We got an email from the clever folks who created the the BMW Documentaries series Wherever You Want to Go. They’ve asked MotoringFile and BimmerFile to submit questions for the experts featured in the film. The answers to some of these questions will be featured as part of an extension to the documentary. These experts include:

Graham Hill, from Treehugger
Robin Chase, from ZipCar
Way Cheng, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, MIT
George Whitesides, from Virgin Galactic

What they’re looking for are questions surrounding the issues brought up in the documentary so far. Mobility, sustainability, technology, etc. The comments will be open until Monday, April 11th. So if you’ve ever wanted to pick the brains of some rather clever transportation experts, now’s your chance. If you missed the excerpts, we’ve embedded them after the break. Have a look and give us your questions in the comments.

Wherever You Want To Go (Trailer)

The New City

The Future Just Isn’t What It Used To Be

In the Future, Will There Still Be Room On the Road For Muscle Cars?

How We’ll Learn To Stop Worrying and Love the Future

MotoringFile reader David Bromberg sent us this question the other day.

Does anyone wave anymore?

When I got my R53 in early 2005, one of the great things about owning the car was the sense of community. If you saw another MINI on the road, you knew how much fun they were having and would share a wave, a peace-sign, or some other gesture. There was even a manual of sorts from MINI exploring the different gestures. I’ve noticed that this acknowledgement has been decreasing lately, especially near where I live (metro-Atlanta).

Is this not a “thing” anymore?

So let’s ask you the readers. Do you wave? Do people wave back? Take our poll after the break.

Next week we’ll be at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and have access to a number of key people within MINI. We’ll be talking Paceman and certainly trying to get as much teaser info as we can about the upcoming city car, but what do you want to know? Leave your questions in the comments. Also, we’ll have our cameras at the ready, so let us know what you want to see.

Last week we asked you to give us your questions to MINI USA Product manager Vinnie Kung. This week we have your answers. First a big thanks to Vinnie who’s been quite busy driving in the 24 Hours of Lemons recently. Oh and then there’s the little task of getting the entire refreshed MINI model line-up (not to mention the new Countryman) ready for the 2011 model year. So with all that said, let’s jump right in to it.

MotoringFile: Vinnie, great to see you again. Let’s get straight to the most important question. How was the 24 Hours of Lemons?

Vinnie: Oh, you mean the coolest race ever to happen? Yeah, things went great, thanks. I only hit the guardrail once with our D-Day themed Impala. We came in 32nd, but who cares when you’re having fun.

MF: Ok, not that that’s out of the way, we’ve got a few questions about a little thing called the 2011 MINI refresh. For starters we’ve had a ton of people wanting to know about MINI Connected’s availability.

Vinnie: MINI Connected has been one of the most fascinating projects. But like any technology offer, there are challenges when it’s time to get things onto the streets. As of now, it looks like December production is when we will see it.

Engineering suspensions, engines and other cool mechanical technologies takes about 54 to 60 months to develop. When it comes to electronics, we have only a fraction of the time in order for it to be relevant in the market. I can design a control arm today and it will work for a real long time. But a new app? I have only a few months. I mean, would you want a Friendster App in 2011? I didn’t think so. So, sometimes extra time is all we need to finalize it. I’ve tried the latest version and it’s awesome.

MF: Another 2011 options question. Is there a chance of the early JCW’s being able to get the black headlights in either the standard xenons or the Adaptive headlights. Secondly why in the world is MINI not allowing us to fit the more aggressive looking black headlight surrounding to the most aggressive MINI, the JCW?

Vinnie: We agree completely, but the guys in Oxford have other intentions for the JCW models. We keep asking for it but we keep getting a big, “No.”

MF: A couple of JCW questions regarding the 2011 model year. Why exactly was the JCW engine not upgraded along with the rest of the range?

Vinnie: The Cooper and Cooper S models were the focus of this update. A higher power version of the JCW has been rumored.

MF: Can we expect an updated version of the JCW Engine kit?

