It's an awesome stretch of Mulholland Drive in between Kanan and Las Virgines (Malibu Canyon)

Check out this site....
http://www.rock-store.com/rockstorelinks.html

Decker Canyon is also a really cool drive. Some turns requiring 1st gear, etc. I am always looking for people to motor with when I am out.

What city are you in? I am in Encino by the 101 and 405.

 

Cancel your gym membership. Drive the mini without the power steering. ITs win win!

 

my PS has been out for 2 years now... i finally removed the pump and fan a few months ago...

 

So are your arms jacked now?

 

Agreed! The MINI is downright unsafe to drive w/out power steering. Quick steering rack + massive mechanical grip + small steering wheel + steering column not designed to take much "wrenching" and it equals a stupid amount of effort even at speed. I'm not sure why Kalbone would put himself through the hassle of driving his MINI w/out PS, unless he never has to turn his car.

Now that said, an R56 has less effort with the PS motor unplugged due to its reduced front anti-dive, but it's still way more effort than any old-school manual rack.

 

Well Kal never drives his mini. It hasn't ran in years. So thats probably why it doesnt bother him. As for having buffed up arms.....nahhh!!!!

 

when i bought my mini it had a little brochure about "weird" things about it. it says the power steering is supposed to whine. and you said you dont feel anything wrong right? so maybe its just doing what its supposed to do.... my whines very loud when im going slow after first starting it up, doesnt phase me because the brochure told me it'd do that.

 

Not fast enough. I don't see any sidewall flex or rubber smoke .

 

No Challengers. It's a pretty hefty turn actually and I am still novice with just how much that car can do. I am considering the rear sway bar.....19mm is what I have been reading....it's a daily commuter....I think I'll PM you as not to hi-jack the thread.......

 

What brochure is this? I want to see. Do you have a scanner?

 

CC: hockeyman please. Must have brochure of weird.

 

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It will ruin your power steering. It happened to me and I was able to drive the car about 2000 miles.

 

My powersteering was whineing for a week or so. It suddenly died on my way to work this AM. It was not so bad driveing with out it. Are you saying that driving another week or so while the pump gets rebuilt will spell disaster?

 

i'll bring it in next time i go out to my car, i dont have a scanner but i can take a pic or just say what it says

 

so i finally remembered to bring in the pamphlet thing. its actually called "top 10 idiosyncrasies of your new mini" its basically a mini version of the "things you didnt know about your mini" thread haha.


sorry for bad cell phone pics

 

Reassurance from a pamphlet, I feel better already.

 

well you could drive w/o power steering...but its no fun trust me I spend a day at Leguna Seca in my R53 and I had a damn good workout.

 

I want one. That is awesome. Wonder if I can Ebay one.

 

how much you willing to spend? haha. it was actually helpful when i first got the car because of the power steering thing.. i was all freaked out like WHAT IS THE NOISE... then i read the pamphlet haha. does anyone else have this pamphlet? (sorry for thread hijacking)

 

I did a Google search and found info about the booklet here http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/mini/


Evidently it was one of the free items mailed to owners by MINI.

 

the pump finally did fail. sent it to BBA in MA. They fixed it and returned it the same week for $215.00. Driving it a week with out the pump was no big deal.

 

My power steering pump was leaking, took it into MINI of STL couple of weeks ago and they replaced for free. Apparently leaky pumps can be a prob for 1st generation MINI's. Hope you got this resolved at low cost because these can get expensive

 

Don go to the dealer.

Saved a lot of $$ using BBA. Cost $215 with shipping and had it back in less than a week. My local BMW mechanic charged $200 for the removal and installation. Driving was no problem - just don't try to parallel park.

 

How was the quality and turnaround on the BBA one? My pumps gone and I'm looking at options...