I currently have my second MINI Cooper S; the latest being a JCW. I'm looking to getting the 16 Nismo Tech. Frankly, my first concern was whether I'd be able to get my Trek Domane into the back or not. Seriously. So, I went to the local dealership and looked at their Nismo to check. That being satisfied, I sat in the car for a few minutes to get a feel for the build quality and had a few questions. Unfortunately, the sales dude had no clue about this car (this is North Carolina, after all), so I figured I'd go to the brain trust for the correct answers.
- Is there any rumors (verified or otherwise) to an interior change with the 2017 models? I know the 16s are available but they haven't done to much to update/renovate the interior for a few years.
- There are several dummy button place holders on the console. What should be in those three locations?
- The Nismo I looked at had a recepticle/button on the lower left bolster (near the knee) that appeared to be spring loaded. Is this where the key actually goes?
- The sales dude said there was not an engine/drive train warranty because the Nismo was a race car? Really?
- I would like to supercharge the engine, however, will require a shop to do the work. Is there a bolt-on kit for this or is it a true specialty project? I've looked at Stillen, however, their site is unclear as to whether or not they have a 2016 kit for the Nismo.
- How hard would it be to swap out dials on that dash cluster to replace that clock and amp meter, for example?
I'm considering buying in early spring and my local dealer has a 2016 Nismo for ~$44k, which is what I looked at. I truly look forward to your responses and, moreso, getting this car.
Cheers!!