[jeremybingham]

Heres an idea for a new thread to cause a bit of controversy as I know we will never all agree BUT here goes I will start it.

Best option I chose and totally love are the led headlights. Approaching the car at night blip the key and it lights up like an Xmas tree. I never fail to draw a sharp intake of breath and tingle with pride it looks so amazing.>

Could've done without spending £120 on the anthracite roof lining. Even though the car is vo with black roof etc I think it was probably a waste of money. Darkens the interior too. Saleslady strongly advised me it would match the roof but.........

 

[jeremybingham]

Oops you'd and paying for. Sorry thread header can't be edited!

 

[Sag]

Things I wish I'd spec'd

A bit of a slant on your topic, I wanted to keep costs down and didn't want climate control (so didn't have Pepper Pack), however picked the car up yesterday and there are a few things I wish I had added as options as things are a bit dull without them (hopefully this might help someone when ordering their car)

Things I miss (had them on loan mini).

Footwell and door handle interior lights (interior is very dark with no lighting packages - even with interior light on I can't see where the usb/aux sockets are)
Exterior door handle lights
Lights in sunvisors
Interior trim - door cards are dull without slash of coloured plastic (although I would have gone for silver not piano black)
Secret storage compartment - small but accessible from drivers seat on the move
Heated front screen
Auto wipers and lights

Hmmm quite depressing.

Things I couldn't live without - glowing red colour line (blazing red car), brightens up the interior for minimum expense.

Things I wish I hadn't bothered with - Rear PDC (only ordered it to protect the car when wife reversing after she reversed into next doors house in her previous car). For me the Mini is easy to see out of and the wing mirrors provide good vision so I can reverse it without sensors no problem)
I would also say mats but I got them for free, reason I'd say mats are because they aren't top draw quality and they are rather plain (would have at least liked mini logo on them) so I think you'd be better spending your money on some fancy after market mats (just my opinion though).

 

[johnan]

I think the HUD is a really worthwhile option.

Not too sure about the rear parking sensors being much help but I do like the rear camera option!

 

[uke]

I had to have:
* Manual transmission
* Sport Suspension
* 17" Wheels
* LED headlights

That was important enough for me to go the order route rather than take a car that was already stateside and available much quicker. All the options I ordered were performance-oriented (wheels/suspension) or contribute to safety (LED lights).

What did I not feel was worthwhile?
* The full set of electronic gizmos, map display (I have 5 freaking GPS units; why do I need another one to distract me while I'm driving? And how do I know that MINI will keep the maps updated?)
* a $500 paint color (that money went to the sport suspension instead)
* Heated seats (somehow I have managed 56 years on this planet with unheated seats, thank you)
* "JCW" trim.
* Fancy audio. I only listen to podcasts and books on tape. I don't listend to broadcast radio other than local AM stations.

Granted, I got into this unexpectedly because my prior MINI blew up. I needed a car, and I went for the cheapest possible car that would meet my criteria. If I were inclined to spend $36,000 on a MINI, I wouldn't pork it up with a bunch of options, I'd buy a JCW.

That said, a lot of the specced out cars on this board look really nice. I'm only slightly envious.

 

[Mindo]

Couldnt do without the sat nav. When the directions are spoken it seems as though its in a very calm and unhurried way. Unlike the tom tom which is the complete opposite. The tom tom as always put me in a mild sense of anxiety with its continued repeating of 'take the B 3 Thousand six hundred and forty seven at the 3rd exit' all within about 30 seconds.
I do like the HUD but it doesnt do a great deal if you dont have the additional traffic sign and speed limit info so maybe i could have done without it.

 

[profiteroles]

Wish I had - heated seats in this weather brrrrr

Wish I didn't waste money on - Comfort access, its not about standing around holding in the button on the door handle to make the mirrors fold in after locking.

 

[ThunderSeven]

For me it would be:
- Nav
- The sturdy steering wheel... it's the right thickness and solid.. you're touching it constantly so it needs to be perfect!
- The secret compartment (love it)
- And the smell of a new car... I am totally ODing on that smell ;D

But honestly, I just love it ALL! I just had my first fuel up after 400KM... I only paid $47!!! I'm used to paying over $92 on the dodge nitro. It took me just as far (400km). I'm mostly a city driver so this is a huge thing for me.

