G8RMNI

G8RMNI Has Left the Building

2009-11-12T19:54:00.002-05:00

My fiancé and I have been toying with the idea of getting a bigger car the last couple of months. While I loved G8RMNI for his peppy, super-charged engine and thrifty gas mileage, my bum (and fiance’s derrier) were really sore after our longer car trips to visit friends and family all over the East coast. As a result, the search for a car that could meet my MINI Cooper S’ performance while providing extended comfort began.

We decided to sell the MINI versus my fiance’s car (a VW New Beetle) since it hadn’t really taken a hit depreciation-wise, thus providing a sizeable down payment. Her only request was that the new car be an automatic.

Being the car geek that I am, I immediately began bookmarking my favorite car sites, and revisiting them over, and over, and over again, for about six weeks straight, playing with configurations, specs, price sheets, paint colors, etc, etc…I shaved the field down to three cars:

1) BMW 328i
2) Audi A4
3) Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport

The 328i
Summary: This car is a driver’s car. It’s got heavy steering, an extremely firm suspension (for a sedan at least; definitely not as harsh as my MCS) and short overhangs (definite plus). The downside: If I buy a BMW, it must be stick. MUST BE! It’s sacrilegious to buy a 3-series with an automatic. Simply wrong.
Result: Off the list

The A4
Summary: The A4 2.0T Quattro definitely surprised me. I was able to take one out for a very long test drive (about an hour or so). I really cornered it hard, braked harder, and floored it. The all-wheel drive system is truly impressive. The cabin however? Not so much. It had relatively good power, but nothing that pinned me in the back of my seat like the MINI.
Result: Consider it.

The C300 Sport
Summary: If the engineering team at Rolex and the tailors at Canali got together to start a car company, they would simply buy Mercedes-Benz since it comprises the best elements of both companies; precision engineering with exceptional attention to detail. There wasn’t a second in my 1.5 hours of test driving this car that I found something to gripe about. The ride? Supple. The performance? Breathtaking. The styling? Gorgeous. The list of praises goes on and on, but I’ll spare you.
Result: Buy it.

Probably the number one question I received from friends (and even complete strangers in parking lots) about my MINI was “Why did you buy a MINI?” I would respond to them with the question, “Have you ever driven one?”

The C300 is exactly the same way. It’s not just a car. It doesn’t just have four doors and a trunk.

When you take it over a hill and rail through a corner, it asks for more, unapologetically. It is simply awe-inspiring what the team at Mercedes-Benz has been able to create.

Like my MINI, the C300 Sport is one of those cars you have to drive to understand. The seven-speed automatic transmission boggles my mind. The drilled disc rotors and staggered wheels out perform other cars in it’s class. I love this car. Love. It.

New Mod: M7 Ultimate Grill

2006-12-23T14:27:00.000-05:00

After several months without making a single entry, I finally have something new to blog about: I installed the M7 Ultimate Grill that had been sitting in my shed since August.

Here's the before:

Here's the after:

Originally purchased in August, the grill sat boxed up in my shed for several months since I was too busy playing soccer and sleeping on the weekends. I know -- poor excuses for not attending to my beloved MINI ...

The install process took me about two hours. I think for the more inclined grease monkey, it should only take around an hour, but since I am such a perfectionist (and newbie) I took my sweet time making sure the grill was installed right the first time.

The thing that took the longest was removing the front bumper skin. I searched the NAM message boards for a how-to on this mod, but came up with nothing. I ended up using an official MINI technical spec diagram to figure out what screws/bolts needed to be removed. I also looked at pictures of another MINI owner/blogger to see how the install process went for him.

Basically there are two #30 Torx bolts that get removed first. These are the easiest bolts to get to ... all the others require you get on your back and remove them from the underside of the bumper (5 in all).

After busting my knuckles and removing the two 8mm bolts that are below the headlamps in the wheel well area, I was ready to pull the bumper skin off ... wait a minute ... I forgot to disconnect the connectors for the headlamps, side indicators and fogs. Once all six of these connectors were unplugged, I was really ready to remove the bumper.

Above Photo: Inside of the bumper skin once it is removed. The orange connector goes to the side indicator light. The grey connector goes to the headlght.

I followed the included instructions with the grill to install it. They are very straight forward.

After I zip-tied the temperature sensor to the aluminum bumper strucure, I was ready to put the bumper skin back on. Putting it on was really easy.

Voila!

Road Trip!

2006-09-02T09:58:00.000-05:00

My oldest sis and I will be driving the MINI down to the Outer Banks tomorrow morning for a week-long vacation (much needed).

Since she is a soon-to-be MINI owner (Dark Silver MCS), I think I'll let her get used to the MINI by driving it most of the way down to the beach ... plus, that gets me out of having to drive :)

I finally received the M7 Ultimate grill in the mail this past week. Unfortunately, since hurricane Ernesto decided to come, I haven't had a chance to install it. I guess that will have to wait until after vacation is over.

Photos of Latest Mods

2006-08-19T17:26:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos of the chrome bits I installed last weekend ...

