Today I received two surveys in the mail about my MINI - one from J.D. Power, the other from Population Research. Haven't read them yet.

 

hmm... I didn't get any mail surveys yet. once miniusa called to do the phone survey, but I asked them to call back in a few minutes so I could put my headset on (I was motoring) and they didn't call back. ahh well. I'm sure they'll ask at some point!

 

This be my first post. My wife and I ordered her MCS last Monday. Won't get a production number for another week or two but we were told it should be in by the end of April. Purple Haze, silver roof and silver bonnet stripe. She already named it Jo Jo.

 

Call your MA and ask what production week Jo Jo will be built. Start a topic for that week if it doesn't exist. That way you can share the joy with you immediate brothers and sisters as well as the rest of us!

 

I forgot to mention that Friday I got my "Welcome to the neighborhood" package from MINI USA.

Floatie pen with a Red MINI going East bound from West coast to East coast. Motoring Journal, MINI Messaging kit, two Interstate Highway Bingo cards, unatuhorized owners manual, Book of finaincial Sercices, Idiosyncracies of your new MINI, and MINI cards with card wallet. I also forgot to mention that they also included a mini owners lounge card. Ironically it said nothing about NAM.

Everything was neetly wrapped in red tissue paper and strapped down by a nifty black rubber band that said "Lets Motor.tm"

 

I got mine a week or two ago.. quite exciting that's for sure! come to think of it I'm going to go motoring right now to celebrate! who cares how much work needs to be done

 

I have to ask... Has anyone received a welcome from their local highway patrol? I've been mostly pretty good. I went pretty fast by a trooper who was already occupied.

I've noticed a couple of rattles and a slight pull to the left on my MINI after 1500 miles. Still pretty dang happy.

 

no tickets thus far... but then again I promptly put one of those 'county police chiefs association supporter' stickers on my back window. I've already had a cop pull out behind me and not pull me over. I don't hink I was 'really' speeding though.

 

I got the Population Research one too... don't think I'm going to fill it out, are you?

Monday nite some joker in a freaking Sentra (the "sporty" one... i think its called the SER) tried to give me the business. You can imagine how that turned out!

 

Got the JD Power survey today....


Just broke 1200 miles today... I heard people say that the car loosens up after you have it awhile and I wasn't sure what that meant. Now I do. There is no doubt I own a better car now than was delivered December 1! The shifter is silky smooth and the engine feels somehow different in a good way. Not sure how to describe it but "broken in" sounds about right

 

yeah, the car gradually feels better for the first few thousand miles. Every time I get on it I can feel how different it was even right after break-in.

 

I'm at about 2700 miles now, maybe 2800 (I'm kind of tired and don't remember...). I did get my welcome kit, but no surveys - not even the phone one.

I have a question for the other 45ers as many of us were factory JCW. My brakes still squeal more than I would think they should - anyone else noticeing this? For what it's worth I did do a lot of my breaking in the first 1250 miles as engine breaking to help with piston ring sealing. Since then I have shifted to more of a regular mix of engine and actual brakes.

 

I'm a JCW member - they seemed to only squeal when the temps are low, like 20 degrees or less. But, we haven't had that many cold days and nights this year in Chicago.

BTW, I think you're the closest I've seen in options to mine. I haven't seen any Checkmate JCW's yet. (fingers crossed). If I do, I guess I'll get the new $1200 stereo upgrade to keep mine really unique.

 

- Ceridian -

I hit 2000 miles last week, and have yet to hear any noises from my JCW brakes (now I've done it - where's some wood???). Maybe your colder location is part of it, you really need to flush the brake dust out of the whole caliper & rotor asssembly or you just haven't truly "USED" your brakes yet.

One way to fully bed-in new brake pads is to do a several consecutive, full-pressure 70-to-10MPH 'stops'. Not necessarily PANIC stops - no ABS intervention is needed here, just try to get as close to the threshold of braking that you and the road surface are capable of without causing lockup.

Let them cool a bit between stops by driving for about 30 seconds, then accelerate back up to 70 and do it again. Repeat this process about 5 times, then drive normally for at least 5 more minutes to cool them off well before parking the car. Use the brakes conservatively during this last 5 min drive. And - do NOT sit still in traffic, a driveway or a parking lot with your foot on the brake immediately after this exercise - it could warp the rotors.

This procedure will cause the majority of the solvent gasses and liquids in the pad material to finally boil off, which contribute to brake fade and squeal.

DISCLAIMER : Be CAREFUL and very aware of your surroundings if you do this. Make sure nobody will come flying over the crest of a blind hill on a 2-lane road just in time to clobber your hard-braking MINI from behind. Make sure you have enough room to stop - each time! Don't try this on gravel, on ice, in busy traffic or in the rain. This can be a very safe process if you choose your location sensibly and use some common sense.
.

 

I'll probably fill it out after I do some research on this firm.

And I just received a postcard announcing the future arrival of another questionnaire-this time from RDA Group.

I'm wondering, is brake dust a feature or a problem?

 

It almost makes one want to seat the brakes at say a track day?

 

My factory JCW Checkmate has had no problems with brake noise. I'm in California so i only get a cold 38 degrees at best. I have 2037 miles shifting is effortless. But I do have 3 rock chips on the wind shield.

 

The squeal could be some slight oxidization happening overnight. Given the waterer salt mixture on our roads right now it is pretty common to hear a little bit more noise from the breaks on the first couple of pushes on the peddle in the morning.

 

I figured the brakes was probably related to the cold weather, espeically when coupled with the slight warmth of the garage. They definately seem to do it mostly when they've had a chance to get nice and cold. They did stop for a bit, but now it's back. I'm going to side with the whole "cold weather problem" on this one - thanks for the input!

I finally installed my aux input, just dangled the end out of the slats in the cubbyhole though, not sure where I want to permanently mount it yet. I was thinking of the blank plate opposite the flat tire monitor reset button, or the standard one on that little vent looking thing it's hanging out of right noe (under the toggles in the little cubby). I had originally though parcel shelf, but that's actually pretty deep to be plugging stuff in I think.

 

Although my MCS doesn't have the JCW package I have noticed on cold mornings my breaks make some noises the first few time i apply the brakes until things warm up. Still only about 1230 miles for me!!!

Yep, Skeffers, lots of brake dust here too!!!

Because of the ton of snow we got on saturday night, I've been driving my Xterra. I think the Mini will make a triumphant return tomorrow as the roads are clear now. Also, I think its gonna be like 50 degrees tomorrow. This weather we're having is nutz!

 

I remember hearing the guys at WWR saying that the brake pad supplier harvests chalk from Dover and they use that as the brake pad material after they add in black paint and charcoal

 

MIB is over 2,500 miles and approaching 3,000 very quickly. I am praying for a warm spell to rotate tires. I figure I have a couple of weeks or so before it will be time to rotate. I am going to have to see if they are directional or not.

Though I have heard that on radial tires you shouldn't change the direction of rotation even if they aren't unidirectional tread patterns.

 

Yes. The ones on the left say LEFT and the ones on the right say RIGHT.

I just crossed 2000 today. Interestingly enough I still don't have plates. My vanity plates had a bit of an error, so sent them back for correction. I just don't know what to think of the labor pool at the state pen any more. What next, a break-out attempt.

 

Finally broke 1250!!! Diff... why r u rotating your tires at only 3 grand???

 

JRZYMINI: A couple of friends in MINICCI reccomended the 3K mile rotation. Seems a few who waited for 5K, actually wore out their fronts. By rotating earlier seems that al 4 tires wear better.