Vinnie: It should be out real soon. I spoke to Florian Kuenstner who heads up the accessories and it will have a similar power increase like we’ve had going from the N14 to the N18. Cool thing is that we’ll now be able to hear the popping sound on decel better.

MF: Ok onto a few random options questions that readers had. First up why is there no lumbar support on the cloth and leatherette seats?

Vinnie: It’s priced into the higher end seats. To make both Cloth and Leatherette free on the Sport seats, we can’t put lumbar support in it or we’d have to raise the price of the Sport seats from $250 to $500 on the Cooper or increase the price of the Cooper S’ base price to add it as standard. Right now, we think it is a fair tradeoff.

MF: Is there any specific reason why MINI eliminated the tilt/slide/memory (for getting into the back seat) from the passenger seats in the late 2010’s while keeping them on the drives side?

Vinnie: It was part of a cost-down measure. Sadly, this was one of few things that we fought against but the beancounters prevailed. Luckily, we did win on a few fronts such as getting the MINI logo back on our engines, budgeting for oil feed line heat shields on the turbo engines and even getting new timing chain tensioners.

MF: What about colors? Will we see brighter non-metallic color choices in future? We’ve had plenty of bright metallics but rarely something retro inspired that doesn’t have metal flakes.

Vinnie: We always work on new colors, either metallic or not. For instance, we took the time to develop Ice Blue for December production. But incredibly, we have a high demand for metallic colors so we will continue to meet that demand by offering metallics that are bright, such as my personal favorite, Spice Orange metallic.

MF: Ok onto the JCW. Let me state that this next question is a reader question and is not officially sanctioned by MotoringFile. Ok here we go… will the current R5X JCW cars ever be available with some type of automatic transmission?

Vinnie: It is not planned for the current JCW cars. The goal has been to keep the JCW pure but we know eventually, there will be enough people that want it and we may offer it. But right now, we want to be able to keep the existing JCW lineup interesting so we are focusing on making it stand out more from an appearances perspective.

MF: Now onto something a little more our style. Based on talking with dealers and our various sources I get the feeling that the current JCW hasn’t sold quite as well as expected or hoped. True or not we’ve not been shy of our critic of the car. We love the way it goes and stops but it just doesn’t look or feel special enough to us. We know MINI is listening but can we expect future JCW products that could address these concerns?

Vinnie: Besides the updates we will see in 2011 (gray-faced gauges, specific color combos, etc.) we will continue to lobby for more differentiation on the JCW models. When you buy an M3, it’s almost a completely different car compared to a 335i. Same goes for the R32, Renault Alliance GTS, SAAB 900 SPG, SVO Mustang, etc. See what I am getting at? Even those were some pretty bad examples, the reality is that today, the JCW models appeal to the vast majority of new MINI customers that are new to the brand. Those of us who have been with MINI from the beginning prefer a truly differentiated car and for us, we need a GP replacement beyond what we saw with the WC50.

MF: Any chance for an AWD JCW in something like the current R56? The Golf R sure looks tempting sometimes.

Vinnie: Sadly, the current L3 chassis does not support an AWD system. While tempting, it would cost beaucoup bucks to get it to work in the market. The breakeven point would take either a huge price surcharge or an inordinate number of cars to be sold. Either way, due to plant and pricing limitations, success would be hard to come by.

MF: Let’s talk R60. There’s been a ton of excitement around the Countryman (more than we expected) but there have been a few questions that keep coming up. First is the rear seating. I know you’ve already answered this in our previous interview but has anything changed that could allow a three seat option in the US for the Countryman?

Vinnie: We have been lobbying for a five-seater for years. But to meet the changing US standards for side impact crash testing, we would have to heavily re-engineer the car and that would add price, something that none of our customers would want to hear about. We are still requesting a fully-compliant three-seater bench seat, however, and know that this is a huge factor in making people consider us for their next family vehicle.

MF: With the announcement of the WRC Countryman built by Prodrive rumors have popped up that there might be something road going that could be linked to the rally car. Is there anything you can shed on that?

Vinnie: I will have to respectfully decline commenting on that, due to the fact that it may incriminate at a future time.