New Chrome Boot Handle

New Chrome Grill

New Chrome Toggle Ring Covers

Coming soon: M7 Ultimate Lower Grill

Chrome Bits Installation

2006-08-18T22:02:00.000-05:00

I received several chrome pieces last week to install on the MINI.

It took me 40 minutes to install the OEM chrome grill since I was worried about cracking the chrome surround on the existing trim. After deciding to use a little force, I finally got the three slat grill on there. The fourth slat is still in it's original packaging as I decided to wait until I received the M7 Ulitmate lower grill before installing it. Both pieces require that I remove the bumper, so i decided to wait until I had the M7 part in hand before performing minor surgery.

The chrome toggle switch ring covers went on in about two minutes. They are just peel 'n stick pieces of plastic.

The chrome boot handle trim piece went on fairly easy as well. I made sure to wash the car before I installed this peel 'n stick piece.

I'll have pictures of everything in an upcoming post.

New Parts to Install

2006-08-04T00:51:00.000-05:00

I bought some new bits to install on the car:

- MINI Chrome OEM Grill
- Chrome Boot Handle
- M7 Ultimate Grill

I'll post pictures and links to product ordering info when I get a chance later on. It's late and time for bed.

Off to Get the Dent Repaired ...

2006-08-01T13:59:00.000-05:00

I took G8RMNI to the autobody shop to get repairs done. The shop seemed kinda seedy, so hopefully everything will turn out fine. USAA recommended them, so I trust USAA ...

I ended up renting a Mazda 6 while the repairs are being done. It sucks.

I feel like I am loafing down the road, the pick-up/pull is pathetic, the riding position is uncomfortable, the engine sounds tinny, and the upholstery is like sitting on industrial carpet.

I want my MINI back!

The Mazda 6 does have one cool feature though: The key fob is impressive-looking. The key itself feels cheap though; a laser-cut key would have upped the quality-feel factor.

By the way, the temp before I dropped off my car at the auto body shop read 100 degrees. Yowsa!

Dent Status

2006-07-30T00:35:00.000-05:00

I was contacted today by a claims rep at USAA to go over the damage on G8RMNI.

It looks like I'll be taking him to Craftsmen Auto Body in Sterling. My neighbor -- who owns a MINI as well -- recommends Craftsmen, as he has heard several good things about them from Porsche, Bimmer and Audi owners.

I hope they will be able to fit me in soon.

Dent. Goddammit.

2006-07-27T21:45:00.000-05:00

Backing out of a parking space at work today I traded paint with a the cement footer of a security light.

Shit.

I was livid.

Pissed.

I'll have to call the dealership tomorrow to see how much to fix it, who they recommend to do bodywork, etc ...

On the plus side, something good may come out of this clusterfuck: It's an excuse to buy and install the aero kit, pictured below.

Prospective MINI Buyers, Read On

2006-07-20T12:35:00.000-05:00

I got an e-mail from my sister who currently is stationed in Germany. She and her husband are thinking about buying a MINI and had some questions. Her e-mail is below, followed by my response.

... We will need a second car and he wants to get a MINI. We may buy used (2004 or 2005) if we can find a good one. However, I also want to research new and compare total costs. They have a military sales program here to sell new ones and pay your shipping back to the states. BUT, I want to compare and see if they're really a good deal when compared with buying in the U.S.

So, could you tell me which dealer you bought from in NoVA? I'll do some pricing at the MINI Web site and then get some quotes from your dealer and perhaps one in Tidewater. Also, if you don't mind sharing and you recall -- it would be great to know what you paid for yours -- basically, what was your base price and then for any options - (I assume you got the sports pkg, etc.)

Thanks!

Here's my response:

A MINI will be a pretty cool purchase.

There are some key differences between the US spec'd MINIs and the European versions. Namely, you can only get MINIs in the US in two different engine formats: Cooper (115 hp) or Cooper S (Supercharged 168 hp for 2005 model, 163 hp for 2004 model).

In Europe there are four different engine versions: MINI One (90 hp), MINI One D (88 hp), MINI Cooper (115 hp) and MINI Cooper S (Supercharged 168 hp for 2005 model, 163 hp for 2004 model). If you are going to bring the car to the states I'd recommend getting either a Cooper or a Cooper S. The MINI One and One D are severely underpowered, and it will be harder to get reasonable service at a MINI dealership/authorized mechanic.

I bought the Cooper S (which I imagine you both will want to buy after test driving it since it blows the doors off of the Cooper for just a few thousand more). The 2005 model is almost exactly the same as my 2006, minus a few under-the-bonnet improvements that will pretty much go unnoticed.

The manual 6-speed transmission on the S model is TONS of fun. So I highly recommend it. If you are looking for an automatic tranny, you'll have to get a 2005 or 2006 model since the automatic transmission wasn't introduced on the S model until '05.

I've test-driven a 2005 with the automatic transmission and it was fun to drive. It has an optional "sport" mode that allows you to shift gears from two paddles on the steering wheel, kind like a Formula 1 racer.

