Just got my new '08 R52S JCW (Keira) home. Poor girls about 3,400 miles past due for inspection 2. I've got the kit coming to do the service but I've got a few questions...

1) Just how helpful is taking the wheel an liner off to do the belt swap?

2) How important is it to have the belt tensioner tool? - (http://new.minimania.com/part/NME599...-Mini-Cooper-S)

3) I've never had an OBD scanner but needed one recently for my wife's Acura, good to have or must have for MINI? Which one?

4) Is the Bentley or Haynes manual worth having? i.e. are they helpful?

TIA,
Tony

 

1) very helpful and super easy to take the liner off. No real need not to.
2) tool makes it a breeze but try this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-Mini-Cooper-S-Serpentine-Belt-Tool-Kit-Supercharged-W11-2001-2006-Engine-/131136799653?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item1e885cc3a5&vxp=mtr if you can't borrow one you might as well own one.
Bentley manual is great to have resource. I am always looking at it for everything.
3) OBD scanner not really needed but I have one. I have a bluetooth obd2 like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-ELM327-V1-5-OBD2-II-Bluetooth-Car-Auto-Diagnostic-Interface-Scanner-Tool-/300870978320?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item460d4ecb10 paired with the torque app on my smartphone. Works great and for less than 20 it's nice to have.

I replaced my tensioner with this one .

Hope that helps. Good luck and have fun.

 

Thanks Swimbaxter. I'd seen cheaper tools than the one I linked but the one you showed was the cheapest -- ordered. I ordered a Bentley manual. Haven't decided on a code scanner yet.

 

I was going to save you some $$ on the tensioner tool. All that is really needed is a long thin metal bar. I went to home depot and found a 3' wood clap. I stuck an allen key in a hole on the tensioner for leverage and used the clamp as a pry. Worked like a charm. Then I returned the wood clamp for a refund. ;-)

I too have the ELM327 and Torque and it works fine.

 

Wow....dishonest and complicated....
You could have put a socket on the piviot pont the tool uses...use that socket as a fulcrum....then used your pry bar to pull the tensioner back...then pinned it...
The tool at $85 or so is well worth it IMO.
One more suggestion to the op...
Be sure to change the cabin filter...
Lube all door and trunk hinges with some grease...they can dry out and fail...
There are a few lists around on the "inspections" to be done...
Much of it is pretty mundane...lube, wiggle, clean, tighten, look.....
Can be broken down and done a couple of hours at a time...
Biggest things folks miss are the cabin filter, coolant flush, and brake fluid flush....
The JCW air filter is kinda $$, but there are alternatives that are cleanable and cheaper.
As for a odb2 reader....take your pick...
Many folks like scanguage 2....works well, and can be mounted as extra guages...then used on the wife's car when needed as a portable.... But a $40 harbourfreight special will do 99% of what you want....
Waymotorworks has a VERY nice unit that let's you dig very deeply into the computer...even do things like reset airbag lights and see and activate systems individually... Only minus is it is the cost of the unit, then a $$ fee per car...but a TINY fraction of the cost of older tools like BAV-TECH that did less....very nice unit from all I have heard!!

 

Tip...be sure to get an oil filter housing socket....some kits include it...some don't...
Aldo be sure to LUBE the o-ring before reinstalling the cap....
I suggest OEM/Mann filters....

 

Oh yes, somewhat dishonest, but I have purchased $1000's from Home Depot over the years so I am not sweating it and the clamp was not harmed in any way.
I have an auto which does not allow the socket as fulcrum bit as there is no room to put even a shorty socket on that nut.

 

I'm not sweating he <$40 tool to make my life easier - spent way to many hours over the years trying to make some kludge work rather than spending a dime to get the right tool.

Have a 36mm socket on the way for the filter housing. What size is the drain plug?

Good point on the door/boot hinges. The exterior passenger door handle action is a bit stiff - is there a good way to lube it?

Still deciding if I need an OBD scanner at all, a cheap one, or a nice one that will do more things.

 

Are strut tower defenders considered a wise prevention investment?

 

If you have 17 rims...they are a must...
More iffy for 16 or 15....
I installed my craven std's on my car when a couple months old...no deforming...
If you go to bolt them on and the strut towers are bent....bash them with a hammer+chunk of wood....make them flat then install....
Potholes can be hell on these cars, especially overtime...runflats and/low profile tires make it worse.