MF: Can we expect any WRC inspired surprises in our future as MINI fans?

Vinnie: It would make sense.

MF: What about standard JCW options such as the engine kit or the Aero-kit. Is there any thing you can tell us?

Vinnie: The biggest goal is to make the JCW Aero Kit available from the factory as it would have perfect fit, finish and reduced cost. Since the supplier is a small-volume manufacturer (different than the supplier for the factory aero kit), they need to get ramped up. Once that is done, I believe this will take off very well as an option. We’ll need to transition out of the current factory aero kit in the meantime, which is now only on the Cooper models.

MF: The Coupe remains the most anticipated product on MotoringFile. Any updates you can give us on the timing? We’ve reported late Summer of 2011.

Vinnie: When the school semester starts, it would be a good time to see a MINI dealer.

MF: What about a debut?

Vinnie: The cars will stay pure to the concepts we have presented so far. So, I wouldn’t expect a big debut at a show.

MF: The R58 Coupe seems like the perfect platform for a hardcore MINI. Would you agree?

Vinnie: With an aluminum roof, potential for great aerodynamics and lower weight, it has the inherent ability to perform better on a racetrack, all around the world … in a Challenging environment.

MF: How much do we expect headroom to be compromised in the R59?

Vinnie: Not sure yet. I hope it’s not much.

MF: Moving on to everyone’s favorite topic, warranty issues. What’s the story with the high pressure fuel pump and intake manifold/throttle body issues that we’ve read about throughout the MINI web? Has this been addressed with both pre-2011 and post 2011 MINIs?

Vinnie: I wish I had more expertise here, but in product planning, we look at how the MINI product line will look like in the year 2022. But our technical service guys keep me up to date every so often on the current product line. I do know that the N16 and N18 engines get new intake manifolds so that should eliminate any issues there. The JCW also has several updates due to the MY changeover. But anything more than that, and I’d just be making it up.

MF: Regarding the R57. Why is no one touch down (or up for that matter) on the MINI Convertible? Was this a safety thing? Programming?

Vinnie: This is 100% a safety issue. The lift motor’s current-sensing anti-trap feature is what allows us to have one-touch up on the R55 and R56. On the convertible, however, there are two reasons why the one-touch cannot work. For one, the rear windows have the ability to slide and then close into the front side windows and getting a finger pinched in there is tough for the vehicle to detect. There is no easy way to properly place a sensor on the rear glass and using current-sensing technology on the lift motor itself is not an accurate or safe way to offer one-touch. Also, if you had placed a contact sensor in the upper seal, this would only work with the top up and not with the top down. With so many variables and possible ways for somebody to get an extremity misplaced in one of the four windows, we decided to play it safe and let the window lift function be manually-controlled by the occupants.

MF: We know that there have been some decisions made to not bring the diesel to the US. Does that also rule out hybrid technology for MINI?

Vinnie: Diesel and Hybrid models have never been ruled out. The business case is what limits us. We all want it but at the end of the day, it has to make business sense and while there are many people out there just screaming for one (myself included), the spreadsheet says otherwise. US conformity is not cheap on the Diesel front. But it may be easier with other alternatives.

MF: What about the automatic Start/Stop system that has been used throughout the MINI range elsewhere in the world? We understand that the EPA doesn’t count it in the official MPG figures but does MINI plan to bring the system to the US in the near future?

Vinnie: It’s a classic compound business case problem. MSA (auto-start/stop) is only available on cars with manual trans. So right off the bat, we’re looking at only 40% of all MINI Coopers since there is no MSA for automatic transmission cars. This doubles the price immediately. After all the calculations are done in our finance group, we then look at how many cars would actually have it, and we predicted a modest 20% take rate. So, 20% of 40% of 28,000 cars means only 2,240 Cooper Hardtops would have it. Then you have to hope that these people really want it because who would pay $750 for an option that makes no difference on the EPA label. So in the end, we’d lose money on the option and in these times, I want to keep my job.

MF: Here’s another one that has been answered many times but we thought we’d give us another shot based on our readers interest. Has there been any movement in a UK delivery program (for those buying cars in the US) since we last talked?

