[atif_farooq]

Ok, here's a couple of questions that I need help with! Ordered my Cooper over a week ago (the March 1st delivery date seems like an age away!), and now I've got a little dilemma (I'm sure that you'll all agree that its worth thinking about tho!). How many of you Mini lovers who own, or have ordered a Mini went for the Multi Function Steering wheel? Is it worth it? And I've heard that unless you get the ASC+T theres a toggle missing from the control panel, is this true? If so I must get it just to make sure my car looks complete!!

Ciao!

[KenL]

Don't have MFSW at the moment but it looks worthwhile for the money. £160 gives you radio cintrols and cruise controls.

Correct on the ASC&T leaves a blank switch if you've not got it.

[bobnobski]

Quote: Originally Posted by atif_farooq

Ok, here's a couple of questions that I need help with! Ordered my Cooper over a week ago (the March 1st delivery date seems like an age away!), and now I've got a little dilemma (I'm sure that you'll all agree that its worth thinking about tho!). How many of you Mini lovers who own, or have ordered a Mini went for the Multi Function Steering wheel? Is it worth it? And I've heard that unless you get the ASC+T theres a toggle missing from the control panel, is this true? If so I must get it just to make sure my car looks complete!!

Ciao!

MFSW - not worth it in my opinion, why?
1. Cruise control - motorway driving is too stop start in this country & driving with your feet on the pedals is safer!!
2. Volume controls - move hand to the left and turn the knob!! easy
spend the money on xenons instead!!

[punkeyfunky]

Quote: Originally Posted by KenL

Don't have MFSW at the moment but it looks worthwhile for the money. £160 gives you radio cintrols and cruise controls.

Correct on the ASC&T leaves a blank switch if you've not got it.

I've got DSC rather than ASC+T, and I've got no missing switch. Is that relevant? Or am I confused? (likely...)

Lee

[KenL]

but Xenons are £350, not £160.

[J3T]

I disagree with the fact that cruise control is useless in this country. If you're travelling at 80mph or faster then yes you will be braking all the time and disconnecting the cruise control. If you travel at 70mph (better economy and less stressful) then it would be very useful - I really wish I had oredred my cooper a little later and been able to add it to the options list.

As for the volume controls, it far safer to keep your hands on the steering wheel than have to reach across (ok so not all that far) and feel around for the button etc so as not to take your eyes off the road.

If you can spare the £160 then I think its worth it.

Jonathan

[Lucebel]

Love the MFSW!! I fiddle around a lot with the audio, between radio, cd, traffic info and volume etc. with the mfsw you don't even have to think about it it's soo easy.
And cruise control can also be used to not-speed. here the roads are full of speeding camera's and it's easy with a MINI to forget how fast you're going so you set the cruise control on you max limit and use your brake when you need to slow down, and let the cc speed up for you.
(don't use this yet myself cause it's way too much fun controlling the MINI myself. ) But collegues who are on the road a lot use it all the time to save on speeding tickets.

Just my 2 cents..

[Darren S]

I use cruise a lot. I find it helps make me feel a lot fresher at the end of a long journey. And now I have the stereo controls on the wheel, I hate driving other cars without. Go for it.

[WarGod]

When i went to buy my Cooper - there was one in the showroom without ASC+T and there was a switch missing, i then altered my order to include it. As for the steering wheel i have got it, havent really used the cruise control but i do like the volume and source controls (CD player or radio).

[NED]

I'm going for both of the options mentioned, I think MFSW is a good option mainly for safety reasons, and I definitely don't want a missing switch in my dash again so ASC+T is on order too!

By the way ignore my sig - due to BMW delays March 1st is my pick up day too! 04 Reg here we come........

[kenhenry]

Never had cruise control, never saw the need, thought bloody boring, probably fall asleep. Until my last car before the S came with it standard. Now I would never be without it.

Strange, on the motorways it makes you even more aware of what's going on around you on the road. You realize how often drivers without cruise speed up and slow down for apparently no reason, but is probably just their minds wandering.

