The lack of center front and center rear jackpoints on my wife's R50 drive me crazy after only working on Hondas.

I use the method where I put 2x4 under these points:



...and jack from there, then jack stand under these points:



....but this always seems so sketchy to me. The car is so low I have to jack it way up to an extreme tilt to the other side that makes me nervous, then jack stands under these hollow plastic things I always expect to snap off. Then when I go to the other side I have to jack it way up again and I'm afraid the first side will slip off.

Is this really the best/only way to do it without a lift? Ramps no good because I need to take the wheels off.

 

An old timer in here posted an answer to that some years ago and it WORKS! Titled "How a 2X4 lifts a MINI". Cut a 2X4 just a little short of the length of distance between the 2 jack points, get the board on the jack in the center part way up then get the side up and set in the stands.

 

I'm not sure I'm understanding. Or I think I do but that's still tilting the whole car over to left or right. I was wondering if there's any way to jack up front (for both front wheels off the ground) and then rear.

 

Do one side then the other and you've got all four off the deck.

 

Right but that's the extreme tilt of the car to one side and then the other I was talking about. I was hoping there was a way to jack up the front end and then the rear end rather than left side > right side.

 

There's not a way to do what you want. The 2x4 between the jack points on each side works just fine. You're right that it tilts the car but I've done this for years on my 2004 and never had a problem. Suggestion: I now have a pneumatic airbag jack that attaches to my compressor that lifts the car easily -- still only one side at a time (using the 2x4) but it's much quicker. ALWAYS use jack stands. And, just for safety's' sake I also employ my hydraulic floor jack to shore up one side when I'm under the car. Years ago I had a friend die when he was under the car and it fell off a bumper jack -- yes, stupid but I've never forgotten it. Safety should be your very first concern.

 

You guys are lucky.
I've got my 04 R53 lowered: Front @ 4-1/4" / Rear @ 4-5/8.
​​​​​​At midpoint (between jack points), I can barely slide my small floor jack underneath the side skirt let alone trying to add a 2x4 to avoid deforming the body.
My solution was to have a pair of cut 2x6x8" that I keep in the hatch so I can drive my wheels on to. Of course this doesn't solve the OP's issue but (To your point) -This gives me slightly enough room/height to add a 6" length 2x4 on top of my jack so I can buffer between the floor jack and side skirt when lifting the car.
I really dislike loading down my Mini with "extra" stuff. But I'm always on the road and try to be prepared for anything that can keep my Mini off a flatbed.