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

This is why I do this as a hobby for friends for $500.00 + $200.00 if they want rims done to look like brand new. I find detailing as my relaxing zen like time with headphones on. I look at it was passing on my passion at a reasonable price to friends and recommend clients.

It makes me upset to see what other “businesses/ shops” are charging and taking advantage of people.
$2,100.00 is a rip off as the products do not cost that much and labor, insurance, rent and electric is not that high.

Honestly I could point you to a few videos and show you how to do the same work yourself at a fraction of the cost as long as you have a garage. You would need to buy a machine and some products but, look at them as investments for the next cars you do.

 

Brake flush with Motul 5.1 including ABS flush with scan tool and pressure bleeder.
(2 years since last time already... time flies).

 

First time I took the MINI to the track. Brake fluid, brakes and tires were not up to the task lol after 2-3 laps they got real spongy and constant ABS lol

All season tires were fun sliding around, got flagged cuz I started having too much fun.

Just testing the baseline.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

Just wanted to give a shout out to three great companies:

The DriveShaft Shop has hooked up my 2005 R50 with custom 550hp race axles!

Also, Koni warrantied my 9 year old Koni Yellows! Did the prepaid ahead and received my new struts, installed and returned old one option, full refund on the new struts!

And finally, hats off to JS Performance Motoring’s owner, Jason for installing everything on my awesome little RaceR50!

A little Dragon Therapy on 8/6-10 to test out the updated mods......feel free to join me!

 

The odometer on my GP rolled passed 60000 miles this weekend, but I had to stop and capture the palindrome before getting there.

 

Handed the 2012 CM All4 over to a tow truck guy this morning. It had gone into limp mode and now I await diagnostics. Upside for the day - I get to see both my boys tonight for a belated birthday dinner. (and see the R53 too )

 

Yearly safety and emissions inspection.
Very uneventful, as expected.

 

Picked up the R60 today. New Coil packs and plugs. Runs nicely.
Now I am grilling and that’s always a good thing.

 

One more comment on track days.........you only have to go as fast as you feel comfortable with. No one is going to push you to go faster. No passing unless they are given a point by. I love doing track days. And I am going to be stuck in the intermediate group forever, as I refuse to be pushed past my comfort zone to go fast enough to get bumped up to the advanced group.
Remember, you are there to have fun.

 

I figure the updated tensioner (slightly
longer with slightly stiffer spring) will
give the chain and guides a little extra insurance and longevity over the next
43K.
It’ll probably be a few more weeks before
I get around to this.
I’m pretty meticulous about keeping
the oil topped up and changing it every
5K miles.

 

Talking the tensioner on MINI engines, my 2007 MCS N14 engine, 3 tensioner installs, 2 on the dealer one complete on me, MINI lost the lawsuit on the N14 engine, they paid me back for #3 after I had sold the car. I did track my 2007 and it was highly modded 207HP at the wheels and 264 Torque. My 2011 S ALL4 Countryman, no issues, the N18 has been solid. My 2016 S ALL4 Countryman no issues, the N18 in the 16 was solid but I sold it with 29K miles for my 2020 Clubman JCW, we shall see what develops with the B48 BMW engine, it has been around a few years and is rated reliable, the JCW pushes 301HP but built internals, I am sure I will get a chance to stress it soon, only 275 miles on it, this could be awhile. Might go put on some track laps and break it in correctly for how I drive.

Don

 

Measured the timing chain slack and
it’s 68 mm, right on the edge.
Replaced the tensioner with the newer
82mm part, as I really don’t want to
replace the whole works at only 43K
miles. Should be good for another 40K,
I hope. A 5 in-lb click and release
tool* really does come in handy, since
it’s hard to tell when you’re at the right
tightness on the tool otherwise. I do
have a 0-15 in-lb torque dial **, but it’s
really hard to see the dial without a
small mirror because of the position
(pointing back almost against the firewall).
A bore scope through the oil fill hole
showed the top chain guide to look ok,
as far as I could see.

* https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07DGZRVPB/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

**
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B077NZRCLF/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Went to the detailer's today to see how things were going. The paint looks great not a flaw anywhere. Next they should start coating it.The only bad thing is all of ash cover it from all of the fires around here.

ps/ glad to hear you are doing better Dave

 

Sorry. I haven't been on for awhile. Other than working extra long hours the last 4 months, I finally took a week off and headed for the logging roads in the Canadian Rockies. Ran up the Countryman timer. As it turns out, the Countryman handles extremely well. I lot better than I thought it would. The issue was getting used to the ride height. But it handles better than most cars I've driven.

 

What did I do with my MINI today? I checked the air in the tires and added a little. I also added a pint of oil to top off the engine. See? I tell you guys when I do stuff with my MINI, it's just not very much!

 

Did a little tire lettering whitening.

 

LOL, no sir, not at all, just a tinkerer. Chef by trade for 25+ years, but now out of the kitchen full time, and handle photography, digital marketing/branding and social media while also maintaining a Culinary Mentor role all with the same company I started as a chef in.

As for adding to the tablet, it's more some functionality like making sure that wifi/mobile data turn off when the car is turned off. I don't want to inadvertently leave say Spotify on, and it be running all night or something.

IDEALLY, I would also have Torque running on this, but I can't get two things running on one OBDII port, the BUS just is too fast and sending too much info, I can only do the UltraGauge OR Torque, not both. I've tried a few different splitters, but also don't want to goof anything up with the cars systems too.

The whole social distancing thing, and being away from my fiancé since March, I've just found myself trying to keep busy both physically and mentally. All the money I haven't been spending at the Bar, has seemingly gone into the Car. Just trying to make a modern equipped R53 I guess. It's all still a toy, and I just love foolin' with it.

 

I've gotten a little tired of the OEM MINI supplied cable that hooks up my Iphone to the radio AUX port...

Heard some good things about the firefly bluetooth dongle... So I got one...

It plugs into the USB and 3.5 jack and allows wireless bluetooth connection... Now I can listen to my tunes over the radio and also use maps with voice directions playing through the radio... I should have gotten one of these sooner...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TUNAI-Firefly-Bluetooth-Receiver-World-s-Smallest-Wireless-Audio-Bluetooth-4/164145839636