Soo I went and took a look at a 2004 Mini Cooper for my cousin before Christmas. The car was a really nice car but after I talked the guy down because of the paint on the drivers side, but my cousin decided to keep his car. I got a text from the seller yesterday asking me if he still wanted the car for $2200.00.. I told him he changed his mind but I might be interested. Well after a grueling 10 mile test drive and building out my other mini I knew what to look for and this car passed with flying colors. My other Mini will be going to my dad since his car decided to take a dump. The plan is to drive this for the remainder of the winter and then do a minor teardown and rebuild in the summer.

SPECS:
- 2004 MINI COOPER BASE
- PANORAMIC ROOF
- 5 SPEED
- 16" WHEELS

WHATS BAD?
- NEEDS TWO WINDOW REGULATORS (LIKE ALL MINI'S)
- CAME WITH 5% TINT
- NEEDS A GOOD CLEANING
- DRIVERS SIDE PAINT SHOWS BAD BODY WORK AND HORRIBLE PAINT JOB
- NEEDS A NEW SET OF BRAKES (PADS AND ROTORS) FRONT AND BACK
- MISSING TWEETER AND DOOR HANDLE COVER

After taking delivery today I immediately decided to rip the 5% Limo Tint. I dont know how people can drive with that stuff on the car

WHAT MODS AM I DOING??
- NEW TAIL LIGHTS
- NEW WIPERS (FRONT AND BACK)
- NEW HEADLIGHTS
- NEW HID KIT
- TUNE UP







AFTER THE TINT CAME OFF...



MY OTHER MINI IN THE BACK!

 

Nice find! While you're peeling, you might want to take care of those funkified hood stripes...

 

Nice ride for the $$$! What area of MD are you in?

 

Im right by MD Live Casino.. Your in ElkRidge?

 

Very nice! Congratulations on picking up another one. Looks like it needs a little cosmetic love, but it's in good hands. For the stripes, www.mightystripes.com. That's where we got the ones for our R53. Great quality and cheaper than Genuine. Let me know if you need anything!

 

One more is never enough

 

Very nice - I haven't found the one for me yet (Frederick). From what I've seen of your work, you'll have this thing back in shape in no time.

 

WELL IT GOT OVER 30 DEGREES TODAY.. (ALMOST UP TO 50!) SO I WANTED TO CLEAN UP THE CAR BECAUSE THE REST OF THE WEEK AND NEXT WILL BE COLD!

- FIRST ON THE LIST.. THESE DIRTY LEATHER SEATS..
1. WIPED THEM DOWN WITH DE-GREASER AND HOT WATER.
2. THEN USED SOME SONAX AND A MR. CLEAN MAGIC ERASER TO CONDITION AND CLEAN THE LEATHER.
3. NEXT WIPE THE SONAX CLEANER OFF WITH A MICROFIBER..
4. FINAL STEP WAS TO USE SOME LEXOL 3IN1 CLEANER|CONDITION|BLAH BLAH BLAH ON THEM.
FINAL PRODUCT CAME OUT NICE


SONAX AFTER WIPING DOWN THE SEATS












LET THE SONAX DRY FOR A BIT AND WIPE WITH A MICRO FIBER CLOTH




FINISHED PRODUCT.. DEGREASER, SONAX AND LEXOL ...

- I WENT ON THE ATTACK OF THE DOORS, DASH AND CENTER CONSOLE AFTER THE SEATS.. SAME PROCESS AS ABOVE DEGREASER|HOT WATER COMBO.. THEN SOME MCGUIRES INTERIOR DETAIL SPRAY.. GLASS CLEANER TO CLEAN THE GAUGES..





- FINALLY I TOOK IT TO THE CAR WASH FOR A LITTLE OUTSIDE TLC.. HOLY CRAP THIS CAR WAS DIRTY.. BUT BEING THAT THE WATER WAS SUPER COLD AND I LOST FEELING IN THE FINGERS FOR 20 MINS.. IT WAS A QUICK WASH BUT IT WILL WORK FOR NOW.. IN THE SPRING THE WHEELS WILL HAVE TO COME OFF AND I WILL GET SOME CHEMICAL GUYS WHEEL CLEANER TO GET THE CAKED ON BRAKE DUST OFF. TODAY WAS JUST 100% DEGREASER NO WATER MIX.. AND A GREEN SCRUBBING PAD TO GET THEM TO WHERE YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE.. THROW SOME TIRE SHINE ON THERE AND I GOT MYSELF A CLEAN LITTLE WINTER BEATER!











WHATS NEXT????
- HID KIT (HEADLIGHT AND FOGS) AND NEW TAIL LIGHTS
- USE THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT FROM MY OTHER CAR ON THIS ONE (THAT ONE IS GETTING DEPO PROJECTORS)
- GOOD VACUUM TOMORROW AND SOME OEM MINI COOPER RUBBER FLOOR MATS..

 

Here are the new stripes , the old ones look pretty bad. 51140407070 currently on super sale.

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/51140407070/




+1 depo projectors

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...onversion.html






Taillights options, see the -7/2004 ones.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...il-lights.html

 

Very nice so far!

 

I would get those stripes, at this price they might not last long on our site.

 

Cleaning up nicely! Where'd you get your Sonax?

 

Amazon sells it for a pretty good price. I use it on my leather parts of my S4 but you have to be careful if you have Alcantara

 

[QUOTE=ECSTuning;4163508]Here are the new stripes , the old ones look pretty bad. 51140407070 currently on super sale.

I might just get the stripes... but I have to get the hood and the passenger side repainted so im not really too worried right now with the outside. Beginning of summer for sure I might do a total rebuild like my other car.. This one is really a nice car and it runs really well...

 

We carry sonax also. Really like there wheel cleaner Full effect wheel cleaner ). Turns purple and takes of most if not all grease.

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/Sonax/


[QUOTE=MazMini;4164296]Welcome, yea, this is going to look so nice when done.

 

WELL IT WAS TIME TO DO ONE HALF OF THESE WINDOW REGULATORS ... MAN I HATE DOING THESE BUT HERE GOES...

- I ADDED SOME SOUND DEADENING PEEL-n-SEAL ON THE DOOR. NEXT WAS THIS WINDOW REGULATOR WHICH THANKS TO THE GOOD PEOPLE AT PELICAN PARTS ITS PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD.

- YOU WILL SEE MY SOLUTION FOR THE WHITE CLIPS THAT ALWAYS BREAK WHEN YOU TAKE THE OEM REGULATOR OUT. SO A LITTLE HOME DEPOT TRICK WORKS GREAT.. MAKE SURE YOU WIPE IT DOWN WITH ACETONE TO GET A GOOD CONTACT WITH THE DOUBLE SIDED TAPE.


OVERALL IT CAME OUT GOOD AND MY WINDOW CAN GO UP AND DOWN NOW AND THE RIDE IS ABOUT 1/4 QUIETER... I CANT WAIT TO DO THE WHOLE CAR WITH THIS STUFF..











MY SOLUTION TO THE WHITE CLIPS THAT ALWAYS BREAK!!!!







- FINALLY I INSTALLED SOME ULTRA WHITE LENS AND BULBS I GOT FROM EBAY OVER THE LICENSE PLATE. I TRIED PUTTING THEM IN MY OTHER MINI AND THEY DIDNT WORK.. THAT DARN CAR!

 

Looking good,. I always clean up the window when i have it out. Watch that glass , you bump anything very hard and with a point and it will shatter easy.

 

 

Like the Black Jack plate frame also, nice touch.