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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.
Well, it's been 5 days since I installed the aluminum expansion tank and I've not noticed the fan running at all actually. Car is not overheating, not losing any coolant, guess it's working as it should. It's a good feeling not having to wonder how low my coolant level is. I'm still carrying extra in the car just in case..Today was a good day.....
Just finished my first oil change and transmission fluid flush on the car, and found out that the car hasn't had the oil catch can drained in a long, long time. It was half full of mostly water and vile, the oil had changed to near silicone consistency. The m7 catch can's upper gasket disintegrated, and they don't offer replacements on their website, so i emailed them and they are sending me a gasket set absolutely free. What awesome people.
Any day that you are told your mini is back in service is a good day!!!!! Apparently people just don't know how to treat them and they need new homes to make them happy again!
I took my 129k mile 04' JCW up and down Angels Crest highway on Saturday morning, no issues except the broken baffle in the jcw exhaust driving me nuts. (Don't mind the missing flare, I picked up a replacement on the way home lol)
I took my 129k mile 04' JCW up and down Angels Crest highway on Saturday morning, no issues except the broken baffle in the jcw exhaust driving me nuts. (Don't mind the missing flare, I picked up a replacement on the way home lol)
Glad to see some other minis with higher miles...I have a 2002 that I found used and its my daily driver just hit 130,000 today...it makes me feel kinda sad actually
No need to feel sad, with proper maintenance, any engine will basically last forever. It may need to come out for new crank bearings at 300-500k, but that's genuinely not a lot of money for a car that you love.
I'm at 129k myself, just finished a major service, the supercharger still had a pretty substantial amount of oil in it, so I'm happy that it wasn't run dry.
Cleaning the grime off the block and internal components and putting a car back together that's clean and fresh and runs right is just so satisfying.
Next thing is definitely dynamat in the doors and read wheel wells though, I have a couple small rattles that make themselves known on seattle's shitty roads.
It's good to be back! I've haven't owned a Mini for almost 12 years. I had an 02 MCS in winch I slightly modified, an airbox, pulley and catback. It was a lot of fun and I've missed the Mini over the years. Even as I owned a 996 C4S, I still coveted to own a Mini again someday. Well someday showed up last week when I found this 04 MCS JCW 40th Anniversary. Couldn't pass it up, the price was right, rare optioned car. Needs some work, but runs fine. 160,000 miles! I'm going to pull the engine freshen everything up and enjoy. Cheers! I'm back.
Oh, did I mentioned the engine is autographed by the builder!
Well, it's been 5 days since I installed the aluminum expansion tank and I've not noticed the fan running at all actually. Car is not overheating, not losing any coolant, guess it's working as it should. It's a good feeling not having to wonder how low my coolant level is. I'm still carrying extra in the car just in case..Today was a good day.....
I'm about to do the expansion tank for the antifreeze as well as the power steering tank. Which brand did you go with?
All was well until the wife got home and had..... had to do laundry. See, it's been so cold lately, getting dark early, so I thought is was a good idea to bring some parts of my car inside to work on them in the laundry room. You know, the garage is to full, or so that was my excuse for working in the laundry room. So, if you want to make your spouse mad at you, I've found a new hot button. She wasn't to happy to find wheels and tires, a spoiler and other stuff cluttering up "her" room, lol.
Time for a refresh. Pulled the front spoiler off and took it all apart. New JCW badge is on the way, black plastic will be resprayed as well as the spoiler.
Yuk, I was driving around with birds nest in the spoiler, lol
Got the front spoiler back today. Put most of it back together. Tomorrow it'll all go back together for sure. Hopefully this weather warms up.
Better call Maaco. I went to another body shop and they wanted almost $600. to sand, primer and paint this front spoiler. What???? I'm not trying to make a mortgage payment here on a 12 year old car, lol. Went to Maaco and they were a lot less. They ordered the Chili Red paint while I was there from the dealer. In two days they had me out the door and the paint matches up great. Going to clay bar the car whenever it decides to warm up.
Got the front spoiler back today. Put most of it back together. Tomorrow it'll all go back together for sure. Hopefully this weather warms up.
Better call Maaco. I went to another body shop and they wanted almost $600. to sand, primer and paint this front spoiler. What???? I'm not trying to make a mortgage payment here on a 12 year old car, lol. Went to Maaco and they were a lot less. They ordered the Chili Red paint while I was there from the dealer. In two days they had me out the door and the paint matches up great. Going to clay bar the car whenever it decides to warm up.
Today I got to experience the 2017 Mini Clubman that I got for a loaner car while my R53 is in the shop, also got a call from Bmw saying that they can fix everything I asked them to. That's not negative it's very positive
So, Frostie (formally Pippa, I don't think he liked the girly name) is happy sitting at home under the 6 inches of snow that we got over the weekend waiting for his new heart to show up since his old one was glued together when we got him. After it is replaced, we will be off and running because he is the best car EVER!!!!
