By the time I get to 150K...at the current rate I'm going (10K/year or less)...my MINI will probably not look so hot. But it will be all-MINI and I will love it anyway. It'll be interesting (since we're all so used to clean, shiney MINIs) to see how these cars age to the point that they're a bit rough around the edges. I think they'll still look proud and capable...much like a well-seasoned classic.

 

That really depends on how well it is maintained / detailed from and esthetics standpoint. I had a Jeep that was 12 years old and once cleaned it did not look too shabby. If I stay as **** about the car as I have and replace / repair broken parts and paint as needed I would think a 15 year old mini could look almost as good as the day it rolled off the showroom floor.

 

Thanks for all of the comments. Its really been a fun car with a great community. I still look forward to driving it every day, what more can you ask for?

KHD - the wheels are from Wheelmax , model Exel 003, and are actually pretty cheap (but they look good )

Agro - The classic isn't getting driven that much lately, but I think it has just under 80,000 km.

Obviously most of the miles are highway, so I guess they are "easy" miles, but its still quite a abit. Still original clutch, and following the "recommended" oil change service interval. One of these days I'm going to remove the valve cover and/ or oil pan, to see who is correct about oil change interval .

Thanks again,

Nik

 

really great looking ride, nik. my 05 mcsa only has 33k and it's nice to hear of high mileage minis that owners are very happy with. i'd like to think the reliability will remain good as the cars get older, and ofcourse it does have alot to do with how it's maintained, thrashed (nor not). congratulations. let us know when you hit 200k.

 

My wife and I were in NYC last night for the Buddy Rich memorial concert and when the parking attendants zoomed my 2005 80,300+ mile MCS out to the waiting area, I overheard one of the peeps stating, "I want one of these!" One of them even took a picture. :-)
Congrats on 150,000... hmmm this must be more like 170,000 miles by now, no?

 

Thanks guys - it'll turn 184,000 the next time I drive it. Its still running strong, with just the usual maint done to it. Have now had both the valve cover off, and the oil pan off, and the innerds look as good as new. (leaky oil pan gasket, and the valve cover gasket had a OCC mishap last winter )

Did an oil change yesterday and everything looks fine.

I'll let you know when 200k roles around.

Nik

 

Congrats. My 04 MCS is almost 150000 as well but it's 150000km instead. I'm just wondering how is the supercharger doing in yours? Any maintenance on the charger at all throughout this 150k miles?
Cheers
Stephen

 

How often are you changing the oil?

 

You said you're going by the OBC-recommended oil change intervals - how long are the intervals it's recommending? Mine recommended the first change at 12,500, but the recommended intervals since then have been in the 20-22k range. I can't imagine going 185,000 miles on my car with only 9-10 oil changes, but it seems to be working for you.

Congratulations on keeping the car for so long and for keeping it in such great shape!

 

Supercharger is doing fine - still on the original one w/ a 15% pulley on since ~30k. I have a new one in the garage waiting to go on - got it at 100k.

Changing oil close to the OBC recommended interval - usually close to 20k

Nik

 

Wow. That is a good news since mine is stock. And I too have a spare in the garage with 20000k miles on it from a wreck.
Cheers
Stephen

 

I have spent more in maintenance so far this year than you have total, and I have 1/3 the mileage!
I also have a spare s/c, but it needs to be rebuilt. Awesome car!
As much as I work on it in the street and as much as my neighbors say "sell that POS", I know I would have separation anxiety if I did. I will be driving that car until something catastrophic happens to the shell, otherwise I will swap a motor at 600k.

 

UNpossible! I read on NAM that the superchargers are designed to fail at 50k miles!

 

Thats an awesome story! I hope to have mine at least that long or more. At the rate I am going I will never reach those kind of miles but nice to see yet another MINI going the distance!

 

Looks fantastic! My 2005 MCS has 95,000 miles on it--I bought the car with 37,000 miles on it back in 2006 and it's not surviving well. I've put double of your entire repair bill in the past year, and there is no end. Going to need a new clutch and possibly axles very soon--another $2000 repair bill. I've also broken 2 hood scoops--first one flew off on the freeway. I replaced it, and it lasted 7 months, and then I noticed it lifting off again--and found that the tabs that hold it on are broken, so I just removed the scoop for now as I try to fix it.

My car has been eating oil--and that concerns me--in fact, I had a puff of white smoke come from under the dash this past weekend as well as out of the exhaust...no idea when all these repairs will cease and I'll have a non stuttering MCS.


Richard

 

That sucks Richard! I've been waiting for the clutch to go too, I know it will at some point. I have had some more repairs since I started this tread over a year ago. I've replaced 2 cv joint boots (guess lowering it takes its tole. Hit a duck - had to have the bonnet re-sprayed, valve cover gasket, oil pan gasket. Nothing really to bad, but I know more is coming.....

Have had some other changes too, need to update pics sometime. No more stickers on the side - just yellow now. and have also added the aero grill. Other than that, just the odo keeps climbing.

Nik

 

40 cents a mile - but 10k of this is competition work (and about 2.8k is tires)

the car is (touch wood) running like a watch and faster than a scared cat in a room full of velcro furniture....

