The Independent American Magazine for all Mini Owners
Issue link: http://mc2.epubxp.com/i/33537
I by Neil G. Chirico f you’ve owned a first-generation R50, R52 or R53 MINI for any amount of time you have probably heard of Ian Cull. He designed and sold an auto-up window circuit for the MINI. It allowed you to double-click the window switch in the “up” position and it would then close the windows without having to keep your finger on the switch, so it is a simple auto-up function. This feature found on many high-line vehicles is nice to have especially when trying to steer, shift and roll up the windows. For example, like when you leave the fast food drive through in the pouring rain and need one more hand to do all three things at once. Ian’s original circuit also allowed you to set it up to enable the fog lamps to automatically come on when the low beam headlights were activated. In addition, you could enable the DSC to automatically shut itself off every time the ignition was started. This comes in handy when at the track, as you don’t want to make a partial lap only to discover that the DSC is intervening in your best effort because you forgot to shut it off. The problem with the product was Ian’s sporadic production. If you wanted one, you had to purchase it when he was in or beginning production; otherwise, he would always sell out of this popular item. Enter FES Auto (www. fes-auto.com), who obtained the rights to manufacture Ian’s 42 MC2 Magazine www.mc2magazine.com original circuit, albeit with changes in manufacturing and some added design improvements. FES Auto lists this as “V7,” so it is version 7 (Ian made the first 6 versions). It still sells for the same price ($49.95 + shipping) as the original, even with the additional new features. The improvements include a new single-click mode, where one click closes only the driver’s side window, and double clicking closes both windows. Plus, you still have the double-click mode of the original. Also new are two channels of stealth-mode accessory control that can be configured for controlling devices such as a garage door remote control. All of the features of the original design, plus the addition of some bonus options for the same price…how often do you see that? Add in an easy installation time of about 15 minutes or less, plus easy-to-follow instructions (download from www. fes-auto.com), and you have an almost perfect product. There are only eight Torx screws (sizes T-20 and T-40) to remove, so you only need one driver and two bits. The only way it could possibly be any easier is if it installed itself! If for some reason you haven’t heard of Ian Cull or FES Auto before today, now you know who to thank for this simple yet wonderfully effective product. Once you complete the installation you will wonder how you ever lived without it... and why didn’t MINI think of it? easy diy I n s t a l l in g a n a n u t o i f - tu p ger - i p wind ov on w c c o n te en i en c r . o l m o d ule add s Taking Control!