The US Checkmate Special Options Package

<p>Maybe the “English Leather” seats will have to suffice as a poor, but at least distinguished-looking, substitute in the absence of OEM Recaros…..</p>

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<p>Gabe, do you know if you’ll be able to add options to the packages, or will it be like the MCS40, where nothing else could be added on?</p>
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<p>MINIUSA is going with a “special options” package (rather than a special edition car) specifically to allow for the ability to option the car exactly how you choose. A lesson they learned from the MC40.</p>

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<p>Do we know if the available bonnet stripes will be like those shown on the special editions?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Yes.</p>

<p>Gabe,
Will the Park Lane seats be an option on the S? I’ve heard they will only be available on the Cooper.</p>

<p>–>We should see further official 2006 model year info along with US pricing soon.</p>

<p>“For starters it looks as if the US will be getting both the MINI Seven and Park Lane dashboard designs. You can check both dashboards out at the international MINI website (but remember – we won’t get anything but the dash!”</p>

<p>Why does Mini continue to snub the US Market? I can see them not bringing most of the Seven-One items to the US, but to only offer the seats and dash of the Park Lane, why? </p>

<p>Why not the Rims? Mini continues of offer some of the worst looking rims for the MC (non S) and when they have a chance to bring a set of very good looking Rims it seems they choose not to. Instead it seems (if I read it correctly) they are going to bring the “horseshoe” rims to the US, the ugliest things I’ve seen.</p>

<p>What about the Royal Gray? That’s a great looking color. I’m not a big fan of the Checkmate, but again it’s about choices.</p>

<p>I’m slowly gettng feed up with Mini. Eliminatioin of choices (steering wheel, 8 spoke Rim, bumber inserts, color eliminations, etc), snubbing the US market by not offering the ’06 limited editions as a whole, raising prices where soon it won’t be an afforable car unless you get a basic no option model.</p>

<p>At this time I don’t see myself being a repeat customer.</p>

<p>The English Leather seats look awesome. Even at a “premium” price, I think I have to have those.</p>

<p>Hmmm, seems y comment was clipped. Gabe – you don’t know when we’ll be seeing the revised prices, do you (before August?)? I’m got a MINI on order, but if I get a chance to see the SB/S before my MINI arrives, I may just cancel my order – depending on price, of course!</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>That checkmate edition is sweet. Gives me some time to save up some cash. hahah. I love the color combination. Dark blue/silver. Also the interior is really cool.</p>

<p>The Cooper S Checkmate Package includes the rear spoiler? Isn’t that still standard on the Cooper S?</p>

<p>I just wish the options were available seperately, rather than as a package. I’d like to do Space Blue with a white roof, without those checker graphics, on the side, or those bonnet stripes, which just don’t do it for me…. Astro Black (Now that Jet black is gone) with a silver roof would be nice too, but I doubt we’ll see the silver roof on the “old” colors. Here’s to wishful thinking!</p>

<p>Oh, and anyone know the weight of the flame spokes?</p>

<blockquote>
<p>I just wish the options were available seperately, rather than as a package. I’d like to do Space Blue with a white roof, without those checker graphics, on the side, or those bonnet stripes, which just don’t do it for me…. Astro Black (Now that Jet black is gone) with a silver roof would be nice too, but I doubt we’ll see the silver roof on the “old” colors. Here’s to wishful thinking!</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Please keep in mind that this is a special options package. That means that it can be ordered with any color and any other options available with the MINI. On the other hand Space Blue is like any other color and can be ordered with any options. In fact SB specifically can be ordered on any car and will be available across the range.</p>

<p>The holey 15″ wheels are now officially <strong>not</strong> going away in the US.</p>

<p>I’ll have more color info tomorrow.</p>

<blockquote> The holey 15″ wheels are now officially not going away in the US.

I’ll have more color info tomorrow. </blockquote>

<p>YES!!! I love the holeys and was hoping to get a set before they got rid of them and the price of them would increase a bit. This gives me some time to gather some holeys =)</p>

<p>Gabe: “I’ll have more color info tomorrow.”</p>

<p>Well, where is it?</p>

<p>That is true, cct1. Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound harsh. But today is tomorrow, isn’t it? 🙂 Gabe, what exactly are you doing? Just kidding.</p>

<p>Off-topic:</p>

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<p>geesh, that’s a bit harsh–I’m anxiously awaiting that info too, but let’s be realistic…I’ll bet Gabe is doing something stupid, like driving, getting groceries, working, spending time with his family, you know, frivolous things like that…</p>
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<p>Hey thanks for getting my back cct1 🙂 Yes I had this nasty thing to take care of today called my day job 😉 You may notice there’s rarely a post from 8:30 am CST until late in the evening. This is what I like to call my life 😉 Believe it or not I really don’t devote that much time to this site other than to scan comments every so often (thankfully I’m not the only one doing that) and blast out a story now and again. Actually 90% of stories (or leads) on MF come from readers or other contributors. It just so happens that I had (and still have) several significant stories I had planned on releasing this week and I frankly couldn’t get to them all at once due to my schedule. So yes I had planned on getting that color story done today but just ran out of time lastnight.</p>

<p>But no worries… I know what it’s like to be anxious about info like this… ;-)</p>

<p>“Also in reponse to your other points:</p>

<p>The bumper inserts cannot be offered since the design was changed for ’05. </p>

<p>Colors are always added and deleted… it’s the way of the automotive world and especially BMW. </p>

<p>Finally MINI has done an extraordinary job of keeping prices low despite the extremely weak dollar vs the UK Pound and the Euro. If you want evidence of that just take a look at the starting price for a Cooper S in the UK.”</p>

<p>=======================================</p>

<p>Gabe, I do understand that MINI changed the design of the bumper which according to MINI did not allow the use of bumper inserts. My questions is why change the desgin? Here in the SF Bay Area I would say 75% of the pre 2005 MINI’s purchased, people choose either the Chrome or black bumper inserts.</p>

<p>Next, I mentioned color elimination because so many people have posted here that they didn’t like the elimination of certain color choices. For me what I don’t care for is that MINI kept certain colors for the MCS only. MINI should offer all colors for either the MC or MCS regardless.</p>

<p>On price, yes the US Dollar is doing very poor against the Pound and only slightly better against the Euro, but MINI own promos in 03,04,& 05 is that its an very affordable car that handles great and doesn’t guzzle gas. If they keep raising prices of options or special packages they will limit or eliminate a sizable group of potential buyers. And while I enjoy the MINI, a base MINI without options would not be enjoyable.</p>

<p>Finally on another note from a previous post, As I’ve written before, “It’s about choices”. In the May issue of the UK magazine “GoMINI” the editor and some lucky readers got to visit the MINI factory.</p>

<p>Here is what she wrote: “What struck me the most about the visit was just how varied all the cars coming along the line were.” “Mini prides itself on the huge range of options available and on the fact that no two cars have to be the same.”</p>

<p>If this is true why does MINIUSA limit options or eliminate options in the US (ie. steering wheel, rims, etc)and give the rest of the world those options?</p>

<p>I know I harp on the Rims and Steering wheel but it’s kind of a sore spot for me. As she said “no two cars have to be the same”, that’s all I ask: Choices.</p>

<p>Gabe, Thanks for having such a great site. I enjoy it loads better then MINI2.com. </p>

<p>Your site is very clean, organized and structured. The others are so jumbled.</p>

<p>I enjoy this site alot.</p>

<p>that 1950 is basically the same as your premium package, only with out the on board computer, and with out the automatic climate control.</p>

<p>-Beecher</p>