Hi all,

Just a quick check in, spent the day at Six Flags with my students, some of the roller coasters were *almost* as fun as motoring the 2 hour school bus ride was NOT

Ryan went to Deal's Gap...[jealous sigh], can't wait for his report/highlights...

must sleep now...

chef

 

Greetings, all.

This morning, my son and I installed the BMP air filter and then the BMP strut tower brace that had been sitting around the house since February. (I wanted to wait a little bit before installation so I could get a realistic impression of the difference rather than put them on as soon as possible.) After a 30-minute test drive, I must say that I am quite impressed with the intake. . The sound is just a tiny bit louder overall, unless stepping on the happy pedal, when it is definitely a stronger sound. When the rpm's rise into post-breakin range, the supercharger whine is MUCH more prominent than before - a real ZING that sounds great.

The greenstuff brake pads came in last week - now I have to try to find some real basic instructions for their installation. I can't wait to cut down on the dust factor Phil

 

>>Greetings, all.
>>
>>This morning, my son and I installed the BMP air filter and then the BMP strut tower brace that had been sitting around the house since February.
>>
Phil, that intake system sounds like a real win/win. What did it cost?

I am curious about the strut tower braces, as this car feels solid as a safe going through bumpy turns. Really feels like a solid block of steel, so I wonder about the braces. Are you going to autocross it?

Let us know how the mods work out over time. Thanks! :smile:

Regards,
Red

 

Two hours behind the wheel of a bus? :smile:

Regards,
Red

 

Let's really MOTOR CWFA Club. Get over to The Greatest MINI Meet Ever!!!! and rock 'n roll!

This thing is turning out to be amazing - from a grassroots idea started right here on MCO to something that will go down in MINI history. DO NOT be left out!

There's still space - so think seriously about joining us.

Over and out.

 

I'm Back! :smile:
Deal's Gap was totally AWESOME! Chef, your jealous sigh is for good reason, it was such an awesome time. Check out the threads in Off Topic and National Events. I'm major whipped, having just got back a little bit ago, so April Club updates and new pictures are gonna have to wait!

CONGRATS Chef!
cool pics tboner and socks!

my brake pads are thinner, my tires balder, and my odometer now says 2815, DOUBLE of last week

Cheers,
Ryan

 

glad you made it back in once piece, ryan... read up on some of the treads about the trip and sounds fun. also went to the website http://www.tailofthedragon.com to check out the road and stuff. a couple mentions of coopers being there, and a pic of one. the road looks absolutely CRAZY, and dangerous.. talk of accidents all the time and such. A mere 500 miles from my house, might have to go there one weekend when i'm bored and check it out.

horray for having the semester wrap up tomorrow! summer's here!

ryan

 

Phil,
The intake system sounds great. So, you are noticing big improvements in the low rpm range? How big of a difference is it? During the break-in I have noticed it is easy to "bog" down the engine if I do not rev enough. I guess I need to start researching intake kits.

Regards,

 

Welcome back Ryephile!!!!

From the other threads it looks like you had a blast!!!! Seriously hope to make it out next year, but anything that close to the end of the school year will always be difficult....we'll see!

Loving Burnie more and more each day, finally let my wife drive him, now she loves him too...Hmmmmmmm...two MINIs??? The nice thing about watching her drive off with her sister was getting to hear the engine rev from outside the car...what a sweeeeet sound!

I also let my brother in law take it for a spin (he's also one of my best buds...) Symptoms much like mine...gooofy grin, wide eyes, gradual increases in cornering speeds and a loss of words

I have a FMA to report, but forgot what number we are on...anybody else rember??

FMA# *** - Lane Diving

To set up this FMA you must be in a "controlled" left turn lane, turning into at least two lanes. It is also helpful if you are the second car in line behind something slow, clumsy or both. When the light changes, watch the car in front of you as you begin your turn. As soon as they have commited to one lane, accelerate the MINI into a hard, fast turn into the other one, zipping past them in the open lane. It is especially fun if they turn wide into the outside lane. The other day I was into 2nd gear and past a Suburban before they even finished turning. WooooooHooooo!

Later folks!

chef

 

::nudging us back to page one::

Ryan, sounds like you had a BLAST!

I wish I'd've been there, but ah... I tend to get motion sickness. That SO wouldn't've reflected well on the MINI group.



at least carsickness isn't as bad as seasickness...

 

sounds like Deal's Gap was great fun. can't wait to see the pictures.

and now for something completely different...

my MINI, 1.5 weeks old and with 1280 miles, is going in for service this Wednesday at Ralph Schomp in Denver. the reason, you ask?

