South Dakota MINI Car Dealers

Options by plekto on Thu Apr 19 14:43:46 PDT 2007

**this is an older post of mine(with some editing), but it answers your questions** Here goes - my list: First off, get the S. Worth every penny. And let's face it - everyone wants a used S and not he standard model as well.(true with most cars - always get the upper-end engine if you buy new). - No packages. Add items separately. - No sunroof. It kills the clean looks of the car and makes it into an oven inside, plus it's so far back that you can't see up and out of it while driving unless your seat is so far back that you have no rear seat. - Get a cat carrier for the cat and let him deal. The ride isn't the problem with my cats so much as the stopping and starting suddenly. That said, you want to replace the stock runflats with non-runflats right off. They handle better and have a softer ride as well. Less expensive to top it off. - Sport suspension, DSC, limited slip. Always buy anything that improves handling or major safety. When it comes time to resell, you can ask top dollar for it if it has these as well(plus it drives better) - Bridge Spoke wheels(look better, no extra money) - Rear fog light(amazed this isn't standard in the U.S. yet) (fog light are std - and the xenon aren't any better than the regular lights(as opposed to HID) - and they look less attractive - not worth $550 in any case) - The S comes with foglights. They make some difference in fog and rain, but mostly they look cool and are a major must-have item on the resale list for most people. Note - the idea of foglights is not that you can see so much as other cars can see you easier(though good ones do help somewhat as well). Think of it as DRL for bad visibility conditions. - Arm rest. No adaptor. Not required if you get automatic, though. Very nice if you have manual. - Cloth seats. Leatherette is Vinyl and hot as hell in the summer. Real leather is nice, but pricey, IMO. Either opt for the Beige/Orangeish real leather(beautiful in person) or cloth. - Interior trim is your choice - I'd opt for chrome lined interior(keep it simple) ($200) and that's it. - A/C - $300 - much better deal than getting a package - I don't think ANY of the instrument options are good for the money. Pass entirely.(the remote access is nice, but $500 is way too much) Pass on homelink and the other easy to break stuff. Get a Garmann GPS unit instead for $250. - Multi-function wheel - changed my mind - pass. You are right - IPod requires this and that and suddenly it's $1000+ as opposed to a $50 jack in the glovebox. I set my MP3 player to random anyways. Little Rio thing - 0Gig with a SD slot. $30. Drop in a SD card and enjoy - instant Ipod Nano for 1/3 the cost. - Stock audio. Upgrade later yourself with a few good Alpine speakers instead.(cabin is so small 4 speakers is more than enough) Accessories I like: Mud flaps are always good, though the stock ones look weak - see if there are aftermarket ones available. Glovebox organizer. Map Light Rubber Floor Mats - front, rear, and boot. ($134) - Well worth it, IMO, to protect the carpet. Bumper Protector. Accessories I don't like: Driving lights are nice, but pass - $550 is more than you'll ever need to install some Hela driving lights if you want - and they'll look and work better as well) Invisishield and so on - just do it yourself. Look online for Novus. They make plastic polishes that keep your plastic looking good as new - and lots cheaper too. **** Extras/JCW - this is where the miserly approach pays off. JCW Strut Brace - nice - stiffens it up a bit. *note* the audio jack(glovebox) is available but isn't listed - it's not too pricey, though. I get ~24K like this in a basic color like white. Outfitted this way, it's a superb performer AND it has maximum resale value, being that it has all of the performance options and little or none of the bling.(appeals to the performance minded enthusiast)