GBMINI#2

Today I installed some chrome rings in GBMINIs interior; I bought the three official MINI rings in the center (for the speedometer and the two air vents) from MINI Peabody – the vent rings are quite easy to fit but the speedo ring requires some work (see MINI2 for details).

I bought the rev counter ring from CoolNew; this English company easily handles delivery to USA, but does not show the rev counter ring alone on its web page. It was pictured in an advert in GoMini magazine so I just phoned them and had no trouble ordering.

MINI USA will not sell the official MINI rev counter ring, since it requires disassembly of the rev counter to install! The CoolNew ring is a simple slide fit over the rev counter body – it is also a much nicer feel than the official MINI parts (but the MINI parts are less expensive).
I have two chrome pieces to go over the hazard & dim switches in the center console, but they are on back-order with MINI USA at the moment …

Also today, I finally installed the official MINI center storage console:

You *can* install it without removing the downtubes, since it is very flexible and can be bent and twisted into place. I have not yet tried to get it out again without removing the downtubes (which I hoped would be possible for any 2005 MINI owners wanting to install the MINI circuit).
Now I have it installed, I don’t really think the official solution is any better than the Hot Pocket I had before (although the official part is a better color match) …

As mentioned recently, I read about an Automatic Brakes Initiated Annunciator kit and ordered it. It came quickly and included good install instructions. The module is installed behind the third brake light and wired so that when you press the brake pedal, the light flashes a few times. The module is designed so that the light does not flash every time you brake, but only after some time with the brakes not pressed.

So I removed the third brake light (easy – three torx screws at the top of the boot lid) and wired the module (quite easy, but there is not much space to fit the module behind the third brake light):

I tested the module and wiring before refitting, then had a friend press, release and press the brake pedal while I video’ed: for the not terribly exciting (and silent) video result:

 

I am not sure if this is really a good mod – I have not been behind my MINI while driving it to know if the flashing has much effect, or if it is annoying. I can hear the clicking of the module when I brake, if the stereo is not too loud (not annoying, but noticeable). But at $15, I cannot argue with the price – if I made my own module it would be a similar cost!

UPDATE (September 29, 2004): This mod is no longer in GBMINI – the click-click-click every time I braked was driving me crazy; the claims about it not re-flashing if you brake again in a short time is also not true for me.