I didn't know it did that.

[Ryeman]

As an AU owner of a 103TDI I find it a challenge to make sense of the owners manual.
I was never all that good at absorbing printed as opposed to demonstrated/practiced facts, so I thought we might all share (me learn from) experiences of finding surprising features you stumbled on or found out from the manual.
Due to the salesman being away sick on delivery day, the stand-in amply demonstrated minimal knowledge of its features beyond indicators being on the left and how to get into gear.

[brad]

Seriously, read the manual. No different from reading some half-baked interpretation on a forum.

A couple of pages a night & skim over the stuff you already know.

[BJ75]

Yeah, this car is one case where a dose of RTFM worked wonders for me.

The voice operated phone control, holding the lock-button down on the remote to close all the windows, what the two different lights mean on the 'AUTO' button of the climate control ... those types of things and more were what I found in the manual and use all the time now.

[Ryeman]

SWMBO is not impressed with an 'auto obsession' and just how long can you spend on the bog before suspicions are raised?

[BJ75]

Ah, .... there's the problem I find on these motoring forums: SWMBO.

I have a SWDMWTFID (She Who Doesn't Mind Whatever The F*** I Do) and thus bog visits of any length of time are perfectly acceptable, as they should be. As is my Mountain Biking obsession.

Conversely I am her HWDMWTFID on many a baby & health forum, and thus expensive gluten-free flour substitutes that taste like the earth to use in pancakes are perfectly acceptable, as they should be (with a crapload of maple syrup). As is whatever books she wants to buy in order to help our 1 month old sleep longer than 15 minutes at a time (we're up to 3hrs now ... so a 'worth it' stamp in my book).

At the end of the day, I would say I spent 20 - 30 minutes to read & learn everything about the car in the manual I didn't already know from basic intuition (e.g. how to fill the tank, how to start the car etc).

[bluey]

I had to disable the remote window thingy. After doing some handyman work with keys in pocket squatting, somehow must have activated the button by accident. Went to the car after some hours to find all windows down and it was showering. Nearly had a heart attack. Lucky nobody stole anything from the car.

I think there's meant to be an auto up if it rains feature. Not trusting that for security.

[brad]

Yes, auto up if it rains but I think it needs to be setup IIRC. It's in the manual. Great feature - works a treat

[woofy]

Yep auto up for rain is a great thing. Works for the sunroof too. Doesn't help if the neighbourhood are stealing your Kylie Minogue CDs on a dry day though.

[Ryeman]

Seriously, read the manual. No different from reading some half-baked interpretation on a forum.

A couple of pages a night & skim over the stuff you already know.

It depends on how each individual 'learns' , some can absorb the printed word with 'photographic' memory but some of us do the same from visual observation (demonstration) and in this case from 'tips' and physical practice as in changing the oil pump on an Austin 1800!!!!(just think about that)

[brad]

I did a lot of my apprenticeship on Minis & leyland trucks - please don't give me horrible flashbacks like that.

[VW Convert]

It depends on how each individual 'learns' , some can absorb the printed word with 'photographic' memory but some of us do the same from visual observation (demonstration) and in this case from 'tips' and physical practice as in changing the oil pump on an Austin 1800!!!!(just think about that)

This might help you Ryeman and also give Brad more horrible flashbacks! LOL



I know, I know it's from a Mini workshop manual but probably similar!

Cheers

George

[brad]

Why is it every freakin' process on a mini starts with "first remove the engine"?

[Ryeman]

......then remove the transfer case .....split gearbox from engine ....when finished buy one hundred gaskets.....remove old gasket material....prepare......AARRGGHH!!!
Repair bleeding hands and enter recovery phase of life.
I WAS in 'remission' I thought, but the nightmares keep haunting me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[VW Convert]

Why is it every freakin' process on a mini starts with "first remove the engine"?

Pretty easy that one, they took an engine and jammed the car around it with no consideration to the fact that repairs would one day be required. I was so well practiced that I got removing engine, transmission and radiator down to under an hour and a half.

Cheers

George

[woofy]

A friend with a new (current model) Mini had to get the alternator replaced. It cost $2500. I assumed that was because of space and having to pull out a million things like the old ones. Turns out it is a 5min bolt off, bolt on job....just that BMW like to overcharge for parts.