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General MINI TalkShared experiences, motoring minutes, and other general MINI-related discussion that applies to all MINIs, regardless of model, year or trim.
Got my new diverter valve in, ordered the new style, Alta spring in, boost is back. Nik sent me his used old style which will be a spare and in the glove box for next time, Thank you again Nik. Need to take her down and give her a bath and start the spring cleaning.
I am SOOOO. anxious for spring cleaning the Clubman, but we have a chance for snow again next weekend
I am SOOOO. anxious for spring cleaning the Clubman, but we have a chance for snow again next weekend
Yeah, That’s the “welcome” to end of winter in upstate NY... Mother nature yanking our chain... We still have a layer of salt powder on the roads around here. Waiting for that to be washed off before getting the JCW out. I did wash and wipe down our R50, which still looks fantastic in this late winter sun.
I swapped out my passenger side oh crap handle with a driver's side door sun visor. On my ride to work in the morning the sun is low coming in from the passenger side and it's very distracting. This minor mod help tremendously.
Finally my Mini Clubman arrived & I picked it up on Thursday. In the first 48 hours I have most of the black trim pieces I had purchased, on the car:
Black Bonnet Scoop
Black Beltline Trim
Black Jack Tire Valves
Black Door and Barndoor Handles (all of these were purchased from KillAllChrome in the UK, see more below)
OEM Black Bumper Guard
Mini Puddle Lights
My 21 Clubman S came with a Mini Puddle light that shines down from the door handle. I had purchased ones to replace the lights in the bottom of each door. As a result the drivers door now have double Mini lights.
Still to come: Moonroof Decal & Piano Black Cover for the Chrome piece running across the front of the black grill. I got the grill trim strip cover also from KillAllChrome. Their handles are far superior to others I had looked at. They are also far cheaper than purchasing and installing the OEM handles from Mini. Plus if I every get tired of them, I can take them off. They also sell the rear barndoor handles so the look is consistent all around the car.
I strongly suggest you purchase a set of soft plastic trim tools. I don't even want to think about how badly I would have scratched the paint had I used a screw driver. The store had a deal where if you purchase a back up roll of beltline vinyl, they will sell you an insurance roll at a reduced price. I was so glad that I did this as I need to redo the entire front as well as the curved back pieces on the sides. If I hadn't gotten that second roll I would be purchasing a roll now at full retail.
The store also has YouTube instruction videos on how to install all the things they sell. If you order from them, search promotion/coupon codes as I have found one for 10% off on both my orders. If you want a red cover for the chrome in front of the grill, (like the JCWs), you can get that instead of the black although they are back-ordered at the current time.
While you can't see it (yet) and I am not sure it is a modification, I also purchased a really neat phone mount from iBolt on Amazon which is just wonderful.
I am glad I didn't get the stripes and wish I had went with the black wheels. Without a doubt it has been 48 hours of fun, making my Mini uniquely mine. I think I know her name but want to be absolutely sure, so I am trying it out for one more day. Bonnet scoop, beltline trim, black jack tire valve covers, door handles, black badges Puddle lights with an extra one coming from the driver's door handle. Black barn door handles, badges and bumper protector.
Finally my Mini Clubman arrived & I picked it up on Thursday. In the first 48 hours I have most of the black trim pieces I had purchased, on the car:
Black Bonnet Scoop
Black Beltline Trim
Black Jack Tire Valves
Black Door and Barndoor Handles (all of these were purchased from KillAllChrome in the UK, see more below)
OEM Black Bumper Guard
Mini Puddle Lights
My 21 Clubman S came with a Mini Puddle light that shines down from the door handle. I had purchased ones to replace the lights in the bottom of each door. As a result the drivers door now have double Mini lights.
Still to come: Moonroof Decal & Piano Black Cover for the Chrome piece running across the front of the black grill. I got the grill trim strip cover also from KillAllChrome. Their handles are far superior to others I had looked at. They are also far cheaper than purchasing and installing the OEM handles from Mini. Plus if I every get tired of them, I can take them off. They also sell the rear barndoor handles so the look is consistent all around the car.
I strongly suggest you purchase a set of soft plastic trim tools. I don't even want to think about how badly I would have scratched the paint had I used a screw driver. The store had a deal where if you purchase a back up roll of beltline vinyl, they will sell you an insurance roll at a reduced price. I was so glad that I did this as I need to redo the entire front as well as the curved back pieces on the sides. If I hadn't gotten that second roll I would be purchasing a roll now at full retail.
