Blog / Alexandria MINI Dealer

Has your MINI been sitting more than usual due to COVID-19? Our service experts bring some advice on what can happen to a sitting vehicle.

Aged Batteries • Batteries nearing the end of their life can fail if not used on a daily basis. • It can take up to 20-30 mins of driving to re-charge a battery that has been sitting. • We recommend that multi-car families alternate driving vehicles to maintain battery charge levels • If your vehicle is slow to start after sitting for a few days, if may be best to contact us to check your vehicle before quarantine ends and your normal travel resumes. Tire Pressure Warnings (TPM Lights) • As the temperature starts to change during this time of year, the air pressure in your car’s tires will change with it, as cold contracts (pressure down) while heat expands (pressure up). • Manufacturers are aware of this and have programmed your tire monitoring system to have an acceptable pressure “window” to compensate for these temperature changes • The tire monitor system will activate the warning light if, your pressure is lower than the window or higher than the window. Either way, it’s best to address the issue as soon as possible. • Low pressure is usually an indication of a leak, however in the fall, as the temperature drops, it may be the contraction of the cold air that has lowered the tire’s pressure • Lower tire pressure will cause premature wear, decrease handling, and less pothole damage protection • High pressure in the spring can come about from adjusting tire pressure during the cold winter months with a more condensed cold air, as the temperature warms the air expands and raises your tire pressure • Higher tire pressures will cause excessive wear to the center of the tire as the shape of the tire is distorted by the excess, it will also provide a rougher ride and diminished handling. • Checking and adjusting tire pressures is done with an electric air pump and a pressure gauge, we perform this service as a courtesy anytime you check in at the dealer, if you do not have a pump or gauge your welcome to come see us for a quick check and adjust. Mice • Believe it or not this is a problem we see often and more so in the recent months. As people are not using their vehicles as much, mice are attracted to them for a nice place to nest. The car’s engine compartment provides lots of materials to build their nests from and it’s well protected from predators. In the normal course of daily driving, you scare them off when starting your engine. But, things haven’t been normal as of late. • Tell tale signs of mice include leaf litter in the engine compartment, destruction of engine bay insulation, burning smell after the car warms and the worst part, chewed wires. • While in most cases, the nest can be cleared out easily, it’s the chewed wiring that can become a real problem and this damage doesn’t always present itself right away. • Damage to electronic components can occur from electrical wire shorts caused by wiring insulation that has been chewed away, leading to costly module replacement • Phantom electrical problem symptoms can arise, ie your horn starts blowing for no reason or the blinkers activate by themselves but then stop as fast as they came on. Radio reception has good days and bad, etc. • In rare cases, engine bay fires can happen from short circuiting caused by chewed wires contacting, sparking, and igniting nesting litter • We recommend that you pop open your hood and look for signs of mice. Clear away any nesting materials you may find and look for damage. If you're not sure, let us take a look and verify that everything is okay. • In some case, if you do suffer damage from the scourge of mice, your insurance company may cover the damage, we can help you with filing a claim. Water condensation on the inside of your car windows? • Vehicle’s that sit have a tendency to develop water leaks. This can happen as a result of tree litter, pollen, and dirt clogging small drainage tubes in and around doors, convertible tops and sunroofs. In the normal course of driving, vibration and rain will flush these clogs out. • As water collects around these clogged drains it can overflow into the vehicle’s interior. The water will collect under the carpet on the floor pan of the vehicle and may go unnoticed for a bit. • The spring temperature changes will provide a clue that this is happening to your vehicle. Overnight temperature differences between the inside and outside of the car can cause excessive condensation on the interior of the windows of a vehicle that has trapped water in its interior. • Other than developing a musty odor, damage from water infiltration can take the shape of rusted components, damaged wiring harness and electrical