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

After quite the extended hiatus, I wandered back to the Forums...

So much done to my Classic Mini over the past couple of years, to be sure. SO MANY things have been done to that car I can't remember and certainly don't wanna bore you with having to read a list. That said, I did open the bonnet this morning in anticipation of replacing my spin-on oil filter head.

So, there's that.

 

Took my wife and the MINI for a ride in the country today...

Stopped at Tom's for a ice cream sundae...

 

Took my wife and the MINI down to the Ohio river today . Stopped in Augusta Ky....

Walked the streets..... Got thirsty.....



Found a nice place along the river, had lunch..... We each had a refreshing White Sangria



Was a great day to be out with my wife exploring in the MINI...

 

Well.

I cheated on Wasabi.

I did a thing, and Wasabi will soon be back to being a weekend wheeler and fun car (not that it ever wasn't a fun car).

During COVID, with my fiance having the Subaru and me putting more and more miles on the MINI since we had been socially distancing for the past year, I decided it was time to get MYSELF a daily. Something that I can schlep and drive in crap winter weather with no issue...also a break from a clutch in DC traffic will be a nice break...so I bit the bullet.

I couldn't have picked a worse time to buy a new car with the chip shortage happening, and noooooooooooooothing was coming onto my local lots, but I found EXACTLY what I was looking for in Colorado and signed the papers today and it's getting shipped to me in NOVA all within $800 of what I was looking to spend, all in.

So here is my new daily, a 2022 Hyundai Kona N-Line. That warranty is something else, and with only 200hp it will do what I need it to and still get great mpg.

New wheels and tires are ordered. Went with the Konig Ampliform in a 19x8.5 in graphite grey.

Please meet, Tsunami

 

Today, I took my MINI out on a shakedown cruise. The report: NO CODES, NO LEAKS, NO OVERHEATING! I believe all was successful. After getting all the intake related parts to address the P1498 back on, I replaced the A/C compressor clutch and installed a new aftermarket radiator from CSF. It has been fun but I'm glad to have this phase of restoration complete and it all put back together.

 

Wasabi got a playmate today.

 

Swapped in an Alta spring upgrade in stock diverter valve (newest version) today.
Subtle difference but I haven’t had time to
check it out very thoroughly yet.
Getting over first of 2 kidney stone
surgeries so putting in the Wagner
Competition Intercooler will have to
wait a little while.
At least I got the oil leak taken care of
last week (top front timing chain bolt had
backed out a bit even though it had never
been touched before — only 47K miles now, bought it 3 years ago at 28K).
2009 JCW Clubman

 

Now that I’m done with my month+long
ordeal with kidney stones, 2 surgeries
with laser lithotripsies, bilateral stents
for 3 weeks between the 2 procedures…

Put in a Wagner Competition Intercooler.
Took a while longer to do than I expected,
as I had trouble getting one of the hoses on,
and had to dremel the back of the lower grill
near both ends for clearance and it was still
hard to squeeze the bumper back on at the
end. Also had to pull the bumper steel bar
forward to sniggle it in during the install.
No leaks, no codes but haven’t had time
for a test drive yet.
2009 JCW Clubman.

 

Wish I'd seen this earlier. I could have directed you to the best stage roads near lake hope. America's Best is my favorite.

 

Went motoring with 25+ other MINIs. We even had 1 from the US cross the border to join us.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=258135722816087

 

So I fired up checkers this morning and and went to the drugstore. That means I put about 5 miles on this year. I found the British car show to go to next month so I need to start my cleanup to get ready for the show.

 

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. It’s been awhile since I have been on, but it’s been awhile since I have done anything with GIR too. A recent visit to the dealer informed me of some needed work. So far I have installed a MAP, belt tensioner and belt. I also dropped the sub assembly to replace the lower control arm bushings and hoses for the power steering. Of course once I dropped it almost every bushing needs to be replaced, working that one. While I was under the car I noticed the oil pan was looking pretty beat up, quite a few stress fractures, almost looks like liquid, oil is seeping through the metal. With the sub assembly off I figured I will just replace that also, on order.


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Hello strangers. I haven't been here in a long time, but I'm still alive. Lots of elderly parents issues have been occupying my time. With Christmas coming, I thought I'd drop in and say hello.

I still have my MINI. It still looks good and runs good. 14 years old now, with 135,000 miles. However, it shares the garage now with an Audi Q5. The MINI is becoming a fair weather fun car.

CD

 

Well it's been a month now so a went and started up my car and let it run a while. It started just fine and no unusual sounds so all is good. So I can put it back to sleep.

 

1. Am about to turn 95K on my 09/'02 build '03 R50.

 

Got back under the mini replaced oil pan, oil filter, lower engine mount and crank sensor o ring. Fitted new outer tie rods and torqued down the inner ball joints to the subassembly, still waiting on sway bar bushings, you think they were being made to order from from Germany as long as it is taking.


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Just turned 160,000 miles on my '06 MCSa today.

 

The same is happening here. Used to be 30 seconds to the country & now it's 10 minutes. Still not bad, but every year they build more subdivisions. The condo I live in now was a wonderful woodland 10 years ago.

Heavy traffic & stick shifts hurt my left knee just thinking of it. Seven years ago my orthopedic doc told me to give up the stick shift life. That's when I sold my MINI. I love the GTI with its robot controlled DSG gearbox. Stop n go is still not fun, but at least it no longer hurts me.

 

I generally try and stay out of politics, but here I am. Made my political statement. The stickers arrived today and I stuck them to magnets. Thanks to the folks at the MINI Club of Ukraine for sending me their logo.

 

Just got back from MINI United Canada in Kelowna BC. About 300 cars attended, I think. Pictures will be posted soon. Following is a video of me catching up to one of the groups as we drove up the Coquihalla Highway. I was the tail car, the car at the end that made sure nobody got lost. I was driving fairly slow because there were two cars behind me that had previously gotten lost.