I sent this to MINI Canada, but I figured I would ask here as well:

I have some questions on the new Coupe. On the MINI.ca website, it mentions that Adaptive Headlights are available. (http://www.mini.ca/en/mini_coupe/coo...ment/index.htm) It mentions it one picture before the Auto AC picture. Does the MINI have Adaptive Headlights? I can't find it mentioned on the Configurator. Adaptive headlights are available on the Coupe, but are a special order when you build a Coupe.

My second question; my dealer tells me that the heated seats are in the Premium Package, but it does not show that on the configurator, it shows it separately. Can you please confirm this?Although not showing on the website as such, the heated seats ARE in the premium package

Third question, the configurator messes up on the roof colours. Can I get a Midnight Black S Coupe with Black Roof and Mirror caps? Flaw in the configurator, you can get an all black MINI Coupe. That's the only colour you can get to have a matching roof and body.

Fourth question, is a heated windshield available? I cannot find it. Available, but special order only.

Fifth question, is an Alarm available? Included in a package or an option? I cannot find it. Available, but special order only.

Sixth question, why is there a $5850.00 price difference from the USA to Canadian S Coupe? They have no control over pricing, set by BMW Germany.

I'm looking at ordering a Coupe for January production.

Thanks guys!

Justin.

 

In the US heated seats are available alone or in the Cold weather package. Heated front windshield? More than the defroster? Never heard of such a thing.

I don't know how different the Canadian Configurator is from the US, it pays to go through the whole thing very slowly, hold your mouse over the info thing for every item etc, it can be confusing.

 

LOL, you need to check out our Canadian configurator. It is PRIMITIVE compared to the USA. Our packages are different also, hence why I put (Canada) in the title. The USA packages don't relate to me so I don't need to know those.

Yes, more than just the defroster. Check out the multiple threads on the hatch on NAM, lots of MINIs have it. First gen in Canada had it (my r53 does) and the second gen has it in the USA too.

Jaguar, Land Rover, etc, have it also.

 

Seems odd there is that much difference between Canada and the US, maybe that answers your 6th question, the $5850.00 is to pay for a Configurator for the few buyers up there.

At least one of the Americans here has a black/black Coupe, but I think it's a JCW and color choices are by country, so hard to say what you can get on a S.

I'd say after digging what you can from the Configurator go to your dealer and find a sales person with the patience and knowledge to figure out how to get what you want.

 

All of my answers are USA-oriented...

I originally ordered my MCS Coupé in all black, and I'm pretty sure an all black Coupé has already been delivered.

Adaptive headlights are available. I know I saw them as a standalone option, don't recall if they were part of any packages.

I have the factory alarm. It was a $500 option, standalone.

Best guess on price difference- different national taxes & tariffs.

 

But the Midnight Black Coupe has a Midnight Black roof choice instead of non-metallic Black.

 

The MINI configurator on the MINI Canada web site sucks lemons. It has always been wonky. Believe it or not, it was much, much worse before. I don't know who they have hired as their web developer, but they're definitely sub-par. Do not believe anything the Canadian configurator says: you'll need to check with your dealership as to what really is or isn't available.

Also, payment calculator on the MINI Canada configurator will only allow you to make a $ 5000 deposit. WTF is up with that?

As for the price difference between the USA and Canada, that's always been the case and will forever be the case until the Canadian government grows some and prohibits companies from implementing unfair pricing schemes. This is just an opinion but Canadian and USA trade is so friggin' integrated these days that there should be a single North American price that should be paid whether you're in Canada or the USA. BMW / MINI also have a current fee system in place that makes importing MINIs from the USA almost not worth the hassle: $500 for a recall letter, $1200 to have the cpu and speedo changed, etc. Please...

 

I'm close with a MA at my dealer, but they don't know everything either. There are discrepancies on the website vs. what he tells me, that's confusing for a customer and especially for today as we all go to the internet for an answer and the own MINI.ca website should be correct. The price difference is obscene, I could afford a JCW in the states, but I cannot in Canada. And I've read all the BS that BMW NA puts out. The market this, options that, bla bla bla.

 

WOW I feel for ya, just spent some time on the Canadian configurator. A person would almost be better off with crayons. Hey can you build on the US site then print it out and take it to your Dealer??? Or even go the the UK configurator build and print it since you guys have different packages then us here in the States.

John

 

I've got my questions back from MINI Canada and have updated my first post with their official answers.

 

I bet "special order" = a very special price

 

Strange that the heated windshield is special order on the Canadian Coupe. It is a CAD$190 option available on any version of the Canadian hatch.

"Special Order" is listed as CAD$400 on the 2012 Hatch ordering guide for Canada. I suspect it is the same charge for the Coupe. A bunch of options are not available for 2012 on the hatch - MINI Canada apparently choose each year what options will be available... so for the hatch for example, the alarm and PDC were cut. I assume it's the same idea for the Coupe - to same money by limiting the standard options list.

Here is the Canadian Order Guide for the Coupe... this one doesn't list all the packages or MSRP for some reason or other:
https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/press...tem=node__6568

You can see the Hatch guide has packages and MSRPs:
https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/press...tem=node__2312

 

The mini.ca site is a joke - when it works. They still list the 2011 JCW configurations and packages. They don't even show the JCW with the standard JCW Aero kit in have of the photos!


