Acoording to the tech at my local dealer its a pain to change the switch block, he estimates about 2hrs and thats if you have done it before.
My dealer have now said they will charge me 2hrs at £75 hour to fit one and code it.
The switch block costs £228 but they will not discount it.

keep us posted on how you get on with the dealer.

Went into Hereford yesterday and got to speak to the parts manager who was very helpful. I explained the situation and layed it on that i was annoyed at spending £84 on buttons that on their advise would be a plug and play set up. He apologised about the advise given and he has booked the car in on Weds to get to the bottom of the problems at no cost to me. If he finds out it needs any parts then he will sort it out at a minimal cost to me and not to worry about getting any surprise bills for hundreds of pounds:D

Fingers crossed i finally get it done on Weds, will let you know!

So the long saga may be drawing to a close at last for you. Keep us posted I would be very interested to find out how much it is possible to get a switch block for.

Had the call from dealers to say it needs switch block, which i pretty much knew anyway. This part alone costs £371:eek: as prices have changed plus fitting and coding charges. Explained not happy as if i had known it was this dear i would of not set out on this saga and all along been getting duff info and different prices from their people! They have rang back and explained the best they will do is offer part and fitting at half price. This makes the part £185 and service will only charge for 1 hour at £45 making the total fitted coded price at £230. This i dont think is too bad a deal and the best i will probably get, so with the button set previously bought it will be a total cost of £314. Not as cheap as i was hoping and double the price of speccing it from new but i reckon worth it.

Dave i would double check on the prices you have been quoted and if you can still get it for £228 then get it mate before it changes.

Well my saga is finally over, i have had it all fitted and coded today:D

Very pleased with the functions after my little play on the way home. It cost me £314 in total but i had a stroke of luck last week finding one of the undated 20p coins in my change which i sold for £100 so all in all not too bad.

Finally got mine done. In the end it cost me £520.
MF Steering wheel ebay £70
3 spoke airbag ebay £70
Switch cluster (new), fitting & coded £382.
Total cost £522 which is damm site cheaper than the £1100 I was quoted by my local dealer.

Did your local dealer fit that lot and code it dave. Also I thought read somwwhere dealers wont fit second hand stuff.

Did your local dealer fit that lot and code it dave. Also I thought read somwwhere dealers wont fit second hand stuff.

They wont, I fitted the steering wheel and airbag myself.

Finally sorted then Dave, well done.

Its well worth it im always using mine:)

Guys is there anyway of establishing if newer cars are having the usable switch block fitten nowadays?? Mine is a 59 and would like to add this especially if its just(excuse the punn) button's for me....??

In a word..no.
If your car is fiited with a 3 spoke steering wheel you will need the button pack, switchblock and recode...circa £500.

if you have a 2 spoke wheel you will need a 3 spoke wheel with buttons and a new airbag..circa an additional £450

I have been talking to my local parts department and workshop today, my car is a August 09 Mini Cooper D Graphite, with Chili Pack and a 3 spoke steering wheel.

Talking to parts today and he seemed to think that 09 cars fitted with one or other of Xenon's, Rain Sensing Wipers or DSC all have the same part number for the switch block (61313453989) listed as required to work with the switches for MFSW

I have ordered the switches today as they are prepared to see if its a simple plug and play as my car has DSC at least and already has the 3 spoke wheel, if not they are happy to take the switches back..

Talking to the workshop the guy seemed to think that the car needed to be coded to tell it it has this before fitting the switches and suggested that either they code it before I try to fit or they code and fit at the same time...

He is looking into it more and coming back to me tomorrow, I will likely get the car in on Monday to let them have a look at this...

Will of course post up here on the results...

Does your car have either "Xenon's, Rain Sensing Wipers or DSC" then?

I have been talking to my local parts department and workshop today, my car is a August 09 Mini Cooper D Graphite, with Chili Pack and a 3 spoke steering wheel.

Talking to parts today and he seemed to think that 09 cars fitted with one or other of Xenon's, Rain Sensing Wipers or DSC all have the same part number for the switch block (61313453989) listed as required to work with the switches for MFSW

I have ordered the switches today as they are prepared to see if its a simple plug and play as my car has DSC at least and already has the 3 spoke wheel, if not they are happy to take the switches back..

Talking to the workshop the guy seemed to think that the car needed to be coded to tell it it has this before fitting the switches and suggested that either they code it before I try to fit or they code and fit at the same time...

He is looking into it more and coming back to me tomorrow, I will likely get the car in on Monday to let them have a look at this...

Will of course post up here on the results...

Does your car have either "Xenon's, Rain Sensing Wipers or DSC" then?

Read above ;)

Errrm.. so does the Chili pack have those? Not the Xenons or the RSW, maybe the DSC?

or am I still missing something? (probably!)

It does say in my post I have DSC ;)

I have been talking to my local parts department and workshop today, my car is a August 09 Mini Cooper D Graphite, with Chili Pack and a 3 spoke steering wheel.

Talking to parts today and he seemed to think that 09 cars fitted with one or other of Xenon's, Rain Sensing Wipers or DSC all have the same part number for the switch block (61313453989) listed as required to work with the switches for MFSW

I have ordered the switches today as they are prepared to see if its a simple plug and play as my car has DSC at least and already has the 3 spoke wheel, if not they are happy to take the switches back..

Talking to the workshop the guy seemed to think that the car needed to be coded to tell it it has this before fitting the switches and suggested that either they code it before I try to fit or they code and fit at the same time...

He is looking into it more and coming back to me tomorrow, I will likely get the car in on Monday to let them have a look at this...

Will of course post up here on the results...

Highlighted in case you still can't see it ;)

yeah got it now!

As I mentioned in my post Tech was looking into it some more and as per Caveman Dave despite part numbers its still a new £300+ switch block for me also so in the same boat as older cars....

Was worth exploring :(

J

Reading this thread I also require a switch pack – what is the switch pack

Get my new (to me) 07 MC delivered tomorrow night. I've paid them to fit the full mfsw - total cost £780 all - reduced to £700 (cos they messed me around on summat). It's a chili, so it already had the three spoke wheel - don't know if they have reolaced that though.

So, if anyone is thinking how much it costs - £780's the price from a Mini dealership.

I got the car quite cheaply, so am happy to spend the extra. This weekend will be spent fitting the parrot 9200i kit with steering wheel adapters, a chrome kit, and an arm rest. LOL

btw - hello everybody.

Mick

Get my new (to me) 07 MC delivered tomorrow night. I've paid them to fit the full mfsw - total cost £780 all - reduced to £700 (cos they messed me around on summat). It's a chili, so it already had the three spoke wheel - don't know if they have replaced that though.

So, if anyone is thinking how much it costs - £780's the price from a Mini dealership.

I got the car quite cheaply, so am happy to spend the extra. This weekend will be spent fitting the parrot 9200i kit with steering wheel adapters, a chrome kit, and an arm rest. LOL

btw - hello everybody.

Mick