components that reside under seats and the carpet. These problems can be very tricky to pinpoint and can take many hours to fix. • We recommend that you wash your vehicle regularly to flush away clogging materials, check under floor mats for moisture, and keep an eye out for condensation on the inside of your windows. We can help clear clogged drains and/or repair water damage if needed. As these repairs take some time, we provide loaner cars to customers in need of alternate transportation. Brakes making grinding noise? • Vehicles that sit for extended periods can gather rust on the brake rotors. This can cause excessive grinding noise on your first drive out of quarantine. • Modern disc brakes, have a large raw metal disc that the brake pads clamp down on when you apply the brakes. The clamping action of the brake pads clears away corrosion on the brake rotor. When the vehicle isn’t driven on a daily basis this corrosion can build to the point where the brake pads cannot effectively clear it away. • The sign of this is grinding noises coming from the vehicle when you apply the brakes. Usually, this noise abates after about 5 stops or so. If it doesn’t you may need to visually inspect your brake rotors through the openings in the wheels of the car. • The following issues can be a sign that your vehicle has a problem with its brakes: • Pock marks / rust pitting • Deep grooving • Uneven clearing of the rotor’s corrosion. (the rotor will look like the rings of Saturn) • If these signs are ignored, addition signs will become evident. • Pulsation in the brakes caused by an uneven surface developing on the rotor’s surface • Pulsations felt in the steering wheel while stopping are evidence of an issue with the front brakes • Pulsations felt in the seat while braking are evidence of an issue in the rear brakes • Unfortunately, this issue can arise in new and old brakes alike when the vehicle sits. But, if you hear the grinding noise and note any of the issues on the rotor, you can potentially avoid having to replace the brakes by getting them serviced. • We recommend multi-car households rotate the driving of each vehicle to lessen the chance of this issue developing. If you’re unsure, we can inspect your brakes for you. Which is part of our free multi-point inspection. Click Here To Schedule An Service Appointment
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MINI announces three new unique special editions for model year 2023

MINI USA announces the launch of three new special editions that will extend across the full 2023 model range as of March 2022 production. The MINI Resolute Edition will be available on the MINI Hardtop 2 Door including the MINI Cooper SE electric vehicle, the MINI Hardtop 4 Door and the MINI Convertible. The MINI Untold Edition will be available on the MINI Clubman, including the 301hp high-performance John Cooper Works model, and the MINI Untamed Edition will be available on the MINI Countryman including the MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 plug-in hybrid model. This is the first time that MINI will produce a full range of special editions across the current model lineup, all to be launched at the same time. The special edition models have particularly authentic product personalities, each one featuring its own distinctive hallmark character. The exclusive and precisely coordinated design and the equipment features emphasize each model’s characteristic elements. The Resolute Edition clearly emphasizes the individuality, traditional style, self-confidence and unmistakable charisma of the original in the premium segment of this vehicle class. The versatile qualities of the MINI Clubman, in combination with its stylish design and unique body concept, are highlighted particularly intensively in the Untold Edition. In the Untamed Edition, the MINI Countryman sharpens its profile as the perfect companion for spontaneously heading out on adventures beyond the bounds of the city. Each special edition has its own model-specific characteristics with particularly attractive body paint finishes and alloy wheels, high-quality interior design and exclusive decorative elements for the exterior and interior. more The MINI Resolute Edition: Pure driving joy, unparalleled charisma. As the original in the premium small car segment, the MINI combines a thrilling drive with an unconventional appeal that is attractive to different target groups, characterized by its hallmark design and modern premium character. This is why the MINI enjoys a unique position in this competitive environment. The MINI Hardtop 2 Door with its classic body concept, just like the MINI 5 door with its extended functionality, stands for experience-oriented urban mobility in the 21st century. The