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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.
My new to me 2023 Countryman took me skiing today…
Picked it up yesterday.
Meet Morris: Morris, 2023 MINI Countryman S All4
Bought it from my local MINI dealer after I found out that my Wrangler blew out the bearings in the rear axial and I didn’t want to deal with another costly repair within 6 months.
I must say that I am impressed with the ride and handling. Power is adequate. Most importantly, my wife loves it. She wasn’t a fan of the Wrangler. It was too tall for her to get in and out of.
Tried to install some VLAND LED Union jack tail lights but keep a CC-ID 134 & 136 code. It says that they are just plug/play and have the built in resistor so they shouldn't throw codes but they do. Must be something to to do with 2015 year on the R58 because when I tried them in a 13' S R56 they were fine. Guess stock lights it is. Bummed
Those are codes for the brake lights not working. Are the lights working and you are getting the codes, or are the light not working at all? If they still work and you are getting the codes, then a simple bulb check reprogram (BimmerCode) would likely get rid of the codes.
Sorry, I should have said that the brake lights work just fine and the turn signals too. In Bimmercode I turned off the check control notifications for the brake lights, outer taillights and rear turn signals.
I don't remember seeing a bulb check reprogram in Bimmercode, how do I do that?
I replaced my 2wo year old failing convenational flooded Die Hard battery with a new Ever Start H6 760cc AGM.
After doing so I noticed that my overhead clock no longer worked to set the minutes or change to standard time.
Today I hit the salvage yard and was able to score a perfect overhead clock from the last remaining early model R53 in the yard. I had painted my clock cover black and preferred to use it instead of the OEM grey from the clock that I'd scored.
For the past few days I had a p0128, pop up from time to time, usually on my drive home at night from work when she doesn’t get to warm up for a few minutes longer than I let her in the morning. So Monday I ordered new thermostat and housing from WMW, cheapest oem option I could find, and it showed up yesterday. Mini sat for a couple days while i enjoyed the Tiguan and her comfy heated seats. This morning mini in the air, start taking her apart, taking time not to lose a bolt or break anything, I get to the housing. By this time it’s starting to warm up a bit, so let’s shed some layers and think it over, last bolt holding housing and both hoses still attached. I’m thinking just replace the thermostat and not mess with the housing. As I’m changing wife comes in and ask how it’s going, and I tell her basically where I’m at. And she says the most logical thing I think I’ve ever heard come out of her mouth. You have the part right? You’re there just do it and know you have new parts. With the shocked look on my face I said you’re right should just bite the bullet and do it. So new thermostat and housing in, get her all put back together fill the reservoir up to just under the drain and start her up, left her in the air and let her run with heat on hi. No leaks and took her sweet *** time getting up to temp, but I could she the level went down a little, so short trip around the block, let’s get some heat in her. Temps up to 195, everything looking good, level came down to the seam. Take her out for a bit more of a drive and get temps up there, got her home, and let her run till she hit 216, let’s make sure low speed still works, Adrian lowered the temp when he did tune. Low speed kicks on and brings her down to 206, another trip out. Temps go up and down a little, very acceptable temps, so let’s bring her in and do a final check. Coolant is now sitting on the minimum mark, nothing crazy, let her cool off a little and topped the coolant off. All in all about 2 hours, not horrible to do, and way easier than the n14. Mod Mini video was very helpful.
if anyone wants the torque for the 3 10mm that go into the block it’s 12nm per Newtis.
Nice. Always feels good when a task goes as planned.
Yep, I did the R55s twice, so I was kind of worried something might go south. Now for the wife to stop working and drive her around some more. Got some errands to run so some good ole stop and go no where coming my way, stupid snowbirds 😁🤣.
Yep, I did the R55s twice, so I was kind of worried something might go south. Now for the wife to stop working and drive her around some more. Got some errands to run so some good ole stop and go no where coming my way, stupid snowbirds 😁🤣.
I did mine last fall. Aluminium thermostat housing with a bung for temperature gauge. 195° thermostat with the wiggle plug removed, as it makes bleeding the system easier with the electric pump that the TVS900 kit comes with. Runs a *little* cold in the Azirona "winter", but p0128 trouble code is coded off to prevent the light....
I did mine last fall. Aluminium thermostat housing with a bung for temperature gauge. 195° thermostat with the wiggle plug removed, as it makes bleeding the system easier with the electric pump that the TVS900 kit comes with. Runs a *little* cold in the Azirona "winter", but p0128 trouble code is coded off to prevent the light....
honestly would have done a aluminum one if I had more time to research which one. Too many options and this isn’t something I want to do again for awhile. So figured can’t go wrong with oem.
Not today but yesterday, (as you may have read my post in the Hatch Talk forum: "Violent vibration at hwy speed - upper strut mounts or other causes??") - I'd replaced my original factory driver side CV axle which had finally failed causing a severe vibration under throttle/acceleration.
New DTA CV axle above my 122,742 mi original factory CV axle...
New CV axle installed - Mini pulls hard and smooth again with absolutely vo vibration. What a joy!!!
After a moderate snowfall last week, I finally had a chance to wash, wax and detail the white chalky resedue off my Mini.
