Speccing Cooper. To add or not to add?

[StevePSB]

Looked at a MINI sales price brocure today (big mistake!) and spotted a couple of things not available when I ordered my last MINI.

Do you think that the following couple of items are worth speccing?


Rain sensor windscreen with auto dim interior mirror

Tinted rear windows


I'm tempted to go for both, expecially the windscreen, but what do you think to the factory tints? Do they look odd with only the rears tinted? I'm having trouble imagining my future car with them in... Anyone got any Chili Red pics with rear tints?

[Red & White Cooper 2]

Quote:

Originally posted by StevePSB
Do you think that the following couple of items are worth speccing?

Rain sensor windscreen with auto dim interior mirror

Tinted rear windows

No. The Mini is about driving. Don't get distracted by the toys. Gimicks like rain sensor windscreens are for boring cars like Vectras. Just my opinion of course, but you did ask

[paul g]

Got them on our 3 series, but not the Cooper. Don't bother.

[StevePSB]

Oh, I'm already very distracted by toys!
My current Cooper has:

Chili pack
auto air con
MFSW
Xenons
17" wheels
Alarm
CD changer

and the next one will have all those plus H/K and ASC+T.

[Martin L]

How lazy are you?????

I'm going for the visibility pack on mine because:
1. Normal intermittent is just not good enoguh. I'm always flicking it up and down to get the screen swiped when it needs to rather then a pre-determined time.
2. Rear view mirror is slightly out of reach in normal driving position so I have to lean forward everytime I dip the mirror
3. I'm moving and my car will now live outside. I'm just not used to scraping frost off my windscreen so a heated on will help immensily

I'm personally don't like tints, but the factory ones I've seen are OK. Most people get the front sides done in addition to balance the look

[ALD0]

I have gone for the pack, and only because I want the Quicklear windscreen and also auto dimming mirror!!

If the auto wipers are like my Clio then they are s##t

[StevePSB]

Right! I've pretty much come to a conclusion on final spec.
I've gone very mad with the list this time round and I'm now having the following:

Cooper, Chili Red, White roof
Chili pack
SS+
Black/Black interior
Alloy patina trim
White 17"s
Bonnet stripes
Auto air con
Harmon Kardon
CD prep, I will be adding Alpine CHA-634 6 disc MP3 changer
MFSW
Alarm
Xenon headlamps
ASC+T
Sat nav
Rain sensor windscreen/auto dim interior mirror


The bold items are ones which I've decided to get during the course of today (always wanted nav! ).
They are likely to make it to the order as I still have a credit card to spend some money on too!

This car will be so heavy it won't move, but it will look good!

I've decided against factory tints. They look strange without the front ones done too, and I don't want to flout the law to make it look good.

[StevePSB]

Yes, I know about the cost of my future Cooper Vs. a Cooper S, but I couldn't afford to run one ATM. Maybe in a couple of years...

[Razor]

I'd say yes to the Visibility Pack ('cos I wanted it when I ordered my Cooper 2 years ago - but it wasn't available then ) but no to the rear tinted windows - makes it look more like a van than a car IMHO.

If you're thinking of the tints get the front and the back done (I know that's not an option when you order the MINI, but you can get it done as there are plenty of places that do 'em ) I'm sure your dealer could arrange for them doing for you, I know mine can, they've got a couple of companies they use.

[Biggles]

Not so sure about the toys, but I had a cooper s out while my cooper was being serviced and the tinted windows did look very cool!!

[MarkW19]

Tinted windows is a personal thing, but you're allowed up to 35% tints on the front 2 windows before it gets illegal, so as long as you specify that you'll be fine.

The back 3 can be as dark as you want them - think of vans. But balanced would be better.

You can't touch the windscreen apart from the "top tint" which is just like a tinted "sun-strip" which looks silly IMHO.

But as for rain-sensing wipers - they're EXCELLENT. Put them on if it's raining/looks like rain, and that's it. They work brilliantly. The intermittant is a strange speed to you are constantly fiddling with the speeds when it's raining. For £100 it's a bargain, and you get the auto-dimming mirror with that too that glows a blueish colour when it's dimmed. As soon as you select reverse the tint goes. Well worth it! :-)

I pick my Cooper up on monday with rain-sensing wipers/dimming mirror. I added the option about 2 weeks before it was built but I'm now very glad I did :-)