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

Put on a WMW turbo wrap.

Took longer than I thought it would.

Getting the 2 lower front bolts on and off of the upper heat shield required multiple 10 mm tools, and
after scratching up my big hands up a little, I found that the front lower driver side heat shield bolt
was a little easier to get at blind reaching up from below. Getting the shield back on and getting
the front bolts started in their awkward position wasn't as hard as I feared.

Also had to open up the bottom driver side leg of the wrap and let a little insulation out and
re-stitch it so that it wouldn't touch the linkage right under the turbo. Was just too thick otherwise.

Finally, the bolt that holds the O2 sensor connector snapped off just as I finished tightening it, so
I had to secure the bracket a few inches forward against the radiator and a duct. Can't find my zip-ties
(bought a whole bag of them a couple months ago and the went SOMEwhere) so I wired it temporarily.
Will either find my zip ties or get some more soon.
Someday, when I replace the belt tensioner, I can put it back on, since that's where the bolt goes in.

Not as much smoke on burning it in as I expected, but I did have to close the front windows of the house
when I ran it the first time after installation.

Hopefully this will lower under-hood temps a bit and improve the efficiency of the turbo (hot side hotter,
cold side cooler).

 

Took the wife's '06 MCSa to a British car Show today and picked up a first place photo of me, the dog and her car! She will be thrilled when she returns from her yearly visit overseas to see her relatives.

 

I asked my wife to start those little bolts on the heat shield for me, when I installed my turbo wrap.

 

Made a list of the things I've done with my 2009 JCW R55 since I bought it 3 months ago:


Enkei PF01 17x7 +45 wheels

Michelin 215/45/17 Pilot Sport 4S tires

McGuard wheel locks

H-Sport 25.5 mm hollow RSB

4 wheel alignment at curbside, including removing front upper shock mount pins and

increasing front camber slightly.

Powerflex lower control arm bushings

Powerflex lower large engine mount inserts

WMW turbo wrap

MINI Fini hood scoop grill

ECU cover piece

BSH OCC and dual boost port with PVC block

PIAA super silicone front wiper blades and Aquapel treatment to glass

New oem rear wiper blades

Spark Plugs (30K, stock oem)

Oil and filter change (Amsoil 0W40 Euro, oem)

Magnetic oil plug

Air filter (oem paper)

Cabin microfilter (oem charcoal)

Brake flush (Pentosin DOT 4 LV with ABS activation during flush)

New gas cap

Replace 12V socket and broken ring

Craven e-brake handle and adjust cable tightness

Raceseng Topology shifter knob

Craven Dipstick

Front spoiler lower trim piece

Front lower air diverters

Rear bumper center carrier piece

Pushed in dent in compact spare well.

Compact spare

Compact spare tray

Replace missing tools in spare tray (sunroof crank, wheel chock, toe hook, etc).

Spacer to allow compact spare to clear JCW rear calipers and longer bolts.

Wheel peg to facilitate changing

Front and rear floor mats (Modern Contour Carpet Floor Maxpider Floor Mats)

Various clips and fasteners that were missing or broken

Rollup sunshade

Zippee sunroof shades

Modified sliding top for armrest so it doesn't open up easily when you put your elbow on it

DMTL pump (gas tank leak detection) replaced

Light In Sight

Pink Invisible Unicorn decal

Ashtray/coin holder

New antenna (oem)

Rear mud flaps (oem)

Glove Box organizer

Chimex seat belt bypass

Back seat pull straps

Programmed go and lock feature

Sunroof track cleaned and lubed

Aluminum jack point inserts

Schwaben (Foxwell) scan tool

Wash, clay bar, wax (P21S)

New personalized plate (DOEMA ... means cheetah)

1/2 can sea foam cleaning treatment via vacuum port

1 can B44K in the gas tank

Annual safety and emissions inspection

Lots of fun motoring

1 speeding ticket

 

speeding ticket = Motoring Performance Award.
There, fixed it for ya!

 

Dealer accepted our offer. In Canada, if I optioned the car this way, it worked out to a bit over 48,000 CDN before taxes.
This was a BMW executive driven demo with 6000kms on it. Was told the previous owner traded it in for a Countryman Cooper S E

I also got them to add a set of bonnet stripes. That should make it go faster. BTW...I also noted the Lapis Luxury Blue color is a $1000 CDN option that is no longer available on the 2019 model.

