above as gospel!

Hill assist is only on the car when you select the DSC option.

[hayesl]

Quote: Originally Posted by miniman23 (original)

Hill assist is only on the car when you select the DSC option.

That's what I told the salesperson when she mentioned it to another customer. She insisted I was wrong and that it was standard across the range. My point was that I was only relaying what my dealer had told me about LSD - there's no guarantee of it being right!

Most people on here are better informed than the average dealer. I'm sure there are some dealers out there as obsessive about MINIs as we are, but for many it's just a job I guess.

[miniman23]

Quote: Originally Posted by hayesl (original)

That's what I told the salesperson when she mentioned it to another customer. She insisted I was wrong and that it was standard across the range. My point was that I was only relaying what my dealer had told me about LSD - there's no guarantee of it being right!

Most people on here are better informed than the average dealer. I'm sure there are some dealers out there as obsessive about MINIs as we are, but for many it's just a job I guess.

Maybe she meant brake assist which is as standard on the 'S'

[hayesl]

Quote: Originally Posted by miniman23 (original)

Maybe she meant brake assist which is as standard on the 'S'

Unfortunately not: she was describing how it stopped you rolling back down a hill. I suppose Brake Assist could stop you rolling back down a hill too, but that situation doesn't bear thinking about!

[Olly.]

I'm hoping to get it on my december build MCS. Although to be honest i'm not going to be racing my car so I doubt it will make much difference for the sort of driving I do.

I can't wait to try out this hill assist thing though, sounds like it will be really useful around town.

[Scrogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by hayesl (original)

That's what I told the salesperson when she mentioned it to another customer. She insisted I was wrong and that it was standard across the range. My point was that I was only relaying what my dealer had told me about LSD - there's no guarantee of it being right!

Most people on here are better informed than the average dealer. I'm sure there are some dealers out there as obsessive about MINIs as we are, but for many it's just a job I guess.

Well, she's wrong!

Brake Assist comes with ASC+T. Both of these and Hill Assist come with DSC. There is no other way of speccing Hill Assist on a new MINI.

Even though I am a dealer myself it really annoys me when people who know little or nothing about the brand make statements like this without checking the facts first!

[wigman15]

what exactly does Hill Assist do? and is it worth speccin it?

thanks

[hayesl]

Quote: Originally Posted by wigman15 (original)

what exactly does Hill Assist do? and is it worth speccin it?

thanks

Hill Assist holds the brakes for a moment or two when you're on an incline, allowing you to pull away without using the handbrake and without rolling back. As Scrogg mentioned, you can only get it if you spec DSC.

I think Hill Assist is a waste of time myself, but I did want DSC, so I've got it anyway. Like Ollymale, I'm interested to see how it works in practice.

[Olly.]

Quote: Originally Posted by wigman15 (original)

what exactly does Hill Assist do? and is it worth speccin it?

thanks

Well I can't say I have ever used it but from explanations I have read it seems to be that when a hill as you remove your foot from the brake to accelerate from a standstill it holds the brakes for a couple of seconds to stop the car rolling back. I guess its the same principle as you holding the car on the handbrake before you pull away.

You get it when you order DSC, its a lazy feature but a very cool one.

If you want to try it out before ordering it, I believe its on the new model 3 series with DSC.

[grantw]

my old smart roadster had hill assit and i found it a pain! i wouldnt bother with it!!

[Olly.]

Your too quick at typing hayesl

[wigman15]

thanks guys!

surely the principle is the same as keeping the handbrake on until you get the biting point and then off you go?

grant, why did you find it a pain?

[grantw]

the smart version felt like you had sticky brakes sometimes, that coupled with a crap greabox made smooth progress difficult, sometimes if you were trying to get away in a hurry it wasnt quick enough to release slightl, i yearned for manual control, i'm not a fan of dsc etc either though, depends what you like, i would rather have a lotus exige than a mecedes benz sl if you know what i mean.

i'm sure that it is something mini/bmw would engineer/program well though if you fancy the idea.

[m1m0]

So.. er.. back to the LSD...

What's the chance of them being available as a dealer-fit option later on for us early adopters?

Or getting a 3rd party to do it if dealers aren't allowed?

Thanks!

[hayesl]

My dealer was told (by product management in the UK) that retrofit was likely to be a major job, if it was at all possible. But until MINI confirm it officially one way or the other, I guess there's always hope.