Took it in to my indy for an annual oil change, transmission fluid flush and a full detailed inspection. 2002 MCS w/ 55K miles.

-All Fluids are Good
-Brakes / Rotors in new condition
-No Leaks
-Original suspension and all components in great condition
-Belts are in new condition

Comment: One of the cleanest MINIs we have ever seen!

Life is good. Time for another detail.

 

Just returned from 8 days of driving to 6 Presidential Libraries, as well as another President's home. 3033 miles, and no problems, except a Service Engine Soon light. Life is good!

 

My gently used Mini runs exceptionally even though I don't have another mini to compare. I gave it a wash yesterday, and despite the left side blinker popping out, I still love it. But I need to replace it with another OEM blinker :

I think I might name it "Omocha"

 

I'm hoping that from today onward, everything will be OK with my used, and rather beat up, R53. My step son picked it out from a sleazy used car lot and then ( I )paid $9000+ for it in August 2013, with 69k on it. (now, 2016, it's 72k) I was to get the payments... but he couldn't make any of them (sound familiar?) and the car mostly sat in our yard for three years until we gave up on ever getting paid back for it.

Now I am fixing up to sell it and found that it took over $3000 to do that so far and I still haven't fixed the oil plug threads ($900) or got new tires... but- this is the Everything is OK Thread, so here's the good part:

I love driving this car! Now that the CV- axle assembly has been replaced, the car is smooth as silk. I love the supercharger sound and feel. My main car is a 2008 Clubman, non S, and much as I love it, the fun and power of the R53 is new to me, and is most satisfying :-)

I am trying to find a way to keep both of these Minis.
Being new to the R53, I'll be looking over these forums now for inspiration and information until I decide to keep it or find a buyer who can put my $13,000 to good use... for much less than that, no doubt

 

Wow, what devotion! 9000 was not a bad price for a car like that with those miles, but not if it needed another 4000. But the point is that you are enjoying yourself!They sure are a fun car to drive!

 

Upgraded to a 17% pulley on the R53 with some supporting maintenance items, having a blast. This car is turning out to be a real peach.

Except that I broke the handle off the dipstick....

 

Hell yeah, can't believe I haven't seen this thread before.

I have had my '02 S for almost 10 years (Tin ann'y this fall). It was my first car at 15 and a half (Virginia laws ¯\_(ツ)_/¯).

It has become the only thing in my everyday life that I have constantly and consistently found joy in from ages 16 to 25.

I just changed the oil and transaxle fluid last weekend. It drives like a dream, shifts like a dream, and everything was OK this week.

 

Took my wife and youngest out to dinner last Friday night with a few other MINI owners. Still a joy to drive each and every time.

 

Drove the Mini to Charleston, around town, and back to Atlanta and everything was absolutely perfect. No issues what so ever. Even got a few good head turns when rolling down King Street with my Invidia exhaust, that's always a good feeling.

 

i have an 04 cvt with 106k and so far pretty good luck just the warranty replaced power steering motor. also the anti sway bar bushings bad but i just disconnected it to save the hundreds of dollars. drivers side window stuck up position motor was only 25usd will splurge someday to get it put in. the cvt is doing well so far but i drive it like a kitten. it is alot of fun to drive thats for sure

 

oops wrong thread

 

Everything was AWESOME! I got my first oil analysis back today after switching to Amsoil.


8,000 miles on the oil in a 200,000 mile motor and it came back as perfectly fine! I did an oil change anyway at the time I pulled the sample, but this time i'll probably go 10,000 mi and just do a sample!


Honestly, I was expecting more out of a 200k motor, but it was great! Just another reason why I will always continue to use Amsoil!

 

I drove my 2005 R52 10 hours to check out an R53 track car for 30 mins. Bought it and drove 10 hours back the next day.

My R52 didn't miss a beat.

 

Bought an R53 for my wife two days ago and it hasn't blown up yet. we almost passed up on it because of all the stuff we had read online but after she test drove the 6 speed there was no way i was coming home and that mini wasn't. i think she made the sales-guy **** his pants during the test drive....

 

I think the problems are with the automatic transmission. I've has my 05 S for almost 12 years & the only problems have been due to the delicate sporty suspension on Houston's incredibly bad roads. And now, when I'm having to replace the harmonic balancer & drive belt. And the drive belt is routine.

oh, and there's a recall on the power steering pump(?) I haven't done that yet.

 

How would one find out if their MCS had been provided the required part due to the recall?

 

Poor Pip has been sidelined for a couple of weeks now. My husband and I feel the previous owners must have thought that the water on the floor from the leaking sunroof was a heater core issue and filled her full of stop leak :-( At the same time, the oil pressure sensor went out as did the fan switch (again :-( ). Today, we have flushed all, now need to install proper sensor (first was wrong), but oil pressure reading from my husbands lovely Snap On tool supply shows oil pressure good and we should be on the road again shortly!!!!

 

Super day! Went for a nice long 2 hour joy ride to meet a seller. No problems at all.

Did I mention I flushed my coolant system and changed the oil this morning as well. My R53 loves me even more now.

 

Installed GRS Intercooler straight from uk.

 

last night my brand new belt decided to jump ship, but nothing else broke, that was cool

 

Today is the anniversary of my first full week with my NEW TO ME 06/R53 Still doing the shake down thing. Needs some work but so far it's been good...

 

Jasper is doing very well. No warning lights on the dash. Just hit 173,000 miles today!

 

Week 2 for my New to Me 06/R53. Sitting at a light today and noticed steam coming from under the hood, of course I know what that could mean. Get to the office and lift the hood, bubbles coming from the expansion tank, hopefully that's all it is. I did do a block test before I purchased it. The car has 110K, One owner with complete history. Thermostat was changed 3 or 4 times during radiator flushes. Thermostat housing was also changed. My question, should I get another plastic expansion tank or go with a metal unit?

 

Get a metal one. I went through two plastic ones in the first 100k. Got a metal one, been good since. The plastic ones seem to break at the seam, even their "improved" grey ones.

Nik

 

Is it a addiction when you have 2 MINIs and named your dog Cooper haha