I can't image the ritual you will have to perform to rid yourself of the cooties. Proximity and opportunity, I'd offer an elixer of a single malt if you think that would help.
I'm always posting about *yesterday*...and doing so again, today. My 2012 MCS passed 1200 miles on the way home from the office, and my habit is to conduct a first oil change at this point. So I broke out the RaceRamps, had my MINI cooling off there a bit over dinner, then got to work. Oil & filter was a cinch, lots of good writeups about do's / don'ts. Took about 20 minutes, no surprises. I bought that oil change kit from Way, worked swell. While I had it lifted, I took the opportunity to install my NM torque arm insert. Again, lots of great background info, so it went in easily. Actual elapsed time: 8 minutes, including hunting for a 16mm socket since my 1/2 drive set skipped that size (my 3/8th's had it, and the foot-long breaker it needed). So about 30 minutes invested total. My MINI has fresh oil/filter, and the NM torque insert seems to really help with the drivetrain "windup" on and off the throttle. Now: it just goes. I'll exercise it a bit more when I get a new tank of gas, I'm trying for fuel economy with this tank (37.1 showing at the moment, and a chance to get over 500 on this tank...not bad for a MCS with a JCW tuning kit!) where we'll romp/stomp a bit. I'm not noticing any extra vibration due to the insert.
I just installed a new battery. There was nothing wrong with the battery that was in it, but I was still running the original battery in a 2005 model. Seven years is probably a record for an OEM battery!
Full confirmation from Swift, the springs for the Mini, both the R53 ant R56 are "LINEAR". The extra coils are fully compressed at static. Swift R spec springs = linear rate.
^^^ Thanks for the confirmation Mark.... I'm really liking the ride and handling. I sure am glad I went with the IE fixed camber plates.....
I used the MINI to help clean fish! I took a day of vacation today and went fishing with my uncle. When we got back home, he wanted to use his new electric filet knife that plugs into a cigarette lighter socket. The socket in his boat didn't work (gotta fix that), so we used the aux outlet in the boot of the MINI. I bet that's a first...
What's this? I've had my MINI for a long time, and I used to be active on other forums, but I've been away from it for a while. I probably missed out on a lot....
There is an aftermarket module that connects into the wiring for the sunroof. There is one for the first gen cars R50/R53 and one for the second gen R55/R56. I got mine from Aaron at Out Motoring...
My lady got some new shoes today! My Federal 215/45R/17s arrived, and appointment made for installation. Mail order saved more than $100 on set of four! :beer Visited "Mini Works" in the SF Bay Area for investigation of business, and future car analysis.... Like their business operation, while reviews are nothing short of outstanding!
Experimented with my old team's decal on my MINI S. By "my old team", I mean a team my dad was a sponsor/investor in in the mid-1960s. I got to be in the pits as a boy a bit. Have always loved Bill Neale's art.