 

[Hat]

Things i'm happiest i specced would be:
- auto box
- visual boost radio

Things i could have probably lived without:
- sunroof

 

[jeremybingham]

Fab. Yes really wish I had the driving assistant pack. I have sat nav she s superb but would love the speed . Limit to be displayed! On the hud. However I couldn't see the point in reversing sensors when vis is so good. I would've liked full leather but love my heated seats and front screen and it was getting expensive!

 

[Prowillys]

I had heated seats on my 2006 Cooper. Never had heated seats before that car. Now I can't live without them. Had them in my 2012 Cooper as well. Now they are in the 2015 Cooper. Cant live without them here in Syracuse, NY.

 

[QMark]

Love the
Blazing Red (although the Chilli Red looks great too)
Glowing Red Colour Line: only £50 and really livens up the interior dash and doors
Sunroof
Auto Close...sometimes I open the sunroof and windows, just so that I can hold down the lock button on the remote and watch them close
Voice Activated controls

Wish I hadn't bothered with
Piano black: it never looks clean
Anthracite roof trim (as I have a sunroof, there's only a 5 inch strip all round: not the best £150 I ever spent.)
The SatNav: huge money, and no better than TomTom. I only bought it because I assumed that, for the money, future map updates would be free. Updates are in fact eye-wateringly expensive
Media XL: you can't help noticing that the iDrive is aimed at left hand drive vehicles. Try drawing letters on a 2 inch plastic circle, with your left hand, whilst driving!
I won't bang on about providing a Playlist search option, when the system does not in fact support iTunes playlists.
Buying into that whole Mini Connected schpiel of the salesperson. I even changed my phone to an iPhone, for the 'benefits' of interconnectivity. Now the Google 'Send to Car' function for SatNav no longer works, there is nothing really useful left in either MiniConnected or Mini TravelMate.

 

[Paul Hemsley]

Certainly agree about the Piano black !

 

[kenl]

This is the least specced mini I have had for a while, my 3 r56 cars all had the chilli pack.

I am really happy with thar car as is. Not a big fan of big wheels and quite happy with the 15 inch wheels. They look fine from the side but wider tyres would look a lot better.

Must haves for me are the better screen for the stereo and the upgraded trim, the standard doors look rubbish, too much scratchy plastic.

The auto lights and wipers that came with the pepper pack are a waste of time. Auto-wipers drive me nuts. They never wipe enough when moving slowly and sometimes go so fast they look like they are trying to set a new speed record!

If I were to pick one thing I would like it is a better music system. Standard is ok but wish I had gone for HK.

 

[kenl]

Certainly agree about the Piano black !

I could have told you this. Had it in my first r56.

It is a magnet for dusk and scratches very easily. I have the dark silver trim, it is nice.

 

[MintMark]

Better than expected - the HUD and satnav combination.
Worth every penny - LED lights.
Meh - driving assistant, but it could avoid an accident one day!
Disappointed - dark cottonwood comes with piano black on the doors, state of android support.
Wish I could have avoided - armrest.
Regret not buying - maybe JCW steering wheel, maybe different colour roof and mirrors.

Overall - still absolutely loving it! Washed it at the weekend and found my first tiny stone chip. I guess it's mine now

 

[AnneP]

I love my sunroof - I bet I've used that nearly every day since I got the car in June; and now I love my heated seats, luxury. And I love my sat nav - bye bye suction pad and wires. Would've liked the jcw steering wheel but wasn't available at time of ordering.

 

[Stingray82]

I am really glad I went for the sport suspension as I consider it worth every penny of the $250 cost.

I could live without the rear storage option, there wasn't much to it for the price and the quality of carpet on it was really low.

One option I wish I had taken is whatever one it would be to get an oil pressure guage instead of an idiot light that tells me why the car's engine just exploded.

 

[littlebird]

Best option for me is the panoramic sunroof. Brightens up the interior in winter/miserable weather, lets in fresh air and looks cool in summer, can leave the airconditioning off while on the motorway with the sunroof cracked slightly open. Wouldn't buy another car without one.

And the one I shouldn't have bothered with are the folding exterior mirrors. The mirrors are so short and stubby in the first place and rather than press and hold the key fob to fold in the mirrors I wish there was the option to have them fold in while simply locking the doors with one click.

 

[Midnight Black]

This is actually a really helpful topic post! Spent a while reading everyones worth while options and ones they could live without. Will post when I get my car...hopefully I'll have no regrets