Hi Y'all!
 

Just got an '09 MCS. Silver. His name is Sterling. Of course.

Impressions:
LOVE this wee car. But nerve wracking dealing with the CEL. OBD2?

My 8 year old son likes the car, but is a bit cramped in the back seat.

Do they ALL eat rear tires?

My 20 year old daughter thinks I look silly in a car this cute. I think she just wishes it was hers.

With a MINI Cooper S (2009), a word of advice for a new owner is that you need to get into the habit of checking the oil level at least once every week or two. I've never had any problems my tires...I do the normal rotation of the run flats and have had a few flat tires every now and then. The only complaint that I have about the run flat tires is that they are expen$ive.

More info on the CEL?

Hi and welcome :) your rear tires are wearing faster than the front? IMO that is the opposite of what's happening with mine - since it's a FWD car both acceleration and turning is at the front wheels so it seems reasonable that the front tires would wear out faster.

Rear tires are cupped hugely. Sounds like driving on cobble stones.

CEL is intermittent. Lights on the speedo, but not always in the message center. Weird.

I will get on that oil problem. Already planning to instal an oil catch can, and check the intercooler for oil buildup.

Planning to gag it with Sea-foam too. Is there a best way to put in the Sea-foam? On my truck I use the brake-booster Vacuum line.

Could be cheap tires or something in the suspension is shot...but I'm not really an expert on tires. Head over the Tire and Wheel section and there's a lot of very helpful people that can help you out!

sea-foam you can insert into the PCV line. You'll see it on the left side of the engine when you look at it, it's a braided black tube with a soda cap like connection to the valve cover. An example here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...t-r55-r56.html

Becasue you just bought the car, you have no idea where the tires originated from. Perhaps they were on the front, or are they off of another car? Are they run flats?

As for the the CEL, you really need to have a coder reader, if you're keeping the car. A low-end version is the C110, for around $60. However, there are better options.