Red, The pulley is a 15% reduction in diameter, and my inner-horsepower-***** tells me I won't want anything different

...and uh, the warranty is only buh-bye if the dealership notices it

Rachel - I noticed my first paint chip last week! I've got to get some touch-up now, thankfully the chip is only down to the primer, and not steel!

Cheers,
Ryan

 

>>Socks... I'm SO sorry to hear that you're having this problem :smile:

 

ONE MONTH LATER

It has been 1,593 miles and one month today since I took delivery of my shiny new Chili Red with white top and wheels MCS.

The only modifications I have made are the installation of the Cubby Console Organizer, the glove box organizer and the Euro parcel shelf for a total of about $130.00 and 30 minutes labor time.

I am getting between 24 and 26 mpg on two lane mountain roads and highways, it has burned a little over half a quart of oil and the two front tires are showing considerable cupping on the outer edges.

Whereas I love the way the MCS looks and drives it has been tempered with some minor but annoying problems. The HK radio display has a trifling problem. Not all the digits light up the first time you turn the radio on each day. All the digits do begin to work after the radio has been on for about 10 minutes. This is a problem that could wait until scheduled service is due. What can’t wait is the ensemble of buzzes, thumps and rattles that have developed since day one. I will admit up front that I am dreadfully **** and interior rattles and squeaks really bug me. The first rattles I noticed were on the drive home after taking delivery. They were coming from the rear seat area. The first rattle I located and fixed was the rear seat rattling against its latch when locked in the upright position. A few strips of vinyl electrical tape on the latch fixed that one for now. The second rattle was coming for the rear shelf that acts as a cover for the rear boot area. I removed the shelf and this removed that noise. The third were the rear seat belts banging against the side panels. I clipped the belts in their respective latches to resolve that noise. Admittedly these were small and easily corrected problems. Then a buzz developed deep in the bowels of the center part of the dash that I can’t locate without tearing the dash apart. Now the latest and most annoying is an almost continuous clunking coming from the rear hatch. You don’t have to read the various MINI forums for long to know that this has been an ongoing problem and it appears that the manufacturer is either unwilling or unable to correct the problem during the production process. Fiddling with the rubber hatch adjustment “screws” and vinyl electrical tape on the latch helps but does not eliminate the noise. My wife, whose 2001 BMW X5 I can’t stand to drive or ride in because of all the stuff she has that is either sliding or rattling around in her car, hears the various noises in the MCS and comments on how annoying they are. The MCS has developed more irritating interior noises in one month then my 2002 Chevy 2500HD 4X4 truck has in 15 months and 22,000 miles, and the Chevy has seen extensive off-highway use in the mountains and deserts of Southern California and Baja. Whereas the Chevy truck is not anywhere near as much fun to drive as the MCS it has had zero problems and zero unscheduled service visits. So it looks like the MCS and I will have to make the 250 mile round trip to the dealer thousands of miles and months earlier then the scheduled service interval would mandate. I love the way the MCS looks, drives and handles and I truly wish I were not so ****, but the interior noises are driving me nuts and they have taken much of the enjoyment out of driving and owning the MCS.

 

>>So i am not alone cleaning wheels everyday.... Though waxing and green pads help.
>>
>>Ryan, will that new pulley void your warranty? And how difficult will it be to change the ratio once it is installed.
>>
>>Sounds like a nice HP boost for the buck! Especially when JCW comes up with 37 HP for at least $5k.
>>
>>Regards,
>>Red
Red:
Not sure why folks are questioning the credibility, safety, and practical effects of the Kleen Wheels Dust Shields (Moss). I've had them for two weeks and can honestly say that the wheels get no dirtier than the body. The material they are using will not create a heat issue...Cincinnati MINI swears by them. I'm a wheel fanatic...they are well worth the money!!!!!

 

>>>>So i am not alone cleaning wheels everyday....

What do they look like installed? Anyplace I could see them?

Regards,
Red

 

Is this the final OWLA???

I apologize for being late with this but:

The first thing I want to mention is that this car is JUST PLAIN FUN!!!! Fun to drive, fun to wash, fun to look at, fun to talk about. I love the smiles and waves, and even the most boring errand is now an excuse to MOTOR!!!

I have racked up 890 smiles both city and highway and can honestly say I've enjoyed them all...forget the hype and the wild expectations...this baby delivers!

