Please help!

I've just gotten my '05 MCS. Where the heated seat switches would have been (had I ordered them), I'm planning on installing two momentary pushbuttons - one for a "meep meep" roadrunner horn and the other for a garage door opener. I've seen instructions online that say you can just lift the whole plate up, but when I try this, the plate comes loose but the mirror control still seems to be fixed in place. I'm afraid to just keep tugging upwards on the plate - it feels like it will break before the mirror control comes loose. And I don't want to try to pull out the mirror adjuster by yanking on just they joystick/**** part.

Is the 05 different? Can anyone give me tips on how to get this whole assembly loose?

 

On the 03's you just pull up on the ring around the gear shift. (pull straight up and be carefull, there are little pins in there) Then just reach in the shift hole and press the locking spring that is holding the mirror adjuster there. Should work. I just went out and tested it on mine to make sure I was telling you right.

Nik

 

Nice.

 

Ahhh... there's a "locking spring"?

Already removed the shift lever boot ring, no prob there. But somehow I missed this locking spring. Must look into this.

Thanks, Nik!

 

You should be able to feel them...they are rather thin.

What kind of horn are you putting in? Is it one that sounds EXACTLY like the road runner or is it just like the old english horns that go meep? I really want one of the classic english sounding horns

 

Thanks for the tip on the springs. I think I'll wait till daylight...

The horn I've got is from JCW (the other JCW). It's a repro of the Plymouth Road Runner horn. Doesn't sound as much like the cartoon character as I'd like, but much more quirky than the stupid Oldsmobibble horn that BMW gave me. (What were they thinking?!)

Not sure what the "classic english sounding horn" is. ISTR (35 yrs ago) the cabs in London had a really neat sounding horn, but can't remember what they sounded like. Is that what you're speaking of?

 

wow.. the roadrunner thing sounds REAL sweet. I've actually wanted to do this too, but didn't think there was any horn that could produce anything that resembled the road runner. My friend and I used to say "meep meep" all the time when we were racing (on foot)) and such.

Let me know how it turns out, I might want to give it a go too. Also would it be possible for you to somehow record the horn? I want to see how closely it resembles.

 

Was planning to do this. Hope to have it all hooked up by the end of the day... (knock on wood)

 

wow.. i'm excited to see how this turns out. Good luck

 

It's all done - works fine, sounds pretty good. Doesn't really sound like the cartoon character, but if you hit the button just right, it's close. Somewhere between "road runner" and "clown car." It is certainly a horn with some personality, unlike the one BMW put in.

I didn't get around to recording it yet. I'll do that tomorrow and post a sound clip.

 

still interested to see.. winter break is coming up so I'm going to get the chance to do more with the car. I definitely want something that is undisputibly (sp?) the road runner. did you happen to run by any other ways to get the sound? possible a sound recording and speaker system?

 

I put a lighted switch for my rally lights in that position. Your idea sounds great! You should be able to just lift it straight up.





http://www.littlemini.us/technical/r...ghts/index.asp

 

Some people asked to hear sound clips of my Roadrunner horn when I got it installed. I started a new thread in "MINI Talk" and posted them there. Here's a link:

Tillie's Roadrunner horn!

Thanks, everyone, for all your help!

 

I was thinking about putting my switch there also, but decided that on the steering column right below the lights/highbeam switches was better. Have a little LED right above it to tell me when its on.