For those of you not in the know.....
The Great and Powerful Oz has been visiting at Century since last Thursday. I was driving in to the dealer for an oil change, when the "service engine soon" light came on and he went into safe mode.... So we limped the rest of the way on 3 cylinders and no A/C. Upon our arrival, I turned the ignition off and removed the key... and the motor kept on running!! Leaving him in neutral with the parking brake on, I went to get Jim P. the SA..

"You're here for your oil change?" he asked.
"Yes, but I left him running. Here's the key.."
His eyes got really big..
"Huh? That's a first!!"

Anyway, after running many tests, including tracing wires (You've all heard the cat-scan joke, right? ), Brent has come to the conclusion yesterday that the ECU is malfunctioning and Oz needs a new brain.. I'm thinking of renaming him to Scarecrow...
Thank goodness for the warranty!! A new ECU is $1,100.00

 

Thank goodness they're coming up with a solution and it's not in the wiring!

 

Scarecrow = nice name under the circumstances.

 

Here ya go...
1 Green Scarecrow



"What happens in Emerald City... stays in Emerald City."

 

Trainman

I know you are on your way to Ohio, but I will be stopping to see Oz and leave him a present today. It's something that he will like. I had to get it out of the apartment by this weekend and it fit in my MINI. Hope to see you Saturday night.

George

 

Tweety "beep-beep" at Oz as we passed Century today. She sure does miss her adopted big brother.

 

Thanks for the present, George!! I'll see if Brent wants to keep looking at Oz long enough to install them..

Thanks for the beep, Tweety!!

 

Ed

I was glad to do it. I thought it was a way to say thank you for all that you do for M2C2.

George

 

I hope this one isn't Abby Normal, said in my best Marty Feldman voice!

 

Ed


Glad to hear that Oz is back home.

It does sound like he got a jolt of something.

 

Did you pour some of that Jolt Cola in his gas tank when I wasn't looking???

Anyway, for those of you that haven't figured it out, a new Computer, ignition switch and engine wiring harness with a temporary battery out of a Z3, Oz is back on the road again.. I'm taking it easy with him for right now, and fortunately I don't have to wait 1250 miles!

 

TrainMan,

Glad that Oz is ok, but I have problems now. My Mini died, and I'm not sure what the problem is. Maybe you can help.

The car is at Century right now, since last Friday. They haven't looked at it yet, but it won't start...just click click click. I think the battery is ok. Could it be the wiring harness?

The full details of my dilemma are found in the post "one dead MINI" in the "Beneath The Bonnet" forum.

See you on the 24th? I think we are meeting at Capri's off of Wade Hampton in Greenville. I am still recovering from the "monthly grease quota" at The Beacon .

 

I'll leave the diagnosis up to Brent.. He did tell me that one came in on Wednesday with the exact same problems as mine.. Bummer is, that MINI is out of warranty..

Both Brent and Jim did say that they've had a rash of MINIs come in with bad batteries lately.. I'm using a temporary one from a Z3 until they get more in stock..

HEY!! I was there Friday afternoon for about an hour.. I got there a little after 2 and stayed until around 3..

I would like to take a closer look at your europlate.. I've been thinking about getting a replacement for the '71 plate Oz wears right now. It got damaged on the big trip to Memphis, and although it's minor, there is a lot of sentimental value to it, and I'd hate to see anything major happen to it..

 

Glad to hear you're up and running again Ed.

 

Well, up and running in a limited sense of the word.. The "time to change the brake pads" light came on, and I've been minimizing my motoring so as not to go over the 36,000 mile maintenance warranty before my return appointment.. I'd like to get the "free" brake replacement..

 

Trainman,

I ordered my euro tag from a company named Framptons, based in the UK of course. Their e-mail address is steve@framptons.net, and their website is www.pl8s.co.uk. VERY professional to deal with. I think the order was about $30.00, including the shipping. I actually ordered the tag after I ordered the car but before the car was made. The tag sat in a closet for a couple of months !

It is just made out of plastic, but I believe he also sells the metal ones. I'll bring the flier I have for the company to the meeting on the 24th. By the way, where ARE we meeting? I have to ask TM.

 

Thanks for the info.. I got a close look at your plate the other day while your MINI was waiting for you to pick it up with it's new battery. I look forward to seeing the flyer. Are you going to Smokey's on the 20th?

Oz is back visiting getting his new battery (part II of the whole ordeal), his options re-programed (no DRL's this time) and new brake pads. I just snuck in under the deadline to get those done before the maintenance warranty ran out!! In the meantime, I'm driving the loaner Z4 they gave me this morning.... Then I found out late this afternoon I could have had a convertible S automatic !!

 

Bummer about not getting the S drop-top! I bet the Z4 is still fun though. My dad and I were checking out the silver 635 csi today parked out front. It costs 90 large ! And the grille is still plastic .

I am running fine after the new battery . Hard for me to believe that's all it was. Brent also did Inspection I while the car was there, even though it wasn't due for another 1400 miles. He had the tire pressures cranked up to above 35 psi on all 4 though. One was almost 38! The car was riding like a brick. Took care of that tonight...back down to 33. AAAHHH.

I thought that the next meeting was on the 24th? I am in New York on the 20th (work), otherwise I would be at Smokey's. As far as my euro tag, the holes were already there in the car and I foolishly drilled out holes in the plate to line up. I should have bought a euro tag holder and mounted it that way. The next time I get a euro tag, that's what I will do. I lived in South Florida at the time and was worried about some yahoo swiping the tag, so I bolted the sucker on.

 

The Z4 is OK... Barely... It has the AMG transmission, which I call "manual shift for people who cant drive a stick". It does get a lot of looks from the babes, though..

I bolted my front plate on, and had white screw caps (from the dealer tag frame) which I used to hide the screws.

Glad your MINI is running again. Jim told me that when the battery goes dead, you can't even jump start the car. I should be getting Oz back this afternoon...

 

Welcome home Oz!