R50/53 Is my car lowered?
Wow...you got a steal! This really is an easter egg hunt. As for the drop, and black springs with no marks...sounds like TSW. Thats what I have on my car. Blue rear sway though, hmm my H-Sport is black...I think the H&R is black, Alta is red? I don't know which one is blue.
But so far, pulley, intake, exhaust, springs, rear sway bar, front strut bar...thats pretty cool!
But so far, pulley, intake, exhaust, springs, rear sway bar, front strut bar...thats pretty cool!
Nice find. You MINI mods were well done by previous owner. He/She must have sunk into a deep depresssion after selling her.
I have an Alta pulley, and it is embossed with "17%" on the face easily read from engine bay.
btw: To me, your MINI does looks lowered.
Now join a local club and start some Motoring Fun, The Dragon Run is this April.
I have an Alta pulley, and it is embossed with "17%" on the face easily read from engine bay.
btw: To me, your MINI does looks lowered.
Now join a local club and start some Motoring Fun, The Dragon Run is this April.
1st Gear
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From: Tyngsboro, Ma
Yep - that's an aftermarket sway bar as well. The hits just keep on coming!
You may as well post a picture of the engine bay when it's daylight out - you might have an upgraded intercooler or some other goodies there besides the CAI and strut brace you've already found.
EDIT - Also, with the car on and the doors closed, lower one of your windows, wait a few seconds, and then give the window toggle switch a quick double-tap upward and see if your window goes all the way up automatically. The 2004 MINIs didn't have auto-up from the factory, but there's a pretty popular aftermarket circuit by Ian Cull that adds the capability, so the previous owner may have added it. If not, I'd seriously advise getting one, and there's a group buy for them going on now.
You may as well post a picture of the engine bay when it's daylight out - you might have an upgraded intercooler or some other goodies there besides the CAI and strut brace you've already found.
EDIT - Also, with the car on and the doors closed, lower one of your windows, wait a few seconds, and then give the window toggle switch a quick double-tap upward and see if your window goes all the way up automatically. The 2004 MINIs didn't have auto-up from the factory, but there's a pretty popular aftermarket circuit by Ian Cull that adds the capability, so the previous owner may have added it. If not, I'd seriously advise getting one, and there's a group buy for them going on now.
Edit: I am a dummy group buy section haha
Last edited by WanderingRobot; Feb 9, 2009 at 05:46 AM.
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,405
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis
As a previous poster said, that's definitely what a "good" salesman would say. Modifications take away from the value of the car and also limit the number of potential buyers. You see a lot of savvy sellers removing the mods and selling them separately.
Still think you got a fine deal as long as the car holds together (no real reason to think it won't but you never know).
Definitely take your car to your MINI dealer and have them look at it. They see modded cars all the time and should be able to give you an accurate assessment (if they are trustworthy).
Still think you got a fine deal as long as the car holds together (no real reason to think it won't but you never know).
Definitely take your car to your MINI dealer and have them look at it. They see modded cars all the time and should be able to give you an accurate assessment (if they are trustworthy).
Thread Starter
|
2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: Fairhope, AL
Thanks for all the complements guys! I usually make two or three trips a year to the Gap with my bike and I'm dying to get the Mini there. I just have to figure out how to get the car and bike there at the same time. What actually sold me on the Mini was the fact that I chased one through the Gap in June on my R1 and had to work to stay with him. Definatly NOT something you usually have to do on an R1
3rd Gear
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 273
Likes: 1
From: Montreal, Québec
Thanks for all the complements guys! I usually make two or three trips a year to the Gap with my bike and I'm dying to get the Mini there. I just have to figure out how to get the car and bike there at the same time. What actually sold me on the Mini was the fact that I chased one through the Gap in June on my R1 and had to work to stay with him. Definatly NOT something you usually have to do on an R1
http://www.minidomore.com/mini_coope...motorcycle.php
GOD that would look awsome, a Mini with the R1 on the trailer!
