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

Finally got a couple hours free and put the lower front and upper heat shields back on
as well as the upper O2 sensor bracket.

It’s all done now except sorting and stowing
all the tools.

 

My MINI has been sitting in the garage. I can't figure out what's up with the cooling system. My best guess is the thermostat is toast. It got a new water pump when I did the timing chain service.

I am sending it down to my friend Hans at AutoScope to have it fixed, and get an oil change. Then, I'm selling it. I just don't drive it enough, and that is going to keep causing problems like my current cooling problem.

I will offer it first to members here. So, if you have an interest in a really nice 2007 MCS with 118,000 miles, let me know. It is a very nice car, with low mileage for its age -- less than 8,000 miles per year. Of course, it has been garage kept -- my cars don't stay outside when at home, period. Not many luxury options, but good performance options, including LSD.

I'll list it on the "for sale" forum later, but you can PM me if you are interested.

I love that car, but it needs to be driven more than once a month, or things are just going to keep going wrong with it.

CD

 

Talk about garage queens or was that covid queens. I took the 2020 Clubman JCW to the dealer for oil change and brake fluid change (2 years) from manufacture date of 1/2020. Only 2700 miles, so it has been sitting, but does get driven local, but not two agressivly like it should be. Now thinking it might have to turn into a NEW CM 2022 for the wife or possible an Audi Q5 for post covid overdue travel.

JCW is comfortable to drive and once into the seat a great feel on the road. JCW Clubman sits very low to the ground. Since I have aged a bit closer to 80 now, need a tourer not a racer/shootbrake style. My ability to get in and out of the JCW lacks finese and flexibility. So I will let you know what I am driving in June or July if the market for cars opens up.

Don

 

It was bad enough to have a National Disaster Fire come almost to the house on Dec 30th, I would not want to think about the tornadoes all you folks get down in the South and East, bad enough we had another major fire last weekend that made 18000 people evacuate for 3 days. I cannot even think about wrapping both minis in bungee and a cover outside. Think of a storm cellar garage combo, maybe even a 4 car unit.

Hope it went well.

Don

 

I use the touchless warsh down the street. It does a passable job if my car isn't too dirty. In the winter it is godsent to keep the salt off. But nothing beats a good do it yourself car warsh. I think a foam canon is a great tool to use.

 

The wash I use also has a touchless but I prefer to do it myself, beside since I had it ceramic coated I only use water but no soap.

 

A couple of weeks ago, my daughter took her MINI to the MINI dealer for an oil change and to have a look to see where the oil leak was. She ended up with the oil change and a brake job, and diagnosis that her motor had a crank seal leak and oil pan leak, and head cover gasket leak. The estimate cost to fix the leaks at the dealer was $4000 (CAD) !!! She called me and I told her to not have the leaks fixed. Yesterday, we took her MINI to my friend's shop. They cleaned the engine bay and they drove the car around a bit and then told us her car needed a valve cover gasket. They couldn't find any other leak. So they replaced the gasket for $300 CAD, labour included.

I'm thinking I can't trust my MINI dealer anymore. The changeover in ownership and staff we are no longer a valued client.

 

I'm pretty sure the prognosis would have been different. Everybody that was there when I bought my car back in 2005 is no longer at this particular dealership. I've even moved my business to a different MINI dealership, as this one has merged their MINI division into the BMW division. All three of our MINIs were purchased from this dealership. We left because they denied warranty that was previously promised on something on our Countryman. This is the last time my kid is bringing her car back to this dealership also.

 

I never even got to put mine on this winter......Covid and working from home the damn thing hasn't been driven in over 3 months.

 

I don't have winter tires. My only set are ultra-high performance summer tires, so they are practically useless when it's cold out. Luckily I've got an older SUV for a daily driver and the MINI is a fun car. I do try to get it out and about once a month, just for some smiles and to keep things moving.

I'm off to MOTD in a few weeks... I should really get out and give Rufus a good shake-out cruise.

 

Drove to the E-Check inspection station and passed with flying colors.

 

With the announcement of the Formula 1 race in Las Vegas next year (2023) for November, I am gauging interest of my local MINI club to do a car rally/drive to Las Vegas to see the race and maybe do a AMVIV revival type of get together. I think the issue of concern is the snow that time of year in the mountain passes. I would probably try and involve the MINI clubs in BC, Alberta, Washington and Oregon.

 

Well today I took my JCW strut tower in to be chromed. I pulled the intercooler and boot clamps along with coolant over flow tank to be polished. I got a new CAI and I'm having it power coated. Then it's time to start clean the engine bay to get ready for some car shows.

 

I had to replace that on my wife's R56 one side just does not fit completely correctly.

I bought the complete cowl kit. It included the receiver that clips to the bottom edge of the windshield glass. That receiver accepts a barbed leg on the back side of the two large cowl panels. It can be tricky getting the barbed leg engaged with the receiver. But once you do, there is a satisfying zipper noise that tells you its attached.

 

Tire change day for the Clubman.. just in time for predicted snow tomorrow in Chicagoland.

 

Got my bright work back today. What I can see it looks real good. In a day or two I'll take some pictures before I install them.






















i

 

I found the trick. I used the old ones for now and ordered some from my place in the UK GT TUNING. They are a lot easier to use. they are preformed to fit and are a softer rubber. I used them for 5 or 6 years now with out any problems. I was trying to get it done faster so I ordered some from a place in the US but never again. It took me no more than 5 mins. to reinstall the intercooler this morning.

 

Gotta love it when a problem is solved and a plan comes together.