Vinnie: Not as of yet. We just compounded this topic with the addition of the Countryman being built in Austria. We’d rather give our customers a true MINI experience from start to finish, but as of now, we don’t have a way to provide that.

MF: Ok last question. Does the Fiat 500 keep you up at night? If not, does anything?

Vinnie: The Fiat 500 will have VW Beetle-itis. People will run, then realize it’s a bucket of Fiat leftovers, and never buy one again. For Fiat, it may not be the best choice as their first car to bring the name back to the US. So, it does not keep me up at night.

Usually, I lose sleep worrying about roving bands of militant zombies coming in the middle of the night to steal my incomplete Vanilla Ice and Milli Vanilli cassette collection while they have their shoes on. I hate it when rude zombies leave footprints.

But as of now, my former adult magazine career is what still keeps me up all night.

And with that I gave Vinnie the secret MINI insider secret handshake and he was off into the night. If you didn’t see anything added “between the lines” above you may want to read again. Sometimes silence in a few of the answers was deafening.

A couple weeks back we invited you to submit questions to MINI USA Product Manager VInnie Kung. And while we got some great questions we also had quite a few that had been answered either previously on the site by MF staff or by Vinnie himself in our previous Q&A. For the second group we thought we’d take it upon ourselves to give you the answers straightaway and save the rest for Vinnie himself. Look for Vinnie’s answers next week. Until then, here are ours for the questions that didn’t quite make the cut…

Question: Will the new MINI Connected feature in any way have the potential to be retrofitted to R56 models? If not, will the upcoming Nav update have a similar map interface as the MINI Connected, or any similarities to the MINI Connected system?

MF: There is absolutely no way save for completely replacing the computer control unit in the car to retrofit the updated Navigation system or MINI Connect. How much does a computer control system cost? If you have to ask, you don’t want to know.

Question: When will we get clean diesel engines?

MF: We’ve detailed the answer to this question many times over the years. The quick answer is there are no plans for MINI’s just released BMW derived diesel. Instead look for equally (if not more efficiency) petrol 3 cylinder engines in the next MINI range debuting in 2013.

Question: Will the 2011 mini jcw have the valvetronic system??? how can there be an issue of CO2 emissions, when in 2006 the mini jcw GP already had it… thanks

MF: No the 2011 JCW does not have Valvetronic. However neither did the GP.

Question: Will there be a Justa Cooper Coupe?

MF: That is TBD and will likely depend on the market. The better question is, will the US market have one. So far the answer appears to be no.

Question: Will you bring back the real LSD for the MCS or any other model in the future? The optional LSD was big part of the reason I got my 2007 MCS. It shows that MINI has real performance in minded people in charge. I’m sorry but I just don’t think the electronic differental locks can deliver the feel that I so enjoy from my LSD equipped car.

MF: Believe it or not Vinnie and MINI USA feels your pain. However it’s difficult for MINI AG (that’s MINI Corporate in Munich) to justify having a LSD when the take rate is only 4% in the US. And on top of that the eDiff is arguably better on the track. (this still doesn’t change the fact that we at MF truly miss the LSD)

Question: I really wanted a Camden edition but some of the new features such as Mini connected are enticing. Will White silver be among the new colors for standard use on an S MF: Yes. We’ve details colors on MF several times over the last two weeks. Try using the search tool or look in the 2011 LCI section for more info

Question: These might also qualify as stupid, but: With MINI/BMW’s decision to build the new city car from carbon fiber, could we see more CF options for MINI owners like a CF roof, hatch, bonnet, etc…?

MF: Not stupid. Our guess is that making CF add-ons for MINIs is pretty low on the priority list for the new plant. They’ll have their hands full making entire carbon fiber monoquoces

Question: I still really want pull handles (straps) for the interior door handles a la certain Porsche variants. Is there any way that we could see more simple, non costly ideas like this that will further differentiate MINI’s from other mass production vehicles?

MF: Great idea, we love them to. We’ll plant the seed at MTTS.

