Back in January, I test drove several sports cars and sedans. I was blown away by the power, handling, and fun of the Mini Cooper. Last Friday, I bought a 2008 Mini Cooper S with auto, sunroof, and 84,000 miles. I really love this little car!

The rear hatch handle was broken when I got it, so I took it apart to find it was actually a little electric button actuated by a piece of plastic that was broken in half. I superglued it back together and added a piece of metal cut from a soda can to reinforce it. Then, I cut a piece of rubber to fill the handle area and glued it in place with a silicon sealant. It works great. The hard part was waiting for the glue to set.

Next, I'm going to change the transmission fluid. I'm not sure how to do it, but I imagine that there is info here somewhere!

 

Congrats on your MINI, and welcome to NAM! There are tons of helpful DIY threads here, and you can find some good info on YouTube as well. Just check the gen-specific forums and search, or browse away.

You have many miles of smiles ahead!

 

Welcome to NAM. Congratulations on the purchase of your R56. Nice job on the first fix. If you need any additional help while you begin to work on it yourself be sure to check out our tech articles on our site under "tech info" tab at the top. Post some pictures for us when you can.

 

Welcome to NAM and the world of MINI Motoring! Congrats on your new purchase. Be sure to search the message threads here, and feel free to ask any and all questions! Please visit our website where you will find all kinds of articles, videos, and repair, maintenance, accessories and performance upgrade guides, plus member discounts.

Had the prior owners made any modifications, like a cold air intake, sprint booster, exhaust, suspension, etc.?

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.