Hey mankypurple...I went to UAF from '99-'05.

As far as the shops, I wish I knew of one in the Fairbanks area to recommend. I hear there are a few in the Anchorage area, though.

What kind of leaks do you have? I've fixed a few on my '04 on my own...

 

it seems a simple fix, but i was told my oil cooling lines and a radiator leak from some undetermined spot. i tried poking around but they sure shove alot in a small space

 

What year/model is your car? Some first gen MINIs are prone to leaking from the thermostat housing as well as the coolant reservoir tank on the S models (mine has had both problems). As for the oil cooling lines, I'm not overly familiar with that problem - you can run a search on the forum and see if anyone else has had that problem...

 

I just did my thermostat housing fix that was leaking and also the oil pan gasket on the front side of the car was leaking as well. Fixed them both with not too much trouble or cost.

I'm not aware of any R50/53 model with oil lines, what year and mileage is your car? I'll bet it is the oil pan gasket.

 

I forgot to mention the oil pan gasket. That seems to be a trouble spot for R50/52/53 models as well. Mine was done prior to the warranty expiring (likewise w/ the thermostat housing and coolant bottle). Some people have reported leaks from the valve cover gasket as well.

My sister's '06 appears to be seeping from the oil pan gasket as well...I'll probably end up doing that one in the near future.

 

its an 06' cooper S with only 27000 on it. and the oil pan gasket looked good. i had it up in the air at a shop doing the winterizing when i noticed the oil and coolant seeping down. the mechanic said it was oil cooling lines. i dont know. and we couldnt make out where the coolant is coming from.

 

I just bought my Mini in October and I am getting close to the 3000 mile oil change. I really dont want to use Lithia (I know their business practices and was very very un-impressed with their parts department) where do owners get their work done?

I would also happily join a Mini Club!!

 

I do my own work. But when my sister was in Anchorage, she had her car serviced at the BMW dealership. Now that she lives in Kodiak, I've been doing the maintenance as well.

Some others in the Anchorage area have reported good luck w/ an independent shop...I 'think' the shop is called Accurate Imports. Hopefully someone else in the area can chime in on this subject...

 

i bought my own oil and filter and then took it to jiffy lube. now its a hit and miss with finding a shop like jiffy lube thats trustworthy, but thats what i did and i am satisifed. i also heard good things about the import shop as well, but have not been by there yet. im thinking of letting them fix my leaks.

 

Wow, you're a brave one. I wouldn't even trust Jiffy Lube with my Jeep. Glad to hear you had a good experience though.

 

Check this out: minimotoringclubofalaska.com

 

i already joined it! :D just hoping they get up here to fairbanks sometime now.

 

Hey I have mini and I am probably going to be moving to anchorage for school. Does anyone have a plug in or dipstick heater to keep their engine warm?

 

I don't have one, but I'm pretty sure you could get a block-heater installed so you can plug it in. I've never had any issues with starting, but I park her in a garage at night.

If you're going to have a garage, I wouldn't worry about it. But if you are parking outside all the time, I would invest in one. The cold can be really hard on your engine if you don't plug it in, not to mention it would suck not making it to school because your MINI wouldn't start!

I'm going to UAA right now (part-time) for a BS in Natural Sciences. What are you planning to study up here?

 

We own a Countrymen and are moving from sunny Florida to the Fairbanks area. From what I read we may not need a block heater. I'm curious if anyone has a remote start and if one is needed. I am very glad we got the "cold weather" package. Looking forward to the fun of the mini in the snow.

 

Hey Mini nuker - I lived in Fairbanks for 5 years (went to college at UAF). It's my understanding that block heaters are kind of a pain to have installed on our cars, and most dealerships don't even know that MINI makes block heaters. Canadian MINI dealers seem to be more aware of these 'rare' block heaters, though.

For what it's worth - you might be just fine w/o a block heater...just make sure you have the coolant mix adjusted for maximum cold weather protection (70/30 mix is usually good to about -80*F). I made that mistake with my Jeep when I moved back up to Fairbanks after a year off in California. Totally forgot that I had the coolant replaced in California (they tend to use the standard 50/50 mix) and we had a record cold snap of about -48*F which was well below the -30*F protection range of 50/50 mix. The coolant mix expanded in the radiator, causing it to leak big time. Fortunately my engine wasn't damaged in the process.

It might be wise to have an engine oil pan heater and battery heater installed, though. And if your car is an automatic - a transmission oil pan heater too.

Are you military and mechanically inclined? These items are fairly easy to install yourself if you have access to a hoist. Both Ft. Wainwright and Eielson AFB have nice auto hobby shop facilities that you can use if you're military or have base privileges.

Remote starts are a PITA to install on our cars, because of the immobilizers that come as standard equipment. It can be done, but they normally would bypass the immobilizer (they usually end up using one of your keys and hide it under the dash). I do not have a remote start on my MINI but have it on my Jeep. It was nice to start my car and have it warm up while sipping a cup of coffee in the comfort of my home.