This weekend I took a few photos of our longterm MINI Roadster parked on the side of the road and posted one on Twitter. Top down and spoiler up. Natural right? In response to our tweet @justoffstage made this astute observation:
>justoffstage: @MotoringFile I’ll make an exception for taking a photo, but in general, parking with your automatic spoiler up is a Class B Douchedemeanor.
That got me thinking about proper spoiler etiquette with the Coupe and Roadster. So I thought we’d come up with an official MF take on the matter.
Un-approved: Leaving your spoiler up when parked and left unattended.
Approved: Leaving said spoiler up for photography or for car related gatherings.
What about while driving? We say it’s “up” to the driver. The spoiler of course goes up at 50 mph and down again at 37 but if you want to show the world your spoiler at 10 mph, we say go for it.
<p>first world problems</p>
<p>Good one Jack! Too funny!</p>
<p>That would be perfect for those current Tire Rack commercials where the psychologist asks the patient:”Now let me ask you a question. If I park my MINI with the spoiler up…?”</p>
<p>Wait, you’re saying that this post on an American website that writes exclusively about a premium-priced European line of automobiles is dealing with problems unique to the wealthier nations of the world?</p>
<p>THE HELL YOU SAY.</p>
<p>Only in America :)</p>
<p>Either way. Seeing one deploy at 50 is beautiful thing.</p>
<p>Up all the time takes away from the beauty of it’s auto up at 50mph feature.
might as well stick a perm wing on the car</p>
<p>There’s a JCW accessory for that.</p>
<p>And oh god, is it ever ugly.</p>
<p>Says you. The fixed spoiler was a must-have for me. The popup one looks weak to me and does nothing to carry the roof color to the back half of the car.</p>
<p>i think the fixed spoiler completes the Coupe’s design and butt. :)</p>
<p>I have never seen that wing in the configurator.</p>
<p>Sometimes I wish I could just turn it off and leave it down.</p>
<p>There’s probably a fuse for that…</p>
<p>“Sometimes I wish I could just turn it off and leave it down.” Oh no, you don’t – I’ve had mine freeze in the down position and even just around town the instrument panel is warning about everything short of imminent global thermonuclear war. But pulling the fuse <em>and</em> recoding the ECU would be good.</p>
<p>But parking with the spoiler up? How desparate is that?</p>
<p>i’m pretty sure that one of the software updates released for the 2012’s enables you to bypass the down at 37mph when you manually raise it. I actually need to have this done myself..</p>
<p>Have you guys been watching “Good Morning America” for topic ideas?</p>
<p>If you’d like us to consider posting something that you’ve written, please send it to us at <a href="mailto:info@motoringfile.com">info@motoringfile.com</a></p>
<p>Nathaniel, you will find a couple of suggestions in your inbox. If you would like to have them turned into stories, just let me know. Thanks.</p>
<p>I think the important takeaway here is the term “douchedemeanor,” for minor acts of douchery. Like leaving your spoiler up. Or using an iPad in public. Or owning a Porsche.</p>
<p>…or wearing sunglasses with thick, white frames.</p>
<p>Thank you. I laugh at everyone I see wearing these. I laugh a lot these days…</p>
<p>Disagree with using an iPad in public. Like what’s the issue with that? Sitting at a public coffee shop using an iPad is a doucedemeanor? Hardly. Now using an iPad as a camera. That’s just unacceptable. Saw the father of the bride taking pictures with an iPad at a wedding. Like seriously.</p>
<p>Yeah, I was gonna call foul on the iPad dig too. Nothing wrong with using an iPsd in public. I am doing it right now. Not sure what the problem there is. Then again, seeing how you don’t like Porsche either, I’m guessing this was just an anti-Apple remark. I know I wouldn’t mind owning a 911, Boxter or Cayman. If that makes me a douche then so be it. LOL!</p>
<p>It does, but I sympathize. The 2013+ Boxster (and 2014 Cayman) is a thing of beauty. One that, if I could afford to own, I would consider, despite it branding me with the Douche Badge of Courage. Or Red Badge of Douchedom. Or….you know, let me get back to you on that one.</p>
<p>I see a lot of folks going “wow” when the wing deploys as well as stows- I never use the manual switch on our roadster.</p>
<p>These are all poser problems. The wing deployment mechanism is because with the wing up, rear visibility is a joke. Having the wing deployed at low speeds doesn’t do anything but block vision. So this is all about looks and not about function. As such, it’s a pretty pointless exercise. Do what you want, and if people have the time to judge whether a wing up or down is an act of douchery of any magnitude, I’d say that they have their priorities screwed up.</p>
<p>Exactly……who really cares. Well I guess the author does, not sure why tho.</p>