Certainly not to complain or meant to disparage,... But sometimes when you have a car (for whatever reason), seems to draw alot of attention, you just want to be left alone detailing your ride without some meth-head off the street hanging over you talking jibberish the whole time. That being said sometimes you just have to drive to a nice secluded spot to finish the job.... Even if it means driving out to the desert....
Certainly not to complain or meant to disparage,... But sometimes when you have a car (for whatever reason), seems to draw alot of attention, you just want to be left alone detailing your ride without some meth-head off the street hanging over you talking jibberish the whole time. That being said sometimes you just have to drive to a nice secluded spot to finish the job.... Even if it means driving out to the desert....
Must be the weekend for it. I stopped briefly at the shopping center at our corner here in San Tan Valley to lower the new headlights 1/6 of a turn and some very odd, scraggly-looking woman yelled unintelligibly at me.
As much as I miss the Xenons and the auto-leveling, these are bloody fantastic lights....
The chrome bit around the projector lens reminds me of octopus eyes....
Must be the weekend for it. I stopped briefly at the shopping center at our corner here in San Tan Valley to lower the new headlights 1/6 of a turn and some very odd, scraggly-looking woman yelled unintelligibly at me.
As much as I miss the Xenons and the auto-leveling, these are bloody fantastic lights....
The chrome bit around the projector lens reminds me of octopus eyes....
are those the Vland lamps? How do they differ from the oem besides aesthetics?
After changing out a failed original (122,742 mi), driver side CV axle on my '04 R53 just a couple of days ago...Today - I managed to take the time to swap out the passenger side CV Axle...
Everything took a bit longer than I expected. But not a bad 3 hours working in a parking lot, laying on my back with my Mini only 11" off the ground...
However I was rather disappointed to discover this missing cover on the flywheel end of the trans...
V V V Hey - I admit I'm no seasoned mechanic BUT this kinda halfa$$ neglect really pisses me off!. Why would someone not put this cover back on is beyond rational thinking?
I can just imagine how much New Mexican dirt has been collecting in there
At any rate - All 'n' All it was a pretty good day and the car and I are again loving the absence of vibration due to CV failure
If you are trashing that OEM axle (it might be a candiate for a rebuild so ask around first, I know many OEM ones are rebuilt and sold as rebuilts) then pull off the carrier bearing holder thing that says "026". New axles often don't come with one and it might be valuable to somebody.
If you are trashing that OEM axle (it might be a candiate for a rebuild so ask around first, I know many OEM ones are rebuilt and sold as rebuilts) then pull off the carrier bearing holder thing that says "026". New axles often don't come with one and it might be valuable to somebody.
Val
Nope - not a chance of trashing my OEM CV axles.
Definitely plan on having them rebuilt.
Original parts are becoming too scarce these days.
Even in the salvage yards.
I am trying to find a place or person to help tune my mini. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Many NAM forum members here (including myself) will highly recommend @adriancl for a remote tune. He is located in Romania (?) but definitely knows his stuff, patient and his price's are more than fair. You will need to purchase a K+DCAN USB interface cable and one other (can't remember), but he will let you know what is required ahead of time. Highly recommended.
I have single handedly nullified the rodent’s prediction of 6 more weeks of winter. That is, at least here in the NE.
I just had snow tires put on Morris, our new to us Countryman that has the duty of taking me skiing. So, as in carrying an umbrella to keep the rain away, this action of mine will surely kill any chance of me or anyone else in this area having an ideal snow day for the rest of the season. Winter might might as well be over with now…
As for the snow tires, if anyone is curious, they are the Bridgestone Blizzak LM001, appropriately modified by BMW as a “star” spec model, engineered by them for this application. These were purchased through my local dealer at a price only slightly above that for the generic version of that model tire. According to what I read, one aspect of the tire that was worked on by BMW was performance in slush. That is probably the number one thing that I have to deal with here in the NE. I hope the tires work in that. Better than the generic? I’ll never know, but hope so. Having used an earlier version of this tire and it was great, I have high expectations for this tire.
First impression, new…
You would not know they are run flats.
Ride quality, lack of noise, handling are all really good.
Deep snow? We have a local parking lot with about 6 - 8 inches of settled snow in it that I took the Countryman out into. Because of being settled snow, it was clearly quite dense, which I would think would be a really good test of the tires. At a slow speed I could feel the tires grip the snow and moving it from the front to the back of the tire moving the car forward, without resorting to spinning the wheels. Now, the Countryman is not the Wrangler with 32” tires that it replaced. But with the Blizzaks it was extremely credible. I will need to get used to the ALL 4 drive system and what the traction control settings have to offer. But I think I have a really good snow machine now.
I have single handedly nullified the rodent’s prediction of 6 more weeks of winter. That is, at least here in the NE.
I just had snow tires put on Morris, our new to us Countryman that has the duty of taking me skiing. So, as in carrying an umbrella to keep the rain away, this action of mine will surely kill any chance of me or anyone else in this area having an ideal snow day for the rest of the season.
Why would someone not put this cover back on is beyond rational thinking?
