Many of us use RealOEM to look up various parts and assemblies on our MINIs. I was just on there today and noticed they have really done a nice job in updating the site. The blocks where one picked the major area have been replaced with images and a description. Digging deeper many of the images have been updated beyond the basic line drawings. All in all I found the site even easier to use and like this direction they are headed. Also noticed that for most MINIs they are up to 7/10 production dates. R60 is still Europe only but I'm sure that will change once we start seeing deliveries of US models.
That is quite an improvement. I haven't had a chance to compare yet, but I wonder if any of the 3D renderings are actually different for 1st vs 2nd generation. What I've noticed previously is that they mostly for 1st Gen cars. Who pays for RealOEM anyways? Is it vendor supported or does BMW have a hand in it?
Didn't even know this site was out there. I noticed 2 options for R56 (Like R56 & R56 LC or something like that). Which one is correct?
Yep, called my favorite parts goddess at MINI of Dallas just now to check on the meaning of LCI. All MINIs built from 9/2010 on that are being refreshed, Cooper, Convertible, Hardtop, Clubman all are now LCI on RealOEM and in the MINI Parts systems found at the dealers.
BMW's been using "LCI" for a couple years. I think it's a really confusing name for something that consumers understand intuitively. Nobody assumes that cars are the same from year to year. Is my '96 3-series an E36 LCI because it's different from the '95 3-series? No, 'cause that sounds dumb. It's just a '96 E36, which no one would confuse for a '95 E36. With the MINIs, you could say the 2005-2006 R53's were R53 LCI models. But that'd be dumb. Say you're hanging out in the parking lot and a sweet muscle car drives up. You might ask what kind of car that is if you're unfamiliar with the car. Say the driver tells you it's a Camaro. Do you ask if it's the LCI, or do you ask what year it is? Unless you've been drinking too much of Munich's kool-aid, you ask what year. Dumb dumb dumb. :incazzato::incazzato::incazzato:
RealOEM is the dealer parts catalog, installed on a website. It wasn't meant or designed to be used by consumers (although many of us find it useful). Same with the term "LCI". BMW/MINI may use it internally and with dealers, but they didn't intend it for the public. They could call it anything they want.