<p>I don’t think he cares THAT much…and in addition to being the author, he is the founder of this site that we all enjoy. And he has shared the term “douchedemeanor,” which is applicable for so many things. So many. Yep. So many things spring to mind.</p>
<p>Agree…but I’ve never been bothered by the reduction in visibility. I still feel like I have plenty of situational awareness to the rear.</p>
<p>It does suck that the deployed spoiler blocks the auto-dimming RVM light sensor rendering it fairly useless. Don’t order this option with your new R59.</p>
<p>The rear view mirror light sensor is already useless. The one in the R56 always darkens in the sunlight and lightens at night when I need it.</p>
<p>It might be my imagination, but the spoiler seemed less in my way out the rear of the Roadster (top up) than the Coupe.</p>
<p>Slow news day boys?</p>
<p>It is an entertaining conversation starter. Something to pass the time as we wait for the F56 reveal. This is the calm before the storm, so enjoy while it lasts!</p>
<p>Wow. WGAF ?</p>
<p>Douchedemeanor. Fantastic word. Applicable to other acts. See comments above.</p>
<p>What constitutes a douchefelony?</p>
<p>A Felonious Douche is, despite sounding like a Jazz pianist, a douche whose douchery negatively impacts others. Obviously, there is some overlap with minor acts of dickery.</p>
<p>An automotive example would be parking your car straddling the line, especially in an otherwise crowded lot. Not only are you a douche for feeling that your car is so special that it needs the extra room/protection of two spaces, but you’re also robbing someone else of a place to park.</p>
<p>I have a Hyundai SUV that already has plenty of dings. Whenever I see a doubledoucher I always try and wedge into their buffer and reclaim the lost spot. Most often its just a Wisconsin driver who has never driven on pavement before.. finally meandering on top of a dividing line. Nonetheless, I hate a wasted space.</p>
<p>The absolute best thing about the manual switch is the ability to deploy the spoiler while washing and (especially) drying; otherwise, tons of crap would collect under there.</p>
<p>Another time it can be left up, when you’re going to wash it either that day or the next.</p>
<p>But otherwise mine is always on auto, and I do look at those with them up all the time on MINI’s and TT’s and think why do you do that?</p>
<p>On my JCWCOUPE, I leave the spoiler in the auto mode, except when I do a manual wand car wash. With the minimal rear visibility that the Coupe has (and I expect so does the Roadster), having the spoiler up all the time would be a negative re that rear view. For that reason, I also opted for the optional rear view detection system for backing up. Really a necessary feature for this car. Even better would be a backup camera but so far not even available on the Mini brand!!!</p>
<p>There’s an aftermarket camera system that can patch into the MINI Connected screen. It’s pretty pricey, though. I just tend to keep the top down, or be super careful backing up.</p>
<p>So, if you motoring down the interstate (of course on the way to a twisty road) can you lower the spoiler to lessen down force when it is not needed. Think of it as a Drag Reduction System. Also if one can do that, is it an offensive to be caught with ones spoiler down?</p>
<p>While a Class A Douchedemeanor calling something so trivial a Class B Douchedemeanor.</p>
<p>I have been trying to find someone who owns a mini roadster for a while. Tell me, does anyone have a problem with the roof/seal separating or making noise? Letting in air anything? Has anyone changed out the shocks to smooth out the ride? Anyone regret buying the roadster? If yes, then why specifically? I’m really thinking about getting one but I want to make sure its a good car. I’ve heard some good and not so good from reviews but I’m trying to find out from actual owners. I hear the wind noise is bad. Does anyone drive their roadster on a regular basis?
Thanks.</p>
<p>We’ve been reporting on our ownership here at MF for over a year. Check the MF Garage category which you can find at the bottom of every page.</p>
<p>In short none of the concerns you mentions are issues we’ve had. After 22k this is easily the best I’ve five MINIs I’ve owned.</p>
<p>Gabe, you’re an idiot
and @justoffstage: you’re an idiot</p>
<p>People should not take any advice from people who use the phrase “Class B Douchedemeanor” nor a person who is willing to quote such stupidity in his “article”.</p>
<p>I really hope you read this, Gabe. I also hope you provide something useful/ informative in your next so called review. It’s impressive how anyone can be a reviewer these days. People like you destroy nice websites like this.</p>
<p>mine is always up.. oh wait.. i have the JCW Fixed Spoiler since day one and would never go back 🙂 i can see out my back window and it just finishes the coupe’s backend design imo.</p>