The numbers ...

MINIs in the US have an extremely high resale value. Basically, if I sold my '06 a year from now with 15,000 miles on it, I could expect to get just $1,000 less than I paid for it. The high resale value is a result of the car being in high demand. Also, since the car is so customizable, most people opt to not buy one off of the dealer lot and order one from the factory (like I did).

As a result of the demand being so high, there is no negotiating at the dealership on the price. I know this sounds crazy, but I haven't heard of anyone getting one for under MSRP (in fact, when they were first introduced in the US in 2002, dealers were adding a "market value" charge to the car ... sometimes in excess of 5,000 bucks!)

The price that you come up with after you configure a car on the MINI Web site is the price you should expect to pay for a new MINI at the dealership in the US. You may be able to get a slight discount if you buy from a dealership that is affiliated with a local MINI club, but usually discounts only apply to accessories.

I bought my car from MINI of Sterling. The other two dealerships that are somewhat near me are MINI of Townsend, MD and MINI of Richmond, VA. They all have the same prices as a result of the car being in high demand.

Since the MINI is in high-demand, there is absolutely no pressure from the salesperson. If you have some questions or just want to shoot the breeze about MINIs I highly recommend speaking to my Motoring Advisor, Jeff Wannall (jeff@miniofsterling.com). He's laid back and is very prompt in checking his e-mail (except on Fridays and Sundays since those are his days off).

I read on a MINI enthusiast blog that the 2007 model versions will be built in September. The 2007 versions of the car will look almost unchanged from the outside, but will look drastically different in the inside (I actually think they look pretty lame, so I am glad I got an '06!). If you opt to buy new, I suggest getting your order in very soon.

Where did I find out this information? How do I know what the 2007 version will look like? Read on ...

http://www.motoringfile.com Awesome blog with tons of useful news on the MINI.

http://www.northamericanmotoring.com I have been a member of this U.S. message board community for over a year. It is awesome! There is tons of advice on buying used vs. new, things to look out for, tips and tricks. I highly recommend becoming a member (free) and lurking around. My screen name is G8RMNI (of course!)

http://www.mini2.com I am also a member of this European message board community (same screen name as above). This community is directed towards owners on your side of the pond, so it is a good resource for people who own a Euro spec'd car.

About my car:

2006 MINI Cooper S

Space Blue with Pure Silver Roof, Mirrors and Bonnet U-Stripe

Premium Package
Automatic Air Conditioning
Dual Pane Panoramic Sunroof
On-Board Computer
3-Spoke Steering Wheel w/Cruise & Multifunction

Sport Package
Dynamic Stability Control
Front Fog Lamps
Xenon Headlamps w/Power Wash
17" Web-spoke Alloy Wheels
Run-Flat Performance Tires

Cold Weather Package
Heated Front Seats
Heated Side Mirrors & Washer Jets

Factory Installed Extras

"Seven" Piano Black Interior Trim
Chrome Interior
Rear Fog Light
Armrest

I paid $27,300 plus tax, tags, etc.

Full spec list is here: http://home.comcast.net/~ryan.morris/MINI/profile.html

OK, that's my thesis on MINIs.

Fun Photos

2006-07-19T13:26:00.000-05:00

I came across this cool tool which pulls photos from your AIM Page and turns them into embeddable Flash ... scratching your head? Just click a photo.

Cool, huh?

Water Spots on my Zaino Job!

2006-07-17T01:14:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I ran out of gas on the way back from soccer practice. I called the MINI roadside assistance, and two hours and 20 minutes later, a guy showed up on the 14th Street bridge to fill my car up with a few gallons of gas.

Some gas ran down the side of G8RMNI, so I made sure to wash off the rear quarter panel when I got home ... this is how the water spots formed:

Apprently, since my hose had been sitting in the 90 degree heat all week, it developed some sort of calcium problem -- which found it's way to my car. Basically, I thought I was just hosing off the gas ... in actuallity, I was adding water spots all over the car as the water droplets dried in the sun.

As a result, I had to wash my car today with the Zaino car wash soap. It took about 20 minutes to give the car a good scrubbing.

Next time I decide to hose down G8RMNI I will have to remember to let the water run for at least two minutes before spraying the finish.

Jump in My Car

2006-07-12T10:27:00.000-05:00

Okay, this has to be the worst "car inspired" song ever.

Hassel-horrible ...

Lamborghini: It Could Pants G8RMNI

2006-07-10T12:05:00.000-05:00

Saw this car as i was driving through Georgetown in DC the other day. I'm pretty sure it would blow the doors off of any MINI ...

Zaino Party: How-to

2006-07-09T16:50:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I Zaino'd G8RMNI. It takes forever, but the results are well worth it.

There are several steps to follow in order to complete the Zaino process.

1. Wash the car with Dawn liquid dish detergent. The boys at Zaino recommend using Dawn due to it's high alkaline content. The akaline is responsible for stripping any wax, grease and residue from the finish of the car.