As for the stereo controls - brilliant, love 'em to death. Especially the source button on the middle right. We have radar warnings on my usual station every 15 minutes, but I am always listening to the MiniDisc. On the quarter hour, quick flick of the button and I know where every radar with 40 miles is and click back again to the exact point in the song that I left - without that button, I would have to eject the MD to get the report and then the disc starts again from the beginning when you push it back in. Little things I know, but so convenient.

When I ordered my S at the beginning of last year, the cost for the MFSW was the equivalent of 250 pounds and I still ordered it. Luckily, the week the car arrived BMW Oz decided that the MFSW would be standard spec on the S. Couldn't believe it, they actually deducted the amount from the the total on the contract signed 4 months earlier.

Anyway, as for the wheel itself - it's horses for courses mate - if you like it, don't let anyone talk you out of it.

The one thing I would check though is whether it is the 2-spoke or the new, in my opinion ugly, new 3-spoke. If it's the new one check to see if there are any differences in the functions. This might help you make up your mind. That, and whether you would actually use the cruise.

Any way good luck with your decision.
__________________________________________________ ____________
EDIT:

After leaving this thread, ended up on a nother that answers the question on the 3-spoke, but raises another - fewer buttons???

check post #4 on http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...281#post654281

[randap]

Quote: Originally Posted by bobnobski

MFSW - not worth it in my opinion, why?
1. Cruise control - motorway driving is too stop start in this country & driving with your feet on the pedals is safer!!
2. Volume controls - move hand to the left and turn the knob!! easy
spend the money on xenons instead!!

I didn't have MFSW on my old MINI, but I now have it on my new car - wow, what a godsend. Whilst I agree (partly) with the comments regarding the stereo controls, the cruise control is fantastic. I use it ALL the time now - and not just on the M-way. You can set it at 30mph in 3rd and have no fear of getting a speeding ticket, and you can react just as fast, if not faster, if you need to brake. I mainly got it for when I drive to my parents place in France where cruise will be fantastic, but I have surprised myself by being able to use it as often as I do.

IMO £160 is a bargain - get it, you won't be disappointed.

NOTE: Before getting MFSW I have the same opinion as bobnobski - I guess it's like TiVo, iPOD, Sky, WSM, air con, mobile phone etc.....once you have experienced it, you wouldn't be without.

[SoggyCornFlakes]

Welcome to MINI2

1) If you do not have ASC then you will have 5 not 6 toggle switches. If you have ordered DSC then you will have 6 toggles. If you only have 5 toggles then a blank plate is put in the place of the missing one and does spoil the aesthetics. The ASC is a feature you tend to not notice that much until you get in a car without it, then you realise how much the wheels spin again It is well worth getting for more than the looks on the toggle panel, but also worth getting it for that alone

2) MFSW - I didn't have it on my first Cooper but have on my second, and would not be without it now. The stereo controls make life much easier and safer, you are not looking down at the head unit all the time to adjust volumes, stations etc. The cruise control really depends on your mood. If you want to have a leisurely drive it is worth using it, i suffer with a dodgy knee ( ok, I'm getting old ) and find it aches a lot after a long journey, using the cruise lets me switch position and helps reduce the aches.
But the real good time to use cruise is when you are on the motorway and going through roadworks. Set it to 50, or whatever the limit is, and you know you wont end up with a camera flashing you and 3 points on your licence. It's all too easy to let the speed creep up in the roadworks and these days you soon get caught.

So I'd recommend both options - good luck

[wrenny]

I have ASC because it was demonstrated to me on a roundabout both on and off and it made a real difference, chuck in some rain and its a great safety feature. Plus toggle is populated as other have said already.

I did not go for MFSW just because the total cost was already at about 14k. It does look a good option for C/C I have heard though that if you change the header unit from the MINI one to another brand (as I have done) it might not work ?? So either someone here will confirm or deny this, or check with your dealer.

adios and enjoy the wait

[atif_farooq]

Wow guys. Thanks for all the great responses and advice. I rung my dealer this morning and he told me that I could order the extras up until the end of January. I think I'm very likely to go for both the MFSW and the ASC+T options, because the pros for both seem to heavily outweigh cons!

On a final note (to this message, and not to my time on www.mini2.com - i love this site!! ), I'd like to say that every one I've had reply to me on this site and in all the forums has been real helpful, and I'm astonished at how nice all you people are! Thanks and take care!