I've found the interior to be very well laid out and comfortable. Its easy to forget how small the car is on the outside while sitting on the inside...the handling keeps reminding me though! :evil:

Peace to all!

chef & BURNIE

_________________
03 MCS-CR/B>>>>Now motoring through a twistie near you<<<<<< CWFAC 03 Rocks!

 

>>Hey...Like you....my MCS's not had problems that others have reported. It could perhaps have a quicker getaway from "0" through 1st gear, but I'm just learning to adjust to her quirk in that area. What tires did you come from and get into?
>>
>>Scott :smile:

I went with the yokohama AVS ES100 in the stock tire size on a set of Rota wheels, changing from the stock runflats (Pirelli 'performance') on the S-lites. I like it.. a bit different of a look for the car and the difference in the handling/feel of the car was noticeable over the runflats.

The dead feel in first gear makes it feel like I'm trying to start the car off in second gear. The first few times I had to look down and make SURE that's not what'd happened. Sadly, no...

 

>>Rachel - I noticed my first paint chip last week!

Has anyone gotten their CSI survey yet?

 

I just got my Initial Quality phone call yesterday, since I'm basically thrilled with the car still, I gave the maximum "5 stars" for every category

-->Take that JD Powers!

oops, my OMLA is late, but I'm off to see my brother graduate Basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. See you guys Friday!

Cheers,
Ryan

 

Hi guys,

I had a call from MINIUSA last night, dealer/delivery survey...I too gave 5 ***** across the board and felt entirely comfortable doing it. My experience has been that good and I'm tough on customer service people...high expectations built by years in the hospitality industry!!!

I wanted to share some photos from our Dallas trip last weekend...

BURNIE's first bath!


BURNIE meets his German cousin.




-->Ryan, enjoy your trip--remember to look for twisties and avoid twisters.

Later all,

chef

 

I can't believe it! We've been bumped down to the bottom of page two! We used to always at be at top of page one!
Enough with the exclaimation marks already!

Well, I"m back. Did anyone miss me? Didn't think so. The trip back from Louiusiannaa was great. Took 6 days to drive froI'm sure no one really cares about since you all have your own cars. In a nutshell, the car's awesome. A lot of fun. The HK sucks however. Since everyone else think's it rocks, I suspect that there's a problem with the amplifier and will take into the shop and have them or telling me (nice to have, but I'd kinda like to be asked rather than just slipped onto the bill, plus they had them marked up beyond the catalog price, so I had them removed) and they conveniently forgot that I had already paid a $1,000 deposit and hadn't figured that into the final bill. They also forgot to check some of the car's fluids and didn't program the lights to stay on after the engine's turned off, but other than that, (and that's all minor stuff), they did fine and the car looked great. (They did give me all 4 CDs though for the trip home.) OK, so I was going to give the review later, but since I'm started, I might as well finish. The Nav system is unbelievable! I'm so glad I got it, and lucky that 4 days before my car was manufactured, they switched from the CD system to the DVD system. Having the whole country was really a plus when trying to find my way back to the hotel in New Orleans, or trying to track down friends in Dallas. It even guided me out of the Galleria in Dallas, knowing all the routes inside their parking lot! I was hoping for the English accent that I had heard that it had (and has no longer) but she does speak French instead, so I'm happy. The get up and go is really good, so much more than I'm used to. Passing cars is no problem! Keeping to the speed limit is. The "hey, look at me, I'm in a MINI" factor has pretty much worn off, but I did catch one guy at the Grand Canyon taking photos of the car. Here he is at one of the most amazing wonders of the world, and he's taking photos of my car! Pretty much says it all, don't you think? Also found myself in the middle of an old car parade on Route 66 in Arizona! The car caught some attention there! When the MINI people called for their review, the marks were mixed, but the car itself gets all 5s. (except for the front cup holders which get a 1). All in all, I'm glad I took the time to really research the car and it's many options. It paid off and I'm extremely happy.
Oh yeah, I also added XM radio while I was in Dallas. MINI wouldn't install the SIRIUS since I have the Nav system, (It was prohibitively priced anyhow) and the XM is portable, so it can travel from car to car. Just mounted the antenna on the front dash and it works fine. Cuts out occasionally when pointed north, but not enough to complain about.
Thanks everyone for all your support (I talk about this site as my "online support group", helping me work through my MINI obsession) while waiting the 3 months for delivery. So glad I didn't opt to wait the whole 12 months and order on the left coast! I wouldn't have made it.
Photos forthcoming.
—Marc

 

Are others with the DSC optoins annoyed with it? Everytime I pull out with a hard turn, the DSC kicks on? I wish they did not have it so sensitive while in first gear. Steering angle, yaw and lateral acceleration are all factored in, but they forgot to include speed. It is a pain to have to keep flipping off the DSC if you want to do some serious acceleration while pulling out. I loved the DSC in the 3 series, but very disappointed with the MINI's. I almost wonder if mine is programmed right?