2. Claybar your ride. A claybar is able to remove contaminates from the surface of the paint -- i.e. tree sap, tar, water spots, bug guts and any other thing that may be on your paint. Zaino recommends pouring one capful of Zaino carwash detergent for every 24 ounces of water. I poured the ingredients into a spray bottle and shook it up for 30 seconds. After making the soapy concoction I began to spray dow a 2'x3' area and then rub the claybar back and forth over the area. Once I claybar'd the area, I sprayed the soap solution on it again, and then wiped the suds down with a dry cotton towel. No water spots appear ... at all!

You can claybar anything and everything on the car, just make sure to use plenty of lubricating soap solution. I claybar'd the windows to remove water stains. Works like a charm!

3. Wash your ride with Zaino carwash detergent. This removes all of the clay residue and the soapy solution that you had previously wiped off with the cotton towel.

4. Zaino your ride. I used the ZFX wax system made by Zaino. In order to make a fresh batch of the the ZFX soution add 10 drops of activator (blue stuff in the tiny vial) to a two ounce bottle supplied with the kit. Next, top off the bottle with the Z2 car polish. Put the cap on the bottle and shake it for two minutes.

Wipe the car down either all at once or section by section using a cotton towel or one of the cotton applicator pads Zaino includes in the kit.

Zaino recommends only using a dime-size of wax at a time, but I thought it was easier to use a quarter-size at a time. Make sure to wipe back and forth, not in a circular motion, Daniel-san.

5. Get your buff on. Wait 30-minutes, then wipe down the whole thing with a cotton towel and buff the hell out of it. Your car's paint will turn into a mirror.

You can keep waxing and buffing as much as you want. I only had time to do one coat of wax, but the results were amazing.

It's hard to tell in this photo, but there is a layer of the Zaino wax on the car. As you let it sit and cure, the wax will begin to haze.

The result of buffing is a mirrored shine. Yummy.

New Mods: Window Tint & AVIC-N3 Hack

2006-07-07T19:41:00.000-05:00

In the past two days I have added more mods to G8RMNI.

Window Tint
After work yesterday, I took G8RMNI to LA Tint in Sterling, VA to get the back side windows tinted. I went with the 38% Ultimate Series tint.

LA Tint exclusively installs Formula One tint. There were three different levels to choose from, all offering different benefits. I ended up going with the mid-priced option which utilizes a "metalized base for optimum reflectivity and heat rejection" ... whatever that means.

Bottom line: the car looks awesome. I'll post a photo soon.

Pioneer AVIC-N3 Headunit Hack
When I was at Circuit City a few weeks ago to buy a Sirius tuner, I had a short conversation with the car audio salesman. He told me about an easy hack which allows full operation of the menus of the AVIC-N3 headunit while the parking brake is not engaged.

Previously, I had to stop the car and pull the e-brake up if I wanted to enter a new address while in navigation mode. I also had to do this if I wanted to check my stocks and sports scores. I guess Pioneer received a bunch of complaints with previous units (AVIC-N2, N1), because now they make it really easy to get around this annoying safety feature -- if you are willing to void your warranty.

After I got home from Circuit City, I jumped online and Googled the hack. Here's a link to the forum I found which discusses the hack (amongst other cool stuff to do to the headunit).

Now, here's the hack:

1. Pull out the headunit from the dash and flip it over.
a. On an '06 MINI, there are two screws on each column that will need to be removed.
b. Pull the columns down and to the outsides of the car. You will be able to see the four screws which secure the headunit in the dash.
c. Unscrew the four screws, then pull the headunit out.
d. Flip the headunit over.

2. Remove the four tiny screws on the face plate of the headunit.
a. You will need to slide the sleeve to the rear of the headunit.

3. Remove the silver sticker that is on the bottom of the unit. Congratulations. You have voided your warranty.

4. Now that the sticker is removed, you will see a black switch. With a small (really small) bladed screwdriver, slide the little switch to the left.

5. Next, you'll need to ground the light green parking brake wire to a negative wire on the car. I found a run of the wire near my iPod adpator and spliced it into the black wire of the adaptor.

6. Put the headunit back into the dash and screw everything back together.

7. Reset the headunit (make sure the Nav DVD is loaded).

Congratulations, you can now watch a DVD while driving (don't crash). You can also take full control of all of the Nav menus while under way.

Window Tint and AIM Pages

2006-06-28T14:04:00.000-05:00

I just booked an appointment with LA Tint in Sterling, VA. According to the posts I read on the NAM message boards they do a good job.

So, it looks like on the 6th G8RMNI will finally get his rear windows tinted. Sweet.

Did I mention G8RMNI now has his own AIM Page? MySpace sucks, AIM Pages are where it's at.

Maybe It's Time for G8RMNI to Get a Tan

2006-06-27T22:29:00.000-05:00

Something else I've been wanting to add to G8RMNI are tinted windows. I had tinted windows in my last car and I think they really make a car stand out in a subtle way. (oxymoron?)

