I have an 06 Mini S with 19 K miles. ( I only bought it last month )

I thought it might be a good idea to check the air filter since the car is
4 years old.

Wow, what a mess inside the air box ! Leaves, Sand, Hair, Etc.

Just glad I took a look; the filter looked like it had 50 K miles on it ......

Has anyone else found that this is a common thing with the stock
Mini S intake air box ??? Maybe it needs to be checked more often !

 

Mine is ugly @ 10K miles. I vacuumed it, and I'm ordering a K&N. (So its not just limited to the "S" model. If you wait for the Mini to do it at service time, the little car will be strangling itself.)

 

They can get pretty nasty pretty quick...our local mini guy has found a few mice nests in low milage cars to from when they sit...

 

While your at it, why not change your cabin air filter? Here's where I ordered mine---

http://www.atozautolights.com/2004-MINI-COOPER.html

 

I did that one already with a few problems. Now that I have done it once I know that the cover is not that easy to get off. Getting the cabin filter installed was easy compared to getting that cover off. Maybe smaller people with smaller fingers can get to all the MINI service items much easier than us with large hands and bodies ? ? ?

 

Had a dirty ITG filter and a loose belt and it threw code P0107. Cleaned filter and changed belt. No codes from then on.

 

I am going to try some 1/4" mesh over the front inlet to cut down on odd things getting into the airbox.

Hope it works !

 

If you replace your stock air box with a pod filter, you will not have those kinds of problems. Its easier to see when a pod needs cleaning.