9 replies to this topic

[Joe Hiscott]

Hello!

I am new to this forum and to Mini modifications. I'm an 18 year old with a 1999 Mini City (Flame Red).

I am looking to install central locking to my mini, and need some help!
1. My mini has no alarm (I think this is relevant?)
2. I would like a key fob that unlocks the door (just like a modern boring car)

So my question is, which kit do I need to buy? I am confused about the alarm relevance, and about which kit would fit my car.

Any help would be greatly appreciated :)
Thanks
Joe

P.s I've looked around for something like this in the forum but have never used one before so if it already exists please do link me :)

[Alice Dooper]

I fitted the standard kit with the extra alarm link. The normal kit is activated by using a key in either door lock or either indside door lock slider.

If you have the Rover factory alarm / immobiliser, the extra module wires into it and can then activate using the Rover keyfob too. The range is pretty short, need to be right at he door, even with a new remote battery.

There are a few kits out there with their own remote.

[Compdoc]

If you have no alarm, then the central locking kits are simple. They just use a couple of solenoids to open and close the door locks. If you decide to add an alarm later, most alarms have a connection to the central locking to lock and unlock with the setting of the alarm. The hardest part is finding room in the minis shallow door for the solenoids and getting the wiring through the edge of the door and into the door frame.

[Alice Dooper]

If you have no alarm, then the central locking kits are simple. They just use a couple of solenoids to open and close the door locks. If you decide to add an alarm later, most alarms have a connection to the central locking to lock and unlock with the setting of the alarm. The hardest part is finding room in the minis shallow door for the solenoids and getting the wiring through the edge of the door and into the door frame.

The space isn't great. I fitted mine in an MPI with door crash bars too. My solenoid went in handily enough but linking them up to the door lock bar was a touch fiddly.

The Rover immobiliser alarm connects up really easily.

[jamesquintin]

I'm hopefully going to fit one of these during my MPI restoration:

 

http://shop.aseriess...ni-mk3-onwards/

 

If you add an alarm to a car without one, hopefully your insurance premiums might go down..?

​Q
 

[Compdoc]

I'd do a search on here for A series spares before you decide to purchase from them. There's plenty of column inches going back several years to make you think twice.

I was not wise enough to check first and ended up regretting it.

[screech]

I'd do a search on here for A series spares before you decide to purchase from them. There's plenty of column inches going back several years to make you think twice.
I was not wise enough to check first and ended up regretting it.

Could you elaborate at all?
I not seen anything bad about these kits, although I must admit I don't spend half as much time on here these days.

I've been contemplating the central locking kit from them as I believe it's a good idea, but not sure what the reliability is like.
But looking at their electric window kit, to me it's just funny.

Cheers

[Compdoc]

 

I'd do a search on here for A series spares before you decide to purchase from them. There's plenty of column inches going back several years to make you think twice.
I was not wise enough to check first and ended up regretting it.

Could you elaborate at all?
I not seen anything bad about these kits, although I must admit I don't spend half as much time on here these days.

I've been contemplating the central locking kit from them as I believe it's a good idea, but not sure what the reliability is like.
But looking at their electric window kit, to me it's just funny.

Cheers

 

Take a look at http://www.theminifo...ectric-windows/

Started on 1st April 2014 and has now stretched its 18 pages into 2017, with some people giving up ever seeing there kit.

Unfortunately, all this went on in the, "Traders products and services" section which is less frequented than most on here. But should show up on a search.

If you've got the stamina to read through this epic, you'll notice that the same old excuses get rolled out to their customers week after week, after month, after year!

I was completely oblivious to all this when last year I purchased  £350 worth of kit online. My card was debited and two weeks later I had not received any acknowledgement or parts. I then did a search on the forum and turned up numerous dissatisfied customers. I rang the company for a week and got no answer, my emails were not returned. Naturally, I thought they had gone out of business. To cut a long story short, the kit arrived (alarm, central locking and electric windows) with missing parts. The alarm was manufactured with ALL black wires and the instructions read, "Connect the yellow wire to the coil", etc. The wiring diagram looked like it was drawn with a felt tip pen by a 4 year old with no standard symbols that anyone could recognise. Basically it was a mess. Fortunately, my brother is an auto electrician and we managed to tap out the wiring for all the hardware, completely ignoring the supplied instructions. The wire itself was not thin wall auto wiring but thick covered wire of possibly far eastern origin, which meant we had to replace most of the wiring to get that number of wires through the edge of a mini door.

I can't comment of the long term reliability as the car is now sold but a lot of custom work was needed to get the kit working reliably.

I personally would never buy from this company again, and now stick with half dozen well known suppliers, (Minispares, Somerford, etc). With the TMF discount there's not even much difference in the price.

