Hello From LA 06 Cooper S
Hello From LA 06 Cooper S
I have had my Mini for over 2 years now. Picked it up with 68k on it and only added a few thousand miles to her. I came from a E46 M3 (miss this car a lot).
I can say I didn't like the mini as much as I thought I would over time. But now its growing on me and I think Its time to start upgrading a few tings here and there.
I can say I didn't like the mini as much as I thought I would over time. But now its growing on me and I think Its time to start upgrading a few tings here and there.
HAHA I know the feeling well. Started with a 95 750IL simple mods, intake and chip. Then went to a E36 325is (mod crazy) was such a blast to drive. Moved to SF and sold the car because it was not city friendly. Then moved back to LA and got a 1975 BMW 2002, started to resto-mod that one. Was cutoff by a elderly drive in oncoming traffic and the car was hit head on :( that broke me. You guys love you Minis... Try a tuned 2002 wow what a fun car. Anyways after that I got a E46 M3 and blew vanos hub, had it fixed $$$. Car still was making a ticking noise fond out one of the timing chain links was slightly bent and was rubbing on the guides. So stupidly I sold her because I didn't have the money or time to fix it. Went to CarMax got this 06 Mini. I think I will end up keeping this car for a long time as a fun daily driver, while I look for another M car.
My goal for this car is to keep it running, have a little bit of fun with it but not crazy to the point its not reliable every day.
My goal for this car is to keep it running, have a little bit of fun with it but not crazy to the point its not reliable every day.
Welcome. Nice checkmate edition.
__________________
MINI Guru/ MINI Owner Since 2004 | NEW Lifetime Part Replacement | Local Pickup
Milltek | Genuine MINI | Forge Motorsport | NM Engineering | ECS Performance | M7 Speed
Customer Service Hours: 8am-8pm EST|Sales Team Hours: 8am-11pm | SAT 10am-7pm 800.924.5172
MINI Guru/ MINI Owner Since 2004 | NEW Lifetime Part Replacement | Local Pickup
Milltek | Genuine MINI | Forge Motorsport | NM Engineering | ECS Performance | M7 Speed
Customer Service Hours: 8am-8pm EST|Sales Team Hours: 8am-11pm | SAT 10am-7pm 800.924.5172
Trending Topics
Does it have the two-tone blue and gray/silver seats and steering wheel?
I had the car check out at the Universal city Mini dealership. Front control arm bushing where starting to crack. Everything other than that was ok. Ill be doing a tune up myself next week. Oil, filters, plugs, new coil pack, and if I can find a good priced used intake I'll pick one up.
3rd Gear
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 264
Likes: 33
From: SoCal
How are you shock towers? You should get reinforcements right away. There are so many potholes and bad roads in LA. 
I had the car check out at the Universal city Mini dealership. Front control arm bushing where starting to crack. Everything other than that was ok. Ill be doing a tune up myself next week. Oil, filters, plugs, new coil pack, and if I can find a good priced used intake I'll pick one up.
They are not mushrooming form what I can see. If and when I do new springs and shocks I will do this. I just don't want to dump a lot of money in this car as I am still looking for another M car.
Maybe I should start a thread in the R53 section.
Maybe I should start a thread in the R53 section.
Yep,
Right here:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-question.html
So its not a true checkmate, they just added items. Standard seats and steering wheel?
Right here:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-question.html
So its not a true checkmate, they just added items. Standard seats and steering wheel?
__________________
MINI Guru/ MINI Owner Since 2004 | NEW Lifetime Part Replacement | Local Pickup
Milltek | Genuine MINI | Forge Motorsport | NM Engineering | ECS Performance | M7 Speed
Customer Service Hours: 8am-8pm EST|Sales Team Hours: 8am-11pm | SAT 10am-7pm 800.924.5172
MINI Guru/ MINI Owner Since 2004 | NEW Lifetime Part Replacement | Local Pickup
Milltek | Genuine MINI | Forge Motorsport | NM Engineering | ECS Performance | M7 Speed
Customer Service Hours: 8am-8pm EST|Sales Team Hours: 8am-11pm | SAT 10am-7pm 800.924.5172
Welcome always liked Space Blue.
If they said you need control arm bushings the powerflex will be the best option as they will never wear out again.
The strut plates are a good idea too.
Hope we can help you with your needs.
If they said you need control arm bushings the powerflex will be the best option as they will never wear out again.
The strut plates are a good idea too.
Hope we can help you with your needs.
6th Gear - An Official NAM Greeter
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 2,990
Likes: 331
From: Southern oregon
Hi and welcome to the NAM family!
We hope you embrace the Mini, as you have BMW. The is no better a road go cart as these!
AND... The 06 MCS is the premier first gen model!
Let us peak under the hood!
We hope you embrace the Mini, as you have BMW. The is no better a road go cart as these!
AND... The 06 MCS is the premier first gen model!
Let us peak under the hood!
Hey everyone,
Thought I would keep this post updated with what’s going on with my Mini. Last week I noticed my breaks where making noise, and I could not find any real reason. There is a little less then 50% left on them so no idea why it was happening. Then a few days after that I started to feel a vibration in the wheel during breaking and normal dive. It proceeded to get worse over the next few days. Now there is a noticeable vibration at any speed and the car pulls to the left. I set a appointment at The M Shop here in LA and hoping they can get her back in driving condition.
At the same time I’m going to have them install a new pulley, intake, and do new bushings. While its not a e46 M3 that I miss so much. I have to stay in the car a little longest so why not have a little but of fun.
