Mini (Cooper) storage

[hingyfan]

My wife bought a Mini Cooper with an upgraded stereo. It plays mp3 discs, which i though were great until they started to distort and skip.
We are going on a long trip and i'd like to load up some driving music. The car has a large usb jack on a cable like the ones used on iphones and ipods however i dont think this charges the unit so it sort of defeats its purpose. What i want is a flash drive that would connect to that big plug. I don't even know what you you would call that. USB devices are usually small and dont have that kind of jack, not the ones i see.
So is such a thing available? Thanks.

[Paddy]

Is the cable pictured in the thread linked below the cable you're talking about?

http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forum...-interface.html

You won't find a USB stick that plugs into that - I know of no adapter that would work either. That plug is specifically for iPods/iPhones. You could get a straight USB male to female cable, but I don't think it would work over the Mini's stereo as there is no interface for playing the music.

From the last two posts in the following thread, it would seem that the cable does charge the iPod:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/second-generati...e-charging.html

Have you actually tried the iPod in the car to see what happens with the charging? And you do know that you can get iPod chargers for the car, if in fact that cable you got with the car doesn't charge the iPod? The car chargers go in the cigarette lighter/plug and you could charge the iPod with that and use the AUX plug on the mini-Y cable to play music (though you won't be able to control the music via the stereo with it plugged in this way - any music selection will have to be done on the iPod (shuffle play is a great alternative in this case! ) Anyway - either way, the USB stick won't work and either what you have now will work fine or you just need the charging cable for when the iPod runs out of juice.

I'm not sure I understand the pricing here...but $0.02 + $2.97 shipping sounds pretty darn good if it's the right one for your iPod (there are a couple of others in that price range for other iPods too...)

http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Apple-iPod..._lp_edpp_ttl_ex

(that's if you actually DO need the charger)

[hingyfan]

I had seen that mini cooper page. It's not the same stereo, hers is a premium one. Just picture an ipod docking (i think that's what you call it) cable coming out of a wall, ready to plug into an ipod or iphone. That seems to be the only interface option, although the stereo does say "usb."
It plays mp3 discs no problem, going through files and all. That is basically the same thing as a flash drive, just a way of storing files. However the discs started skipping.
Even if the stereo did charge the iphone, id rather not have it hooked up like that and have to take it out or think about it when we park the car.  And the cable is very short so you cant use the iphone when it's connected.

[Paddy]

IF the stereo has input for USB flash drives, then it should work. From what I can tell, that seems to be somewhat less common on stereos provided by car manufactures - more common on after-market car stereos. If the stereo says "USB" you'd think it would have some place to plug in USB devices. Was there no instruction book with the stereo?

If you can't find a USB port (one picture I saw had a covered USB port on an aftermarket radio - so you may find the USB port has a plastic or rubberized cover and it may be quite unobtrusive...if it's there)

Which audio package did she get? (and which year is the car - 2009 or 2010?)
http://www.mini2.com/forum/mini-cooper-die...i-cooper-d.html (is there Bluetooth with the package? In 2008, the USB input only came with the Bluetooth package)

Someone at the dealership or Mini Cooper USA should have the answer.

[hingyfan]

Nevermind!
It is a 2010. The better stereo came with the package for the only all-green one available. That's what she wanted, British Racing Green (BRG).
Anyway, I am home now. The cable is the same as pictured on the Mini page. That cable pulls out, revealing a digital stereo input and, yes, a regular USB input. Both of these are connected to the docking cable interface at other end. So I'll pick up a thumb drive, as they call them, and give it a go, directly into the dash.
And thanks!
By the way, I'm driving a 2000 Saturn with 300,000 miles. I use a cassette adapter with my iphone or ipod.
Thanks again.
PS: Here is us and the Mini.

[krissel]

Don't drive under any low bridges!