I will keep my R53 til they cart me off to the home.

 

Greetings Ist Gen. MINIs-
I'm posting on behalf of a friend who loves her 2002 MCS manual of 100,000 miles. She wants to keep it too, but now faces the $$ 100k ante-up service binge. She's looking at a grand or more to do various things for the long term good of the car. Her question to me (and thus mine to you all) is: should the oxygen sensors be replaced now, as per MINI recommendation? If they fail does it mean that the $1000 catalytic converter would be ruined? She has different advice from two quite good independent garages.
I know this might be better posted in a purely mechanical forum, but I couldn't resist the thread when I jumped over to the 1st Generation MINIs side of N.A.M. (being a Clubman thread surfer myself). I too want to keep my Clubby forever, so I find kindred spirits here in the more Mini-like MINI realm.
Is it realistic to put money into an '02 swith 100k on it, and if so are the oxygen sensors the right place to put your money?
Any perspective appreciated! Motor on... and on...
TorchMini

 

My Wife and I each have an '05 EB/W S that we bought new before we ever met. Neither one of us will part with them. Also they are quite modded up so as she says "I've put so much money into it that it's not worth anything".

We use mine in the Winter.

 

Miranda is a low-millage ride... I intend to keep her for ever...

 

My wife intends to keep hers forever. I'll be happy to keep wrenching on it to keep it running.

 

Hilarious! Please can I steal her quote?? Same for my '04... Just spent 1600 yesterday... Tell her that is soooo funny

 

I have an 04 R53 with 85k miles that i plan on keeping for as long as i can keep it running! For all you that says its the most fun car to drive I cant agree more..

04 R53, Alta 15% pulley, Alta CAI, Alta Exhaust, MSD, Megan Coilovers, Alta Swaybars, JCW Injectors

 

I have an '03 R50 and an '06 R53. I have NO plans to sell either one.

 

Man, I was driving my dad's C-Class the whole week. Today I used my R53 to the gym and back, damn how I missed it! the occasional sunroof rattle, supercharger whine and throwing it around the bends with so much confidence. I think if your ever going to get a soft, comfortable family car, you need a r53 to maintain balance in your life.

 

I bought my R56 so I could keep my R50 in the garage and bring him out in the weekends

 

I know i plan on it, beat the hell out of it, fix it and enjoy it till its death. love the r53

 

Artoo, my 2003MCS has 130,000 miles. The crank sensor seal was leaking again (replaced it 40,000 miles ago) and there was a slight squeal from the idler pulley which I tried to pt out of my mind as I was hoping would last till spring. But as luck (bad luck) would have it, that pulley let go and threw the belt as I was pulling into my father’s driveway about 60 miles from my house. I guess that was not as bad as it could have been as it easily could have gone in Atlantic City where I was just coming back from, on the Turnpike or Parkway or even last week when I was in New Hampshire. Fortunately for AAA Premier I was home in North Jersey in an hour and Artoo was in the garage.

I looked and clearly the idler was gone but I looked close and not only was the crank sensor leaking but the oil filter housing as well. But the really bad news was I looked closely the water pump and it was also leaking which said to me, time for a rebuilt supercharger as well.

So I placed the call to Way on Tuesday and the supercharger, waterpump and all the gaskets and o-rings were here on Thursday. He made sure I had whatever I needed and suggested I not get the filter housing as the 2 o-rings and gasket would probably be all I need. He was right.

I started early this morning and worked all day. Everything went smoothly and I am happy as the supercharger was also on it’s last legs as it was not turning easily and was probably making noise (but it never rattled). It is quiet now with only the sweet whine of the charger as I move through the gears.

I love this car more than any that I have owned. I appreciate all the expertise here that gave me confidence to do the job and let me know what I was in for. And I appreciate vendors like Way who will spend the time to be sure you have the right parts and give you good pricing as well.

And the lesson to be taken away from this is if you love your Mini as I do, put a couple of bucks away for the day when you’ll need it and won’t have to skimp on the parts, and labor if you don’t have the courage.