Question: One thing that I had to do with my R53 is install limo tint on the sunroofs to cut down on the sunlight. Any chance MINI would offer darker tinting? Also an optional solid screen for the sunroofs instead of one that allows light in would be nice.

MF: We’ve already reported that the tint will be going from 10% to 30% for the 2011 model year.

Question: How about a nice bright white, instead of the dirty pepper color?

MF: You mean like White Silver that’s been offered for the past 3 years or a pure white? The R60 Countryman has a non-metallic white similar to Alpine White from BMW. We love it. We suspect you would to. However there are no plans to move it to the R5X range.

Over the past couple of years we’ve found some of the most popular stories on MF have been our “Ask MINI” features. They continue to be a rare opportunity to ask questions and get answers from MINI USA’s product manager; Vinnie Kung. So with the 2011 MINI’s about to be released and the Countryman and Coupé both hitting US shores next year, we thought it would be an ideal time to continue the tradition.

Here’s how it works:

1. Post your question in the comment section below by Friday July 30th 11:59 pm.
2. We’ll go through and pick the very best, combine them with a few of ours and interview Vinnie.
3. Finally we’ll post the full Q&A interview right here next week.

The comment section will be open from today to Friday. Look for his answers on MF within two weeks.

We’ve had a number of emails asking about the possibility of retrofitting various parts of the 2011 MINI refresh. Specifically the interior.MF reader Houshmand Moarefi from Denver, CO wrote in earlier this week wanting to know what many of you have asked over the last few days. Is it possible to retrofit some if not all of the refreshed MINI interior?

Would I be able to retrofit my 2009 Clubman S with the new speedo/radio andblack finish packages? Has MINI ever offered such upgrades for earlier models?

The answer is yes and no. Yes you swap parts but each component comes with a set of different issues. On the steering wheel for instance the updated part is tied to the airbag which is extremely expensive and likely not worth replacing to get the new chrome trim. The radio face can be swapped out but the lower portion (where the buttons are) may be difficult considering that the volume knob has now moved into this module.

Yes it is possible to replace various parts of the HVAC interface but again it involves taking apart the entire center stack and the components underneath.

With the previous generation car, MINI did not offer upgrades that brought your car up to the same look as the refresh.

All that said, where there’s a will, there’s a way. We’d guess that (through trial and error) we’ll soon find out what parts of more easily swappable than others and we’ll post an update once 2011 parts are available.

This week’s Ask MF comes from reader Bryan Hinkle and is related to MINI graphics. Bryan writes:

I am wondering how the various decals are holding up on MINIs. The other day I saw a very faded Union Jack roof decal. I have gone back and forth about ordering bonnet stripes, and wonder how those have been aging age over time. And, I wonder if those who ordered bonnet stripes or other decals would do so again.”

I’ve been applying automotive graphics professionally for nearly 20 years. I’ve applied stripes and roof flags to more than 2,000 MINIs since 2003, and logos and other graphics to thousands of other vehicles since 1992. I have seen vinyl graphics on MINIs that still look good after six years. I have also seen vinyl graphics on MINIs that look like they need to be replaced after only two to three years. There is no hard and fast rule for longevity because there are too many factors that can affect the lifespan of vinyl graphics.

First, all vinyl is not created equal. There are two main types of vinyl on the market today — high performance and intermediate. High performance vinyl is generally rated to last five to nine years, intermediate vinyl is generally rated to last three to five. From what I’ve seen, the MINI factory graphics use high performance material and should last around five to seven years before they start to severely fade or chip. However, the original MINI factory Classic-style stripes — black with white pinstripes or white with black pinstripes — were created by uncoated, printed black ink on white vinyl. On those type of stripes, any small rock chip can chip the black ink off the stripe and leave a small white mark. I’ve seen black factory stripes that needed to be replaced within a couple of years because of excessive chipping. Laminated stripes — where the printing is top coated with a thin layer of clear vinyl — aren’t as prone to chipping because of the topcoat.

