Sup guys, newbie here. Just picked up a 2003 MCS 6 speed w/sport package that has 129,000 miles. Came with ehhh wheels, sound system (missing sub) and a full Borla cat back system. First thing first that I'm really concerned is Maintenence. What needs to be done?

 

Rule of thumb for recently purchased used vehicles at least for me.. If you don't know if its been done do it. I just bought one with 60k and just finished changing all the fluids and spark plugs for good measure.

 

Check power steering hoses for leaks, consider changing the thermostat, thermostat housing, & gasket, check belt & hoses for cooling....and of course change the oil & filter....you might also want to check the engine mounts...have fun ...and look over everything....oh...look for oil leaks...

 

Much appreciated guys

 

Does it matter what brand I get for the thermostat?
And should I stick with oem for the engine mounts?

 

Check to see if you have a smaller supercharger pulley before doing the plugs. A JCW or smaller aftermarket pulley should use colder JCW plugs. It also affects the belt size so hopefully the % of reduction is printed on the face of the pulley if aftermarket.

 

And while you're doing fluids, do a full brake fluid flush. This should be done every two years, but it's almost never done. (Like shocks & struts...)

The cabin filter has probably never been replaced either. You'll be amazed at how gross it is...

Look at the strut mounts (from the top). If the rubber's cracking around the center, new mounts should be on your list. If the metal tower around the strut mount is mushroomed, you'll need a BFH (uh... a hammer) and piece of 2X4 to smack it back down. Strut tower reinforcements and/or a crossbar are a good idea.

Make sure your coolant (radiator) fan is working properly: both low- and high-speed (as opposed to blasting on high then shutting off completely). Should come on low-speed (at least) every time you turn on the A/C.

There are good aftermarket engine mounts out there, OEM are pretty expensive. Don't be swayed into installing poly mounts unless you're okay with a lot of engine vibration in the cabin. You'll know your upper (top, passenger-side) mount is bad if there's black goop leaked out all around it. Or, just jack up the engine slightly and watch what happens to the mount - if the center rises out of it.

At 129K, the LCA's (lower control arm bushings) are probably shot if they haven't been replaced yet. This can get involved so proceed with the full knowledge that all of the other suspension parts also have 129K miles on them. And if you're doing the LCA's, you might as well bite the bullet while you're in there and do it all. You won't regret it.

Check for rust underneath the door jamb gasket/seals at the door sills. Pull them up to look at the body seams. Rust there is common on pre-'05 because water didn't drain well from the early seals. Same for the rear hatch, and around the tail lights.

If the previous owner has already done a lot of this, that's a good sign that the car was well cared-for. Nice car, too. Love green Minis!

 

Thank you guys!
Going to do a oil change on the car, decided to go with Full Synthetic Castrol 0w-40

 

Other than fluids this would be one of the first things I would check. The low speed fan relay always dies on our cars and it can lead to overheating, especially if your high speed is also not working. At the very least it can kill your ac compressor since the low speed fan also cools it.

Good luck and enjoy your new Mini!

 

For accuracy, it's not (usually) the relay that quits, it's the in-line resistor on the low-speed side that burns out because of poor design/placement (hidden in the fan housing). The two (high- and low-speed) relays in the fuse box can get stuck and sometimes need a light smack with a solid utensil to get them functional again. At that point, a new relay is in order.

 

Awesome, good to know
By the way, has anyone tried out the ebay aluminum radiator?

 

Not to bust on ebay, but I wouldn't go cheap on critical components so it really depends on who makes whatever part. Some mystery brand radiator wouldn't make me feel confident when cooling a Mini is a challenge in the first place.

 

That's very true, I was doing some research about the coolant expansion tank going bad and the newer versions are now a ugly **** yellow I believe? I can't tell if mine was replaced or not.