The store also has YouTube instruction videos on how to install all the things they sell. If you order from them, search promotion/coupon codes as I have found one for 10% off on both my orders. If you want a red cover for the chrome in front of the grill, (like the JCWs), you can get that instead of the black although they are back-ordered at the current time.
While you can't see it (yet) and I am not sure it is a modification, I also purchased a really neat phone mount from iBolt on Amazon which is just wonderful.
I am glad I didn't get the stripes and wish I had went with the black wheels. Without a doubt it has been 48 hours of fun, making my Mini uniquely mine. I think I know her name but want to be absolutely sure, so I am trying it out for one more day. Bonnet scoop, beltline trim, black jack tire valve covers, door handles, black badges Puddle lights with an extra one coming from the driver's door handle. Black barn door handles, badges and bumper protector.
love the clubby, but you need to delete the clubman off the barn doors. It’s my ocd that’s getting to me with 4 letters on one side and 3 on the other.
love the clubby, but you need to delete the clubman off the barn doors. It’s my ocd that’s getting to me with 4 letters on one side and 3 on the other.
Or, get a "COUNTRYMAN" set of letters, and another "CLUBMAN" set of letters and redo the entire line. Use the "O" from Countryman and the M from Countryman...turn the M upside down to make it a "W". SPLIT the "W" in half....half goes on the left door, the other half on the right door.
Then put C L U B V on the left door, and V O M A N. It now says CLUBWOMAN, and it is balanced.
Too funny, when I saw it at the dealership for the first time, that was the first thing I noticed, but thought I was being wierd....glad to know someone else out there likes symmetry. It isn't just there are 4 and 3 it is also the spacing between the letters as the "man" seems to have more space between them than the "club" letters. I have been tempted to take my ruler out to see, perhaps it is an optical illusion.
Engine is fully back together. Wrapped up the valvecover gasket job that snowballed into me replacing the plugs, coil pack, wires, breaking bolts, removing broken bolts, polishing and wirebrushing aluminum parts and stripping and re-painting rusty hardware.
I also finally finished reinstalling the driving lights with fresh hardware and redid the wiring. I also installed the grille I had painted in gloss black last spring.
Swapped 3rd brake light bulb, all LEDs were very dim and was throwing an intermittent 'bulb out' warning on the dash on startup. Thanks BMW for making another 'lifetime item on any other car' a 'regular maintenance item'. 2012 S Hardtop, 68k miles. Car is once again happy, Motor on!
I took the leap and ordered the wheels and tires I wanted and think I will love. Switched to nonrun flat Michelin Pilot 4S (only have 2-3 month where will need to put on all weather ones which came with the car) and bought the O.Z Formula HLT in black. I am hoping this is first step to get it as close as I can to the performance level I want. Another 5 week wait, but hey after 3 months waiting on the car, I have practice at waiting. I think it is going to be like Christmas all year with this car. The wheels to go with the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.
Continues to feel like I am getting a present daily, which is I guess is what my Mini did for me.
Today I put shiny piano black washer jets over the ones on the bonnet/hood. The Clubman came with flat black rubberish ones, but purchased shiny piano black metal ones to cover them from UK store, KillAllChrome. They are secured by two stripes of sticky tape running the length of the interior. Definitely look better and more in light with piano black trim.
Then after much hair pulling because the instructions made me crazy I installed the Night Jack Decal for the sunroof. I really wanted my car to stay understated, but in this case it is so understated that it is hard to see it. I basically paid over $150 for some black vinyl stripes! I could have cut stripes myself and arranged them into the flag shape. The tape would only have to be about 3 inches wide. I know the decal is OEM, but it isn't as if the design covers the entire glass. It literally is about 3-4 stripes of black vinyl! There is apparently an installation kit which you must purchase separately which has a "blade" and some type of fluid to make the decal move and adhere better. (Would have been nice to know at the time I ordered it.) Basically the "blade" is a rectangular shaped piece of plastic used to work out air bubbles. Have no idea what the "fluid" is that is part of the kit. Mine seemed to go on okay with water. I still have to apply heat to get a few bubbles out if they have not disappeared by morning.
MINI really needs a step by step video showing one of these decals being applied. While I would never attempt a huge area, most of us can put a decal on the sunroof, had we been provided with decent instructions.
