Arrrrrrghhhhhh!!!!

I can't remember the last time I was this frustrated. Or in this much pain from contorting myself under the dash.

Yes, I was trying to install the Euro Parcel Tray in my 05. Got the old part off no problem. Plugged in the Aux cable, tested, worked fine. Drilled the holes in the new tray for the jack and put that in. Screwed the cable in and now I'm ready to install the new tray.

After over an hour of skinned knuckles, a sore back, and inventing a few new "words" I surrender. I now have a partially installed tray and I can't seem to get it out.

Here's where I'm at. The right side lower lip clicked snug. The left side, not a chance. I taped both blue screw parts to the dash as suggested in a previous thread. They have now both headed for parts unknown somewhere in the dash!

OK, so I'll take this thing off and regroup. Can't do it. I can't get the lower lip on the right side to let go. Any suggestions?

This should not be this hard!

 

FWIW, I've never clipped in the lower clips - it holds just fine, and as I seem to remove it periodically for under dash access, figured I didn't need the aggravation of clipping and unclipping them.
I'd suggest using a pair of needlenose pliers to coax the clip out, and then ignore them in the future. ...And be ready for the frustration of getting the right side screw in...:impatient

Don't forget to guide the tab on the upper left side into the slot - it bends every time.

 

Hey Eric . . . the elves made a limited run of SAFETY ORANGE shelf liners this week . . . oooooooooh

 

Ha! I don't do bling, and I care not about safety!
Chief Charlie might be interested though.
Besides, you're taunting Webini with your removed shelf. :impatient

 

Sooooo, I shouldn't mention that I had it out two times today and both screws line-up? Sorry. On a happier note, I did strip one of the screws that hold the CD changer in. I'll just go back to the garage now . . . Oh, I don't use the lower clips either. Screws and the beam the shelf rests on are plenty.

 

Webini, note UJ's auxillary power install as well (lower right) - it's a great way to power a phone or ipod in that now useable space!

 

Once my back and I are on speaking terms again I'm going out for another try. Probably in the morning. Finding the blue clips will be interesting.

On another note, is the rubber tray insert a separate item or is it supposed to be included?

 

My parcel shelf arrived from outnotoring today, rubber insert included.

I installed it an about 20 minutes - after I spent 20 minutes with the dremel and a file making a hole in the blankout for my driving light switch.

After the first attempt is was obvious that those blue clips weren't going to stay on their own so I put some tape on them. I also put tape on the downtube so I wouldn't scratch it putting the shelf in - despite that I did get a small mark The shelf was kind of a tight fit.

As others have said, lining up that right had clip with the screw took a few attempts, but not too bad.

 

I've had my parcel shelf in and out a few times, and each time it gets easier to do the clips at the bottom. The first time, I used a flat-blade screwdriver to pry them over the bumps they latch onto. To take it back out, i just pulled (really hard). The second time, I got the clips on a lot easier, but managed to lose the right-hand blue plastic nut-thing. Bought 2 spares at the dealer (84 cents or so) for the next install attempt. That time, the clips were even easier to do, and I didn't lose the blue nut. Amusingly, 2 weeks later when installing the auto-up ciruit (Ian's) I bumped something and the blue nut came tumbling out of <somewhere> and landed in the middle of the driver's floormat. So now I have 2 extras.

I plan to take it out again sometime soon, because I want to install a power outlet for my phone charger. Does anyone have the part number for the OEM power socket (like the one in the boot)? It appears that Uncle_John has one installed in the shelf in his picture....

 

The rubber insert is a separate part number and about $40. That's how my little $2.00 shelf liners came to be . . . I use a roll of shelf liner from Target or dollar store or whatever. Scotch double sticky tape holds 'em down. You can get a lot of padding for $40.

 

Does anybody have that part # for the OEM power socket (like the one in the boot)... and where would one find it in the boot. My 05 MCSC doesn't have one...

 

The rubber insert is a separate OEM part number, but in case anyone is worried, it does come with the parcel tray when you order from OutMotoring.

 

I got mine from Moss MINI and it came with the rubber insert. Moss has it on sale now in case anyone one is looking for one.

 

I ordered mine from OutMotoring and it did not come with the rubber insert. Shipping error apparently. I e-Mailed OutMotoring and they are sending me one right out. Nice folks.

 

Finally got the tray installed. Took another hour this afternoon and work with a Dremmel to trim some plastic on the right side, but it is in and the Aux input works.

The right side lower clip is secure, the left is not. I'm leaving well enough alone.

What a PITA!

 

Drat, I finally manage to get the stock bolster out of my 2005 MCS--after numerous tries--and now Mini Mania and Outmotoring both say the parcel tray is out of stock/discontinued.

Help?

Tex Rex
Nevada

 

Can you give more info. on the power outlet install, maybe some more pics?

 

i was just going to ask what that was? i guess its a power outlet.

 

Pay close attention to Uncle John's placement of the power outlet (by the way, it is easy to do, and I know there is a thread on it over in the electrical mods forum)...putting it on the other side of the tray may cause the outlet base to come in contact with the clutch linkage and cause all kinds of weird stuff to happen (trust me, I found out the hard way!).

 

So, I'm probably the last person in North America to install a Euro Parcel Tray, but I'd like to offer some final words of advice--to add to some of the good suggestions already posted.

In general I suffered the same problems that everyone else has talked about, but I discovered something that no one seems to have mentioned.

I found it nearly impossible to "pivot the tray upward" after lining up the grooves in the back beam as the instructions from Outmotoring say.

I wasted an hour on that. Then I tried just shoving the tray into the dash horizontally and pushing it as far back as it would go. This worked, but the two grooves or broad hooks or flaps--whatever you want to call them--did not quite hook over the edge of the gooves on the back beam. However, with my head under the dash and a flashlite in my mouth I was able to get the hooks to snap over the beam with help from the corner of a slim putty knife. (Someone else said they did this with a screwdriver.)

I pried up the hook on the parcel tray with the corner of the putty knife and squeezing the back beam forward toward the tray. I then lifted the edge of the hooks and got them to click into their right spot.

The rest, including snaking the wire for my ralley light switch into the hole, was relatively easy. Again refer to previous posts. (Total time: 3 hours. Including the wasted hour. That pivoting is where you can scratch the side of the left center vertical tube around the radio/AC controls.)

I ordered my parcel tray about two months ago from Moss Motors. Outmotoring and Mini Mania told me the item was no longer available. If you're interested in this very handy addition to your Mini Cooper, I'd suggest ordering now. Be prepared for a price increase from Moss. Supply and demand I suppose. BTW, the Moss instructions are not even as good as the one's you can find online at Outmotoring, but they do give you lots of info on getting the old dash part out.

Thanks to all who posted suggestions.

Tea Rex

Dk Silver, late 2005 MCS, ralley lights, stripes, LSD, sunroof, SD Chargers' decals.