I think I'm in trouble
 

Hey everybody,
I've been reading all the posts on here for some time now. So I thought I would finally contribute and stick it into 1st Gear. I think I'm in trouble. I have a feeling this whole mod thing is going to cost me a lot of money. ha ha :lol:

I was perfectly in love with my 2004 Dark Grey MCS the moment I drove it off the lot in June '04. In fact I never really ever thought of modding my car, I loved it the way it was. Then I gained a new friend at work, when he moved here (Southern California) from Scotland. He ended up buying a bright red 2005 MCS. Some of you might know him as N1ftyNeil.

Anyway, I went with him to M7 Tuning where he bought some stuff. We were there for a while and I ended up buying a few things as well. No problem. They were fun and worked great. That was enough for me, I thought.

Then one day, I saw the JCW Carbon Fiber Scoops, Mirrors, and Rear Door Handle. I had to have them. I searched high and low and found them all for a steal on Ebay. I also found a deal online for a JCW Strut Tower Brace, so why not add that on there too. I started noticing a few, little and barely noticeable, dents. Those had to be removed. Done. A back interior panel then came into my view it had a scratch on it from a mountain bike gear, replaced. I was done. I was happy.

Then Neil got a CAI and it sounded and performed wonderfully. So, obviously I needed to find one of those. The guys at work ended up surprising me and gave me an Alta CAI for my birthday (I just put that in today).

I find myself in my garage a lot now, either cleaning my car, tweaking with it, etc. etc. Seriously, I don't know how this happened. It's like I'm on MiniCrack.

So with that said, "Hi, my name is Colin and I'm a Mini-a-holic.":impatient
All, "Hi, Colin.":thumbsup:

Hi, Colin...welcome to NAM, and the very slippery slope of mods. Once the mod mob squad has sucked you in, there is no escape. :) :nod: :thumbsup:

Welcome to NAM. Now go empty your pockets into the hole.:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol:

Welcome, Colin - repeat after me, I can stop at any time, I can stop at any time...

Welcome to NAM Colin, you have been on since midnight and only 1 post :lol:. Just kidding. You know what is a bad as the mod bug? Posting here on NAM :lol:. You will be posting in the morning, at work, late at night. Your wife might think you having an internet affair :lol:. Anyway, we like to see pics here, lets see your car :thumbsup:.

Quick sell it and buy a Yugo!

HI Colin, Welcom to Nam and sorry about the wicked expensive bug you caught (modding)... I'm just gettting into it myself.

You poor thing. Welcome.

"I loved it the way it was"

As I told my motoring advisor, "I'm really happy with it stock. I'm gonna leave it stock..."

Famous Last Words.

Hey, you only live once. Enjoy.

Modding is problem? Nah, can't be.:lol:

I held out for over a year before I started modding. Now I look at the car and wonder what's next.

I still like the car in "stock" condition--but I love it modded(and I haven't really gone crazy with mods-most of mine are for appearance but that is about to change).

Take a deep breath and realize there is no cure.:thumbsup:

Welcome to NAM!! So many vendors,so little time!!!




06MCS/DS/B/Bbonnetstripes/Whalen8ballshiftmachine

Welcome
Get used to our 12 step program at NAM.. Hello my name is Art and I am a MINIholic.

Hahahahaha Hi my name is Neil (n1ftyneil) I think I did this to him. Successs!

You know. I just compared this mod thing to running a marathon. Before you run it, you're thinking why would I ever want to do such a thing. I'm good with the 2 miles I run on the treadmill a few times a week. Then when you are actually running the marathon (IE. Taking your car apart to put on your new mods), you're all like, "Why the heck am I doing this? I was happy before." Then the second your done with the marathon the only thing you can think about is when the next one is.

Detailed pics are on the way. They will be up this weekend.

Oh and Neil, I don't know if I should thank you or beat you. I do have a mortgage to pay you know.

Yes, but you need a brake upgrade kit for that.

Except for some Ian's circuits and a short shifter, mine's still "stock MINI" (if you count mixing and matching years)

Automatic Headlights
 

Hey, speaking of mixing and matching years stuff. I've always wanted to make my my headlights Automatic. That way I don't have to turn them on at night, they just do it themselves.

Do you, or does anybody else, know how to upgrade the '04 light system to do that? '05 was the first year that they introduced the Auto headlight system. Is there a way to upgrade? Maybe an aftermarket kit that does it?

Hi Colin! Welcome to NAM. :) (Have you ever seen the movie the Money Pit?) Well, now you've bought a MINI pit with mods expected and needed.:grin:

Aloha and welcome to NAM.

"little did he know"...

1. There were so many things to add to a MINI.
2. Modding is a never ending process.
3. It was going to be so much fun owning a MINI.

Ha, Modding is part fun, part being unique, part enjoying the process,
and partly either looking good or going fast with a smile.:grin:

Just be sure that you aren't moddling for the sake of just doing it.
Unless you have a big budget you need to have an idea of what you want to get done and do it in stages or save up.

Some mods are going to be just for show if you don't have a save place to do performance driving. Ask yourself is it within your budget and why do you think you need that upgrade.

Truth is there is nothing wrong with any of the stock MINIs. But modding allows for each of us to be a little different.

Want to know the very best mod? Send yourself to driving school and become a better driver, then you will drive better safer and faster in any car for the rest of your life. How's that for value?:lol: :nod:

Added Images. See my first post at the top. There are also some images available in my gallery. Many more to come I'm sure.

I'll contact Ian and see if he's got a module designed for that.

+1 to minihune. A big +1.

Cool. Who's Ian? Does he have a website?

I wasn't planning to do anything (at least for a while) on my MINI. While these may not be regarded as "mods" they still cost money: New V1 radar detector with remote. Cooper S license plate frames. Cooper S tire valve covers. Union Jack license screw covers (front), MINI ones (back). Parcel shelf saddlebag. Seat belt extenders. LightInSight. Multiple socket extender for cigarette lighter. Stubby antenna. Rear bumper protector (clear). ScanGauge II (in transit). Appointment for window and sun roof tinting (20%/5%). Airbag warning sticker cover stickers from Aesthetic Creations. Primo, Epic, MF cloth. Race tire pressure gauge. Near future: back-up warning system (still deciding between camera and sonar) & bonnet, roof and boot stripes (can't decide between center (Viper) or wide dual (OEM style or pinstripes) and color. AC recommended color changing. I realize most of these ain't biggies, I wasn't planning to do anything for at least 6 months.....

Ian Cull at http://www.gbmini.net/wp/auto-up_windows. He's got cool circuits for auto-up windows, auto-on fogs, auto-off DSC, auto-on driving lights and the ability to open garage doors with one of the toggle switches.

Here's his answer on the auto-on headlight feature: "I thought about it, but it is complex to develop a way to sense light levels and then figure an install that average folks could do. So that's as far as I got :)"

When I suggested that I really wanted the headlights to stay on all the time he responded: "What about the existing "day time running lights" feature that MINI can enable for you?"

It appears for the usual programming charge, you can ask the dealer to program the head lights to stay on at all times. I had no clue.