Friday brings the new wheels/tires. The original set will be either sold or shelved for the 3 months a year where the temperature falls to winter levels. (Do you know anyone who needs a full set of OEM wheels/tires that have less than 200 miles on them? If so contact me.)
Sorry photo is from inside garage after dark and before I worked all the air bubbles out. I will take some from the inside of the car showing the decal tomorrow out in the sunshine. Wiper washer jet covers. Night Jack Decal: OEM from Mini
I had an Alpine amp, Lc2i converter and a JL Audio subwoofer installed onto the Harman Kardon audio system.
it adds phenomenal low end punch.
A definite improvement. I also installed a BMS intake.
I also installed a Burger Motorsports intake.
Covered Chrome Grill Trim & Suncreen Decal from Inside
Purchased this piano black trim to cover the chrome grill on the front of the Clubman. I also comes in red (although back ordered) if you like the JCW look. There is a long strip of a sticky tape like adhesive that runs the length of the interior of the trim, super simple to apply and if you change your mind in the future you can remove it. (Purchased from UK store: KillAllChrome).
Also added a photo of the sunroof from the interior of the night hawk OEM decal. (I think mine was missing some bits as each panel was comprised of only 3 strips of black vinyl.)
I am almost done with the "pretty bits" & will start looking at things under the hood next! Piano black trim over chrome on grill. Decal from inside.
Had the Alleggeritta HLT wheels from O.Z. in matte graphite silver paired with a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires installed on my new Clubman today. I couldn't be happier with the look. So glad I waited and didn't purchase the $,3500. Oem Mini set which I had looked at because they were so good looking. If I deduct the return I will get from selling my original stock wheels/tires, this purchase is far, far less than that. Was a bit afraid of black, but am thrilled with the look of this graphite color. O.Z. ALLEGGERITA HLT in Matte Graphite Silver with Michelin Pilot Sport Tires. The only thing better looking then the wheels is my dog, Carabella! Close up of the O.Z. Alleggerita HLT in Matte Graphite Silver with Michelin Pilot sport tires.
Installed a uniden r7, very nice radar detector. Wired into fuse box nicely
But then finally got garage space and installed the stoptech brakes only to find that the stock 17s I have don't clear the rotor to my satisfaction. So the debate is going to be so these get sold to my buddy and go Wilwood or do I buy new wheels
But also need to take them off and stock fronts back on because I need to drive my car!
Moral of this story is don't blow your wad and excitedly buy everything you want all at once if you street park your car. You'll never get to everything in a timely manner and you'll never know if your sitting on$$$ worth of headaches
Installed a uniden r7, very nice radar detector. Wired into fuse box nicely
But then finally got garage space and installed the stoptech brakes only to find that the stock 17s I have don't clear the rotor to my satisfaction. So the debate is going to be so these get sold to my buddy and go Wilwood or do I buy new wheels
But also need to take them off and stock fronts back on because I need to drive my car!
Moral of this story is don't blow your wad and excitedly buy everything you want all at once if you street park your car. You'll never get to everything in a timely manner and you'll never know if your sitting on$$$ worth of headaches
The wheels don’t clear the rotors? Or the wheels don’t clear the calipers? Usually it is the calipers the wheels need to clear. And you say they “don’t clear the rotor to my satisfaction”. Are you saying that everything clears, but you would like more clearance? I recently bought wheels from Tire Rack for my JCW and found they had only about 2mm of clearance to the calipers. That didn’t seem like “enough” and asked about it. The response I got was “clearance is clearance”, so I kept them.
If there is only a small amount of an issue between the wheel and caliper, a set of wheel spacers may fix the issue. Just make sure you get a longer set of wheel bolts to go with them.
Doh shouldn't post at night when tired, it's the new calipers they seem to be rubbing the inside of the wheel. But it's not getting stuck you're right so could just be in my head 🤷♀️
I have to take the car off the lift today so I'm going to see if I can't source a wheel to borrow real quick. If not when I start looking at summer rubber I'll look into wheels as well.
I have plans to wrap it in inozetek midnight purple this summer so could be cool to have done bronze wheels to go with
We still have a layer of salt powder on the roads around here. Waiting for that to be washed off before getting the JCW out. I did wash and wipe down our R50, which still looks fantastic in this late winter sun.
2012 S Hardtop, 68k miles. Car is once again happy, Motor on!
