Signature or Signature Plus

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Sully151

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Looks like we are ordering a MINi. $4k is a pretty big jump to Signature Plus, but I kind of want the moon roof. Logic says it’s not worth it just to look up and see glass.

Are there other reasons to get the Plus? Is the interior material that much better? Is the stereo that much better? Will it have better resale?

Also, is it better to go with 17” wheels or 16”? We will be driving a lot of Southern California Freeways commuting to work.
 
Having had a 2012 Cooper S with sunroof before, I decided the $4000 difference isn’t worth it so I ordered a Signature in July. 16” wheels should be slightly more comfortable on crappy American roads so I’m happy to stick with them too. The range limitations are a lot easier to overlook in an effectively $23,000 car. If you upgrade to Signature+ or Iconic it starts to make a lot more sense to spend a little more and get something with a more practical range like an ID.4 or a Model 3. That was my rational anyway. Don’t wait too long to decide though. Get your order in as soon as you can. Mine only moved from Scheduled for Production to Production Begins just this week.
 
The only option I would have been happy to pay for would have been the HK audio system. Couldn’t justify $4k for that. I would classify the rest as “nice to haves” but not “need to haves”. It’s a testament to BMW/Mini. Even their base models are really well appointed in the US (heated seats, heated steering wheel, 8.8” screen, etc).


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My wife and I got a list of cars the dealer had on order. I knocked the iconic out because I don't want to spend 30K on a car I don't need. I settled my mind on a plus because of the cloth. I wanted to see the difference between the different interiors. We confirmed no lumbar support on any level (I know there are posts to the contrary) which pushed us towards the base.

We then looked at the cloth on a different model and it was not a nice as we expected. On the other hand, the vinyl was nicer than the vinyl on my 128i. We then went through the differences between the base and plus.
Day night mirror - meh, it doesn't work with tinted windows
Homelink on the mirror - important, but I swapped one from eBay on my 128. Cost about $50 for the mirror, $20 for a wiring harness and a few hours.
Electronically folding mirrors - they fold by hand when needed. It is a mini, how much narrower does it have to be?
Moonroof - Meh, I hardly ever use it in two of my other cars that have them.
HK - Not available.
17" wheels - I'm probably going to get a more aggressive set of tires, and mini wheels are on craigslist for not too much money, plus I like the 5 spoke 16" and only the roulette 17s.

Result - put my money down on the red/black base. The only regret is we couldn't have the factory install the stripes since it was already in paint. Not a big deal. My wife wants the black/clear checkered flag which I dont think is a factory option.
 
Sully151 said:
Looks like we are ordering a MINi. $4k is a pretty big jump to Signature Plus, but I kind of want the moon roof. Logic says it’s not worth it just to look up and see glass.

Are there other reasons to get the Plus? Is the interior material that much better? Is the stereo that much better? Will it have better resale?

Also, is it better to go with 17” wheels or 16”? We will be driving a lot of Southern California Freeways commuting to work.
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  • I am not a fan of moon roofs. They let a more heat into the car, and as a driver you almost never appreciate them.
  • The HK stereo is pretty nice.
  • I love the cloth interior, but the synthetic leather is nice too.
  • Better resale? Probably not equivalent to the $4k price tag since the base car has the same range, power, screen, etc.
  • 16" wheels. Better ride and range.
  • If you don't want to spend the extra $4k, I would say get a Signature model and don't look back. It's a great car!
Btw, I noticed you didn't ask the most important question: what color? :)
 
Wow! This was not the way I thought this would go.

Thanks for the input. Especially on the seats. My wife’s first mini had the vinyl seats and they were fine. She would have preferred cloth.

I was always bummed she didn’t get the moon roof/sun roof, which is why I kinda want it this time. I thought maybe it would make the interior feel a little more spacious.

I was also bummed she didn’t get a stick shift, but she doesn’t know how to drive stick and didn’t want to learn.
 
Another vote for Signature. It’s definitely the best value. Very well appointed. I’ve been buying base model cars for years and the MINI SE is by far the best. It’s just like owning a small budget priced BMW.


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Sully151 said:
I was always bummed she didn’t get the moon roof/sun roof, which is why I kinda want it this time. I thought maybe it would make the interior feel a little more spacious.
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That's exactly how I feel about the moonroof, I've had one on every MINI I've owned. I also like being able to let in fresh air. I don't like the idea of being inside a metal box.
 
I went for the Signature, too. My purpose for this car is for it to be an inexpensive dip into an electric car. I thought Mini put plenty of good stuff into the Sig. I did add the Driver Assistance package (adaptive cruise and parking assistant) and HUD, though. I went with BRG and body color mirrors and roof. I've been second guessing that a bit since placing the order. My car is now schedule for build the week of 9/26, so I HOPE to have it here in Washington around the beginning of November.

Rob
 
I will echo others about the moon roof. I ordered my Iconic trim and deleted the moon roof! (No, the did not give me any credit for it either. I just really didn't want a moon roof.) I got mine before the Harmon Kardon stereo was removed from the current builds. I also really wanted the Enigmatic Black color. I also went for the 16" wheels; I'm getting old and I'm trying to make my MINI as comfortable with the softest suspension possible.
 
quietlyspinach said:
I will echo others about the moon roof. I ordered my Iconic trim and deleted the moon roof! (No, the did not give me any credit for it either. I just really didn't want a moon roof.) I got mine before the Harmon Kardon stereo was removed from the current builds. I also really wanted the Enigmatic Black color. I also went for the 16" wheels; I'm getting old and I'm trying to make my MINI as comfortable with the softest suspension possible.
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What color roof? I would have deleted moon roof if it had reduced price by $800. $500--would have kept it.
 
insightman said:
What color roof? I would have deleted moon roof if it had reduced price by $800. $500--would have kept it.
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I have a black roof with black mirror caps. Yeah, I wish they would have given me credit for the deleted moon roof but to me I was just glad I was given the option to remove it. I've had really bad luck with moon roofs; every single one I've owned has rattled, some have leaked and some developed motor malfunctions that prevented them from opening or closing. In my younger years I usually was the second hand owner of the car, usually 3-5 years old. At that time most of them did not have problems, but they all usually developed problems after year 5; most of the problems I ascribe to the cars being stored outdoors which resulted in the weather sealing around the moon roof degrading due to sun and temperature changes.

I suppose since I've been buying this car new, this shouldn't be an issue, but at this point in my life I almost never open them so I figure why bother! :)
 
quietlyspinach said:
I was just glad I was given the option to remove it.
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As everyone is tired of hearing, I offered $1,500 to delete the hood scoop (eg. install the less expensive base MINI hood), but no dice. So I was surprised when my MA told me I had the option to delete the moon roof. I use it more than I expected I would. My wife never opens it when she's driving.
 
I thought the speakers on my signature were just acceptable but I finally got around to connecting my phone and they sound so much better! I didn't realize how much the radio cuts out
 
I've seen on a lot of newer cars where actual radio reception seems to be a low consideration. Shark fin and glass-integrated antennas often leave a lot to be desired, but hey...they look good right? I have found HD radio to be a gimmick and here in the Pac NW, stellite reception is easily blocked. In my brand new Camaro, the FM radio is crap. I'm using Pandora through my phone most often these days...good thing it has wireless Android Auto!

Rob
 
I specifically upgraded from the Sig to Sig+ just for the moonroof. I had to have it. I love the extra light it lets in year round, and the extra air I can get in the summer. Now if I loved in the desert SW, I probably would hate having a moonroof, so I understand the different opinions. But here in the Northeast, I absolutely appreciate having the roof, whether or not it is open.
 
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