*** drum roll***

the Power Steering has died. my fiance took the MINI to her office to show her co-workers last week on Thursday, and called me when she got back from lunch to say that the MINI was "having problems cornering." when she got home, i took it for a spin, and the first thing i noticed was that i could barely pull out of my garage. getting out and into the alley and then onto the street was like a 5 point turn - and it's been a long time since i've used so much arm power to turn a steering wheel.

what's really disappointing is that the car was exactly a week old when this happened. you heard me, ONE WEEK OLD! i've gotta tell you, it's pretty f*cking ridiculous. if i had bought a YUGO, i would have expected to have ***** start breaking immediately, but my MINI??? let me tell you, this is really killing the motoring buzz i had just a few short days ago, and really makes the 6 month wait seem like a slap in the face.

then, to top it off, i called Ralph Schomp this morning to verify my appointment, and they said that they didn't even have a record that i had called in. AARRGH! finally, after getting passed around, someone remembered that i had called in on Saturday, and confirmed that i had a time slot on Wednesday morning. but the kicker was - "we don't have any loaner cars available until next week." they said that they could get me a rental car for $30 a day, and i said it had better be free. now, i'm just waiting to see if i end up with a POS rental car or not. but i bet it's Power Steering will work.

......

ok, rant is over. i'll try to calm down.

:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

sorry to hear about your power steering issues Sockdaddy!

My drive to work this morning has never been so boring, I kept expecting a hairpin or a switchback to jump out from behind the trees! Chef, you better rearrange your school-year so you can make it next year!!!

Cheers,
Ryan

Here's a linuep of some of us meeting for lunch at Tapoco lodge. From front to back; sndwave, MINIclo, Ryephile, 2minis, Yuccapatrol, Orbhot, HollyRN76, minimotorin, and Mully1217.

 

OK, this may sound wierd, but I want to know if anyone else has experienced this phenomenon...

Before MINI, I say Coopers all over, at least 5-6 different ones motoring around South Austin.

After being MINIed--I have seen a grand total of 1...where'd they all go???
Were they hallucinations?

Not that I ever want the MINI to become like the Beetle (I must see 20+ a day!!!) but it would be nice to exchange a wave, thumbs up or beep with a fellow motorer occasionally...anyone else experience this????

I will have the opportunity to see many MINIs soon...the local cinema/drafthouse is planning a MINI meet for the local premiere of The Italian Job on May 30 and the following day a MINI motor-in is planned for the hill country west of Austin. Hopes are that there will be 100 or more MINIs from Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and the central Texas area...should be fun!!!

Hope all are well--

chef

PS- I'm working on the new school calendar, Ryan, maybe if I propose it as a budget cutting measure the board of trustees will buy it...

 

Par 4, Red, et al.

The improvement in the low rpm range is the very first thing I noticed as soon as I took off after the installation of the intake. It was like - wow - I've driven this car for 3000 miles, and that was the first time it felt like I actually knew how to use a clutch. The improvement is most dramatic from 1500-2500rpm. Before, it was like there was no power at all under 2500rpm - now, it just feels "right". And its not just first gear - before, if I was cruising down the freeway in 6th at around 2500rpm, and wanted to speed up a little, I felt that I had to shift or the car would just complain. Now, while its no torque monster, it will at least pick up speed in a reasonable manner. I really do think it is a very worth-while modification. I got mine through RandyBMC, because I felt like he has made a huge contribution of his time and effort to MCO, and he has tried to be very objective in his writings.
Also, I have always wanted a strut tower brace, and he said that the BMP was the one to get, and it went with the BMP intake well. Which is true. All that being said, however, I must also say that I am nowhere near a good enough driver to need the strut tower brace. I don't think the MINI needs it at all, but I have wanted one ever since my '91 SHO. And it does make the engine compartment look pretty shiny. But no, I don't think it makes much of a difference, at least not for me.

Phil

>>So, you are noticing big improvements in the low rpm range? How big of a difference is it? During the break-in I have noticed it is easy to "bog" down the engine if I do not rev enough.

 

Hello all--

Hope y'all enjoy this--I just couldn't resist!

)

Nighty, night!

chef

 

---> tboner, thanks for the review of your BMP intake! 2minis also has one, and it looks very nice underhood. I'm still waiting for my Madness intake to get here, and I'll let everyone know about the install and effects, of course :smile:

Hey Chef, MINI is not tall enough to ride "Scream"! :smile:

Cheers,
Ryan

 

hehe... poor widdle Mini stuck riding the kiddie rides.

Chef - the SAME thing happened to me... Before I got my car, I saw so many coopers and mcs's around, but when I picked it up and since then I see very very few. And the few I see don't even wave back! Sometimes I'll insist that they at least SEE that I'm there by honking at them as I go past...

I think people get scared when they see a pedestrian jumping up and down and waving at them. They DEFINITELY don't wave back then.