I don't think MINI USA chose the windshield defroster to be available as an option this year. It's a little strange considering half the US have cold winters... The entire front windshield has tiny little wires embedded inside and they heat up - just like the rear defroster.

 

Hey JustinGTP,

I'm also a Canadian ordering a Coupe S very soon. The adaptive headlights question is of particular concern to me: Do you know how much that option costs to special order them? And, if I don't order the adaptive headlights, does the Coupe S still come with bi-xenon headlamps? I'm on Saskatchewan highways all the time, and xenons would definitely come in handy for me to avoid Bambi!

 

I'm sure it comes with the xenon option ($500 USD) even if you don't get the adaptive option. There are many threads about the pros/cons of them over the standard lights. Mostly pros.

 

When I ordered my 2012 JCW, there was no mention of adaptive front headlights... but the MCS does include bi-xenon as standard in Canada. And I had a look and MINI.ca actually indicates bi-xenon lights have adaptive feature.

I ordered the black headlight housings (which look awesome BTW) and I definitely do not have adaptive (left/right) headlights. They do of course have the self-leveling (up/down) motion.

 

Hey walk0080,

Thanks for the clarification! As long as I've got xenons, I'm happy. And, yeah, I've got the black headlamps on order for mine as well - glad to hear they look great!

Now, another unrelated question: what, exactly, does the Media Connect option give you in Canada? Will I get a USB port in the dash? I ask this because there's an extra Bluetooth and USB Audio option that's only available with the Wired Package, and I'd like to avoid paying the extra $1,850 just for USB. (And I don't care about any iPod control, since I'll probably just use a USB stick.)

Can anybody shed some light on that, please?

 

Well with the hatch, you get MediaConnect and Bluetooth when you order the 2012 Comfort Package (includes MediaConnect, Bluetooth, sunroof, heated seats,auto lights, auto wipers and dimming rear view mirror). "MediaConnect" is different from the "MINI Connected" that includes a colour LCD display.

It basically adds a USB port in addition to the aux-in port so you can control your iPhone iTunes or play from a USB stick through the head unit and steering wheel controls. You should get an iPod cable included.

Not sure what package includes it on the Coupe though... probably comfort package or something.

It works quite well allowing you to choose iTunes playlists, random, sort by artist, etc. and displays the song name on the little LCD display.

As an aside, you can still run a GPS app on your iPhone AND play/control music through the head unit. On top of that, the Bluetooth works well in that if you use an iPhone, the music will be paused for a phone call AND GPS audio directions will still play.


20111125_005[r]--ProClip_iPhone4Navi_JCW.JPG by walk0080, on Flickr

 

Which to me is a marketing problem. They should NOT be advertising the availability of adaptive lights when they do not have them on the option sheet.

MINI.ca did NOT give me a price, they said you have to go to the dealer.

IMO they should remove the part where it says adaptive on the MINI.ca website OR put it on the option sheet so we know how much they are.

And yes, they come with bi-xenon.

 

Please keep this thread Canadian specific! (We are very different from US, unfortunately.)

There is NO charge for Xenon lights on the 2012 MINI Cooper Coupe S models. They come standard in Canada.

The charge for black is 75 CAD.

 

Agreed - MINI Canada need to work on this. The MINI.ca site is still wrong in the "configurator" showing 2011 options in some cases that are not available and STILL showing the JCW without the Aero kit! In addition they show adaptive headlights on the website, but I don't see any mention of it in the options list nor is there any mention of removal of the feature when you order black housings.

 

And they really needed to have this figured out from the start. It's confusing for customers, and especially for customers who KNOW what they want.

In this digital day and age your internet presence is SO important.

 

I agree whole heartedly with both of you, walk0080 and JustinGTP - the MINI Canada website is embarrassing, to say the least! When I was at the dealer in October asking about the Coupe, they told me to refer to the website, but when I looked at the website, I came away with even more questions. Needless to say, twenty emails back and forth with my MA, and I'm finally getting some answers to my original questions, and my Coupe S is being nailed down.

The adaptive headlights thing is especially a problem, and I agree that MINI Canada should either give us the option price, or take it down from the website completely.

Add to that my continuing confusion with the USB port, albeit walk0080's great explanation of what the R56 comes with. Why would MINI Canada list the Media Connect as included with the Premium Package in the R58, and then say that, for Bluetooth and USB Audio, a guy needs to order the Wired Package? What, then, does Media Connect actually do for a person if you have to get the Wired Package for another $2,000? (I've actually contacted MINI Canada directly this morning to get them to clarify; when I get an answer, I'll post it here)

www.mini.ca is a confusing mess!

 

From MINI Canada, concerning my confusing USB question:

"The Media Connect feature in the Premium package features the Bluetooth hands-free kit with USB-Bluetooth interface for connecting Bluetooth-compatible mobile phones. The USB interface allows you to connect approved mobile devices such as an MP3 player, USB memory, iPod, etc."

So, there you have it. Media Connect hasn't changed, and includes Bluetooth and USB Audio, despite it being listed as an additional option in the Wired Package.

I guess if any other Canadian has any questions about MINI vehicles, don't even bother looking at the website for information - just click on the Contact Us button and email MINI Canada directly!