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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.
Preface: About 2wo years ago I added some ultra bright, red LED lights to my rear bumper grilles. Wired to a separate switch with the intention of having rear fog lights. They worked great!
So yesterday evening, while traveling through the small town of Socorro, 80 miles South of Albuquerque, I ran into another sandstorm with wind gusts up to 35 mph. Not as crazy as the last storm but bad enough to turn on my
rear fogs. Unbeknown to me; one of the rear fogs had burnt out while the other one was partially lit. (I know they were working fine after that last sandstorm when I drove the Mini to a DIY pressure wash car wash)....
Not long after, I was pulled over by the Socorro Police. The officer interpreted my failing rear fogs as faulty equipment. Like most New Mexicans I've met- He was a really nice guy. I was given a friendly warning and sent on my way.
Today, I replaced both rear fog lights...
Having purchased a kit of four LED lights, I had an extra pair on hand as back-ups for just such an occasion. I pulled into a Walmart parking lot and pulled the rear bumper...
Nothing out here in the desert is spared from dirt. Pretty nasty...
'spent a few minutes rinsing and scrubbing terra-firma from my bumper and inside the bumper cover...
A fresh pair of LED fog lights installed. Also checked the back-up light and making certain all lights were operating as they should.
Thank you for the heads up (and not giving me a citation), Mr.Policeman
Completed the dynamat install on doors and hatch today (R58)
the entire car has been completed.
it’s a big job. While the doors were open, I also replaced the black rubbet gaskets between door handle and car door.
I took it for a spin. WOW noticeable difference
For thr doors I applied deadener to door skin and the the back side of door panels. (Same for hatch door)
All 3 doors are crazy heavy and sound amazingly solid when you close them.
Changed out the spark plugs yesterday. Old plugs were Champions, so I assume they were the originals. CarFax never listed a spark plug service, so my assumption is probably correct. Can't believe how difficult it is to access in the F60 engine bay. If I hadn't purchased the swivel plug socket, this never would have been completed yesterday.
With the new plugs, car seems to run a bunch more smooth.
Service in progress...
Coils are under the cross bar, almost under the cowling. Had to snake the plug socket and extension between the two.
Original plugs? Likely. A little grungy, but appear to be normal looking.
New plugs: NGK 96206. OEM spec for the BMW B58 engines. Should be good enough for my B48.
That must have been fun!
One of these days I need to talk you into coming there to see what a track day looks like.
One of these days...
My buddies and I have been coming out for opening weekend for 12 years now? This was the quickest from purchase to track for me. Bought the car Monday, and was running around on Saturday. Still has the temporary registration on it. I did identify a couple of suspension tweaks I'd like to make eventually. This thing pushes pretty hard in the corners, and with the rain, I couldn't drive as hard as I wanted. It was good to get a feel for how it handles towards the limits, even if those limits were low.
Camber, these cars all need camber. And having said that, my JCW still has the stock camber…
Also, some of the “push” may be from the ALL4. I think this was the case for my friend’s 3 series xi. Camber did help with that.
Camber, these cars all need camber. And having said that, my JCW still has the stock camber…
Also, some of the “push” may be from the ALL4. I think this was the case for my friend’s 3 series xi. Camber did help with that.
Seems like the only options for the F60 are the over-engineered and expensive KMac camber plates, or the lower PowerFlex offset bushings. The only problem I have with the PowerFlex bushings is the limited adjustability. They only add a max of -0.75°. Add that the the minimal OEM camber, and you're still pretty low. OEM spec is -0.5°, so you'd only be at -1.25°? Would be nice if you could get closer to -2° in the front, then dial the rear to match. My Clubman had that, and it handled like a dream. Add in a big rear sway bar, and this thing would be 2-tons of fun.
Charlie Thompson has the KMac plates on his Gen 3 JCW. If I remember right, he has about -2 deg camber and increased caster by a deg. He had some good autocross results with that setup. I like the idea of the KMac and being able to add caster.
Last edited by Eddie07S; Apr 7, 2025 at 10:54 AM.
Reason: Add info
Charlie Thompson has the KMac plates on his Gen 3 JCW. If I remember right, he has about -2 deg camber and increased caster by a deg. He had some good autocross results with that setup. I like the idea of the KMac and being able to add caster.
I like the idea of the KMac, but my car will be exclusively a daily driver, and I can't justify the cost for those.