YOU HAVE to take a picture if you ever do that!
Last edited by Kirkz24; Feb 9, 2009 at 08:48 AM.
Not me... but in August, it woulda been...
2nd Gear
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: Bronx, NY & Westchester, NY
i second that! congrats!!
whenever i'm working on my car and someone new asks what i'm doing or why, i simply say... "depreciating my mini!" with a smile, of course.
just out of curiosity, do you think the same holds up for people who sell their mini's on a place like NAM? i mean, i would rather buy/sell from someone who is thinks like i do. it's not going to save me or make me money, but ultimately it will be a more rewarding experience (don't make me get existential here). so if i buy a modded mini from a dealer, i save, if anything goes horribly wrong, tough ****. if i buy a modded mini from a "MINIac" on NAM, do i still save?
believe it or not mods often bring down the value of a car so he feigned ignorance.
just out of curiosity, do you think the same holds up for people who sell their mini's on a place like NAM? i mean, i would rather buy/sell from someone who is thinks like i do. it's not going to save me or make me money, but ultimately it will be a more rewarding experience (don't make me get existential here). so if i buy a modded mini from a dealer, i save, if anything goes horribly wrong, tough ****. if i buy a modded mini from a "MINIac" on NAM, do i still save?
*IF* you can find a buyer (such as on NAM) who values the same modding regimen that you embraced, you can do OK... still won't recover the value of the mods sold separately if you put the car back to stock. The challenge is finding your "modding soulmate"... different people like different things, and some simple stuff can be deal breakers (e.g. I won't buy a MINI with factory Nav... even if I loved everything else; I wouldn't buy a MINI with a 19% pulley because of what I think that might mean to longevity...)
The big benefit from buying from a known enthusiast is that you're more likely to be able to get an accurate service/maintenance history... I would NOT buy a used MINI unless I knew the oil change history, etc...
The big benefit from buying from a known enthusiast is that you're more likely to be able to get an accurate service/maintenance history... I would NOT buy a used MINI unless I knew the oil change history, etc...
Thread Starter
|
2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: Fairhope, AL
So, here's the engine. The stress bar is out so I can paint it black instead of red. I think the only thing modded that I haven't already figured out is the plug wires
I found this while rooting around.
A shot of the interior
I found this while rooting around.
A shot of the interior
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,737
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles
i spy a whalen shift ****, i dont know the brand for the e brake lever, custom leather shift boot and e brake boot, you got some sort of guage down under.
looks like your car may have had an amp in it's past life probably with a sub.
looks like your car may have had an amp in it's past life probably with a sub.
, well we all know how addicting a MINI is ....i wouldn't be surprised if that happen 
....but the mod hunt wouldn't be much fun
3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 281
Likes: 1
From: I live in sunny southern California
Wha Wha WHAT!! NICE! See if you have a pulley in there too? I have not read all the threads yet....had to comment on the price. I paid $20 for mine with 23K, private party - bone stock......well.....Premium, Sport, and Cold Climate packages.
I agree with everyone else though....nice looking Cooper!
Definitely sweet tho! WELCOME ............to the addiction!
I paid $20 for mine with 23K, private party - bone stock......well.....Premium, Sport, and Cold Climate packages.I agree with everyone else though....nice looking Cooper!
Definitely sweet tho! WELCOME ............to the addiction!
Last edited by hockeyman; Feb 9, 2009 at 10:14 PM.
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,798
Likes: 11
From: CT
The sweep looks like it is a little small for a boost gauge. Take a look at your strut towers, if you see bolt in the whole on the top of them you have adjustable camber plates. IE fixed plates are also a possibility, but you would have to know simply based on how much the strut mount is offset from stock I believe.
Thread Starter
|
2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: Fairhope, AL
I was thinking it had a short shift kit. If feels stiff like my E36 did with a short shift installed. No boost guage, those are an oil temp and volt meter, though I wouldn't mind replacing the volt with a boost guage. I gotta tell you guys, I do a little dance every time I look in the garage