true MINI feeling is made up of Joie de vivre and openness. And this now also applies to the world of electric mobility. The MINI Cooper SE combines the style of the original with locally emission-free driving fun. In addition, the MINI Convertible complements the brand's unmistakable appearance with a particularly extravagant, youthfully fresh look. The Resolute Edition is available for the MINI Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door, the MINI Cooper S Hardtop 4 Door. It is also available in conjunction with the all-electric MINI Cooper SE. Customers can enjoy open-top driving pleasure in exclusive Resolute Edition style in the MINI Cooper S Convertible. Appealing design features and color combinations. The exclusive design and equipment features of the Resolute Edition reinforce the hallmark characteristics of the MINI models and combine them with modern, high-quality design accentuations. The Rebel Green exterior signals pure sportiness – a color that was previously reserved exclusively for the top athlete MINI John Cooper Works. The color is combined with a Pepper White roof finish and Pepper White exterior mirror caps for the MINI Hardtop 2 Door and MINI Hardtop 4 Door. On the MINI Convertible Resolute Edition, the electrically operated soft top and the exterior mirror caps are finished in black. Hallmark design features are finished in exclusive Resolute Bronze. This includes the headlight surrounds, the radiator grille and rear lights, the side scuttles on the front side panels, the handles of the doors and tailgate and, the air intakes in the front apron and the fuel filler cap. The brand logos and model lettering provide an attractive contrast, as do the inner frame of the radiator grille, the tailpipe trim of the exhaust system and the horizontal radiator grille strut in Piano Black. On the MINI Hardtop 2 Door and the MINI Hardtop 4 Door in the Resolute Edition, there is also a black strip running around the lower edge of the windows. Both the bonnet stripes and the door sills of the edition vehicles feature a pattern of parallel lines with a color gradient between a light and a dark shade of gold as well as the lettering "RESOLUTE". The asymmetrical design gives them a particularly high-quality and unconventional look in hallmark MINI style. The sporty appearance of the edition vehicles is completed by 18-inch alloy wheels in Pulse Spoke Black design. The MINI Cooper SE features 17-inch alloy wheels in Electric Collection Spoke design. The exclusive flair of the interior of the edition vehicles is enhanced by sports seats in Black Pearl / Light Chequered fabric/leatherette, which are combined with black armrests and knee rolls. This color scheme is a perfect complement to the Rebel Green paint finish and the black and bronze exterior design features. The Nappa sports leather steering wheel features an edition emblem on the lower spoke, and the roof liner of the MINI Hardtop 2 Door and MINI Hardtop 4 Door models is in anthracite. The interior surfaces created especially for the Resolute Edition emphasize the cars’ premium style. Parallel and evenly curved lines in a light shade of gold form a noble pinstripe pattern on the black background of the surfaces. At the same time, they pick up on the structure of the bonnet stripes. The specific design features are staged with the help of the lighting package, whose LED units provide targeted interior illumination, as well as with the Ambient Light, which also includes a laser-engraved ring for the central instrument, light piping in the doors and cockpit area as well as illuminated door handles and door entry areas. In addition, the MINI Driving Modes are part of the equipment package for the Resolute Edition. The Resolute Edition's exclusive design features make up a carefully crafted package for premium exterior and interior style. They also tie in particularly harmoniously with the clear and purist MINI design language. In the interior, the classic sporty flair of the colors and materials is combined with advanced digital technology. The latest generation of the MINI operating system optimizes the quick and intuitive control of vehicle functions, audio program, communication, navigation, and apps. Live widgets on the 8.8-inch touch display of the central instrument are used to activate the desired menu item, which can be selected with a swiping motion like that on a smartphone. The MINI Untold Edition: Sporty understatement. The MINI Clubman is an exceptional phenomenon in the premium compact segment. Its modern interpretation of the classic shooting-brake concept combines tradition and understatement with progressive and lifestyle-oriented characteristics. The unique body concept with four doors, a particularly long roofline