I got confirmation yesterday from Herb Chambers MINI that everything was ready with GBMINI#6 (except removing the armrest, due to un-availability of the replacement part), so I headed in to Boston (in the R56) after work …
Ian & I went through the paperwork (not much, since it’s a no-cash “swap”) and then spent a while trying to find my lost iPod (which turned out not to be lost after all).
I was amazed to find that the “clear bra” hood / front bumper protection had been removed! Ian said that it was decided to remove it because it looked worn, but I really would expect to have been told about it, and maybe to have had a say in the decision 😦
Anyway, I jumped in and pulled out of the dealership heading home … first thing, the car locked it’s doors! That’s something I really hate, and I’d requested the feature be disabled, and been told it was done … so back to the dealership, where GBMINI#6 got “plugged in” to be re-programmed:
After that a very scary ride in the passenger seat 😉 while Ian reversed the car out of the tight spaces and down the ramp from H.C.MINI service, and then I was finally properly on my way home.
The convertible is so much better to drive than the R56; everything just feels “connected” to you, like it should – or, I suppose, like I’m used to in all the other MINIs I’ve owned. And the H/K stereo makes the R56 stock sound system seem like a ’70s pocket transistor radio 🙂
I also decided that maybe the armrest wasn’t such a pain after all – on the R56 it was really in the way, but in the convertible I only noticed it when adjusting the seat back angle (which I don’t do often), and getting coffee this morning (haven’t figured a solution for that yet, but it’s only a couple miles from Dunkin Donuts to work and of course I never “drink & drive”).
Here’s some more pictures of GBMINI#6:
M&I / GBMINI 
And at 15 degrees this morning it was a perfect day for “Always Open” motoring!
Ian, I find it odd that you dislike the auto door lock. I love it. I’d be interested to know why you dislike that feature?
I found pics of the new Cab this AM at Car Magazine online. It’s posted over at Twisty.
We are getting some much needed rain here in SoCal. Of course Los Angelinos can’t drive in the rain and Malibu is sliding into the sea, so all in all, everything is normal here.
The auto lock means you have to double pull the handle to get out of the car 😦
I have auto lock — but I also have auto unlock (when the engine is turned off), and that makes it ideal for me. The only annoyance is when pulling over to drop off a passenger, they have to do the double pull to open the door.
I dislike the double pull door opening thing.
Yes, my R53 auto locks the doors when driving and then auto unlocks them again when I remove the key. It’s AWESOME and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Now… The stupid thing about our R56 is that it can be programmed to auto lock the doors, but there’s no auto unlock feature available. Talk about one step forward and two steps backwards. Oy!
BTW, the H/K sound system in my R53 completely and totally blows away the “premium” (i.e. $500 upgrade) sound system in our R56. The R56’s stereo system just plain sucks. The sound is terrible and I’m embarrassed to tell folks that I spent $500 (plus tax) on the “upgraded” sound system. Another one step forward and two steps backwards for the MINI I guess. Way to go BMW!!!
Congrats, Ian! The car looks great and I am sure this one will satisfy all your motoring needs/wants and then some.
I poked my head in here a couple weeks ago after not checking in for probably a few months. SURPRISE! I saw that Ian had purchased an R56. Honestly, I was shocked. I don’t know why, but I was. Now I come back a couple weeks later, the R56 is gone, replaced by a shiny new vert, and all seems right with the world again. Congrats Ian. Enjoy the top down driving!
Now why don’t you bring that shiny “new” car down here for JTR5 in June. I’ve got Glenn (from TGICR last year) joining us all the way from Florida, so you can’t tell me it’s “too far” away. 😛
Thanks Robyn,
When is JTR5; does it clash with MOT? I guess I should be able to find it on some MINI forum …
Can’t believe they took off the clear bra. I guess they wanted to make some extra bucks by making you pay to have it installed again.
Even it it was “worn” I would just keep it until the spring and have a new one installed. Somewhere other than Herb Chambers of course.
I just don’t find pulling the door latch twice any big deal. I think it’s mainly designed for kid safety. Well to each their own.
Hey, I just noticed the MOT Tech party debacle is gone!????? Huh?
Your Vert looks great in the driveway! I’m gonna try to put a clear bra on myself as soon as I get my new car (this week, with a little luck). I’m going to pop out the headlight rings, front grill etc and use an 18 inch wide piece of uncut film straight across the hood. That way I won’t have to get the seems to line up with the visible edges of the hood openings. Somebody had this done a few years back by an installer up near you. So far Inskip has been wonderful and of-course they are just 30 minutes away from me!
I’m curious why you took off the 17s and had 16s put on?
I prefer the slightly softer ride of the 16s – and I’ve never much liked the look of those 8-spoke 17s.
I am curious about your choice of a 6 speed over the auto. Before the GP, you seemed to favor the auto. Has the GP converted you? Any thoughts of adding the JCW to toplis?
I was happy with the automatic – and if I’d got an auto R56 it would have been one less thing to be unhappy with (no clutch!)
But I’m happy too with a manual transmission; and you’re right, maybe with GP influence, it didn’t really occur to me to go back to an auto!