I'm really impressed with the leatherette on my car. It's much grippier than I'd expected, though. Have to watch when I'm wearing low-cut jeans that're too large in the waist. Might get a tad embarrassing

Got a bath and spa scheduled for the two of us this weekend... another fun bonding experience.

 

Actually, I was intending that to mean that you must be that tall to ride the MINI!!!
(Like for all the best rides... )

I took the picture of the sign at Six Flags on Saturday and photoshopped it into the picture of Burnie taken behind my school.

Hope all are well!!!

chef

 

Sounds like a great time at Devil's Gap Ryan. And the sign Chef posted reminded me that I have been telling people I took the day off 5/5 to ride the roller coasters near Orient Point (LI).

After a minute they say "there are no roller coasters out there". And I say Soundview Ave....and you need a MINI.....

And the supercharger goes "wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"
Can't get enough!

Hey Phil; think I may try that mod. The car pulls fine in 6th for a 1.6 litre, but at low revs in 2nd there is nobody home in the engine room!

Regards,
Red

 

>> The car pulls fine in 6th for a 1.6 litre, but at low revs in 2nd there is nobody home in the engine room!
>>
>>Regards,
>>Red


Now that my MINI has 2900 miles on it, the engine feels very free and willing to rev versus the first 1000 miles. I was actually impressed with its' horsepower today, it seems to be getting quicker by the day (yay!). Everyone with only a few ticks on the meter, give your MINI a bit of Motoring, and it'll free up and rev up for you too.

Cheers,
Ryan

 

well well well... the semester's finally over, and all the sudden i have NOTHING to do.. it's weird, 834 gajillion pounds has been removed from my shouldars and now i'm just sitting here crapping around. of course my summer job (waiting tables) starts thursday and i'm taking a 6-week course over the summer. best part coming up will be daily motoring to the beach, saweet. oh yeah and i do still have to grade the finals for the class i TA for i'm blabbing like you all care..

so anyway, i do'nt think i mentioned my motoring through the hollywood cemetary in richmond, va. it was fun driving around all the twisties, but i didn't take them to fast.. had to respect the dead people. there are some historical figures there (i.e. jefferson davis). i took a couple pictures, one in front of a mausoleum that said cooper, but i'm not sure how it came out, i'll post it later.

Finally saw a preview for the Italian Job, looks cool.. they're making a new playstation2 game for it, too. I get to show off my MINI to work people, although i won't like parking it there where i can't see it for a long time and the possibility of nasty rat bastard seagulls to poop on winnie. oh well, i'll get over it. i'm babbling again..

has everyone taken delivery of their MINIs? I wanna nother one! oh well. I'm going for a late night drive.. peace

wags

 

Ok folks,

The day has arrived. Tomorrow AM I leave for the State Culinary Competition and I'm taking 4 students plus their equipment. That means...no MINI for three days ..Oh well, at least my wife will have fun for a few days...hope I get my car back!!

After I return on Friday we're leaving immediately for Dallas for a family visit...get to show off Burnie to my Bro-in-law the bimmer fiend...last I heard he was bringing home an M3...should be fun!!!

Over and out, catch y'all Sunday!

chef

 

Chef: good luck at your cooking competition! When you meet up with your bro-in-law, make sure to snap some MCS vs. //M3 pics :smile: Our MINI's may handle better (see any Auto-X results), but the //M3 does have twice the horsepower, and 2.5 times the sticker price

Cheers,
Ryan

 

>>Chef: good luck at your cooking competition! When you meet up with your bro-in-law, make sure to snap some MCS vs. //M3 pics :smile: Our MINI's may handle better (see any Auto-X results), but the //M3 does have twice the horsepower, and 2.5 times the sticker price


yeah yeahyeah! We can compare pics! I've got a group washing/waxing/car swapping scheduled for this weekend. A friend just got his imola red M3. Very sweet car that I can't wait to see, especially clean and shiny!

good luck chef! what's a competition like for that sort of thing?

 

******* FYI *******

i just found out why my Power Steering is dead. the Power Steering Pump failed - it just "burned up." so, when it died, it also blew the Power Steering Fuse, which is what a Fuse is for, right?

anyway, Schomp in Denver says that the Power Steering Pump shouldn't take that long to get a hold of, but the Fuse is another story. apparently, BMW/MINI doesn't make just the Fuse itself availavle - nope, you've gotta replace the ENTIRE FUSE BOX!

WTF ?!?!?!?!?!?

you heard me - they can't just replace the 100 Amp Fuse. they've gotta get their hands on another Fuse Box, which has to be shipped from the UK, which is gonna take 2 WEEKS. unbelieveable. so, i guess for every two weeks that you drive a MINI, you've gotta let it spend just as long in the shop....

:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

needless to say, i am SEVERELY PISSED OFF. damn you MINI......