I learned some things about what windows to not get tinted on a car when I took my '94 Honda Accord in for tinting back in my college days at UF. A word to the wise: don't get the back windscreen tinted.

Since there are window defroster wires on the rear windscreen, the tinting folks recommend you not use the rear defroster; ever.

If that wasn't enough to annoy me as I drove in a blizzard during the middle of January when I moved back up to Virginia, the rear windscreen gets so dark at night, that it is hard to tell what is going on behind your car in the rearview mirror.

So, I guess I'll be getting just the back side windows tinted. I want something fairly dark that enhances the appearance of the car.

I Googled window tint shops near my office and it looks like there is a reputable one about a mile away from my cubicle. Hopefully they'll be able to take care of G8RMNI tomorrow or Thursday before I head out of town for the Fourth of July weekend.

Satellite Radio x2

2006-06-26T21:13:00.000-05:00

Ever since I bought G8RMNI I’ve had to go without Sirius satellite radio. I know the stock stereo is Sirius-ready, but if you’ve read my past installation entries, you’ll note that I removed the stock system a day after I took delivery of the car.

In my old car (a 1994 Honda Accord) I had a Sirius One plug-and-play unit that my ex-girlfriend had given to me for Christmas. I listened to Howard Stern on it the day he first went live on satellite and I have been missing his hilarious bits ever since I sold the car.

1994 Honda Accord

I kept the Sirius One unit, but never had plans to install it in G8RMNI since I wanted everything fully integrated in my new car. As a result, I put the unit up for auction on eBay. You can bid on it here.

Since the AVIC-N3 has the ability to play a Sirius feed (with limited functions), it was just a matter of time before I bought a tuner and figured out how to integrate it into my system.

On Saturday I bought a direct connect unit(SIR-PNR2) from Best Buy and began to install it. The install should have taken fifteen minutes, but I blew a fuse and had to wait until the next morning to get some replacement fuses.

Long story short:

I hid the tuner behind the front passenger floor carpet, next to the XM tuner and iPod adaptor. The IP Bus from the Sirius tuner connects to an input on the iPod adaptor. I replaced the stock 2-amp fuse that came with the tuner with a 15-amp fuse (since I had blown this same fuse yesterday when I failed to make sure the car was ‘off’ before I cut some wires). I then spliced the power wires (yellow and black) from the tuner to the iPod adpator’s yellow and black wires. I also replaced the iPod adaptor’s fuse with a 15-amp fuse so that the load would be manageable.

I mounted the Sirius antenna on the dash with some Velcro next to the GPS and XM antennas.

It works great. Now I have Sirius and XM in my car and all of the wires are hidden away. Check out my video to see the two tuners in action.

Pimp My Ride!: The Other Installs

2006-05-31T10:49:00.000-05:00

I installed component speakers and a crossover in the front door of G8rmni. There are tons of how-to's on the net already, so I won't go into detail on the installation.

Here is a photo of the driver-side door with three layers of Fat Mat on it. I installed the Infinity crossover in the middle of the door, just above the cross beam with industrial-strength Velcro.

I should also mention that about a month after using the Pioneer AVIC-N2 headunit, the newer AVIC-N3 was released.

I decided I'd buy the newest stereo and sell the old one on E-bay. The stereo install and hideaway unit replacement took about one hour to perform since all of the wiring was already done.

Pimp My Ride! Part VI: Bluetooth Phone & Finish

2006-05-11T01:12:00.000-05:00

Now that you have Ian's adaptor installed you can button the center console and dash back up.

I bought a Parrot Bluetooth adaptor from Mikey the MINI so that I could use it with a Parrot Evolution 3000 hands free kit and the phone buttons on my steering wheel.

Seeing as how MINI of Sterling wanted to charge me two grand for a similar setup, I think spending $300 on parts for this little convenience is a bargain.

There is not much to the hands free kit install.

I mounted the blue Parrot "brain" unit in the side of the dash on the driver's side. There is a panel on the end of the dash that you can access when the door is open. Use a panel remover tool to pop it open.

I used some Industrial Velcro and carpet foam to make a snug, rattle-free fit for the gadget in the little space. Once you have wedged the blue box in the dash, you should only have one wire coming out of the side of the dash (the hands-free kit's mic).

I mounted my mic with the included mount and 3M tape in the driver side A-pillar, making sure to tuck the wire behind the pillar.

I decided to install the Euro Parcel Shelf that comes stock on European-spec MINIs in place of the lame, stock knee bolster.

The knee bolster is really easy to install. Simply line up the grooves on it's base and ram it into place. It takes about ten seconds (well, for me it took two minutes -- I drilled a hole in the side of it so my iPod adaptor wire could fit through easily).

That's it!

I learned a lot about my car and it's construction after going through this mod. I have to admit, I was nervous about tearing open my first brand new car, but my anxiety was alleviated as the project progressed.

If there is one piece of advice I can give to other first-time installers like myself, it is:

"Take your time and you will do a bang-up job."

