2023 Cooper SE Ordered! Some Questions

[jwzimm]

Hello all,

I am new here but figured I would introduce myself since I am planning on joining the EV ranks. My name is Jason and I currently own an ICE 2011 Cooper Clubman JCW. I have had the car for a few years now and I really enjoy the MINI experience. I came from some previous BMW's (including an ED 2016 M3) so my previous BMW experience has helped for sure.

I just placed my order for a 2023 Cooper SE. Fulls spec is:
Iconic Trim, Island Blue w/ white top, Lounge leather w/ piano trim, Electric spoke wheels, all options less roof rails, delete moonroof, and port installed black beltline trim.

Of course my current order status is 047 and my MA advised the expected lead time is 6 months.

Now for a couple questions for the group:

1. When I have ordered a BMW previously the way things would work with allocations is that the dealer is allotted a number of allocations each month. They then assign those allocations as they see fit. That would imply the dealer is the one who makes the call on which orders move from 047 and to having a Production Number assigned. My MA at MINI, however, says that this call is made by the factory/corporate and not at the dealer. Is this correct? Not that it matters that much as it will happen when it happens but still curious.

2. Coming from previous BMW's, I have a fair amount of experience with coding. One thing I did on my M3 that I absolutely loved was I enabled the Euro spec adaptive headlights. The anti-dazzle functionality of those lights was amazing! Now on the MINI spec sheet I see a code 8S4 for Variable Light Decoding similar to my old M3. My question to the group is, has anyone explored coding the car to enable this functionality? I am not sure if the US Spec MINI's have all of the hardware needed to fully enable the functionality. It may be as simple as modifying the VO to drop 8S4 and coding the whole car.

 

[methorian]

Hello all,

I am new here but figured I would introduce myself since I am planning on joining the EV ranks. My name is Jason and I currently own an ICE 2011 Cooper Clubman JCW. I have had the car for a few years now and I really enjoy the MINI experience. I came from some previous BMW's (including an ED 2016 M3) so my previous BMW experience has helped for sure.

I just placed my order for a 2023 Cooper SE. Fulls spec is:
Iconic Trim, Island Blue w/ white top, Lounge leather w/ piano trim, Electric spoke wheels, all options less roof rails, delete moonroof, and port installed black beltline trim.

Of course my current order status is 047 and my MA advised the expected lead time is 6 months.

Now for a couple questions for the group:

1. When I have ordered a BMW previously the way things would work with allocations is that the dealer is allotted a number of allocations each month. They then assign those allocations as they see fit. That would imply the dealer is the one who makes the call on which orders move from 047 and to having a Production Number assigned. My MA at MINI, however, says that this call is made by the factory/corporate and not at the dealer. Is this correct? Not that it matters that much as it will happen when it happens but still curious.

2. Coming from previous BMW's, I have a fair amount of experience with coding. One thing I did on my M3 that I absolutely loved was I enabled the Euro spec adaptive headlights. The anti-dazzle functionality of those lights was amazing! Now on the MINI spec sheet I see a code 8S4 for Variable Light Decoding similar to my old M3. My question to the group is, has anyone explored coding the car to enable this functionality? I am not sure if the US Spec MINI's have all of the hardware needed to fully enable the functionality. It may be as simple as modifying the VO to drop 8S4 and coding the whole car.

Congrats on the order! Also have one in for a '23 Iconic (in British Racing Green).

I can't give an answer on number 2, though I'm really interested to find out as well as I'd love to have the adaptive headlights as well.

As for number 1 - I had the same question and came to the same conclusion after talking to my dealership and some searching online, though I think your dealership does have a little to do with when it gets submitted to Mini. Generally though Mini seems to use the online reservation system to determine when your order gets pushed through, which is national and not per dealership. The manager at my dealership did make comments like "yours will be part of 8 orders we submit", which is what made me think the dealership does has something to do with it all? Doesn't seem like SE orders are necessarily constrained by same allocation issues BMW dealerships have (my partner had a time getting an X5 ordered at our local BMW dealer, who is on the smaller side... luckily they submitted an order without an allocation and BMW accepted it!).

