Greetings Guys!

I just bought my 2002 MCS last week, 43K miles and I made a steal!

I want to find a shop specialize on Mini, for routine maintenance and MODS. Any recommendation?? I am living near by Jersey City, so I may go either to a Jersey shop or a NYC shop.

How much cost for oil change and what oil you guys use? I gonna do that this weekend. I may change wire and spark plug too. Any other "refresh job" you would recommand?

Your advices are deeply appreciated in advance. I am happy to join the community!

SJS

 

Welcome to MINI world!!
I will recommend Helix. They did a great job. but i know is not close enough from your place. my second choice will be Morristown dealer. They did the great job too.
Hope this help!!

 

Hi Superrx~~ thanks for the help!

I just searched Helix, couldn't anything. Could you give more info about that shop?I am close enough to Morristown dealer tho~

Any tune-up job would you would to do for a 43k MCS? pls advise~~

Thanks!

 

oh I saw Helix~helix13 sports

but they are in Pilly...too far away from where i live

 

I don't remember what i did for tune-up last time. I suggust bring your car to morristown and let them inspect your car. they will give you some advice.
so any modify idea in your mind?

 

Dave from NJAUTOBAHN.com is excellent...Dave works on german cars...did some work on mine...he's excellent and reasonable...just ask...

ED aka Liquid Yellow...Ed redid his whole MINI

Where do you live around Jersey City? We live next to NJCU.

 

To Superrx: So far once i change oil, filters, spark plug, wire. I consider change pully and belt; air intake, depends how deep my pokcet is, i will go for rest of the jobs......what did you do so far?

To inimini2007: Hi there, thank you so much for the help. it's great to find such germean car specialist, and it's 20 miles from my work, I will def go check out! Do you own both minis in the pic? nice cars! I live in Harrison, town next to Jersey City. Maybe we could hang out for mini meeting next time!

ED aka Liquid Yellow...Ed redid his whole MINI what does it mean? lol~

 

Hmmm...Lorin is working over a little inside joke that the two of us have going. Lorin enjoys spending other peoples money and keeps suggesting the various modifications that he wants to see you put on YOUR Mini .

However, having said that, I have had my Mini in to Dave's shop (Autobahn) a few times already. Dave does a lot of Mini maintenance work and just about any time that I've stopped by his shop I've seen Minis outside waiting for maintenance or pickup after maintenance. I live in Manchester, NJ and all the local Mini owners know Dave quite well. On my last trip in to Dave's I had him replace my stock header and Cat with a Milltek header and Cat and at the same time change spark plugs, oil change, check belts, brakes and windshield wipers. When I picked up my car I left with money in my wallet...this is becoming an increasingly difficult thing to do with our local Mini dealers!

 

So far I have the following
M7 - pulley, DFIC
Alta - V2 intake, 19mm Rear sway bar
JCW suspension
Helix rear control arm
Invidia exhaust
GIAC

 

To Liquid Yellow:
I got you, LOL~ Sound you got a nice deal. hmm...header and cat, i may do that late next year, such a cosy job, where did you ordered the parts? MiniMania?

You are right, i hate to be rip off by dealer. I made an appointment with Dave for oil change next Monday, will check out his shop. Fortunately, his shop is 20 miles from where I work. Thanks for the info, man!

 

[quote=superrx;2933933]So far I have the following
M7 - pulley, DFIC
Alta - V2 intake, 19mm Rear sway bar
JCW suspension
Helix rear control arm
Invidia exhaust
GIAC[/quote

Nice jobs you done,Superrx! I wish i could have JCW suspension! I want to have pulley and air intake done at same time. How did you feel the driving improvement for that job?
I will wait for a while to touch suspension and exhaust. Which shop you went to, btw? Helix?

Also I need a paint job. My mcs has dent and sketch all over. It's gonna be a long term project for me, lol...

 

I did the camper plate, suspension, rear control arm and exhaust by Helix this week Tuesday. over all, I love it. the only thing is not really perfect was the exhaust. the deep tone (bass sound inside the car) is a little too much for me.

 

Ed got his GIAC flash from Dave, also.

Hey Ed...How about that Checkerboard Mirror Cover now?

One runflat tire died on the PW and have to change out the tires next week...once I get that done...I do want to put the M7 Stress Plates on...then my next mod will be the alta flat panel filter...

The R52 has its own small list; Craven Speed Stress Plates, M7 USS, One Ball Mod, 15% Pulley, and Air Intake.

 

There's a body shop in Nutley, NJ called Elite and the owner's name is Paul.

I have been there four times and always been satisfied with their work...I actually got money back each time

 

Ya, thats the thing I try to avoid too, because right i also have enough noise keep coming out while i m driving, i need to fix it when i upgrade the stereo system. Do you remember how u pay for pulley and CAI labor? I so desire to have it soon, lol

 

Ask Dave about Pulley, GIAC, CAI and other MOD questions...he can do them.

 

Hi Lorin, Thank you so much for the info. Nutley is much closer to my place, GREAT! I checked Alta website and I m thinking which to go, a panel filer or CAI? They have a good deal pack now, with pulley, ignition and panel air filter.

Firestone in Jersey city has bridgestone tire 195/55/R16 for 109 each, not sure if you are interested.

 

Lorin,

Ya know...it's funny that you should mention the checkerboard rear view mirror at this time. While I was down in the Ft. Myers area, I happened to drive by the new Mini dealer that recently opened on Rt#41. My son was with me so we stopped in just to look around. I happened to notice that they had a glass display case with a fair number of after market items with one of them being the checkerboard rear view mirrow caps. I asked about it and the guy at the counter looked it up and said that the cut off point for this item happened to be mid way through the 2004 production year run and he wanted to know my VIN number in order to decide if it was applicable to my car. Unfortunately I was with my son in his car so I didn't have that info on me. I came so close to getting your requested checkerboard cap....just think...you would have to move on to another suggested mod...awww what fun would that be, you can stay on my case now.

 

I have so many tires in storage...I'm looking for really cheap 16" rims to go w/Runflats I bought from Ian.

Ed...simple list for looks; grill badge holder, light-n-sight, checker board dash kit, checker board sunroof, checkerboard rear view mirror cover, or side graphics with "COOPER" or porsche style "COOPER" (cooperflags.com). I think Checker Board A-Panels will be a little much and no stripes.

Suspension mods; 19MM Rear Sway Bar in Spring.

 

Ed...I got a Ship Diesel Mechanic from work helping me on a MOD...He builds Marine Engines for Container Ships, Tugboats, etc...He's going home in a couple months to get Thermal Wraps for me and help sew a wrap on the turbo.

 

Alta CAI have a 40% off on their intake systems and 20% on other products...which is a great deal.

Sorry...I am not going to spend $250 plus for an air intake...I'm currently on a shoestring budget for my mods on the R56 MCS...Trying to maintain for warranty issues too...My list is:

1. Stress Plates (Just Bought)
2. 16" Non-Run Flat Tires (Being Swapped Out Next Week)
3. Alta Flat Panel Filter
4. Silverstar Ultra Bulbs
5. Catback Exhaust; Invidia
6. Rear Sway Bar; H Sport or Whiteline

I have a list for the R52, also.

 

Found this shop in Central Queens-hope it helps.

 

What is Stress Plate for?

 

Hi Buzzsaw, thanks for the info, I gonna check the website. Any work you done with them?

 

I haven't heard about their work. In the event I will need maintnenance (other than a dealer) in the future I have sofar collected the names of over 50 shops nationwide that work on Minis. This shop is the only one yet I could find in the NYC area. Good luck.