Pimp My Ride! Part V: Ian Cull's Auto-Up Adaptor

2006-05-09T22:27:00.000-05:00

Installing Ian Cull's Auto-Up Window Circuit is much easier than installing the reverse, emergecny brake and speed pulse wires. Trust me.

There are two ways to plug the adaptor into the back of the toggle switch bay: blind install (Ian explains this on his site) and not-so-blind install.

I opted for the latter.

There are to little clips that keep the A/C panel firmly in place. Use your thumb to squeeze these inwards and the A/C panel will drop out. Now you can remove the toggle panel in the same fashion.

Unplug the wire-ribbon that connects to the back of the toggle panel and plug it into the circuit board of Ian's adaptor.

Next, plug the circuit ribbon into the back of the toggle panel.

Stuff the circuit board into the dash and set the toggle panel in place. Make sure to "click" the A/C panel back in place as well.

That's it!

Pimp My Ride! Part IV: Button Up the Stereo

2006-05-08T20:46:00.000-05:00

After you've made sure all of your wiring harnesses are spliced/plugged in, (I used a MFSW adaptor from Mikey the MINI, along with a Parrot Bluetooth MFSW adaptor from him) connect them to the AVIC-N2 headunit.

If you went the same route as me, you will have what seems like just TOO many wires. Have no fear; there is a solution for this.

You'll want to remove the knee bolster that is beneath the steering wheel in order to find a place to stick all of those wires and adaptors.

To remove the bolster, grip the panel and give a sharp tug straight down. It may require a significant amount of force, so don't worry about really laying into it.

Now that you have the bolster out of the way, reach around to the back of the stereo through the opening you created by removing the knee bolster. Pull the wires and harnesses through.

The headunit should now have enough room to slide into it's DIN chassis.

Once you have the stereo with it's adaptor plate in place, go ahead and screw it in using the same Torkx screws you removed over two hours ago :).

I used electrician's tape to secure all of the wires and adaptors beneath the steering column. you can attach them to the plastic bar that runs horizontally below the steering column. See the photo below to see what bar I am referring to.

Next up, installing Ian Cull's Auto-Up Window Adaptor ...

Pimp My Ride! Part III: Emergency Brake Wire

2006-05-08T20:30:00.000-05:00

Installing the emergency brake wire took a little creativity on my part.

The emergency brake wire is located underneath the emergency brake boot. To remove the boot, squeeze the plastic trim inwards. After a little finagelling it should pop out, allowing you a view of a wire that connects to the E-brake.

Grab a flashlight and shine it into the rear area of the handbrake. You will notice some metal parts that appear to be copper or gold. These metal parts carry enough current to give the Pioneer's E-brake wire a signal.

I knew I needed to attach the wire to the little copper-looking parts inside the e-brake container, but my fingers are way too small to fit down there and soilder the wire...

No problem.

Hide the E-brake wire as best you can, making sure it is threaded through the bottom of the E-brake console.

Strip a foot (yes, 12") off of the end of the Pioneer E-brake wire. Twist the bare wire to give it stiffness. Next, bend the bottom third of the wire into a "J."

Dip your J-shaped wire down into the e-brake container and thread it through one of the copper-looking metal parts. Once you get the wire threaded through a piece of the E-brake metal, you should be able to tie it off on itself. Don't worry about the wire touching anything else and starting a fire. The current is too low and there is nothing else to conduct electricity within the plastic container.

Pimp My Ride! Part II: Reverse & Speed Pulse Wires

2006-05-08T20:06:00.000-05:00

The reverse wire (image below) is located below the doorsill panel on the passenger side. You may have to lift up some of the thick carpet to access the green wire. The light green wire is the one you want, not the dark green one.

Now that you have the sill kick panel, passenger seatbelt and rubber seal door trim, walk or crawl over to the driver's side of the car and remove the same three things. You have to do this in order to access the speed pulse sensor.

The speed pulse sensor wire tells the Pioneer hideaway unit that your car is in motion. Without this wire connected, you will not be able to use all of the features on the touch screen (i.e., side acceleration, angular velocity, etc.).

The little gizmo that Pioneer included to attach the hideaway unit's speed pulse wire to the car's speed pulse wire is pretty Mickey Mouse. Instead of using the supplied clamping mechanism, I just cut and stripped the car's wire and spliced the Pioneer wire to it. A quick squeeze on a crimp cap and no one is the wiser.

Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of the speed pulse wire. All you need to know is that the MINI's speed pulse wire is a baby poo brown/orange color. There will be a weird gaggle of wires in the sill that look this color. Any one of them will do. Use my method of strip, splice and crimp to attach the wire.

Pimp My Ride!

2006-04-28T21:49:00.000-05:00

Since my car is only hours old, it is only natural that I want to completly tear the inside apart and install a killer entertainment system ...

Here's my baby before I hit the road and travel three hours south to my parents house.

Filled with goodies, I hit the road...

AfterI showed off my new wheels to my parents, I immediately began the install job.

This is everything I am going to install.

