Minor-Major Modifications to an SE

Yes, post photos, please. How's the camera's performance at night? Will you be installing a rear camera, too?

 

I need to see this.

 

Add me to the list that wants to see it!

 

It was a little struggle making sure the wires were correctly routed to get the housing to close, but with some patience, good light, and a couple fingers of Scotch it came together in just a few minutes.
I made a little video for YT here:

I use VLC to watch the videos from the card (in .TS format). Used HandBrake to convert to .mp4. It's a fish-eye lens, so the sides blur a bit but I'm happy with the quality overall. Honestly, I'll never look at the videos unless there's an "incident" that would make that necessary. Turns on automatically when you turn on the car, and shuts off a few minutes after turning off the SE and locking doors. There is a version you can get with a battery, but that just takes from the car's battery anyway. There's also a setting for parking monitoring, but I haven't tried that yet. It's rated well for high and low ambient temps, so I don't expect it to explode when it gets toasty around the East Bay

I didn't opt for the rear camera, because it does cut down on the forward camera resolution, and I really don't think I need that. If someone rear-ends me they'll be at fault regardless.

 

One more thing...I didn't consider the gaping receptacle below the mirror assembly when installing this. I lost a screw and almost an SD card because of the large vents facing upwards. I haven't yet researched how to take it apart to retrieve bits, but damn, those openings are HUUUGE!! No rattling, and the screw hasn't affected the fan, wherever it is, but make sure to cover that dash when doing ANYTHING!!

 

That is so cool! It’s really not intrusive, not like my MINI ACE. It looks almost it is part of the rear view mirror assembly and the output video is good.

Wish I had seen this before I bought the MINI ACE.

 

Looks very nice! Thanks for uploading some footage as well.
Mind sharing a link for the one you purchased?

 

Of course! This is the camera: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002960349013.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.21ef1802sKrgT5

I had also looked at the MINI camera, but figured there was something better out there.

 

Has anyone found smoked side marker lights for 21+ SEs?

I really like these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/4x-Smoked-Led-Front-Rear-Side-Marker-Lights-For-Mini-Cooper-F55-F56-F57-14-19/254609436863

but it doesn't look like they'll work on the "LCI2" Minis.

 

People on multiple MINI Cooper forums are asking for smoked side markers for the 2022 LCI, but no one has claimed they've found them. I wonder why MINI changed them--was there a regulation in some country that the 2021 side markers violated? Are the backs of the new front side markers designed to prevent interfering with the airflow through the fog-light-replacing air-curtain slots?

 

All good questions.

 

Whatever the reason I sure hope the '22+ smoked markers are out soon!

 

Ok, NOW it's a MINI! Bonnet stripes in place, considering a yellow pinstripe but there's no rush for that...

 

Nice! Did you put them on yourself? If so, did you obsess over positioning? It looks like the weather finally will be warm enough next weekend for me to try putting mine on, and I'm probably over-thinking how hard it is to position them.

 

Thanks! Yes, put them on myself, and while I usually obsess about details I lost that once I started the process. I pre-placed and measured, and put down painter tape to help with final positioning. They slip around A LOT when you do the soap-spray thing, and there were lots of bubbles that didn't go away initially. I used a heat gun in the final step which made it all better. Probably the biggest issue was lifting the belt line and tucking the stripe under that. I didn't tuck the first one until I'd squeegeed on the left side, then had to lift and do it all over. Right side was easier because I clamped down the belt before finishing with squeegee. I didn't want to risk cutting and screwing it up, and thought that having the stripe under the belt line would help with security, but that's probably of no help. I also don't like that sliver of color at the ends which is present on factory install. I don't understand why they do that, but when you install yourself you can avoid that. Who knows, maybe my self-install will fly off the next time I go on the freeway!!

For $60, and 20 minutes of effort, I'm happy with it!

 

@drdunkyn your color and wheel choice was my runner-up build! I loved that combo, but BRG and scissor spokes just beat that combo slightly in my heart. Yours looks great.

 

Thanks! I was torn between mine and scissor spokes too, they didn't have any on the lot when I looked, and I have fear-of-brake-dust on chrome rims baked into my brain. I know, unfounded for our one-pedal go-carts, but I couldn't shake it! The roulettes are only silver on the surface so easy to clean (I've been employing my daughter to clean my wheels for the last couple of years! She's 12, and thinks it's fun )

 

Don't be so sure about that one! The SE is sneaky and will apply the brakes automatically more frequently expected. A couple of forum members have been confused by the significant amount of brake dust even though they don't use the brake pedal much.

I know it'll do it with regen when the battery is full-ish (guess above ~95%) and also when you're using full strength regen and the battery is cold (even if the dash bars aren't showing a reduction). In these cases, if you push the brake pedal yourself it'll feel harder than expected because it's already pressurized.

I believe the stability control is also a bit overactive but I don't have any proof of that other than seat of the pants feel.

 

Both my i3 and Mach-E produce more brake dust than you’d think.
If you’re really wanting to minimize I wonder if some ceramic brake pads aren’t a good idea?

 

I see there are a few variants, I'm guessing you got the one that comes with the rain sensor cable?

I assume it comes with some instructions for installation? Hopefully something a novice can do without messing things up?