The other factory-offered stripes that are all white or all black without pinstripes are made from a solid color vinyl, so the color will not chip off like it does on the Classic bonnet stripes, making small chips and scratches less noticeable.

How long graphics last also depends on other factors like climate, sun exposure and temperature fluctuations. Graphics that see less time in the sun will look newer longer and fade less that the same material left out in the sun day after day. Roof graphics are especially vulnerable to fade, and I’ve noticed some colors — red and yellow in particular — oxidize more quickly than others. High-quality printed roof flags should be overlaminated to increase UV resistance and to reduce chips, and flags made from solid-color vinyl will need care to maintain their good looks. I had a 2003 with a solid-vinyl Union Jack that lasted more than six years before the red faded to any noticeable degree.

To reduce damage from the sun, I recommend applying a light coat of wax over any solid or top-coated graphics. It helps reduce the risk of excessive fade, and lessens oxidation. Be careful with the type of wax; some brands may include solvents that may soften or remove uncoated ink on vinyl graphics, so ask your vinyl dealer for their recommendation. If they say not to wax your graphics, it may be because they are uncoated, and wax with caution and only after testing for colorfastness. Additionally, be careful with the power washer. If you catch the edge of a flag or stripe with the high-powered jet, you’ll force water under your graphics, which may cause them to peel up.

Regardless of the material used and the care taken, over time, UV rays from the sun will break down all types of vinyl and your graphics will eventually fade, crack and need to be replaced. Not even the best vinyl will last forever when exposed to the elements.

As to whether vinyl graphics are worth the cost, the question you should ask yourself is this: am I willing to pay $X for a few years of enjoyment? Am I willing to maintain the graphics to keep them looking their best? If so, I think it’s an investment worth making to make your MINI your own. Who knows, by the time five or six years passes and the graphics begin to show their age, you may want to change the look of your car anyway.

As always, your mileage may vary and folks can leave their personal experiences in the comments below.

Every winter we get questions about winter tires. But we never hear from you about summer or performance tires? Luckily this year Brent finally posed the question to us. Thus we have this week’s Ask MF:

I’ve got a 2006 MCS JCW with 20,000 miles and am finally ready to get some new summer tires. I’m looking for something that I can drive on the street and (now that my warranty is over) put at least one track day one. I’m looking to keep my R99 17″ wheels but I’m interested in moving to a 215/45/17 rather than a 205 width. Any suggestions? I’m willing to spend a little money for something if I have to. And btw they won’t be driven in the Northeast winter.

Great questions Brent. There are numerous answers out there with various price points. If money is no object, in the “Extreme Performance” category we’re partial to Bridgestone RE series (the RE070s being the latest and greatest in this size) or Dunlop’s Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec. As good as the Bridgestones are (and yes they are good), the Dunlops are great tires for $70 less a corner than the Bridgestones. Bridgestone also sells the RE11 in this size but at $175 they’re more than $50 higher than the Dunlop Direzza. However if you want value than look no further Kumho Ecsta Series ($109 and $116 respectively). Or if you want to go down to the “Max Performance” category (yes it’s not really max if “Extreme” is a higher category) then the Sumitomo HTR Z III tires at $91 look like a great value.

However with all that said we want to hear what you run and or suggest. Summer tires, one track day and great on-road performance. Let’s hear some ideas.

And for those of you who might have heard any of the recent podcast, no, Todd doesn’t get a vote since he bought a set of BF Goodrich with white lettering for his GP.

It’s the dead of winter in most of the world and for some of us that means driving our MINIs in snow. But that’s not all bad. With the right tires and the right techniques the MINI can conquer almost any snow. That brings us to this week’s Ask MF from Mary:

My 2005 mini is not doing well in 2-6 inches of snow. Is there something I can disable to get better control? I grew up in Maine so I know driving in snow, but my MINI is not handling well. Help.

There are several things that you can do to turn any MINI into a snow devouring beast. First off knowing when to turn off traction control will help in some situations. Secondly if you get a good amount of snow annually, the most important addition to a MINI are dedicated snow tires. These can be ordered by a place like the Tirerack and shipped to any tire installer in your area. It’s a bit of an investment but dedicated snow tires with their own wheels make a night and day difference.