Date TypeOfService Mileage Dollars Description
02/14/04 Purchase $26,474.00 Cooper S, BRG, Incudes $5,500 for JCW Package
02/17/04 Pickup 10
02/26/04 Service 666 Oil and Filter, Installation of Works Kit
08/05/04 Service 10,865 $253.17 Oil and Filter, Replace one runflat, rotate tires
01/06/05 Service 19,241 $170.04 Oil and Filter, Install Interior Chrome Trim Package,Replace Steering Column under warranty
02/17/05 Turners 20,400 $5,893.98 H&R Coil Over, Sway Bar, Quaife, Installation, Chassis Setup
02/18/05 Turners $1,772.38 TireRack - Kosei K1 Racing 15", AS304 205/50-15, BridgeStone S-03 205/50-16
03/23/05 Service 22,977 $408.31 Windshield Replacement
04/07/05 Turners $949.95 Webb Camber Plate ($499), Installation and Setup ($425), Corner weighting
06/02/05 Service 28,465 $172.53 Oil and Filter, RF Corner noise search - RF Sway bar end link tightened
12/12/05 TireRack $454.00 Pirelli 205/50-16 P-Zero M&S
12/16/05 AutoDyne 39,922 $84.39 Mount and Balance the Pirelli P-Zero M&S from TireRack
12/16/05 Service 39,942 $855.05 Oil and Filter, Spark plugs, replace PS cooling fan, rear brake rotors and pads
04/01/06 Service $19.65 Wipers
04/03/06 VulcanTire $404.00 Falken Azeni 205-50/15 for 2006 Season
04/17/06 Turners $785.96 Steel brake lines, A/C removal, chassis setup, DynoMax Baseline Dyno run (158tq/164hp)
04/21/06 Service 46,448 $183.38 Air bag connection replaced, K&N cleaning
06/08/06 Service 50,088 $82.29 Oil and Filter, warranty repair for window squeaking
06/22/06 Service 51,388 $- Warranty radiator replacement due to leak
07/03/06 Turners $431.35 Hotchkis Mini Rear Control Arms
10/03/06 Service 59,292 $728.70 Oil and Filter, warranty exhaust collector gasket replacement, front brake rotors and pads, compression test
03/27/07 TireShoppe $451.00 Hankook 225/45-15 Ventus RS2 Z212 - Shaved
04/11/07 Service 69,911 $314.97 Oil and Filter, Chassis check, mount & balance the Hankooks
05/23/07 Turners 72,400 $100.00 Safety Inspection prior to BMWCCA HPDE at NHIS
05/24/07 Service 72,465 $- Automatic door unlock and cable adjust
08/10/07 Service 79,505 $254.54 Rear brake pad replacement
08/23/07 Self 80,000 $51.59 Oil and Filter
11/01/07 Service 84,000 $27.00 Replacement dipstick
12/17/07 Service 85,500 $1,434.38 Lower Control Arm bushings, lower torque mount, RF headlight, RH Motor mount, Oil & Filter
02/08/08 Turners 92,000 $504.00 Left front wheel bearing replacement, and chassis inspection
03/10/08 Service 94,618 $- Alternator alignment and torque adjust - to quiet the new SC drive belt
04/04/08 Spears 96,300 $150.00 Detailing - scratch removal
04/05/08 Self 96,300 $51.59 Oil and Filter
04/14/08 TownFair 96,600 $475.00 Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Spec 195/55-15
06/18/08 Service 101,500 $8.51 One Quart Oil
08/08/08 TownFair 106,400 repair or replace RF Dunlop due to a large nail puncture in the tread area
10/10/08 Need Service 109,000 $- As soon as I can afford it!
$43,945.71

 

charlie, you just hit on the very reason i'll be doing most all service and maintenance on my 05 S. bmw/mini hourly rates alone will kill you.

 

Your car is GORGEOUS for 150K!! Well done!!

For mine to look that good at that time, I already know it will need to be repainted. Probably a windshield replacement too. I am not quite to 69K, and the windshield is already pretty pitted, I have many stone chips, etc. The poor car is forced to travel 40 miles of So Cal freeway M-F, so its life is no cakewalk. And I don't garage it, either.

I hope to semi-retire it in a couple of years and make it a "fun-car-for-the-weekends-only" then. With any luck, from about 90K, it will spend its next 60K semi-retired in a life of leisure. So, I guess it has a chance to be just as pretty as yours at 150K. At least I hope, and I'll do my best to make it happen.

Thanks for sharing your pics. Nice, nice looking MINI. I like your flames.

 

Hah hah, thankd for the comments! No more flames though, or lower grill lights.

Nik

 

Opus' favorite MINI just turned 120,000 miles this week. It's a 2005 Cooper with a CVT, Astro Black/white, delivered on July 1st, 2005. I sell machinery and drive it year-round. Here's what was done so far:

Rear wiper motor replaced-20K-Warranty
Rear hatch hinges replaced-95K-Warranty!! Hinge rusted to pin and hinge broke. Classic MINI replaced both hinges.
Lower left rear control arm broke-102k-hit pothole-Replaced by Classic MINI-cost about $500.00
Automatic transmission cooler failed-leak-105K Repaired myself
Power steering pump failed-116K-replace pump, battery to pump wiring harness, hose from reservoir to pump, pump cooling fan, and battery-parts from Classic with NAM discount-about $900.00. Doing the install myself-pain-in-the-***, er, priceless.
At 120,ooo miles windshield wants to be replaced-large crack.

I'm trying to make this car last forever or longer. Stay tuned.