Little update, other than keeping her clean, getting her some Florida plates (which was a pricey adventure), I scored a milltek cat off FB. All this concrete and overpasses, the raspiness finally got to me. Now she’s back to whining like she should. All cleaned up, wife’s luggage packed in, ready to take her to the airport. No more snow bird status $505 for that plate 😳🤯😱🤬
Yipes, I hate to think what a personalized plate would cost. Maybe the DMV fees replace a state income tax?
I’m pretty sure it would have cost another hundred dollars for personalized plates, and like 150 a year to renew. The sticker shock hit me and I freaked out because my wife still had to do hers to, but thankfully she didn’t fill out the right paperwork with the bank, to have the title transferred down here. Would have been over a grand to do both cars, but her Ohio plate doesn’t expire till November, so she can keep her “snow bird” status till then. Her Tiguan only comes out to go to the beech, when she wants to take the paddle board or to the store when I’m working.
^^^
In my case - (IIRC), My Florida personalized plate cost = $80 /application fee + $52 registration/per year.
Same as in GA.
When I paid off my car in Florida; I paid an impact fee of $700 ± to have my title, registration and new plate transferred. A month or so later, I moved to Atlanta GA and was smacked with another impact title/registration fee of $680
The wind out here has been unrelenting this past month.
If not a 60mph sand/windstorm, then a constant blast of 15-35mph wind gusts.
It has gotten to a point where the wind (or parking on a hill) will slam my driver side door shut on my leg when trying to get in or out.
Yesterday evening I drove to a friendly local truck stop parking lot and replaced my driver side door brake / door check.
Replaced my failing driver side door brake with this good condition/like new, $6 salvage yard pick.
Success (for only $6) - The salvage yard door brake works like new and firmly holds my door open at all 3 stages.
No more having my leg slammed by the door due to a worn-out door brake .
My old URO brand door brake. Originally replace my factory one back in 2017. URO lasted 8 years.
(That nasty looking white stuff all over the brake is white lithium grease - in a previous attempt to quell the obnoxious creaking noise of a failing old door brake). The brown stuff you see - is not rust but NM desert dirt.).
Door check transplant completed at a truck stop parking lot overlooking the suburban SW valley at sunset.
Nothing major - Just a major PIA for a simple Xenon bulb replacement...
No codes today - but after performing a routine OBDII scan; it turned out my right low beam headlight bulb had blown.
I carry backup parts with me so no big deal.
The biggest hassle was trying to "unscrew" the Xenon retaining bulb ring for 30min. The darn thing wouldn't budge without the aide of a large pair of needle nose.
Finally replaced the bulb after about 45min.
I don't mess around or put off replacing faulty equipment - such as lights...
*Just a another page torn from my travel diary:
Since the day I learned to drive; I have always driven cross country with my headlights on.
Many years ago, whilst traveling across the country out in the middle of nowhere, headed to Cal, I was pulled over 3 times, DURING THE DAY, by three different troopers, within 75miles passing through Arizona on hwy 10. The first time I was given a fix-it and was told there was a auto parts store 50 miles up the hwy. Continuing on to my route, I was then pulled over a second time for the same reason. I will spare you the details - but sufficed to say I almost blew my top when getting pulled over (the third time), 1/2 mile from the exit from the auto parts store, where I had planned to stop and replace my headlight.
In some states (like FL), having a headlight or taillight out is considered a moving violation with points against your license.
Today was the day I finally did the valve stem seals. Took me about 6 hours, the adapter for the spark plug hole to air compressor line had a Schrader valve in it, which wasn't very helpful when trying to blow air into the cylinder, so had to run out to O'Reilly's for a little tire tool. And those dang collects were a pain to get back on, even with the grease trick.
One of the metal sleeves had fallen out of the old valve cover, I didn't hear it fall out, so I found it when I started getting ready to removed the camshafts and had a moment of panic as I was trying to figure out where it came from, finally figure out it was from the cover.
Tomorrow I'll take it on a longer drive, we'll see if the seals did the trick, and slow my oil consumption.
Ready for servicing
Spark plug hole adapter to air line. How's air supposed to flow with this Schrader valve??
On Saturday I was driving up an on-ramp to the freeway and drove over a chunk of concrete that was a bit bigger than I first thought. A large bang and continued bangs as it passed under the midline of the car had me worried despite no obvious damage (just a gouge in the skid plate). I took it over to my mechanic today so he could throw it on the lift and take a look underneath. After he poked round he showed me what happened. The rock went right down the center of the car leaving its mark in scrapes and dents from front to back. But the good news is that's all it did, no actual damage to anything.
).