Thought I would keep this post updated with what’s going on with my Mini. Last week I noticed my breaks where making noise, and I could not find any real reason. There is a little less then 50% left on them so no idea why it was happening. Then a few days after that I started to feel a vibration in the wheel during breaking and normal dive. It proceeded to get worse over the next few days. Now there is a noticeable vibration at any speed and the car pulls to the left. I set a appointment at The M Shop here in LA and hoping they can get her back in driving condition.
At the same time I’m going to have them install a new pulley, intake, and do new bushings. While its not a e46 M3 that I miss so much. I have to stay in the car a little longest so why not have a little but of fun.
OK update: The M Shop found a few things needed to be fixed...
A. REPLACING RIGHT FRONT SHOCK AND SHOCK MOUNT WITH BILSTEIN UNIT TO MATCH LEFT FRONT.
SHOCK, FRONT RIGHT - BILSTEIN 1 STRUT MOUNT
B. REPLACING REAR SHOCKS WITH BILSTEIN UNITS. GUIDE SUPPORT LEFT GUIDE SUPPORT RIGHT SHOCK ABSORBER REAR MINI COOPER/S
C. INSTALL POWER FLEX FRONT CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. 4 POWERFLEX URETHANE BUSHINGS
D. SWAP REAR TIRES TO FRONT DUE TO STEERING VIBRATION AND REAR TIRES HAVE MORE TREAD. (FRONT WHEELS BENT, MOVED TO REAR).
E. TIRE PATCH - LEFT FRONT TIRE 0.5 F. CUSTOMER REQUESTS WHEEL ALIGNMENT
G. REPLACE LEAKING EXPANSION TANK. 0.75 EXPANSION TANK - R53 1 BMW COOLANT/ANTIFREEZE
H. FRONT AND REAR WIPER INSTALL.
I. REPLACING CRACKED LOWER ENGINE MOUNT
J. REPLACING LEAKING CRANKSHAFT SENSOR O-RING GASKET.
Then I got a call from them about the wheels. The drivers side was bet pretty bad and the tier itself had impact bubbles. How it got them I have no idea as I do not drive full blast in LA with bad roads all over. So they will be changing out the 2 tiers and getting bother front wheels straitened out for me as well. Wont have the car back till Tuesday at the earliest.
Im not real happy about how much this is costing, but better to have a car thats safe then to be stuck on the road or worse loose control in the rain we are having right now.
With how much I’m spending on the car I’m just going to end up keeping her and getting a M car with in the year.
SHOCK, FRONT RIGHT - BILSTEIN 1 STRUT MOUNT
B. REPLACING REAR SHOCKS WITH BILSTEIN UNITS. GUIDE SUPPORT LEFT GUIDE SUPPORT RIGHT SHOCK ABSORBER REAR MINI COOPER/S
C. INSTALL POWER FLEX FRONT CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. 4 POWERFLEX URETHANE BUSHINGS
D. SWAP REAR TIRES TO FRONT DUE TO STEERING VIBRATION AND REAR TIRES HAVE MORE TREAD. (FRONT WHEELS BENT, MOVED TO REAR).
E. TIRE PATCH - LEFT FRONT TIRE 0.5 F. CUSTOMER REQUESTS WHEEL ALIGNMENT
G. REPLACE LEAKING EXPANSION TANK. 0.75 EXPANSION TANK - R53 1 BMW COOLANT/ANTIFREEZE
H. FRONT AND REAR WIPER INSTALL.
I. REPLACING CRACKED LOWER ENGINE MOUNT
J. REPLACING LEAKING CRANKSHAFT SENSOR O-RING GASKET.
Then I got a call from them about the wheels. The drivers side was bet pretty bad and the tier itself had impact bubbles. How it got them I have no idea as I do not drive full blast in LA with bad roads all over. So they will be changing out the 2 tiers and getting bother front wheels straitened out for me as well. Wont have the car back till Tuesday at the earliest.
Im not real happy about how much this is costing, but better to have a car thats safe then to be stuck on the road or worse loose control in the rain we are having right now.
With how much I’m spending on the car I’m just going to end up keeping her and getting a M car with in the year.
At least you have it back and working.
__________________
MINI Guru/ MINI Owner Since 2004 | NEW Lifetime Part Replacement | Local Pickup
Milltek | Genuine MINI | Forge Motorsport | NM Engineering | ECS Performance | M7 Speed
Customer Service Hours: 8am-8pm EST|Sales Team Hours: 8am-11pm | SAT 10am-7pm 800.924.5172
MINI Guru/ MINI Owner Since 2004 | NEW Lifetime Part Replacement | Local Pickup
Milltek | Genuine MINI | Forge Motorsport | NM Engineering | ECS Performance | M7 Speed
Customer Service Hours: 8am-8pm EST|Sales Team Hours: 8am-11pm | SAT 10am-7pm 800.924.5172
2nd Gear
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 56
Likes: 5
I have had my Mini for over 2 years now. Picked it up with 68k on it and only added a few thousand miles to her. I came from a E46 M3 (miss this car a lot).
I can say I didn't like the mini as much as I thought I would over time. But now its growing on me and I think Its time to start upgrading a few tings here and there.
I can say I didn't like the mini as much as I thought I would over time. But now its growing on me and I think Its time to start upgrading a few tings here and there.
I also owned a E46 M3 , and miss it a lot also.
But again, I miss all my former cars, they were all special to me in a way
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post