What did you do to your mini today?
2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
From: WA State
Make sure your can is warm to the touch, (assuming you're using the rattle can type), and when you do the grill mask off the entire front bumper/hood, otherwise if you get overspray you can barely see it and you'll have a helluva time finding it all and removing it. (I learned the hard way)
. Good luck!
. Good luck! I've got a biodegradable painters tarp that covers basically most of the car that i'm not spraying at the time, maybe I will take some "In-Progress Pics" 
Wheels are first. They are drying at the moment and I have the car covered with the tarp. The grille will be later today, and still haven't figured out the best way of going about the grille. Thinking of taking the grille off the top piece and taping behind the bottom piece. Any suggestions would be awesome!
2nd Gear
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 52
Likes: 1
OK, this was on Thursday, but we put a 1 day old baby in the back seat and drove it home from the hospital!
Seriously- if you're clever enough and can learn how to travel light, you can make an R50 work for your family of two kids and two adults. Our newest is now 4 days old and rides in the back seat in a Chicco KeyFit 30 seat, which we found is the one available here in the U.S. that fits the most securely in the back seat. Our 8 year old boy rides next to her, mom and dad in the front. We're all fairly tall (5'8" for her and 6'1" for me) and of course our son is a tall one as well. We also found a stroller that will fit in the boot properly- the Britax B-Agile. The City Mini from Baby Jogger will fit even better, but we found the B-Agile a bit easier to push. Check them both out, YMMV. We got an adapter bar to allow the Chicco car seat to snap into the B-Agile; one is available for the City Mini as well.
Why not just take the other car, if there is one available? Because it's an R50 as well! Both of us (and our son) love our little cars, one is paid for and one is almost there and we live in the city, where parking can be a hassle and gas can be expensive.
I realize that they made the Countryman just for growing families like ours, but really, have you seen a Countryman? Besides, they put families in even smaller cars over in Europe- there's no reason we can't do it on our side.
I'll be putting up a more detailed post about how our seats fit in the back, how the stroller fits, etc., next week after we figure out why Baby Hazel is so fussy about eating!
Val
Seriously- if you're clever enough and can learn how to travel light, you can make an R50 work for your family of two kids and two adults. Our newest is now 4 days old and rides in the back seat in a Chicco KeyFit 30 seat, which we found is the one available here in the U.S. that fits the most securely in the back seat. Our 8 year old boy rides next to her, mom and dad in the front. We're all fairly tall (5'8" for her and 6'1" for me) and of course our son is a tall one as well. We also found a stroller that will fit in the boot properly- the Britax B-Agile. The City Mini from Baby Jogger will fit even better, but we found the B-Agile a bit easier to push. Check them both out, YMMV. We got an adapter bar to allow the Chicco car seat to snap into the B-Agile; one is available for the City Mini as well.
Why not just take the other car, if there is one available? Because it's an R50 as well! Both of us (and our son) love our little cars, one is paid for and one is almost there and we live in the city, where parking can be a hassle and gas can be expensive.
I realize that they made the Countryman just for growing families like ours, but really, have you seen a Countryman? Besides, they put families in even smaller cars over in Europe- there's no reason we can't do it on our side.
I'll be putting up a more detailed post about how our seats fit in the back, how the stroller fits, etc., next week after we figure out why Baby Hazel is so fussy about eating!
Val
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2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta
It was just a little thing... but I installed a set of these today.
http://www.gobadges.com/DOOR-PULL-AN...l-glove-bj.htm
... and they look GREAT!
http://www.gobadges.com/DOOR-PULL-AN...l-glove-bj.htm
... and they look GREAT!
THAT is a great street to live on . West Coast in many ways has so much going on with respect to MINI's and just cars in general for that matter....
. West Coast in many ways has so much going on with respect to MINI's and just cars in general for that matter....
Set of Leather Recaro Sport's
Drivers seat had 184K miles on it...so time for an upgrade.
2fe2e012-f941-4b78-bb4f-63d1302c7080.jpg?t=1376185829
RECAROS018.jpg?t=1376100082
2fe2e012-f941-4b78-bb4f-63d1302c7080.jpg?t=1376185829
RECAROS018.jpg?t=1376100082
thanks!
hahaha yeah....
those look good!
those look good!
[/IMG]
Seats came right out piece of cake ( 03 ' heated leather ). There were 4 squeeze connectors under each seat which come apart easy enough. Removed 2 back bolts first, slide seat back do fronts, tilt seat back and unplug.
Needed L/R seat frames: Does not come with hardware. Used 8/20 hardened steel bolts/washers to mount to sliders.
Planted Tech
Sliders:
( bottom of page ) Sliders Extended
one only works with seats which utilize the side support style bracket. Also no hardware to mount to floor. Matched up 4 bolts and washers, and where just a smidgen shorter than the 4 floor bolts removed. Had to be since there is no clearance to slide a longer bolt in thru bracket.
Two 8" Rigid Seat Belt Extenders: Extender Pros Inc But notice since I purchased these last week, they are NLA, so will get you a part no. frm the invoice.
Resistor for AB: x2 Not done yet. With all the connectors undone I only have AB warning light. Had the MINI's yearly state inspection last week, so not pressed for time on this fix. May even be possible to have shop foreman work some magic with the programing to remove the AB code for side bags permanently....still researching this....
Getting used to new seating position but really love the fit.
Needed L/R seat frames: Does not come with hardware. Used 8/20 hardened steel bolts/washers to mount to sliders.
Planted Tech
Sliders:
( bottom of page ) Sliders Extended
one only works with seats which utilize the side support style bracket. Also no hardware to mount to floor. Matched up 4 bolts and washers, and where just a smidgen shorter than the 4 floor bolts removed. Had to be since there is no clearance to slide a longer bolt in thru bracket.
Two 8" Rigid Seat Belt Extenders: Extender Pros Inc But notice since I purchased these last week, they are NLA, so will get you a part no. frm the invoice.
Resistor for AB: x2 Not done yet. With all the connectors undone I only have AB warning light. Had the MINI's yearly state inspection last week, so not pressed for time on this fix. May even be possible to have shop foreman work some magic with the programing to remove the AB code for side bags permanently....still researching this....
Getting used to new seating position but really love the fit.
On a cross country trip with the family so it's all good. Loved coming across a PW/B R53 at Old Faithful...
2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 91
Likes: 1
From: New Jersey
Love your car, great look. I have a R50 too.
