UKPylot’s MINI Blog

I know my DIY skills are somewhat close to zero, but the parcel shelf install is supposed to be really easy and I did do the window-up circuit without any problems….

It didn’t help that it was 110F in the shade (118 in town) but I could not get the threaded inserts to stay in place when it came to screw the shelf into them. Each time the insert would slip down a fraction and be too low for the screw to go into. I even taped them in place but that didn’t work either. So, for now, the shelf is installed and stable but its not screwed into place.

[Update:] Did some research on the web and I appear to be in the majority to suffer this problem. Looks like superglue and patience are the answer.

And maybe it doesn’t matter, I still have the window circuit to do and probably have to remove that anyway.

I may write a full report on the differences between the 02 and 05 MCS’ or I may not. So in the meantime here’s a quick list of things that I’ve noticed every time I drive so far.

• I’m not a motoring journalist or otherwise I’d come up with some better word, but the gearbox is, well, tight. First gear is so much sharper, quicker off the mark and with none of that low-rev stumbling. The overall driving feel is a lot better.
• The top is a marvel of engineering. I don’t know if I will ever stop going ooh and aah every time it opens and closes. Three days in and no signs of the ‘infamous’ wear spots yet.
• I usually put my wallet in the door pocket but I can barely get my hand in there on the ’05. I am guessing this is because of the roll cage but its utility is limited if I can’t get things out of there real easy.
• I miss the location of the clock. I hadn’t realised how often I want to see both the clock and my current trip miles.
• There seems to be less leg room in the back. I don’t care as I don’t sit there but that’s how it looks to me.
• The leatherette is really nice, I think I prefer it to real leather. I will be covering it with the Wet Okoles but if you don’t live in super hot temps I think its a great choice.
• The three spoke steering wheel looks better than I had expected.
• The new OBC is great: more statistics to look at and, most impressively, it seems to be accurate this time. So far no predictions of 38 mpg and 600 mile ranges.

Well, thats it for now. Overall the car drives and feels so much better than the ’02, and it looks great. Count me as one happy new MINI owner.

Got home this evening to a call from the Sales Manager at South Bay MINI, my new MINI has arrived and is being “prepped for the aux input install and PDI”. That’s great news but I told them back in July not to install the aux input as I don’t want to pay their costs, and I want to put the socket under the console rather than in the glove box. I’ve tried calling her and a couple of the MAs but no one picked up. Going to be very annoying if they’ve done it already.

I’m also slightly concerned about the wheels and tyres. The Owners Lounge does not list my choice of wheels – I went for the 16″ non-run flats – so now I am wondering what my new baby is going to be riding on. I suppose I can live with 17″ run flats if I have to, but isn’t the whole point of this wait is to get the exact car you want?

Well, Sarah is off on her journey to a new city, tomorrow she will be calling San Francisco her new home. Her new owner was already beaming as he drove her away; another convert to MINI. Not sure if he will make up there without some tickets, though.

We had some good times, I’m going to miss her… Vegas, twisties in Julian…. hey, whose playing The Way We Were?

Good news today, the Owners Lounge says my vehicle is at the Distribution Centre! Estimated delivery date (to the dealer, I think) is 8/20/2005 so I think I should be on for picking it up on the 27th!

In the meantime I need a name for the car. Usually I pick ex-girlfriends or girls that I wished had been ex-girlfriends but I am informed by those who claim to know that a topless car should have a stripper name. Now, being an innocent abroad I don’t know any stripper names – anyone care to suggest any?

My new MINI is still at the port waiting to be processed, my MA says she hopes it won’t be more than two weeks but there are still several thousand cars to be processed; mine could be #1 or #5000. Anyone know how many cars a day they can usually process? Oh, my car isn’t even at the VDC yet, this is some post-arrival delay before it gets there.

Looks like I have Sarah sold, deal should go down Thursday or Friday if all works out. It will be sad to see her go but sometime you have to let them go.

We all know that the wait for the new vehicle can be frustrating but MINI does try to Make Waiting Fun (tm?) by sending out emails, brochures etc to fill the void. But in the last three weeks I’ve been unable to get my dealer to return an email or a phone call with questions about accessories, delivery dates, trade-in values etc, simple questions really that I didn’t expect to have to fight for answers. From changes to their web page, it looks like they have had a bit of a reorganisation but when you’re spending $30k you kinda expect not to be ignored when you ask the basic questions.

I almost see why its worth paying the markup – perhaps the $3k goes towards customer service?? If it wasn’t for the fact that I think I am almost at the end of the wait (but without anyone returning my calls who knows!) I think I’d cancel and buy a Miata.

[Update] Corresponded with my MA – she says that since July 21 the VDC has received 6900 cars and is struggling to clear the backlog. Bottom line, my car is there waiting to be released but we don’t know when they will get to it. She hopes to tell me tomorrow what to expect. I say clear the MINIs, let the BMWs sit there an extra day or three.

Might have a buyer for my MINI coming on Sunday so I needed to get my vanity plates turned in for regular ones. The local DMV was very efficient for a Friday lunchtime and so please spare a moment for the passing of UK PYLOT.