eBay ;)

I lived in Boston and had FastLane/EZPass. I used the “ashtray”, as just about everybody else does, to store quarters for use in parking meters. You still gotta park in Boston, and it’s nice to have the convenient tray with the lid for your parking fare.

I use the lighter slot to plug in my cell phone charger. I think it’s just lame of MINI USA to drop these. If they want to do that, many the dealers should take them “out” as an option for the purchaser. Everything else is an option in the cars, why not keep this as an option for future owners?

MINI USA seems to have a habit of nixing useful options. They didn’t support the parcel shelf on the R53′s, didn’t want the auto-fold in mirrors (were put in on the R56, but were not available in the US on the R53′s while they were available in Canada and elsewhere), don’t have auto-engine shut off/on at a traffic stop, don’t have regenerative braking…what gives?

By the way, I used to have the FastLane transponder stuck to the front edge of the rear sunroof. Worked like a charm. I now live in California and FastTrak transponders here work in the same spot, saving me the windshield space. Just an FYI for folks out there.

I also use the ashtray for coins. Even with EZ-Pass, I still need them at the occasional parking meter. Even so, I’d prefer one of those dedicated-design change holders. My inner geek loves the various size spring-loaded cylinders that push the coins up. :-P

Anyway,I’d always made an attempt to avoid individuals who don’t care for smoking/smokers by hanging out/spending money at places that support my choice.

I guess that’s why I’m gleeful when someone asks me to put out my cigarette at those places: I just simply blow smoke in their face/faces and state,”no”….,lol…

LoL.. something else you can’t find nowadays.

I took the ashtray and lighter out of my MINI the first day and haven’t missed them a bit. As far as coins in the ashtray – I hate rattles and wouldn’t want loose change inside making a bunch of noise.

A what?

A plastic film canister holds $7 in quarters.

Seems like a cost cutting move to me. Despite not being a smoker, I actually like having a cigarette lighter in my car.

I guess as long as they keep the cup holders there, and keep the 12v socket, I’m ok with it.

OK Back to the subject… Need a power outlet for my radar detector. I think the moderne car needs more outlets as we all have mobile phones, GPS, iPods, radar detectors, as least in the USA, and such. Maybe MINI could be forward thinking here and offer a Motoring Electronics Accessory Pack.

I have an ’04 MCS and have used the rear outlet for charging my iPhone when I forgot to charge it on a vacation drive and for my mini air compressor that I carry to inflate bike and MINI tyres. My iPhone needs continual charging, crappy battery life, if I go somewhere and use it at lunch or boring inlaw dinners to answer emails, check in on MotoringFile, GBMINI, my online store, USA Today, buy an App or listen to music, play a game and so on.

Never smoked, well not ciggies anyway, and never allowed that mess in any of my cars or homes but as a coin holder the ashtray is great. The cup holders in my ’04 are a joke but as a phone holder they work great.