But there are lots of specific recommendations and techniques that are important to remember. And that’s where we’re going to turn this over to our readers. Ideas? Lets hear them in the comment section below.

With the release of MINI’s first crossover MINI enthusiasts and perspective owners have had lots to react to. But more than anything they’ve been asking questions about the car, the business case and what this all means for the “mini” in the MINI brand. While we’ve done some work trying to clear up some of those questions we thought, what could be better than going straight to the source for all answers? So we have enlisted the help of MINI USA Product Manager Vinnie (Tennessee) Kung to help in answering your questions about the new MINI Countryman. That’s right, the man responsible for all product in the US will be answering your questions about the Countryman.

Here’s how it works:

1. Post your Countryman related question in the comment section below by Friday February 5th 11:59 pm.
2. We’ll go through and pick the very best, combine them with a few of ours and interview Vinnie.
3. Finally we’ll post the full Q&A interview right here next week.

Remember, this is about the MINI Countryman only. Your questions about non-metallic green paint will have to wait (or better yet listen to a few of our interviews where we pose that very question).

Now, have at it…

[Show as slideshow]

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This is a repost from one year ago. However given that the weather is about to get colder in the coming weeks, we felt that a re-post was in order.

So you have a MINI. You got the Sport pack and thought performance tires were a good idea. Then it snowed and you almost died. What should you do? That’s the question that prompted this week’s Ask MF sent in by Scott:

I have a 2006 MCS with the sport package and performance runflats I just bought used and I need some recommendations on snow tires to get me through winter. I’m in western Michigan so I really need some dedicated snows rather than all-seasons. Any suggestions?

Blizzak, Nokian, Dunlop and Michelin all make solid snows for the MINI. There some versions that do better in deep snow and some that are more performance oriented. Being in Western Michigan and getting enormous amount of lake effect snow, I’m guessing you need something that geared toward ultimate traction rather than performance. Because of that I’d start with taking a look at the Nokian and Blizzak line-up first.

But what else is out there? Lets hear it in the comment section below.

Currently I have an E30 and a R56 and both BimmerFile and MotoringFile are taylor made for me. Now my question. The other night I watched a show about the worlds largest car transport ship named the Faust out of Sweden. They were shipping both MINI’s and BMW’s (among others) from England to the US. I noticed on the BMW’s that each car had what appeared to be a coating of sorts which was evenly applied and which caused each cars paint to have a dull and flat appearence. I don’t think it was dirt or gime and it did not seem to be visible on the MINI’s, Jag’s or Rolls Royces. If you know; is this some type of protective coating applied to the cars for shipping? I’m more curious then anything.

Thanks for the kind words. The material you are talking about is called Cosmoline. It is a thick waxy substance BMW coats the vehicles in for shipment. It is removed by a hot water wash at the US port, separated and then recycled. BMW’s X5 and X6 vehicles wear protective cloth bags that are reused. On newer cars you can sometimes see during the hot summer wax like drips coming out of the door seams.

I was wondering if you could shine some light on the current state of the iPod/iPhone integration for R56 vehicles. I own a 3g iPhone. My phone will only charge intermittently, and additionally, there’s no way (other than simply unplugging the USB cable from the vehicle) to enable the use of the iPhone’s iPod app screen, as it’s locked out by default by the ‘Accessory Connected’ screen.

Though my dealer has been happy to look at my car, they’re unable to figure out why the phone will only charge intermittently, or why the iPod app is locked out.

Additionally, they were unable to tell me why the iPhone/iPod itself requires 2 connections – stereo mini jack and USB- in order to connect, while aftermarket units simply use USB.

I’d really appreciate it if MotoringFile was able to highlight this to MINI USA, as it’s a shame to have an iPod/iPhone integration system that really isn’t that well…integrated.

Based on my own experiences, when Apple changed the way the iPhone charged (starting with the 3G) charging in MINI’s system became much more unstable. But that was with the first port installed R56 iPod adapter. We don’t have a ton of experience with the new system other than to know that it doesn’t charge an iPhone 3G or 3GS. So we have to turn this one over to MF readers.