and the split doors at the rear consisting of two side-opening wings not only give the MINI Clubman an extravagant appearance, but also provide a high degree of functionality. Its interior offers seating for five and generous, variable storage volume that can be expanded from 17.5 to up to 47.9 cu ft. The Untold Edition emphasizes the role of the MINI Clubman as the stylish individualist in its class, in what is bold and exclusive appearance. The refined sophistication of its design is combined with a powerful sporty look. The Untold Edition is available for three model variants. The range includes the MINI Cooper S Clubman and MINI Cooper S Clubman All4. In addition, the 301 hp MINI John Cooper Works Clubman as the top performer of the MINI lineup, is available in the Untold Edition. Distinctive body features, stylish interior design. The unmistakable appearance of the MINI Clubman is emphasized by the specific design features of the Untold Edition to give it charismatic presence. The Sage Green metallic paintwork, available for the first time on the MINI Clubman, and the distinctive design of the front and rear aprons inspired by the John Cooper Works Aerodynamic Kit provide a stylishly sporty look. The hallmark MINI surrounds on the lower body sections are not in black as usual, but in a dark shade of green for the first time. The five narrow, parallel sport stripes running centrally across the bonnet and roof are also specific features of the Untold Edition. The side scuttles, manufactured using a high-quality 3D printing process, have a specific stripe pattern. This exclusive graphic also features in the logo projected from the door mirrors and on the door sill trims. The 18-inch alloy wheels in Untold Spoke design with 2-tone surfaces in the Jet Black/Refined Brass combination have also been developed exclusively for the edition vehicles. The color scheme, which is based on refined brass, is also used for the radiator grille surround and the radiator crossbar on the MINI Cooper S Clubman, and MINI John Cooper Works Clubman models, as well as for the "Clubman" lettering on the split doors at the rear. The Piano Black exterior equipment with door handles, exhaust tailpipes, MINI logos and model lettering in black is an integral part of the Untold Edition. Sports seats in the exclusive MINI Yours Leather Lounge Sage Green version transfer the powerful exterior character to the interior of the edition vehicles. Light-colored seams and piping as well as textile inserts in the upper and outer areas of the seat backrests create a particularly stylish seat surface look. Alternatively, sports seats are also available in the MINI Yours Leather Lounge Carbon Black variant. The cockpit features illuminated accent strips in Sage Green and exclusively designed interior surfaces with a subtle striped pattern and green color scheme. Another stylish visual accentuation are the surrounds of the air vents in Refined Brass. The bottom spoke of the Nappa sports leather steering wheel as well as the floor mats feature an edition emblem. The MINI Clubman in the Untold Edition also offers particularly high-quality equipment in addition to the exclusive design features. Beyond the standard equipment of the premium compact model, it also includes Adaptive LED Headlights, the MINI Excitement Package and the MINI Driving Modes as well as the anthracite-colored roof lining and the Interior Light Package. The MINI Untamed Edition: Ready for adventures beyond the city limits. The biggest model in the MINI range is also the most versatile: The MINI Countryman has established itself in the premium compact segment as a particularly stylish all-rounder. Four doors, a big tailgate, five seats and an exceptionally variable interior with a luggage compartment volume of 17.2-47.4 cu ft. ensure a high degree of practicality. The optional ALL4 all-wheel drive distributes power as required in all weather and road conditions. The MINI Countryman handles everyday urban traffic just as confidently as it does excursions that take it onto unpaved terrain. It also plays a pioneering role on the path to particularly sustainable mobility. The MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 enables locally emission-free driving fun in city traffic and beyond thanks to its plug-in hybrid drive. The character of the explorer and adventurer is emphasized even more intensively with the new Untamed Edition for the MINI Countryman. The exclusive design and equipment features of the edition vehicles highlight the robust look and off-road potential. The Untamed Edition is available for the MINI Cooper S Countryman and the plug-in hybrid MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4. Robust look, exclusive details. Thanks to its exterior