What did you do to your MINI today?

Been there, recently. I feel your pain.

 

Without starting another thread — though I will if this doesn’t get any hits — is anybody here comfortable with e-sys and ISTA+ able to share their experiences from the point of view of a complete beginner? And especially pertinent, if they’ve used it on the SE?

As I mentioned to another member privately, I had used MB Star and Xentry for years, but that is much more high-level, ie. Windows-like, point-and-click to do most things, even programming modules. Nothing in the MB system of the last 20 years uses the arcane low-level syntax of e-sys, at least from a service technician’s point of view. I also have a bit of experience with an older version of VAGcom/VCDS, though I’d need a refresher were I to start playing with it again, especially on more recent models. I don’t think current VAGs use VCDS.

I’d also like to know if there are traps to avoid and possible hurdles that are specific to MINIs and the SE in particular. Is the setup virtually the same as in the guides that apply mostly to the F-series Bimmers?

As someone pointed out earlier, it’s simpler to get a cheap refurbished Windows laptop than trusting it to work reliably in a VM on a MacBook with different architecture, so I’m shopping for one from Best Buy right now, but of course I keep falling into a feature creep trap. I really only should spend around $200, because I’ll be using this for the garage almost exclusively, even a laptop that’s six or seven years old with no bloatware on it should be perfectly fine.

 

I just popped the bonnet on mine for the first time since getting it back from the body shop. It looks newer and cleaner than when I took delivery! They detailed the entire “engine compartment” and it looks great. The work order also shows that not only did they replace most of the trim and hardware on both sides of the bonnet — it was explained to me that rather than risk handing the car back with stress cracks in the removed plastic pieces, they install brand new — but they replaced the mounting bolts and expressly refinished around them as well, to maintain corrosion protection. They also reapplied the Cosmoline where the PDR tech had been working.

 

Two things I saw for the first time tonight:

I didn’t realize the “cornering lights” also illuminate when you activate a turn signal. I thought they just lit up while turning. [facepalm]

The temperature dropped from 50°F at 5:30 pm to 25°F by the time I left work at 12:30 am, and what started as driving rain turned into sleet and snow. My car was parked at 38% but I forgot about the frozen stuff so only activated climatization while walking out, giving it about two minutes. I also realized I’d removed my scraper from the boot before leaving it at the body shop a couple of weeks ago. I sat in the car and turned it on, then cranked everything: max temps on both sides, max defrost in front, rear defrost on, heated wheel and bum warmer on. Within about five minutes enough of the ice had melted and dropped away from the windscreen and I set off. Accelerating hard onto the highway and heading for the fast lane, I for the first time saw my e-meter drop, and it did so precipitously, down to below 50 percent, and the car struggled. I kept wondering just how cold the battery could have gotten… then I realized all the energy hogs were still at full blast. [facepalm]

 

Received the emulator today. It took 8½ days from when I placed the order. It shipped from Taipei. Wow.