A friend of mine is picking up his Cooper tomorrow after the agony of debating, ordering, and waiting. Thinking about his process has got me relfecting on my own… If I could go back and reorder my car what would I change? What am I very happy with? And what might I drop? Of course this doesn't include any aftermarket mods that you might have done – I'm talking about straight from the factory.

Actually I managed to snag on of the pre-spec Coopers that was speced & built before the dealer system was launched. But that being said I ended with pretty much getting my dream car. So while it wasn't truly ordered to my spec it could be considered what I would have gotten if given the chance.

Things I wish I had:

  • Sports Suspension Plus – I never would have imagined it made a difference, but it does)
  • Cold Weather Package – this wasn't available when we got our car but to me it would have been worth it for the heated mirrors alone. There were countless times this past winter they were useless from to being iced over

Things I wish I didn't have or could do without:

  • While I enjoy my multi-function computer, if I had to make a cut that would be it

Things I'm really happy I got:

  • Xenon lights – you really can't spend enough money on lights when it gets dark at 4pm during the winter months.
  • Sport Seats (with the Sport Package) – from my experience if you want an MC and don't want to slide around during heavy cornering either get the Sport Seats or wear some cords!
  • A white top!
  • Chrome Line – this car has taken my love for well designed chrome accents to a new level
  • Heated seats – guys, if you have a special someone in your life they're highly recommended.
  • That Blessed Sunroof! (with the Premium Package) – even if it means I have to battle the occasional squeak on a cold morning I absolutely love how it turns the cabin into a very bright and airy enviroment.

I get asked this sort of question all the time so I thought a post like this might help someone out there on the fence about some options. Feel free to add feedback disagreeing or ageeing with anything I said. One of the great things about MINI owners is that we all seem to have opinions and we're not afraid to share them 🙂