recently i purchased my mini. awhile ago i thought about what all i want to do it to make it more mine, less like every other yellow mini. fortunately my bf modded his focus, so i saw what some things could do. i did my first mod, and the car was only 2 days old...a bud vase. it looks beautiful!

heres one of it.


and another of the beautiful flowers!


jess

 

Nice touch, minibear... :smile:

 

Looks good but you might want to move that to the left. It is currently sitting on the AIRBAG and if that airbag ever goes off you will be picking daisies out of the rear portion of the skull of your passenger. Projectiles are bad in front of airbags. It would look nice if you shifted it ever so slighlty to the left or closer to the ignition.

Have a great day.

 

Cute, Jess! I like it!

 

Does look nice but that was a great observation...would suck if airbag deployed and since it's mounted off center of the explosion,i'ts most likely to hit the driver in the right side of his head and that would really hurt dont ya think?

 

I don't doubt the validity of warnings about the dangers of airbag deployment, but what exactly happens to the piece of dash that covers the airbag when the airbag deploys? Wouldn't that be a more serious hazzard/projectile than something (vase, cell phone, etc.) affixed to it? AND, if the dash panel is hinged so that it swings out of the way to let the airbag out, then wouldn't anything stuck to it just move with the hinged panel?

I do know that I've always felt it necessary to warn passengers to NOT ride with their feet on the dash, over the airbag. For some reason, this is always a problem with female passengers...and not just in the MINI. It used to be kinda cute in pre-airbag days, but now I tell them that it's a good way to break a lot of bones (at least) if the airbag has to deploy

 

Reminds me of the VW Beetle vase that comes standard in them. Chick Car kinda thing. But cute if you are a Woman, Girl, Lady or wanna-be-female.

 

thanks for the warnings, already thought of it tho. im not worried about the airbag going off, im gonna take great care of this car, and i can drive well, so ill be able to avoid it if i move it over any, it will block the air vent thingy. closer to the ignition, it would get in the way of the air and my driving. thanks tho. dont worry, i thought out everything when i was placing it.
jess

 

nobull- when i saw the new beetle, i loved that it had a vase. it wouldve been the only reason i got one. then i was determined to make the mini perfect by getting a bud vase, which i have accomplished :smile: :smile:
jess

 

nobol60 wrote:

>> or wanna-be-female.

Like an Ex-marine in an apron serving food to the local MINI chapter that just rolled in to town???

 

So, does anyone know the answer to my question about what happens to the dash panel when the airbag deploys?

ps - Jess - I understand your point I think, but being a good driver and taking care with your car have little to do with whether or not your airbag will deploy. The whole point is that the things go off when the unexpected happens.

 

The dash panel has been specifically designed to move out of the way when the airbag deploys. That budvase has not.

And no matter how careful you are, there are millions of drivers out there that are not careful at all.

 

I'm sorry, I don't want to belabor what some may think is a silly point, but if the panel moves out of the way, then doesn't anything stuck to the panel ALSO move...or at least not get ejected straight back on the same trajectory as the airbag? I ask because several recent posters have made rather dire statements about things attached to the dash panel being "shot straight into the face" of someone sitting in front of the airbag. This just seems even more scary than an airbag's supposed to be, and I was wondering if anyone had a more scientific explanation.

 

It's just to do with the speed involved. The airbag panel moves out of the way in milliseconds. Things put onto the panel could move with it or they could be launched directly into the occupants. Airbags are activated by an explosive force. Yes, it's kinda scary, but needed to act fast enough in an accident.

If you feel comfortable playing around with the airbags, go right ahead. I, on the other hand, would rather not risk something nasty happening to myself or those who have the good fortune to ride with me. :smile:

 

Makes sense to me. It's always seemed like something of a deal-with-the-devil to ride around with explosive devices in your car hoping that they perform correctly and will save your life if needed. But, I've known two people personally who are still walking this earth entirely because of airbags (different cars, different accidents)...so I'd say that they're worth it.

 

So does it hinge down and nail the passenger in the kneecaps, or what? Now I'm all curious. What about the one on the wheel?

 

Looks like it hinges UP. This pic is from that story about the MINI that hit a tree, felling the tree, but the driver walked away (it was also the first recorded airbag deployment on a US MINI).

 

I can see how if something was not firmly secured to the airbag flap that it could become a projectile in the event the airbag was to deploy. It does look like it hinges up at the top...it doesn't look like it detatched all the way at least, which is good.

 

I'm not 100% sure but the design looks to me like it would pop up in an accident. Once it pops up, since the base of the vase hangs below the bottom of the panel, I'm sure the airbag would hit it causing it to become a projectile in the car. If you really wanted it, I'd suggest moving it behind the steering wheel (as long as you still have room to drive comfortably) or just to the right of the spedo. The second part would probably block the one vent a little but I don't think it's as big of an issue as the airbag is.

Also I don't care how good of a driver you are... if someone rear ends you when you're say stopped at a light, there's nothing you can do.

You never know when someone is going to do something stupid and hit you. Just start to think about it next time you drive. There are way too many oportunities for someone to do something stupid.
-Chris

 

I'm a pretty fast cyclist, so I am never afraid of getting hit by lightning in a rain storm!

 

Oh I see, it's like how if you jump up just before it hits bottom, you can probably save yourself from dying in an elevator crash...

 

Exactly! Kinda like outrunning a cheetah!

 

While the picture of the deployed air bags does provide some evidence, there is clearly only one way to find out for certain.

1. Attach bud vase to dash.

2. Invite victim to join you for a motor.

3. Crash.

We'll be waiting for the digital photos.

 

>>While the picture of the deployed air bags does provide some evidence, there is clearly only one way to find out for certain.
>>
>>1. Attach bud vase to dash.
>>
>>2. Invite victim to join you for a motor.
>>
>>3. Crash.
>>
>>We'll be waiting for the digital photos.
__________________________________________________ __________________________

Bonus: if the passenger dies we won't have to bring flowers to the funeral!!

 

>>>>While the picture of the deployed air bags does provide some evidence, there is clearly only one way to find out for certain.
>>>>
>>>>1. Attach bud vase to dash.
>>>>
>>>>2. Invite victim to join you for a motor.
>>>>
>>>>3. Crash.
>>>>
>>>>We'll be waiting for the digital photos.
>>__________________________________________ __________________________________
>>
>>Bonus: if the passenger dies we won't have to bring flowers to the funeral!!



This is me, laughing:

Good one, Craig.