You sound like my Wife with her Blue

With only 45k on an '04, it should go for another 10 years before I have to worry about the CVT...

Until then it is destined to be the grandkid carrier and the long distance trip taker...

 

I will never give up my R53!!!

 

yup, 8.5 years for mine, my first new car. Still love it. Tho she has gone threw a few mods, then back to stock again. Change it every few years, and its just like getting a new car again.

 

The MINI is my very fun car! Mine has never seen winter but is driven often for 3 seasons of events, long weekend drives, and of coarse "The Dragon" when possible. Currently it has about 70K on the ticker and I hope to keep until I drop (this is going to be my last fun car).

 

This guy!

 

This guy!!

 

This guy!!!!!

 

This guyy!!!!!!!!!!

 

This guy right here !!!!!!!!!!

 

My 05 mcs just turned 100k and my 06 mcs just turned 75k. Hoping they are just halfway there.

 

When we picked this up 5yrs ago it was the first time my wife got a car she really wanted. I gave her the choice between moving on or committing to the money and effort required to make 200k and she didn't even blink. She's happily driving a beater Jetta right now while I work on pulling the SC and doing all the proper maintenance while I'm in there. I keep thinking one day it'll be my "fun" car, but I don't know if she'll ever give it up if I keep it running 😄

 

I've always been quite fickle with cars, I get bored easily and want something else. For example, during the almost 10 years I lived in Japan I owned 11 or 12 different cars (ranging from Skyline GT-R's all the way down to 660cc mini-cars). In my car owning career there is only one other car I've considered owning forever and that was my 1977 308 GTB but that sold when I decided to move to Japan.

My R53 is pretty much the first modern car that I've considered truly owning for a long long time. I don't like saying forever, but I don't think this is a car that I'll be giving up too easily. It's got quirky styling that should be unique for years to come, it's small (which I love for daily driving) and it's a very fun car.

If the engine ever blows, I'll swap in a R56 turbo motor (hopefully someone will have figured out the electronics stuff by then), but I'll continue slowly modding it over the years until there is essentially nothing more I can change. If it ever gets crashed or falls apart from rust I'll find another one to replace it. Also if I am going to achieve my dream of owning another semi-classic Ferrari, I'm going to have to settle on one car for a while anyways. The family of course will keep getting relatively new safe cars, but I'll stick with the MINI.

 

me, me, me.... I've told my MINI mechanic that I'm keeping my R50 till the wheels fall off.. and then he'll weld them back on. LOVE my R50... even in considered getting a Countryman... I'll keep my 1st MINI.. Miranda.

 

Why downgrade your engine? The W11 engine has forged internals from the factor, and is really strong. With just a piston upgrade, it can reliably make huge power.

When I eventually wear mine out, I will stick another W11 in, preferably built up to a 1.8 and with the Eaton TVS900 supercharger kit that RMW is working on. The TVS supercharger is far superior to the M45, thanks to its much more efficient 4-vane, high twist rotor arrangement and much lower internal friction. IIRC, it draws less than 1/2 HP at cruise--meaning that all the power that formerly was used to spin the M45 can instead be used to spin the wheels....

C ya,
Dutch

 

Keeping my '02 BRG 93k, just replcef the 5 speed an radiator. Love this car.

 

111K on Otis. I daily drive an Abarth, and I have no plans on getting rid of my R50. In fact, I have a few plans to freshen him up this summer.

 

My 04 PW MCS was totaled by an encounter with a Chevy Tahoe, I bought the car new and put 145000, trouble free miles on her, and was expecting to keep her forever. Insurance settled on more than I expected, she was pristine, but less than I hoped. I must have looked at hundreds of R53's on the web, and drove at least 2k miles looking, at worn out beat up,04-06 MCS's. 2 days ago I went by the local BMW, Volvo,and VW dealer. They had a JB 04 MCS, that they had just taken in on trade. two days ago. It has 37858 miles on her,options 1,2,&3, stick, tint, new run flats, those will go away. All the maint was done at Cincy MINI. NO fluid leaks, expansion tank fine for now, power steering fine. The paint work looks great, a few stone chips on the hood, but nothing else. Just an almost new R53 with a 100k less miles. This one I hope to keep forever. ? Does anyone know of an insurance policy that offers GAP coverage on a used car? Thanks Foo

 

I bought my R-53 in sept of 02 and have not stopped modifying or simply enjoying it sence I have 85,000 miles on it at present and am putting about 3k a year on it now with most of that being canyon cruising or track events . I may add other toys to the " motor pool " but I'll never sell it . The more I see the direction Mini has been going starting with the second gen the happier I am with my 53.

Randy

 

I bought my '02 R50 just a few months ago after a string of pickups, SUVs and some years in minivan purgatory. I plan on keeping it for a long, long time. Any bigger and it is not a Mini...

 

Still researching. Just figuring out a way to reliably make in the 280-300whp range somewhere down the road while still keeping a good idle and powerband. I know turbos pretty well, superchargers are still new to me.

Thanks for the information!

 

They have been working on that tvs for years and haven't gotten it to work yet

 

Looks like RMW is pretty close to production on a kit utilizing it. So far, the testing he is sharing with us seems pretty thorough and promises good results.

I have a rebuilt M45 with added porting, done by Steigemeier, which I put on last fall due to the waterpump drive gears going bad. Hopefully when this one is worn out, the RMW kit will be ready. If not, I'll convert to an electric water pump, and bide my time.

C ya,
Dutch

 

My 2006 MCS (w/only 30k miles) is the first car i hope to see 200k miles with.

And i've owned LOTS of cars...

 

Planning to keep my 02 MCS but my engine shows it overheating but everything runs ok, im in the process of inspecting the SC and replacing the water pump, drained the SC oil and still about 4oz except the water pump side its 5tsp left, afraid that the seal is leaking, planning to put everything back together. radiator fan was replaced prior to the incident and just found out the A/C comprossor seal also one after the other, i dont know if i can keep up with the maintenance but i love my Mini though.

 

I will keep mine as long as is practical. Just a touch under 60k on number 1 right now. Number 2 will probably be passed along to my daughter in a few years.