When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Most of this has been highway miles. I drive 56 miles each way to work and back, mostly on cruise. Regular oil changes (5000 miles), using genuine or Mann filters, and Mobil 1.
2003 R53 with 158K miles. Still on original clutch, water pump, and supercharger. I've done 8K to 10K road trips every spring since 2014 and seen most of the country. Benefits of being retired.
It was only 7,500 miles that I nearly send Desire to the glue factory - give her to my family as I bought a Porsche. Fortunately for Desire none of my family members care to drive a outdated car with an antiquated manual gearbox. Not wanting to sell this little car with only 47,500 miles that I bought since new I thought why not put in $2,000 to make her more fun as a city runabout. I chose Koni Yellow and Swift springs for suspension, a Alta 22mm rear sway bar amongst other checked off items, and installed a 15% SC pulley. All came in at just circa $1,750. Oh man, I couldn't believe the transformation. I begun tracking her and she is a FWD (fun wheel drive thru and thru!). Fast forward to May 2019 we both grown and more mature and there are so much more to be explored with this little FWD.
Believe me or not, I enjoy driving this little FWD hog no less than the big bad Porsche GT4 and there are still so much faster that Desire has to offer that the short pole in the tent is the nut behind the wheel rather than the nearly stock humble economy almost hot hatch.
Yes. only 50,164 miles fun, fun, fun miles after 15 years and the best is the last 7,500 miles.
Good to see some high mileage 1st gens! Mine is an 2004 R53 with 183k as of 2013. I parked it in 2013 and sat until 2017 since I had a company car to drive around. Unfortunately I was young and foolish and abused my MINI before it an extended vacation in 2013. I took care of the drivetrain well, but interior and exterior trim, makes the car look like a jalopy!
Finally got the bug again to get her restored so slowly starting to piece stuff together to get her back in shape. Only thing I've changed out in 15 years are the coolant reservoir tank, and the clutch/flywheel. Feels like I'm on borrowed time with the supercharger so that's on my list to get done soon.
I been out of the MINI scene for quite some time, it has changed quite a bit! Prices on some of these parts are pretty crazy due to the rarity now.
2003 MCS, purchased 6 months ago and it has just under 94K miles. Just replaced clutch, supercharger BOV, power steering hoses, oil pan gasket, oil filter housing gasket, and new exhaust. Hope to take this car to 200K and beyond.
Still on the original clutch and battery 