Since myself and a few other MF contributors will be heading over to Ohio to compete in the latest round of the 24 Hours of LeMons, we’re handing over the keys to DB and Todd. We’re also clearing out our mailbox and in the process we’ll be posting a series of new Ask MotoringFile posts. The first comes from Kim:

Hi guys,

I’m brand new to Mini (June ’09) and to autocross. For someone just getting started with learning the car as well as trying out autocross, what sites/information can you recommend?

I subscribed to your podcast just after I got the car, and am really enjoying the information you provide–and the humor :-)

Thanks in advance :-)
Kim

There are tons of sites out there and tons of ways to get involved in high performance driving. I for one prefer track events over autocross but the latter is a great way to get introduced to high performance driving. We would recommend taking a look at our MINI Club Mappr to help find our local club. If your local club doesn’t have any events we would then suggest looking at the BMWCCA. The BMWCCA is very welcoming of MINIs and has an enormous national collection of clubs and events for the novice.

You can read (and see) more about a typically BMWCCA track below:

+ Taking it the Track With the BMWCCA / MotoringFile

+ BMWCCA Trackday Video / MotoringFile

This week’s Ask MF comes courtesy of Lisa:

I want to purchase a roof rack for my 2005 Mini Cooper.  Please point me in the right direction.  Should I buy Thule, Yakima, or other?  Which is best/ easiest to work with?  Which foot  packs, etc do I need?  I want to haul kayaks and bikes.  I’m sorry for all the questions but I keep getting different answers from different websites and distributors.  Thanks for any help that you can give me.

We’ve had experience with Yakima and the OEM rack but would like to throw this out o our readers. Let’s hear it MINI owners, sound of below…

Related:

+ MF Quick Reivew: Yakima Rack / MotoringFile

I have a 2005 cooper s, 32K miles … yesterday and today, when I turn on car, fuel gauge was on empty and yesterday it was half full. Today it showed 1/4, and then later in the day it was empty again. The computer says I have 0 miles left on the tank. Has anyone seem this happen? I have been searching forums and see no mention of this.

We can only guess there is an issue with the fuel sensor located in the tank that runs both the computer at the gauge. However what exactly the issue is we’d have to defer to the experts. Or of course our illustrious readers. Sound off below.

This week we’re cleaning out the in box a bit and getting to some Ask MF’s we’ve had in the queue for awhile. The first of the week was sent in by Tim:

I was trying to find the JCW website.  Prior to MINI take-over, JCW had a completely separate website.  I’m only getting links to MINIUSA or MINIUK now. What I’m trying to do is contact someone knowledgeable about the R50 works head, specifically if there is a recommended cam or profile to get the best out of the head.  I know from prior experience MINIUSA won’t have a clue and the JCW R50 is so rare in the States there’s no reason to post in popular forums. Your expertise is appreciated.

Prior to MINI take-over, JCW had a completely separate website that included detailed technical information. Unfortunately now that JCW is fully owned by BMW that site is down and the tech expertise you’re looking for would be best found by a few folks who have likely made their way to independent garages in the UK. So thus we’re throwing this question out to our readers. If any of you know about the JCW R50 (specifically the head) or know someone who does, sound off in the comment section below.

Related:

+ R50 JCW Cooper Review / MotoringFile

This week’s Ask MF comes from Graham:

Is there any truth to the rumor that MINI is seeking growth in the US by expanding it’s dealer network significantly? I don’t mean by just a few new dealerships, more than that.

It is our understanding that MINI USA plans to grow the network by adding anywhere from 6-12 new dealerships over the next few years. We’ve heard rumors of new dealerships in all parts of the country from San Diego to downtown Chicago. We’re holding off publishing anything specific at this time but expect to hear more about this soon.

Let’s say the unthinkable happened in 2000 and BMW scrapped plans to launch the new MINI during the infamous “Night of the Long Knives“. What would you be driving? How would it have differed from the MINI?

Sound off below…