I firmly believe that one of the prime objectives of a forum, is to inform its members about unscrupulous retailers and not just allow member after member to get ripped off because of lack of information.

At the end of the day, the choice is still yours.

[A-Series Spares]

 

 

I'd do a search on here for A series spares before you decide to purchase from them. There's plenty of column inches going back several years to make you think twice.
I was not wise enough to check first and ended up regretting it.

Could you elaborate at all?
I not seen anything bad about these kits, although I must admit I don't spend half as much time on here these days.

I've been contemplating the central locking kit from them as I believe it's a good idea, but not sure what the reliability is like.
But looking at their electric window kit, to me it's just funny.

Cheers

 

Take a look at http://www.theminifo...ectric-windows/

Started on 1st April 2014 and has now stretched its 18 pages into 2017, with some people giving up ever seeing there kit.

Unfortunately, all this went on in the, "Traders products and services" section which is less frequented than most on here. But should show up on a search.

If you've got the stamina to read through this epic, you'll notice that the same old excuses get rolled out to their customers week after week, after month, after year!

I was completely oblivious to all this when last year I purchased  £350 worth of kit online. My card was debited and two weeks later I had not received any acknowledgement or parts. I then did a search on the forum and turned up numerous dissatisfied customers. I rang the company for a week and got no answer, my emails were not returned. Naturally, I thought they had gone out of business. To cut a long story short, the kit arrived (alarm, central locking and electric windows) with missing parts. The alarm was manufactured with ALL black wires and the instructions read, "Connect the yellow wire to the coil", etc. The wiring diagram looked like it was drawn with a felt tip pen by a 4 year old with no standard symbols that anyone could recognise. Basically it was a mess. Fortunately, my brother is an auto electrician and we managed to tap out the wiring for all the hardware, completely ignoring the supplied instructions. The wire itself was not thin wall auto wiring but thick covered wire of possibly far eastern origin, which meant we had to replace most of the wiring to get that number of wires through the edge of a mini door.

I can't comment of the long term reliability as the car is now sold but a lot of custom work was needed to get the kit working reliably.

I personally would never buy from this company again, and now stick with half dozen well known suppliers, (Minispares, Somerford, etc). With the TMF discount there's not even much difference in the price.

I firmly believe that one of the prime objectives of a forum, is to inform its members about unscrupulous retailers and not just allow member after member to get ripped off because of lack of information.

At the end of the day, the choice is still yours.

 

Hi, I am very sorry for the experience that you have had with the company. We had some hard times recently due to family bereavement and illness which took its toll. 

It is of course your right to discuss your experience and we appreciate feedback and hope that we can grow to be a long standing company for many years to come. We are 7 years in now and certainly have more happy than not customers. We are of course very sorry when we do drop the ball.

 

Your alarm, manufactured with all black wires is the same unit that has ben sent for Thatcham testing and will be approved shortly, The instructions sent out should have had a seperate page that covered installation with black wires. All instructions are sent out electronically. If that was a concern we would have resent for you buddy.

 

The topic linked to above was a shame, we had every intention of fulfilling the order but one of our long standing factories disappeared on us, we have apologised many times for this and have issued refunds for the amount of what we would be selling the kit for even though it was a free gift as our way of apologising further. We had hoped that this would go some way to repair the damage to our reputation.

 

The instructions and diagrams have been put together to try and make them as user friendly as possible based on customer feedback and the majority of customers are finding them easy to install. We of course are always updating the instructions to make them as good as can be and now the alarm has gone for testing the instructions have gone for final approval.

 

We are a genuine business, a genuine seller and always try to look out for our customers. We are a small family team in the heart of Derbyshire and would encourage anyone to come and see us when ever possible so that we can have a chat and make amends for anyone who was involved with the free gift offer we had.

 

By all means come and see some of the test cars we have here or view and feel the kits before you make the purchase. They are of good quality and very reliable.

 

Once again, we are an honest retailer and workshop and are doing our best to make up for the short fall experienced.

 

Have a good evening.

[A-Series Spares]

Just one final note.
It is very true that we are not the easiest to get hold of on the telephone, a lot of our calls are bolt enquiries needing technical assistance etc so we have introduced LIVE CHAT which is always running and emails are usually answered same day if not next day, occasionally emails end up in junk which I apologise for but where possible we always respond.

Once again I am very sorry for any issues you have had but would welcome any and all of you to come and see us and the tailored kits available.

There are things that could have been handled better over the last few years but as a small business, relatively new we are always striving to make our selves better and whilst this may be the case the creative team do a wonderful job.

Thanks again for your time and sorry for any issues. Come and see us if you are ever passing.