[scottybhoy]

Hi peeps,

Sorry if I offend anyone with this, but I've saw lots of threads where people have listed the spec of their ordered or delivered cars, and it seems a lot of folks have paid for radio boost/Harmon Kardon stereos which would cost over £500!
On both my cars I have just stuck with the standard tape player, which, by the way sucks big time, and have put in my own stereo.
Even just putting a bog standard cd player in the Mini from the factory costs a whopping £210.
Personally I think for the price we are all paying for Minis, there should be a cd player in there as standard, infact, does anyone still use tapes on a regular basis?
Anyway, I fitted a new Sony CD player which cost £215 and a 10 disc autochanger which I've had for a few years and in my opinion the visual and sound quality are far superior and at a portion of the Mini price.
I think we should bombard dealers with complaints about the lack of standard cd players in the cars for the price being paid, I mean, on a dodgy VX Corsa you get a cd player, so why not at the top end of the small hatch market.

Scottybhoy

 

[splashed100]

Totally agree

Another way of making more money out of us

Even if you have their £210 CD player, it still is no where near the quality that you would get if you paid the same amount of money for an after market one!

Lets all boycott buying their CD players and fit our own, then maybe Mini will wake up and do something!!!!!

Splashed100

 

[62Lincoln]

I agree with both of you, but remember at this price point we cannot expect too much given the performance attributes of our car. They have to make profit somewhere, and options are the usual place. I don't begrudge them their profit on the HU, since they offer such a fine product overall.

 

[lightbody]

Options is how they make most of their money and how they get to advertise the car with such a low list price. BUT it gives you the flexibility to do something else. For instance if you really do want to fit an aftermarket stereo, you'll be happier to have not paid for a CD player in the first place... BMW used to not have a stereo at all in their cars as standard...

 

[SteveM3]

Once upon a time in America .... mmmm good title for a film..... you had delete options
where you could say no thanks to the standard fit radio and get some money off the list
price. I don't recall if you could say no thanks to speakers as well. I can't see BMW
losing their nice little earner on this though.

 

[speedsman]

I am also in total agreement. When I order mine about 3 weeks ago there was no way I was paying 210 for cd boost its a joke. The demo model I tested had this and sound quality was ok but not amazing. The jvc unit may sister had fitted in her corsa for half that amount sound ed much better. I am currently looking for an aftermarket unit that will look good, sound good and work with the multi/function steering wheel. Still plenty of time to find one as car not due for nearly 2 months.

 

[minisoopercooper]

another in total agreement here!

The HK with MD HU and 6cd changer came in at a Whopping £830 so got this installed.

Ended up about the same price but a far superior set up.

2 amps, all new speakers (calrion 6x9's and Kenwoods in the front), top of range Sony MDX M690 MD HU, Sony 6 cd changer. All fitted by Mikeythemini of newministuff. Excellent service!

 

[sprite]

Absolutely!

I've stuck with the standard cassette player (hmmmmm what's one of those then eh!) and it really does suck! The sound quality is awful and I've only had it on a couple of times. I decided when ordering that the £500+ to put a single CD and upgrade the speakers was a complete rip off so I'm going to upgrade later. Still running the car in and quite happy listening to the engine at the moment so will probably wait a few more weeks before getting my tunes sorted!

I think it stinks that MINI can't put in a single CD player - they really aren't that expensive and there aren't many new cars out there which don't have a CD player as standard.

 

[Tubby]

Am I alone in defending H/K then?!

I have H/K, and find it really worthwhile - it is properly musical and tuned correctly to the car's inherent resonances and frequency anomalies rather than alot of the mid-range aftermarket stuff that is all swamping mid-bass 'boom' and has no real character to its sound.

Mind you though, I am finding that the BOOST HU that they strap onto the H/K amp and speakers is pretty mediocre , and has absolutely no pace or rhythm when playing CD's - anyone else find their BOOST HU boring to listen to, even at high volumes, or is it just mine?

 

[mikeythemini]

You would be surprised at how many new cars are brought in to us by dealers to hve cd's removed and cassettes fitted!!

 

[lightbody]

Got H/K and loving it!! I like the standard look and simple operation of the Boost head unit and the fact that it matches the dash (curved front, dimming lights etc) I like the alumninium covers on the speakers. I like the fact that no-one's going to be taking my car to bits to fit amps, speakers or new head units! I like the fact that there is nothing to steal and that the system was specifically designed and tuned for the MINI.

Oh yeah - and i love the fact that i don't have to explain to passengers how to operate it!!

http://www.mini2.com/reviews/review10.html