///Rich

 

Today as I packed up the supercharger to send back to Way, I figured I peek at the back end to see if there was fluid and look at the condition of the gears.

Turns out it was full of oil and the drive gears looked almost new. Even if I knew that beforehand I would have changed the Supercharger but you should know that it is not a foregone conclusion that at 135,000 miles your charger will be dry of oil or actually need replacement.

But if you are already in there...

///Rich

 

Well, I just signed up for a RMW tune event, so I'll have the quickest slow Cooper in town pretty soon. Looks like I'll be hanging onto her for awhile now! When I get bored again... maybe a cam/head

 

Bought this car brand new in 11/03. I just turned over 100k on my way to work this morning. I intend to hang onto my R53 until she won't run anymore.

 

Still planning on keeping the MINI forever! Closing in on 300,000 miles, turned 297,000 on the way home yesterday

Nik

 

I definitely plan on keeping mine forever--mostly because I think of her as my child and most sane people don't sell or part out their kids.

Plus I had to spend $8000+ on a new engine a year and a half ago, so I'm definitely not getting rid of her.

 

My CVT just threw a EP code....which is great news to me because now I can 6 spd swap =D.

At least I hope the tranny took a crap lol

So yes, I will keep forever!!!!

 

I just put mine in the shop for a boatload of work - control arm bushings, ball joints, struts, oil pan gasket, engine mounts, etc. Yes, I'm going to dump over $3000 dollars into a car that has 137 thousand miles on it, and, after driving the 2013 cooper S loaner they gave me, I'd say it's worth every penny. This may be the best car I have ever owned.

 

I'll make my last payment next month. I still haven't hit 40,000 miles. Forever for sure.

My MINI has been idle for months at various times: when our baby was born, when my dad got sick, and now since I broke my foot two weeks ago.

And I had just changed the oil too!

 

I see the last post was a while ago so time for me to revive this thread...im planning on keeping my Mini forever its an 06 MCS JCW Checkmate space blue with silver mirrors and roof... i have 114k on it and just had all kinds of stuff done to her pretty much everything you can think of, NGK pkugs, MSD ignition, MSD wires, power steering fan, power steering lines, upper strut mounts, water pump, brake fluid flush, crank pulley, m7 16%pulley, belt, supercharger oil, magnetic plug for supercharger, oem belt tensioner, in cabin filter, oil changes every 5k, new rear brakes pads and rotors...and has every o ring seal plug and whatever else replaced no leaks and runs like new...just ordered M7 strut bar and M7 springs...planning on getting the rear lower adjustable control arms, competition sway bar, inner and outer ball joints with polyurethane control arm bushings and sway bar bushings as soon as those parts arive it will all get installed hoping to have the suspension on the car by April 14...not gonna do the struts until they are bad...my buddy has stock shocks on his and hes pushing 200k on the odometer...lol

I love my 1st gen Mini and always have a smile on my face after driving it...:-)

 

This is my 1st post since my wife Carol past This 03 CR/B S was her baby. No plan to part with it. Plus, it only has 34,000 miles HAPPY HOLIDAY'S TO ALL

 

That was the plan...automatic trans had a different agenda! Out with the 05, in with the 13!

 

I plan to keep my 06 MCS (42k miles) for as long as I can, alongside w my 1990 Miata (56K orig miles). They just don't make cars like these anymore.... light, nimble.
I hope but highly doubt car companies are gonna come out w this type of cars anymore. But if/when they do, my beloved MCS and Miata better look out because one of you is gonna get let go...

 

I dumped $16K into my 05 MCS this past summer because nothing else on the market (short of $40K) had the fun factor this thing has. Had the dealer put a crate JCW and full JCW kit into it.

Assuming I don't spend $6K/year over the next 5 years it will be a good decision for cost. Plus I get the benefit of having saved an R53, and having a spare engine to keep it going again (it's for sale btw if anyone wants it)