 

[Puppethead]

When I ordered my SE (pre-pandemic), my motoring advisor said they submitted their orders every couple of weeks. But once submitted it was up to Oxford to decide when to move it to the production queue.

I'm very intrigued by the adaptive headlights. MINI has them in Europe, and it'd by quite something if it was just a coding issue to get them working in North America. Or it may be that North American-bound MINIs get different physical headlights without the capabilities. It's unclear though, because North American MINIs have fully functional rear fog lights but we get a switch missing the ability to activate them.

 

[SameGuy]

North American MINIs have fully functional rear fog lights but we get a switch missing the ability to activate them.

I’ve read the threads about using BimmerCode for the rear fog lamps, but I’m unclear on what the adaptation does. Does it convert the rear fog lamps into auxiliary brake lamps? Or does it allow them to be used as intended? On my 2006 smart CDI, when I ordered European tail lamps from France I was able to wire in the rear fog lamp to the lighting stalk, no coding required.

 

[jwzimm]

I’ve read the threads about using BimmerCode for the rear fog lamps, but I’m unclear on what the adaptation does. Does it convert the rear fog lamps into auxiliary brake lamps? Or does it allow them to be used as intended? On my 2006 smart CDI, when I ordered European tail lamps from France I was able to wire in the rear fog lamp to the lighting stalk, no coding required.

If it is similar to previous BMW's it could go a few ways actually.

In my previous E92 all you had to do was modify the switch assy to allow the blank button to be pushed. Once that was done it would activate the rear fogs perfectly. (no coding required)

On my F80 you had to get the Euro switch assy that included the rear fog button on it and also activate the rear fogs by coding the FRM. Same on my R55 Clubman.

It looks like some have actually just re-coded them to function as additional brake lights as well. I would likely do that as I have very rarely (if ever) actually used the rear fogs. They did occasionally prove useful to get tailgaters to back off but that isn't always the best plan.

 

[SameGuy]

I can likely count on one hand the number of times I’ve needed front “fog” (“driving”) lights on in the climate where I live. It’s truly one of my biggest pet-peeves that the cops don’t bother citing the dummies who drive around with their fogs on all the time. But the rear fog lamp/s is/are much more useful in most wet/snow/fog conditions at night, and it was good that smart kept the front and rear circuits separate. If the SE can only tie the rears to the use of the fronts, I’ll live, but having the rears available will be handy for me.

 

[Puppethead]

I’ve read the threads about using BimmerCode for the rear fog lamps, but I’m unclear on what the adaptation does. Does it convert the rear fog lamps into auxiliary brake lamps? Or does it allow them to be used as intended?

Those who have recoded turn them into auxiliary brake lamps. In order to get actual rear fog lights you need to replace the headlight switch component, and then do some coding to enable the rear fog switch on the canbus and have the icon light on the display. I actually went so far as to track down the part, but got stymied at getting it installed. I've since lost track of it, but it's just a variation of the current switch with an extra button (same wiring).

I live in a very foggy area and have need for both front and rear fog lights many times per year. My first MINI had a rear fog lamp and I used it often.

 

[SameGuy]

Thanks. Bummer. After 15 years of playing with, repairing, and modding the fortwo (and in the process likely doubling what I paid for it in 2006), SWMBO would likely castrate me if I started doing that to a new (and significantly more expensive) car!

 

[SameGuy]

[That said, I ordered the Veepeak OBD dongle today, likely six months before I take delivery ]

 

[Carsten Haase]

[That said, I ordered the Veepeak OBD dongle today, likely six months before I take delivery ]

IMO, money well spent!

Disabling the seatbelt warning, text warning at startup (for reverse camera? I don't remember), and remembering the drive mode (always sport) was worth the cost of the adapter and BimmerCode

 

[SameGuy]

That’s the plan!

Other than a couple of port/dealer/self-installed accessories to individualize it, I don’t intend to get my knuckles dirty modifying the hardware on the SE.

 

[SameGuy]

That’s the plan!

Other than a couple of port/dealer/self-installed accessories to individualize it, I don’t intend to get my knuckles dirty modifying the hardware on the SE.

[A year later, this poster chuckles silently to himself when he realizes he didn’t stick to these intentions]

 

[CuriousGeorge]

IMO, money well spent!

