[Karly]

Hi everyone,

I am considering putting down a deposit on a mini cooper convertible in the next week or so and I just wanted some advice from the experts! What is everyone's favourite accessories because there are just so many to choose from!? To keep within my budget I would like to either have a Harmon Kardon hifi or part leather/part cloth seats and I just can't decide, or is there something else out there which I need more?

Help!

[KenL]

Welcome Karly.

If I were you I would go for the half leather sports seats. You can always add a better hi-fi system later to the car.

[abs0lutely]

Hi Karly, and welcome!

Why don't you list your current spec and we'll nit-pick it for you!

If you're a big music fan and don't like making changes to the car after it has left the factory, then the Harmon Kardon HiFi would be a good option. However, the BOOST option may be good enough on its own.

The seats, however, are going to be much harder to have changed later. I have part leather seats in my current tin top cooper and I can't imagine having just cloth now. I've spec'd full leather in my MCSC on order.

Other things to consider are heated seats, and whether or not you want a wind deflector.

[Karly]

OK well, I'm thinking of the Mini Cooper version with..

Cool Blue paint
17" Bullet Alloys
Manual Air Con

I'm thinking possibly the visibility pack because I would like a heated windscreen, possibly elec folding wing mirrors, and then we have the seat and stereo issue. Unfortunately I can't go too mad because I'm saving up for my first house so the purse strings are quite tight. There are just so many accessories, I'm lost!

I have a Peugeot 206 convertible at the moment which I've had for about 2 years and I've never needed a windstop.. the wind blowing in your hair is the whole point of a convertible I think!

[Karly]

Aww no I couldnt wait, I really love cars and I've got my heart set on a mini and have to have one! I've got about £18K to play with but I don't want to go to mad and would rather spend about £16,500 and be sensible about it, plus I want to sell my current car before it gets too old and is worth less than £10K and once I get a house it will probably take me another 5 years to save up for a new car...sigh

I'm drawn towards the half leather seats now because of everyone's comments and will probably add the nice stereo on down the line.

[minicabrio]

Hi Karly,

I recently took delivery of my MCC in Cool Blue with the Dark Blue Hood, and the one thing I have learned is that you do not have to have all the extras! My first spec (what I would have liked) came in at £21000, so after so lateral thinking I went for:

Chilli Pack (a must really - gives you the chrome exerior, sports susp, half leather etc etc)
Visibility Pack (also wanted the heated windscreen)
Coloured dash and door bezels
Dealer Fit Sony CD......................That tipped in at £16,737

Do you really need the 17" wheels? The 16s on mine look pretty good, and they dont make the ride supercar hard.... you also save £370 (with chilli)......

Have a look at the pics in my gallery......

Jon

P.S. I bought the house first though....

[Karly]

Noo noo noo house Life does not get any more comfortable than when you are living with your mummy and have all your washing done for you!!!!!!!!!!

[Karly]

I'm 22... I derno if that's an age when I should be living with my mummy or not.!

Can someone explain the Chili back for me? I can't work out what exactly it includes... Jon's idea does sound like a good one, and I really love the way his car looks.

[Karly]

I'm in Berkshire, which is nearly as bad as London because its one of those counties which is country-side ish and close to London for commuting...yurk! Maybe I could live in my mini? I'm sure there has to be a option for a walk in shower in that accessories brochure somewhere...

[marrsbar]

Just get the chili pack. All the other extras would be nice (i've opted for pretty much everything on my mcc and its running just over 20k ) but at the end of the day, the reason you want a mcc is because its a damn fine car. Convertible, ultra cool looking and so much fun to drive.... thats the important part. Save yourself a few k and get your house to. You can always get a fully specced up mini in a few years when your in your new house and have more cash to spend.......(and trust me, when you need a new car, you will get another mini )

[Karly]

Yeh I think I've decided my spec now and I'm saving the accessories for when I get my new Mini Cooper S Convertible in the future! For now I'm going with...

Mini Cooper
Metallic Paint (Cool Blue)
Black Roof
17" Bullet Wheels
CD Player
Manual Air Conditioning
White Bonet Stripes
Plus cute little extra lights on the front

I am just waiting for my local deal to get back to me on a date when I can test drive and then I'm going to put my deposit down. Dealer said next April delivery at the latest. I don't mind keeping my current car a bit longer and going for an April 1st plate.. give me time to save up my pennies!

[rentagas]

this thread started with cooper converible at around 16000 and you've changed to Cooper S. cooper S is a different kettle of fish. insurance at 22 will be sky high (group 16A) ?2K. If you are going to buy this car (list £17,600) you will want to specify the chilli pack plus other options, at this price point cd player and air con (manual standard in chilli pack) and heated seats are musts. you will rapidly reach 21k plus and it is not unusual to spend 5k plus on factory options. If I had had the money at 22 I would have, and whilst property may well increase at inflation levels, 20% rises per year are unsustainable ie if you've got that much money then buy one now before your freinds who went to university have even graduated.

[Karly]

ooo no sorry I've confused people now I was answering the post before mine saying that my next car after my little Mini Cooper could be the one with all the accessories, the Cooper S will be the one after my Cooper... I will probably be 25 by the time I try for the S

[rentagas]

Sorry I misinterpreted:

Heated Seats
Air Con
CD player (get someone other than BMW to install and sell the casette on ebay) or spend £210 extra on the MP3/WMA boost cd player-which is really rather good and means you don't need a multi cd
Chilli pack for resale
Interior chrome
17" bullets look fantastic-but do you need them? (yes i know you do)
Cool Blue
Body Colour Dash
Blue roof

?passeger airbag disconnection is cheap at £30?
?electric mirrors are cool?
Happy driving
Even on a cool cloudy day blasting along with the roof down, the seats on and the air con blowing warm air is great. Sauntering up to the car pressing the unlock button as you cross the Sainsbury's car park to see the electric roof come down is quite fun- you are unlikely to get your shopping in the boot so having the roof down gives you easy access to the back seats!

rent-a-gas

[dinger]

Quote: Originally Posted by rentagas

you are unlikely to get your shopping in the boot so having the roof down gives you easy access to the back seats!

rentagas, if its the weekly food shopping yes you will get it in the boot unless of course your feeding the 5 thousand or its the girly clothes shopping and then you'll need a trailer.



dinger.

[rentagas]

Quote: Originally Posted by dinger

rentagas, if its the weekly food shopping yes you will get it in the boot unless of course your feeding the 5 thousand or its the girly clothes shopping and then you'll need a trailer.



dinger.

Dinger, do I have to post a picture of my weekly sainsburys shop filling the boot and half the back seat of my convertible? In truth I can't get it in the back of my Golf either (4wd makes the boot smaller). However (it pays not to be too critical on these forums) it was supposed to be a joke. I DO also have a 6 seat, large MPV complete with top box and a tow bar but strangely prefer to go to Sainsbury's in my convertible (it also means I don't have to take all the kids)