design specifically geared towards robust versatility, the MINI Countryman in the Untamed Edition encourages you more than ever to head out into nature and explore completely new roads and paths spontaneously. The exclusive Momentum Grey metallic paintwork gives this MINI Countryman a unique appearance, which is further enhanced by the MINI ALL4 exterior look, featuring specific trim elements also finished in body color. The harmonious color scheme emphasizes the clear design language of the MINI Countryman’s exterior. Both the lower air intake surround including the suggested underride guard, the air curtain inserts in the front apron as well as the side skirts, the reflector inserts and the lower insert in the rear apron are painted in Momentum Grey metallic. And a glance at the MINI brand logos on the bonnet and tailgate reveals that the black lettering and graphic elements of the emblem are also combined with a background in body color. Four diagonal stripes, each in Frozen Bluestone, in the lower area of the doors show that this car is ready to take on any road or path. The 18-inch alloy wheels in Untamed 2-tone design with burnished surfaces have been developed exclusively for the edition vehicles. In addition to the roof and the exterior mirror caps, the roof rails and the headlight housings of the MINI Countryman in the Untamed Edition are also finished in black. The Piano Black Exterior option, which is also included in the equipment range of the edition vehicles, adds further black design features. The surrounds of the radiator grille, headlights, taillights and side scuttles, the door handles, the tailpipe trims, the model lettering and, if equipped accordingly, also the ALL4 emblems on the front side panels. Like the door sills, the side scuttles feature a graphic pattern inspired by a mountain landscape and the "Untamed” inscription. Corresponding lettering is also featured on the rear side windows. In addition to the inlays and the carrier plates of the side scuttles, the E logo on the tailgate of the plug-in hybrid model MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 is also in Frozen Bluestone. Nature-inspired shades of green and blue dominate the interior design for the MINI Countryman in the Untamed Edition. The exclusive Highland Green color is combined with blue and green contrast stitching on the surfaces of the sports seats in the MINI Yours Leather Lounge finish. The illuminated decorative trim in Frozen Bluestone is printed with a landscape pattern analogous to the door sill trims. For the first time, a large-scale graphic serves as a motif in this area of the interior instead of a uniform structure. An additional effect is achieved by the "Untamed" lettering visible in the night design. The accent strips in the cockpit and on the center console are painted in Frozen Blue metallic, the door trim strips in Arctic Silver metallic and the surrounds of the air vents in high-gloss black. In addition, the MINI Countryman edition model features emblems with the "Untamed" lettering on the seats and in the bottom spoke of the Nappa sports leather steering wheel, floor mats with a three-dimensionally embossed landscape pattern in the style of the door sills and decorative trims and an anthracite-colored roof lining. The characteristic graphic of the mountain landscape also adorns the discreet pins in the outer area of the seat backs in a stylized form. The Untamed Edition for the MINI Countryman also includes the Light Package, the MINI Excitement Package and the MINI Driving Modes. Click here for pricing.

MINI Corporate Fleet Program offered at MINI of Alexandria

There's nothing quite like a MINI. Fun, fuel-efficient and backed by one of the industry's best maintenance and warranty programs, the MINI Corporate Fleet Program has the potential to transform your commutes and business trips. Eligible drivers of enrolled corporations get: • 3-years/36,000-miles of Boot to Bonnet No Cost Maintenance, saving you up to $1,428 in service costs. • 24/7 Roadside Assistance for 4 years. • 4-year/50,000-mile MINI New Passenger Car Limited Warranty and a 12-year/unlimited-mileage warranty against rust perforation. • Eligibility for unique motoring rewards with the MINI Platinum VISA® Card • Exclusive incentives, specials, and event invitations extended only to MINI Owners Click here for more information.

Customize the look of your MINI with accessories through MINI of Alexandria

Explore The World Of MINI. Shop All Things MINI, With Lifestyle And Accessories For You And Your MINI. Roof Graphics. Mirror Caps. Steering Wheel Covers. Floor Mats. Accessories: Rack Systems, Exterior, Technology. Click here to Shop Accessory Favorites.

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