Disabling the seatbelt warning, text warning at startup (for reverse camera? I don't remember), and remembering the drive mode (always sport) was worth the cost of the adapter and BimmerCode

I don't mind the seat belt chime and actually prefer Mid mode, but disabling the startup warning (which is basically "pay attention while driving") would be nice.

 

[SameGuy]

I have yet to switch mine back to defaulting to mid, and setting the last-used mode memory. Also I’d like to make the backup camera timeout much shorter, or even to turn off as soon as I shift into Drive. It stays on way too long, and usually by the time I start rolling down my street, I’d like to be adjusting things in CarPlay but I still have to wait a couple of hundred yards apparently so I can know that my baffles are clear. And when I go back in there, I will take screenshots of every module so I’ll know what I have to re-code after I add the rear fog lights and traffic jam assist to the VO.

 

[Rexsio]

Hello all,

I am new here but figured I would introduce myself since I am planning on joining the EV ranks. My name is Jason and I currently own an ICE 2011 Cooper Clubman JCW. I have had the car for a few years now and I really enjoy the MINI experience. I came from some previous BMW's (including an ED 2016 M3) so my previous BMW experience has helped for sure.

I just placed my order for a 2023 Cooper SE. Fulls spec is:
Iconic Trim, Island Blue w/ white top, Lounge leather w/ piano trim, Electric spoke wheels, all options less roof rails, delete moonroof, and port installed black beltline trim.

Of course my current order status is 047 and my MA advised the expected lead time is 6 months.

Now for a couple questions for the group:

1. When I have ordered a BMW previously the way things would work with allocations is that the dealer is allotted a number of allocations each month. They then assign those allocations as they see fit. That would imply the dealer is the one who makes the call on which orders move from 047 and to having a Production Number assigned. My MA at MINI, however, says that this call is made by the factory/corporate and not at the dealer. Is this correct? Not that it matters that much as it will happen when it happens but still curious.

2. Coming from previous BMW's, I have a fair amount of experience with coding. One thing I did on my M3 that I absolutely loved was I enabled the Euro spec adaptive headlights. The anti-dazzle functionality of those lights was amazing! Now on the MINI spec sheet I see a code 8S4 for Variable Light Decoding similar to my old M3. My question to the group is, has anyone explored coding the car to enable this functionality? I am not sure if the US Spec MINI's have all of the hardware needed to fully enable the functionality. It may be as simple as modifying the VO to drop 8S4 and coding the whole car.

You can’t install roof rails once you have a car this is only factory option and they so cheap order them if you like them or not for future resale value.They so skinny almost invisible on my black roof.

 

[chrunck]

You can’t install roof rails once you have a car this is only factory option and they so cheap order them if you like them or not for future resale value.They so skinny almost invisible on my black roof.

You can install roof rails after the fact. It involves taking off the head liner and drilling holes in the roof, but it can be done.

 

[SameGuy]

That’s my fault. Check the year.

 

[Rexsio]

You can install roof rails after the fact. It involves taking off the head liner and drilling holes in the roof, but it can be done.

Roof rails from factory $200 how much you will charge to do your way removing head liner and explode curtain bags in process of doing installation of roof rails .For sure could be done very hard way .If money are right I do cabriolet from 2door hard top SE !

 

[chrunck]

Roof rails from factory $200 how much you will charge to do your way removing head liner and explode curtain bags in process of doing installation of roof rails .For sure could be done very hard way .If money are right I do cabriolet from 2door hard top SE !

I didn't say it was cheap or easy, I was correcting your statement that it's impossible. There are even official retrofit instructions from MINI.

For whoever asked, if you want to try it, there's a kit available at Mini Mania for $900: https://www.minimania.com/part/G3NMX1150-P/Mini-Cooper-Roof-Rail-Kit-Oem-Gen3-F55-F56

 

[JonR]

You can’t install roof rails once you have a car this is only factory option and they so cheap order them if you like them or not for future resale value.They so skinny almost invisible on my black roof.

I disagree. I really, really don't like the look of the roof rails on an SE and I definitely wouldn't buy one with it.