[Boyderama]

Hi everyone!

I'd like some advice please on the following spec. I am very near to my budget and wondered if the bits i'm leaving out are worth getting.

Mini Cooper S
Astro Black
Chill Pack
17" Flame spoke alloy wheels
Punch Leather
Piano Black Interior Trim
Chrome Exterior
Chrome Interior
Heated windscreen washer jets
Multi-Function on steering wheel
Front centre armrest
Hi-Fi Loudspeaker System
TLC 5yrs

Not sure about these?

Heated Seats
DSC
Limited Slip Diff
DAB Radio


I like the idea of all 4 of these but suppose I can only do another 2 perhaps.

I'd appreciate any advice

Thanks!

[Jon Robson]

You can save £110 by skipping the armrest, and add an accessory one later (they are supposedly better anyway). I wanted the DAB radio, but at nearly £300 it's poor value. Nice spec by the way!

[ALD0]

I would take off the Loud speaker system and the arm rest, and go for Heated seats and Dab, then get an aftermarket speaker upgrade when you saved up a bit

[Japper]

Quote: Originally Posted by Boyderama (original)

Hi everyone!

I'd like some advice please on the following spec. I am very near to my budget and wondered if the bits i'm leaving out are worth getting.

Mini Cooper S
Astro Black
Chill Pack
17" Flame spoke alloy wheels
Punch Leather
Piano Black Interior Trim
Chrome Exterior
Chrome Interior
Heated windscreen washer jets
Multi-Function on steering wheel
Front centre armrest
Hi-Fi Loudspeaker System
TLC 5yrs

Not sure about these?

Heated Seats
DSC
Limited Slip Diff
DAB Radio


I like the idea of all 4 of these but suppose I can only do another 2 perhaps.

I'd appreciate any advice

Thanks!

I have full punch leather and i think it's fine without heating...........although it is garaged each night. The LSD is a MUST in my opinion.

Not a fan of an armrest in a sporty hatch.

[Washy]

LSD everytime....

[FergusM]

I'd get DSC and the LSD...dump the arm rest.... TLC, i negotiated that for free from my dealer and surprised if you don't get that for free also.

[stuvoi]

Quote: Originally Posted by Washy (original)

LSD everytime....

You have two categories safety and entertainment. So would recommend safety over music choice

But as I like to ramble.......

I've heard a few things saying that LSD can be a bit of a handful in the R56, a "Both hands on the steering wheel" drive, not necessarily a bad thing, but it is something you'd want to test with and without to make a choice. It's one of those "Can I live with" items.

DSC I have. but sometimes turn it off to wheelspin, in normal conditions this is one that you should have

Heated Seats, my wife swears by them, if you have someone with a bad back go for it

now the stuff on the entertainment front:

Someone mentioned loosing the HIFI and going aftermarket:
HIFI versus aftermarket is a personal choice. I have the HIFI system, it's not bad, much better than the standard system, but won't be as good as a decent aftermarket system, but you get it in the car when you pick it up, so you don't have to take the car somewhere else (lose a days holiday)
You also then have grey areas if something goes wrong, was it part of the aftermarket install or mini fault? (As a Contractor I'd loose a day's pay going after market so it's doubling the cost of an aftermarket system before you start, so I chose the HIFI)
I'm not a HIFI guru though, so "you pays your money and takes your choices" (as they say)

I have DAB, if you normally listen to "BBC" stations and drive long distances, then it saves all the retuning every 10 minutes as you travel down the motorway. It does loose signal in some places, but then you have FM as backup, but it's a nice to have rather than essential and something you can drop off if strapped for cash.

I would agree with one of the earlier posts and loose the armrest

In Summary, in descending order:
DSC
LSD (Following Test Drive or with/without - preferably on same day / same route)
Heated Seats

Maybe loose the HIFI and go aftermarket (or not)
Loose the armrest
Forget about DAB

Erm and I just saw the post about getting them to chuck TLC in, good luck with that, but definately worth a try

Stu

[stuvoi]

Quote: Originally Posted by Boyderama (original)

Hi everyone!

I'd like some advice please on the following spec. I am very near to my budget and wondered if the bits i'm leaving out are worth getting.

Mini Cooper S
Astro Black
Chill Pack
17" Flame spoke alloy wheels
Punch Leather
Piano Black Interior Trim
Chrome Exterior
Chrome Interior
Heated windscreen washer jets
Multi-Function on steering wheel
Front centre armrest
Hi-Fi Loudspeaker System
TLC 5yrs

Not sure about these?

Heated Seats
DSC
Limited Slip Diff
DAB Radio


I like the idea of all 4 of these but suppose I can only do another 2 perhaps.

I'd appreciate any advice

Thanks!

PS

It's not too different a Spec from mine - enjoy

[Japper]

Good write up Stu

I've driven the R56 with and without the LSD and it's the best option you can spec. especially at the price. It doesn't tug anymore than without, less really, but it puts the power down so well. It's even better than on the R53.

I've heard the DSC can be a bit intrusive on the R53, don't know whether this is the case with the R56.

I've always got the TLC thrown in for free..................it's about the only thing you can get for free.

[Boyderama]

Thanks so much to everyone who has replied

Get rid of the armrest? I loved the arm rest in my Mini Convertible LOL. So handy when you want to relax in traffic.

I have decided to keep the spec the same and add:

LSC
Heated Seats

I'm leaving out DSC as I already have ASC and perhaps having DSC is not really needed?

Thanks everyone

[bert23]

Boyderama - It took me ages to work out what to get!!

I would forgo armrest. Definitely get heated seats if you have leather - I went for lounge leather - really classy with the piping. I also added the DSC & Limited slip diff. Managed to get a reasonable to discount which helped .;-)

ALso go for the Anthracite headliner - makes it dark - goes well with piano black & chrome.

I didn't get the loudspeaker - wish I had though!!

Anyway Good luck!

[Boyderama]

Actually....What would you have between......DSC or Heated Seats??

[Paul]

What's more important, potential life saver, or a warm rear end?


For me, that's a no brainer.

[FergusM]

DSC for me everytime... would never buy a car without it...

[bert23]

Have to have both - - can't have leather without heated seats, and DSC was a must for me 2!!

edit - have sent you a private message

[ALD0]

It all depends on how hard you drive the car, I have DSC on my current S, and didn't have it on my previous MINI's (1 being a S)
I have found no difference at all in having it, maybe i'm not driving the car hard enough?!

[Japper]

Quote: Originally Posted by bert23 (original)

Have to have both - - can't have leather without heated seats,

You just like that warm wet feeling

[Boyderama]

You're all right. I'll get the DSC as safety is, obviously, very important.

Thank you SO much for replying and making me spend more money :P lol

[ALD0]

Heated seats are great, especially on a cold Winter morning and you work in a office wearing suit trousers and the material being thinnish!

[chris_h_465]

To add to the heated seat debate I read somewhere that they can give you piles. On a more serious note I have had them in two cars over the past four years and could count on one hand how much I used them and I live in Scotland!

I think the visibility pack is a must have. The heated front windscreen is going to be a lifesaver. Well maybe not life but you know what I mean.