Ruled out a few possible problems
 

I've been listening to an intermittent squeal from my brakes for a little bit now, last weekend took the time to take the rear brake apart (believed to be the culprit) with new pads and rotors at the ready only to find they look brand new! Didn't have to replace my brakes! Took it for a drive again to see if maybe they had just needed some lubricating, and well... maybe it's the front? Put that on hold. Took a drive out to visit some family (1 hour on the highway each way) and on the way back thought I heard a high pitched grinding sound, turned down the music and listened in panic to see if it would happen again, heard it a few more times at highway speed but it silenced itself at city speeds (passenger heard nothing the whole time). Thinking it's the wheel bearing starting to go, run and pick up replacement part and well, might as well look at the front brakes while I'm in there. Front brakes are like the back and look brand new, lubricate them anyway, bearing also seems to be fine? Go for another drive and decide I was just hearing the whistle of the CAI at higher speeds and I'm being paranoid... brake still squeaks... BUT now I know all of my brakes have a lot of life left to them, and I get to get my money back by taking the parts back!

Made a quick run to the grocery store early in the morning, the MINI relished in the smooth, undisturbed 59* atmosphere, and we only caught one red light during the whole excursion; good times.

What is love?....Turning 20
 

Today my 10.16.2003 build, 2004 pre-facelift R53 turned 20 years old.

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I had ordered and purchased it new in October of 2003 for my lovely ex-wife (no sarcasm), and picked it up from the dealer on November 22.2003 with only 3mi on the OD.
She adored and drove this little car for 4years until (2008) when it was time to put her into a more competitive mode of transport in order to keep her safe from all the crazies driving big a$* SUV's and trucks that dominated the roads where we lived.
Instead of trading it in in order to offset the cost for an Infinity Fx35, I decided to keep the Mini and do away with my other four custom built cars (which I also had a profound attachment to).

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https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...c80faad755.jpg

Although it may not look like anything "special" (now with 98,752 mi on the clock) but since that time I've put a lot of preventative maintenance and performance upgrades (as well as personalization) into this Mini to keep it performing and looking "like new".
I preferred to keep it mostly stock with a little bit of zippiness added in to keep things more fun and interesting to drive.

September of this year became the most expensive of all my years of ownership when the manual transmission ultimately failed and was subsequently replaced.
While the gearbox was being replaced I decided to do a complete subframe/frontend refresh. The cost of which exceeded it's blue book value according to Kelly and Edmunds.

This 20 year old Mini it is undoubtedly deserving of the name "the Mini Pit", But I never stopped being enamored with this little car. Today I texted my ex-wife some recent photos of her once beloved Mini.
She called me up in tears. We've always remained very close with never any loss of love...She was overwhelmed with heartfelt joy that I managed to keep that little car after all these years....

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Those were indeed good times.....
More to come.

Great post!

Hooray! - I just finished my 600mi clutch break in.
After having the trans and clutch replaced a few weeks ago, despite the slow and grueling drive to work and back taking the slow residential routes, I felt it was prudent to break in the new clutch in that manner.
Boy what a great feeling it is to have a new clutch again!
It was also a good time to take advantage of testing out the refreshed suspension over less than desirable roads.
The car feels so much more grounded, firm but smooth. Bumps and pot holes seem less intimidating with powerflex LCA bushings while riding on those Bilstein B14's.
The handling is just indescribably wonderful...

All is right with the world :thumbsup:

No fault codes today.
Since having a new 6speed gearbox replaced as well as a front end refresh I had gotten quite a few fault codes after preforming a scan with my Foxwell 510.
Cleared the faults.
It's been about 900 mi since then.
Re-scanned this morning. No faults!
All good.
Also filled up w/93 oct. @$3.49/gal :thumbsup::thumbsup:

19 Minnesota Winter strong
 

by https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmy_racoon/, on Flickr

by https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmy_racoon/, on Flickr

Nice!!

I may not miss the MN winters but I always loved this pic of your bright red chili against the white wintery canvas.
:thumbsup:

Chile Red on White canvas
 

one more for you HERE2GO...
by https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmy_racoon/, on Flickr

Nice pics! Your car looks great. Time to update your signature with mileage and number of winters, eh?

one more shot
 

Thanks for the suggestion-how's this?
by https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmy_racoon/, on Flickr

Last night my Rally lights saved a life
 

While clipping along @ 55mph down a desolate 2wo lane mountain road in pitch darkness, I happened upon a poor confused opossum running down the middle of my lane.
If it weren't for my Rally/spot lamps - the both of us probably wouldn't have seen the sun rise this morning.

I brake hard for all living things.

Ok ....well,.... maybe not politicians.

Miles of smiles
 

My 04 R53 just went almost 290mi on a little over 3/4 of tank of gas!
In the 20+ years of ownership, I haven't seen that kind of mpg aside from my cross country road trips
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Coincidentally about a mile after the red fuel warning light illuminated I was lucky enough to pull into a Chevron station to fill up on 93.
The Mini has always been run on Chevron "supreme" since new (2003) and the needle has never fallen much below 1/4 tank / well above the red slash.

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As I was snapping these photos; a woman in a Mercedes kept looking at me in a curios way.
As she was leaving the pumps, she stopped and said "What a cute car. I've always wanted one but my husband said - NO!"
With that; she proceeded to ask; "What are the pictures for?" - I replied with a smile "Ah - it's a Mini culture thing I share with other Mini owners that I've never met...Well, outside of cyberspace that is."
She then replied "That is exactly why I wanted one! Just to be different. Instead my husband insisted on "this" (referring to her $80k Mercedes Benz)". She gave me a friendly wave as she drove off with a pleasant smile on her face.

The roads out here are long winding and twisting through dense mountainous forests. Although there are not a lot of Minis out here - I can spot one a mile away. Unfortunately if I should cross paths with another Mini - no one waves.
Today - I stand corrected....
After filling up at Chevron, just about 6mi down the road, I spot a girl in 1st gen, Chili red R52 with her top down (I mean the convertible top), poised at a side road waiting to cross. I couldn't believe it - As I approached, traveling @55mph, to see her waving enthusiastically when she noticed another Mini (me) coming down the road.

I travel that road just about every day. I hope to cross paths with "them" again

They just really made my day.

Cool report! I too go out of my way for Chevron 93 (only one station in my town), however my buddy (2006 Checkmate JCW) and I now avoid such pump islands as you chose. Not with our MINIs but instead with his Can-Am SxS at a local non-Chevron station, which had a "green pump" handle as shown in your pic. He filled up with premium (as Rotax 1000R-spec V-twin engines require) only to experience poor running conditions after which only got worse. Turns out, diesel fuel had been pumped into that 93 tank, which subsequently fouled the injectors and much more as evidenced with a subsequent sniff test upon replacement.

Oh - For crying out loud. Are you serious?!
I have only speculated that : I would never trust (or at least try to avoid) many of these off franchise "gulp 'n' go" gas stations.
Your buddy's unfortunate experience only confirms that I'm not just another distrusting crazy cynic.
I've often noticed distracted tanker drivers delivering fuel (at east in the metro area I lived), to some of these quick stop stations and wondered to myself "are they sure they're filling the right tanks with the right grade...or have they've become so complacent with there job that it just becomes a thoughtless routine"
I really don't mean or intend to question or disparage these guys ; but I've seen a few more engaged on their cell phones than they were in the task at hand.
Just makes me wonder sometimes.

So what's the remedy?, In your friends case,...beyond draining the tank?
Is there any serious damage to the fuel system or engine?

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R50 still going strong. Likely available soon...