 

Was time for her 110k oil change. They grow up so fast....

 

Went to Detroit on Thurs. and the crew at Detroit Tuned installed an RMW header, did a compression check to use as a benchmark and flushed and replaced the coolant. I must have had a little air in the system because the temp was steadier on the way home. Sat. found me driving up and down Woodard Ave. during Detroit's 'Dream Cruize'. It is a 12-mile stretch of avenue that is filled with every type, kind, size, custom, and modified car in the world it seems like. There are said to be 40,000 cars there, and I believe it. We were the only MINI I saw though I forgot my wife's tablet and Kindle at home, so we never made it to Lake Erie. Best birthday I have had in years !!!!! )

 

Never grow up..... if you do you have to move to God’s waiting room. a.k.a. Florida

 

Put in a new battery during my lunch hour in the parking lot at my work.
Old one was starting to get tired and winter is coming eventually.
Odyssey 48-720.

 

WOOHOO--my Milteck exhaust made it to the install shop. Tomorrow morning at 9:30. Looking forward to hearing it....

 

WOOHOO--I got my Milteck exhaust system installed today. Sounds great and my butt dyno says it is working the way it should. Sounds great...

 

I got my clips in from eMINI last night so I can put the rear interior panels back in. Its gonna have to wait until after Florence does her thing, need to button up a few more things before her arrival.

 

This week I had breakfast at the MINI dealership all week. They have great donuts and coffee. I went there first because one of my license plate lenses had cracked and was hanging down. They had to special order the lenses (I replaced both) so I was there for donuts on Tuesday. Went home and tried for 2 hours to get them to snap it. The wouldn't. Went back on Wed. because the new parts weren't the same as the old part. More donuts. The parts guy spent some time and found out that the part number was incorrect in the system...so I had to special order 2 different lenses. Went back on Thurs...and more donuts. Got the new lenses, got home and ended up having to take the license plate assembly of... screwing up the license plate bracket. Went back and got a new bracket. This morning I went back...yes, more donuts, and got the replacement lenses. Got home and installed them and all is good...except I gained a ton of weight...

 

Today I drove my MINI to a VW show and set up in the swap area selling leftovers from when I was into VW's. Saw a lot of old friends and had a great time. Even sold some stuff I think more people were into my MINI than VW's It's been a great weekend.

 

It got down to winter temperatures here this week. There is a law that if you venture out of the Vancouver BC area in BC, winter tires are mandatory after October 1 so I went and got wheels and winter tires on our Countryman.

 

Had my tars rotilated. While it was on the lift l did a test fit of the new Raceseng license plate mount with GoPro mount. Works well I think. Probably won’t have to worry about my camera flying off into the woods on the Dragon.
In the next week or so I’ll post a review of this and their new 3rd Gen Tug Hook with integral GoPro mount.

 

Dear wife returned from a trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons, end of season holiday for her and sister-in-law, 1800 miles on the 2011 CM, best mileage the 11 has recorded 31mpg for the trip average and MINI was very dirty. The half power light came on last Monday at the condo near Jackson, Wy, went off and the came on for the rest of the trip and during the return trip on Saturday from Wilson, Wy to home here in Colorado.

It cleared on the 4th start/stop cycle this AM and then I went down and filled with local 91 Conoco. It's magic, I guess I will have the codes read at the dealer sometime this week, first I have to get a new taillight and side marker light with the wheel well cover replaced, blame that on a magic tree stump at the condo and wife who does not use her mirrors.

The MINI turned 70K + on this trip, like I said best MPG ever and now loss of power I could detect even with the 1/2 power light showing. Love our MINIs.

Take care, drive safe, she had snow in Jackson, so it will be here this w(eek).

Don

A little update: yes I washed and filled her MINI for her, my main job. And she drove the MINI to the local grocery store and the light stayed off. Sigh!

 

Drove to the train station. Rode the train to work as I have been doing for a few months now. Looking forward to driving it home after work.

Nothing amazing. Sorry I haven't been very active most of my time and energy has been focused on my other hobby.