Park Distance Control Not Standard on R57
Park Distance Control (PDC) which was standard on the previous generation MINI convertible will no longer be a no cost option. Because the roll hoops are so much lower than the previous convertible (and rear visibility so much better) MINI has deemed it no longer a requirement for all cars. Rear PDC (front is not available) will move to a $500 option starting with the R57.
So the car goes up 10% and they drop PDC? Great value for money there, accountants at work yet again.
I think I’ll go and hug my R52…
Makes sense — but it means that the price hike is now $2450 for the MCc and $1900 for the MCSc.
“but it means that the price hike is now $2450 for the MCc and $1900 for the MCSc.”
Only if you need that option. Take it for a test spin and judge for yourself.
The price is also going up due to the weak dollar so it is not all the “accountants,” at work again.
This is not bad news to me. First, I’ve always thought the sensors on the rear bumper were ugly. Second, if you can’t back up a MINI without running into something, you really should considering giving up driving.
In all honesty, I think PDC should be standard in all Clubmans.
But that $2450 price gap on the Cooper shrinks when you account for the DSC ($500) and 16″ wheels ($750) that are now standard on the R57. In my opinion, these are better options to have anyways. I agree that you probably don’t need PDC on a car that is 12′ long and has no rear overhang.
The dollar vs the Euro has been way up since August. I’m not sure they can blame the cost increases on the exchange rate.
Cancel that. They CAN do so – they’d just be lying. Which is a time honored auto sales technique. 🙂
If price was all based on exchange rate, they could lower the prices now, and only raise them if/when the rate goes up.
No, this is about selling less cars worldwide. So they’ve chosen to charge more per car to make up the difference. This will work, unless it lowers demand even further. You can price yourself right out of the market.
I’m not sure if these cars are going to fly out of the dealerships and if they don’t these prices leave room for negotiation and the days of MSRP are going to be long gone.
PDC on GBMINI#6 got confused for the first time today by the cold weather (presumably ice or snow on the sensors).
There are times when I appreciate the sensor feedback – it gives reassurance there isn’t anything hidden behind the car – but I don’t think I’d pay $500 for that reassurance, especially if rear visibility is improved in the new car.
Slightly off topic but that is an awesome picture that is assigned to this article!
<blockquote>Second, if you can’t back up a MINI without running into something, you really should considering giving up driving.</blockquote>
Not everyone uses PDC for the same old parking routine you know, I use it because my garage is quite small, and I have my motorbikes parked behind my MINI, and don’t want to damage them.
While I don’t need the PDC, it does help.
And unlike what the article implies, it’s not the seat hoops that cause poor visibility on the cabrio. When the top is down, it sits too high to see the car behind you when parallel parking… you have to gauge distance by looking at the roof of the car behind you, instead of the hood as you would in most cars. You can use the side mirrors, but they don’e make up for having to park with a full blind spot in back.
And when the top is up (which it rarely is) the blind spots out back are even worse… so I’m not sure that the R57 will be better off without it (although I certainly wouldn’t pay the $500).
In other words, size of the car has nothing to do with the visibility when backing up to park in parallel… because of visibility, it is 10 times easier to park my station wagon than it would be to park my MCSc without PDC.
As to the issue of “it looks bad,” it looks much better now that it’s been integrated into the trim.
Yes, the price hike is only $500 “if you need that option,” but that doesn’t change that you’d be getting less for more.