Most liked posts in thread: What did you do with your MINI today?

I'm watching Venom again, eating BBQ, and a couple jelly donuts. That's the extent of my revelry tonight. Y'all have a safe one.

 

A blessed 2019, everyone!!!

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Jeez, I slept the year away. Fell asleep in 2018 and here it is 2019. Time flies when you're having fun. Hope everyone had a safe and HAPPY NEW YEAR.

 

Not much on my MINI these past few, I have been AWOL for a month or so other than lurking for a quick check on activity.

Major drama and tragedy in the family before Thanksgiving, not back to normal nor will it be for a long time, hoping for the best and normalcy in 2019. We shall see what lots of good prayer and great doctors bring to us.

I am fine, just very tired, traveled to Virginia for Christmas, I did not want to spend it alone in Colorado nor did I want my wife to spend it alone in Virginia with my two youngest grandkids.

Needless to say I have an Army Special Forces Son-in-law in the hospital and could use a few prayers.

So I will see you folks when I can and you all stay MINI and enjoy what you have.

Don

 

beken -That is exactly the behavior my MINI had when its alternator bit the dust. It started about 10 miles after a hit a furry forest critter (dead squirrel ). That bugger as his last act of life was to suck the electrons out of the alternator.

I was not as lucky as you. Since I was in eastern bum fark I had to drive as far as I could then wait for the flatbed to drag it 75 miles back home. My goal was to reach Tom's Ice Cream bowl & chill out eating ice cream until Mr Flatbed got there. But that didn't happen, died completely on the highway 2 miles from my goal.

I'd recommend a new alternator & not a rebuilt. It seems these days the rebuilt parts are not very good & often die an early death.

 

My S is back on the road again! It drives differently now, but at least the rear wheels are straight, although I'll have to have the alignment checked more often, as well as the wheels rotated more, too.

Thanks again, MR. OEM Donater...I have your address. Expect a package...no, not a bomb or any of that white powdery stuff [of any sort].

 

More prayers up![emoji120]

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More prayers sent Don. I know you are far away but if I can help in any way please, please reach out. We will all be there for you and yours...

 

Snowing here, the fire is on & we have beer, wine & groceries. I'll be staying here until Monday morning.

 

Took the wife to see a theatre production of Mama Mia by high school Muse Machine kids. WOW...what talents...professionals have NOTHING on these talented kids! Great show!

Never mind driving out on the post snowstorm roads...my newly repaired S did just fine!

 

Not today, but yesterday. At Discount Tire once again for a leaking TPMS sensor. I was there last Wednesday to have this fixed. The tire was losing 10 PSI in 7 days triggering the dreaded nanny light. They fixed a leaking sensor & asked "who put this in like this?". When I said they did the subject was changed. All is well & 3 days later the nanny light shows her ugly face again. Back to Discount Tire once again, I'm hoping this time it's done right. Fingers crossed....

EDIT..... I've had good luck in the past many times with Discount Tire. I hope this is justa an anomaly & not the new norm for them.

 

I picked up my car at MINI RIchmond today. Got a new alternator, belt tensioner, JCW belt, top right side engine mount all installed. The initial quote when I had my car towed there was it was going to come in around $2000 CDN. In the end, they charged me $1700 CDN taxes included. That's about $1100 USD. So I think that was fair.
They didn't recommend a whole bunch of stuff my car didn't need, but they did mention that the car is old and I should consider front suspension bushings in the future.

They also have a special deal for oil changes for older MINIs so I might take them up on it.

I'm just feeling kind of old and tired and don't want to spend much of my own time to get dirty and wrench my own car anymore. I'll still do some of my own things that are fairly simple, such as replacing ignition coils and light bulbs and washing/detailing my cars. But that's probably about it.

I just want to drive em.

 

I finally got my camera back after forgetting it at the Cavalcade . Here' my car as set up at the show

 

Well, it is an old car. I keep thinking it's time for new struts on my car also. In previous cars, shocks or struts were replaced within 10 years of "normal" use and the R53 gen cars are at 15 years or older now. So it probably is time.
Along with suspension bushings and anything else that moves.

My alternator had just gone and I should have no complaints about it because I got 15 years and 260,000 kilometers out of it. Same with my second belt tensioner, and third top right engine mount. I had all that done and picked up my car just before the weekend. I must say, all the engine noises I was getting worried about might have been the alternator and the tensioner going. Because the engine runs a quiet and smooth as when it was new again.

So along with suspension parts, other things we should prepare to replace.... Power steering hoses, valve cover gasket, oil pan gasket, anything plastic that holds fluid in the engine bay, fuel filter and fuel pump (they are not really lifetime, but they do last pretty long).

Thankfully, the first gen modern MINI are fairly easy to replace parts and electronics are not too overwhelming to get around.

 

The original Headlights went hazy yellow, so replaced them today. Easy job and happy with the result [emoji106]


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If anyone is looking for a nice R53 here it is......

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2006-mini-cooper-s-24/?utm_source=dailymail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2019-02-01

 

During the R50 MINI’s winter storage. MOTD prep! (R50 is now over 160k miles! Owned since new for almost 14 years.)

New clutch
New rear hubs
New cv boots
Trailer hitch re-installed
Harness bar re-installed
Mini Sleeping Pod re-installed
Static cling limo tint re-installed

Need to throw the race wheels and Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R’s back on

 

Just wave and smile boys......Wave and smile.