Polk speakers, Infinity components, Pioneer AVIC-N2 , XM Tuner, iPod Adaptor, Parrot Bluetooth Phone Controller, Ian Cull's Auto-Up Circuit, and Mikey the MINI's MFSW Stereo and Bluetooth Adaptors. Oh, and an Alta shorty antenna.

Man, that's a ton of stuff!

The first step is to remove the negative connection on the battery. The battery is underneath the false floor in the boot. You'll need a 10 mm socket to remove it.

Now the screw party begins: There are four screws you will have to remove in order to start the head unit removal process. Open up the glove compartment in order to access both of the screws on the right column. The two screws on the left column come out with having to do anything to the dash on the left side of the car.

After you have removed the four column Torx screws, (I think I used a size 30 Torx bit on my cordless drill) pull down on the columns and move them towards the outside of the car.

Next, remove the four Torx screws that hold the factory radio in place. I think I used a size 15 Torx on these.

Get your fingers around the factory stereo and pull it out, making sure to unplug the wiring harness and antenna lead.
Now the real adventourous part begins:

Using a small flat head screw driver, carefully price up the trim around the power mirror console. Next, remove the screw underneath the mirror panel.

Remove the two screws in the cupholders.

You should now be able to slide the entire center floor console towards the rear of the car. This makes it a lot easier to work with the web of wires you'll be stuffing into the dash ... believe me.

Next you'll need to remove the passenger side seat in order to mount the Pioneer GPS hideaway unit.

The Torx screws that hold the rails on the seat down are huge. I used a size 40 Torx to remove them (although I think a size 42 or 43 would have been more appropriate).

While you are at it, remove the big Torx bolts that attached the driver and passenger side seatbelts.

Before you lift out the passenger seat, make sure to grab a flashlight and unplug the four wires underneath it. I think two of them are for the airbag and the other two are for the heated seat convenience ... If you didn't get heated seats, there may only be two wires (don't quote me on this, I am totally guessing here).

*NOTE: Don't try to start the car without the wires connected to the passenger seat. If you do, you will trip the airbag faulty sensor and have to pay your dealer to reset the airbag system for you.

Once the passenger seat is out, remove the rubber trim from the door sill. You have to do this in order to be able to remove the sill kick panels.

Using a panel remover tool, gently pry the sill kick panel off. In order to install the reverse wire you have to do this...

G8RMNI is ALL MINE!!!

2006-02-18T22:32:00.000-05:00

I got a call this morning at 9am from my Motoring Advisor, Jeff Wanall. He said that he was going to hustle and get me my car today. He said to stop in around 4pm, to pick it up. AWESOME!!!

Here are the first "official" photos.

That's me in the track jacket, and Jeff, my MA. I highly recommend him: No hassle, honest information, and no tricks. All around, he gave me a very pleasent buying experience.

Here are some exterior shots.

Aw...the amber glow...

Sneek Peek

2006-02-17T18:48:00.000-05:00

Chances are, if you are reading this blog, you're a car guy. You read Road & Track in the check out aisle at your local grocery store. You look for the spy photos of future vehicles being run through their paces at test facilities in a remote location. You can name the model and make of every car sitting in traffic with you based on their front profile alone.

That said, you'll appreciate this sneek photo of my new car.

Apparently, my car was delivered earlier today. Just by chance, I was able to get out of work a little early today, so I thought I'd swing by the dealership since it is on my way home.

I drove around the lot and ended up in the back of the dealership. Before my eyes I was suprised to see 20 brand spankin' new MINIs lined up. I was so happy to see this!

Shortly after I made my earlier blog entry today, I checked the MINI site, only to discover that my estimated delivery date was pushed back until the 19th. My stomach sank and I was bummed.

So, you can imagine my suprise to see so many MINIs glistening in the sun this afternoon.

I parked my car and started checking out all of the parked Coopers and Cooper S'. I was really hopfeful I would see mine...

And then, there he was. Space Blue body color? Check. 17" web spokes? Check. Piano Black interior? Check. I thought to myself, "This has GOT to be MINE!" Just to be sure, I looked for the center armrest. Yep, it was there too.

I grabbed my Treo 700w and took the picture above. Right afterwards, I stepped inside the dealership and talked to one of my favorite MAs, Fred Sweet. He said that it was unlikey my car would be ready tomorrow since Saturdays are usually crazy days timewise for the sales guys. Most of the time they don't have enough time to do the one-hour delivery procedure for us soon-to-be motorers. He said he would check just for the heck of it to see if he could get the car delivered to me late Saturday, so I wouldn't have to wait until Monday.

Keeping Fingers Crossed

2006-02-17T10:05:00.000-05:00

I talked to a Motoring Advisor yesterday evening from MINI of Sterling. Unfortunately, no cars were delivered yesterday. He said he expects the cars to arrive to the dealership either on the 17th (today) or tomorrow (Saturday). I really hope G8RMNI comes today, otherwise my plans to have an installation session will be in vain since a half-day to full day is need for dealer prep.

