What did you do with your MINI today?

I bet he car just needs to warm up a little longer in the colder temps but of need a belt tensioner buy it on Amazon for $80.00 US or lower. I change mine every two years because I am OCD about maintenance.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRXPA9C/?coliid=IRER16CMWCW0R&colid=318T4VMKBFPZR&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

Took my car to my buddies shop today to have PA state inspection done today.

Car passed without any issues for a total of $53.00. ($25.00 per sticker)

My car is exempt for emissions since I drive less than 5,000 miles a year. Last year I drove only 3,285 miles.


Thursday I am taking the day off so I can go to Helix and have my Power steering pump replaced.. I picked up a new one from FCP Euro for $380.00 + 100.00 core fee.

They are 100,000 times better than ECS Tuning and have 100% warranty’s and ship very fast. The even cover oil and brake pads.

 

I am just getting to 30,000 miles and am debating whether or not to have my auto trans fluid changed. It's supposed to be lifetime fluid but it is not. My problem is finding someone local that I trust to do it. Maybe I'll just drive to Detroit...

 

Have Chad do it.

 

As a building inspector I can assure you we all would have seen this little mod.........

And I always suggest getting the CO/smoke combo's.

 

Chad is one of the best. Great guy who really knows his stuff.

 

Yes by all means have the fluid changed. Chad is the guy. I use Best Auto Werks in Columbus & Anson is the guy.

The fluid is lifetime, but if you want that box of fluid pumps to last change the fluid. Pay a little now or a heck of a lot later.

 

So how much is that going to cost you?

 

See my TPMS thread for what I’ve been doing lately.

 

I called Best Auto Werks in Columbus as it is closer than Detroit; however, the person I talked to quoted me a very high price and when asked how they changed fluids, he didn't seem to know anything about the procedure. When I told him that I had an R52 S he said I had a CVT transmission. Didn't inspire much confidence.

 

Sorry, don't know why this won't start at 1:30 even though I keep on saving the link with a start time...

 

My new to me VW has the same automatic transmission as my MINI, an Aisin 09G. It has about 100,000 miles on it and the CarFax showed that it hadn't had the transmission fluid changed. I called around for quotes, One VW specialist. wanted $350 to service the transmission and the guy I talked to didn't know that it had an A09G transmission in it. The second place I called is an automatic transmission specialist, he quoted $250 and had a 10% discount coupon on his website. He had a very informative page on his site with a lot of great information about the Aisin automatic transmission. I took my VW there and when my MINI gets to 50,000 miles I'll have them service the transmission.

 

I ran a few errands in my dry, but dirty MINI. No wash, today. Another inch or two coming tomorrow. I need to install those new blades.

Dave.0, the Bosch ICON blades were on sale for a good price, and here in North Texas, they dry out before they get used up.

CD

 

I need a TX inspection, and a new registration. 25 bucks for the Inspection, and about 60 bucks for the registration. We don't get an inspection sticker here, anymore. They alert the State so we can get the registration renewed. One sticker in the windshield.

But, they can't do a State inspection in the rain, because the brake test has to be done on dry ground. We've had about five partial days of that all month.

CD

 

Well the guy you talked to is just the dodge body who answers the phones. He is not knowledgeable. Anson is the one who turns wrenches & he knows his stuff. He ain't no Chad, but he is good & I trust him.

I can see how the person you talked with made you feel uneasy. Bet he quoted you the price for a CVT flush.

If you go to DT you can head over to the Henry Ford museum for the day while Chad does the work.

 

Our PA state registration is only $32 or $36 a year and we now have the option of 2 years registration finally.

In PA they only put you car on a lift and check the brakes, no driving and testing them. A PA state Onspections are done by independent shops as the State has no shop or State Inspection Stations but New Jersey does.

Pa is very anal about inspections. They check EVERYTHING!

Wipers, air filters, brakes, endlinks, ball joints, shocks,full exhaust, windshield (big chips fail, cracks auto fail) wipers, all lights must work. No rust through holes in the body of the car. The list goes on and on.

Oh and they also check thickness of brake pads and tire tread depth. Everything is about safety and maintenance.

This is why a lot of people are leasing cars now for 2-4 years so they can always pass State Inspection and Emissions.

 

Many failed Pa cars end up being sold in Ohio. We have no state inspections. I few counties have emission testing, but that's it.

 

Texas inspection is done by independent garages, but any garages that wants to do inspections have to do them on ANY cars, so the Ferrari dealer has to inspect a beat down '76 Monte Carlo... or not do inspections. They don't do inspections, although they will get it done for Ferrari owners somewhere else, as a courtesy.

My MINI dealer does them and they are no big deal. On newer cars, they plug into the OBD2 port for emissions. Nothing goes on a lift. You do have to have safe tread on the tires, and all the lights have to work, but only pre-OBD cars have to go on the dyno with the sensor up the tailpipe.

The brake test is done in a section of parking lot with painted marks. Pretty elementary, but that's Texas.

The state registration on my MINI is 63 bucks. On a super-duty pickup, the price is lower, as it is considered a "commercial vehicle," whether or not it is used commercially. They call it the "Hummer discount," or something like that. Texans are proud of their carbon footprints. Some will spend 500-bucks a month on fuel just to piss-off a liberal. My feeling is, "Go ahead and shoot yourself in the foot, if it makes you feel good."

CD