You see, I plan on using my parent's large, environmentally-controlled garage to do the various installations listed in my profile. They live a couple hours away, and it looks like I will have Monday off since it is a federal holiday (President's Day). If I am able to pick up the MINI on Saturday, I will be able to begin the installation Saturday night, and then complete it on Sunday. On Monday I plan to motor!

If all of this stuff doesn't sync up, then I will have to wait another week to head on down to my parents place to do the installation of components.

Situation Report: "All Systems Go"

2006-02-16T10:50:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I got an e-mail back yesterday from my MA about the status of G8RMNI. He said that my car does in fact have an estimated delivery date of February 16th--yep that is today!!

I felt that he must have misread the information the first time, so my fact checking wasn't in vain. I just checked the www.MINIUSA.com website and it reports that my car has an estimated delivery date of the 16th. Sweet!

I am pumped! I plan to install all of the components and tidbits this weekend. Hopefully the "estimate" will prove true...

Where is My Car?

2006-02-13T16:27:00.000-05:00

I sent an e-mail to my MA asking him about the ETA of my car. He wrote back with the following:

"Depends on when it arrives. It has an E.T.A. to the port in New york for the 16th. If that date is 100% accurate it would get here the 17-18 and then we would need a half day to a day to prep it for you..

As soon as it arrives I’ll let you know so you can stop by and check it out even if it’s not ready for you to pick up."

The Wallenius Wilhelmsen site says that G8RMNI was discharged in NY on the 10th at 3 pm.

So, now I feel like I don't know who to believe. Is my MA's data bad, or is there something I am not understanding?

According to the MINIUSA Owner's Lounge, G8RMNI is at the Vehicle Distribution Center.

So, now I'm thinking my MA is misinformed or may have been looking at another car's VIN.

I'll give him a call or e-mail him again.

"We've Spotted Land Captain!"

2006-02-08T23:03:00.000-05:00

G8RMNI is almost in the U.S.! Only one more day until he arrives in New York!!

What are you doing? Put your tires back on G8RMNI!

2006-02-07T00:04:00.000-05:00

Spotted the Boheme further in her voyage. I hear from MINIUSA that G8RMNI has been the life of the party so far on the cruise. Ahh, taking after his old man...

Poop Deck

2006-02-06T11:37:00.000-05:00

Looks like G8RMNI got in trouble last night for streaking the poop deck. Here's his latest location in the Atlantic. I used this site to track his whereabouts.

Day 1 of the Cruise

2006-02-01T14:30:00.000-05:00

I just checked the site I use to track my MINI and it looks like he has been loaded on the Boheme. Party!!

2006-01-31T18:38:00.000-05:00

Ok, so right now I am in my car driving home from work. I know, I know, I shouldn't text and drive at the same time... Anyway, tomorrow my MINI sets sail for New York. Awesome!

It could not come at a better time. My car. "Goldie" is on here last leg, and in need of a labotomy (her ECU is dead). Luckily, the person I am selling her to offered to pay for the repair. Yay!

Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com

2006-01-28T16:48:00.000-05:00

Here is a recap of my MINI experience so far:

I ordered my 2006 MINI Cooper S on December 19, 2005 from MINI of Sterling in Sterling, Virginia.

The ordering process was fairly painless. I simply walked in, sat down with my Motoring Advisor (read: salesman), Jeff Wannall, and filled out a spec sheet. Once I signed off on it, he placed the production order.
Jeff said that my car would be built the fourth week of January, and be ready for me to take home the third week of February. I was so excited!
The waiting process has actually gone by quite quickly. Jeff gave me a MINI of Sterling license plate and frame, along with some stickers to hold me over while I waited for my first-ever, new car.
A few days after Jeff put in the order, he was able to send me a production number so I could track the build progress of my new ride through the MINI Owner’s Lounge.
Basically, I checked about every other day to see the status of the build. :)
For the first five weeks the MINI site said that my car was "On Order"

...then, just a week ago, the status changed to "Scheduled for Production". I was ecstatic!
Three days ago I called the 1-866-ASK-MINI number to see the build status. I was told the day previous that my car was in the Machine Shop. The automated voice said my car was in the Paint Shop. Yippee!!
On the following day (26th of January), I called again and the little voice said G8RMNI was awaiting transport!! Yay!!!
So at this very moment, G8RMNI is sitting on the edge of a dock in South Hampton, drinking a pint and hanging out with his brothers as he waits for his cruise ship to arrive.

I have been using North American Motoring (a great online forum) to obtain info about the whole ordering process and how to track my car once it is loaded on a ship. I recommend using this website to see what ship your car is on.

My car will board the Boheme on February 1st, and then begin a nine day voyage across the pond. On the 10th he will arrive in NYC. From there, he'll visit a vehicle processing center to make sure he doesn't have the measles, and given a clean bill of health. From there, G8RMNI will be loaded on an enclosed trailer and shipped to my dealer. The dealer will then wash and wax him, fill him with some goodies, and tie a bow on him. I can't wait!!!