 

>>Are others with the DSC optoins annoyed with it? Everytime I pull out with a hard turn, the DSC kicks on? I wish they did not have it so sensitive while in first gear. Steering angle, yaw and lateral acceleration are all factored in, but they forgot to include speed. It is a pain to have to keep flipping off the DSC if you want to do some serious acceleration while pulling out. I loved the DSC in the 3 series, but very disappointed with the MINI's. I almost wonder if mine is programmed right?

My boyfriend and I had this conversation last night.. wishing that it weren't *quite* so enthusiastic at lower speeds, or at least not so blustery and dramatic over it. 'You're slipping! That's IT, I'm taking away your throttle until you learn to behave better! It's for your own good!'

 

Good, I'm not alone. I wish you could opt not to have it come on in 1st gear. I can manage my own acceleration and slippage under 30 mph. Where I want DSC is at high speeds.

 

>>Good, I'm not alone. I wish you could opt not to have it come on in 1st gear. I can manage my own acceleration and slippage under 30 mph. Where I want DSC is at high speeds.

<grin> that's EXACTLY what my boyfriend said.

I'm still in the chicken stage... I've lost my confidence in myself and whatever car I'm driving, so I haven't gotten to REALLY test the car for myself enough to get the DSC to interfere terribly. I can cheer everyone else on, though

 

MiniMarc, thanks for the update. Your dealer sounds a bit pathetic, but you lucked out with the DVD nav!

How does the satelite input to the radio? Is there a jack on the back of the radio? I think there was a thread on this a while back, and that it appeared on the 03's?

Best of luck.

Regards,
Red

 

>>Are others with the DSC optoins annoyed with it? Everytime I pull out with a hard turn, the DSC kicks on? I wish they did not have it so sensitive while in first gear. Steering angle, yaw and lateral acceleration are all factored in, but they forgot to include speed. It is a pain to have to keep flipping off the DSC if you want to do some serious acceleration while pulling out. I loved the DSC in the 3 series, but very disappointed with the MINI's. I almost wonder if mine is programmed right?

I thought I have been pulling some nutball stunts, but I only got the light to come on once in a sandy corner.

I have felt a "hiccup" or slight bog sometimes in second coming out of a tight turn, but the I cannot catch the DSC light coming on. Maybe I am too smooth.

150 more miles till 1200. Maybe I have to get closer to the redline to really motor and engage the DSC? I have not even driven the car in the rain yet, so I cannot even give an opinion there.

When it kicks in when you "are pulling out", what gear and what revs? Are you dumping the clutch or just nailing it in gear? Let me know, and I will try to dupicate it.

Regards,
Red

 

Red,
I like the DSC while moving. Has only come on once and I was really sliding.

My problem has been pulling out on a real busy 45MPH (everyone drives 60) road. While turning the wheels hard to make the 90 degree turn and accelerating hard in first, it comes on about every time. If I pull out without really trying to go hard, it is never a problem. Unfortunately, it is dangerous when I am shooting for a small gap. It has never been a problem in turns or a straight line acceleration. It is just extremely frustrating since there is absolutely no wheel spin when this is happening. With my bimmer, I could have a little 1st gear spin (just a tiny bit) and second gear barks without interrupting acceleration. The MINI handles better, so I would have expected BMW to have the DSC match the handling capabilities.

I am loving Motor'nMAX, but frustrated with a few things. The DSC in first gear is one. The rattles are another. The love definitely outweighs my gripes. :smile:

Regards,

_________________
Motor'nMAX

03 MCS PS/B, Bonnet Stripes, Rally Lights, Lapis, Anthracite, HK, Pkgs #1, 2 & 3

 

Howdy folks!

I've yet to experience a DSC intervention...I must be a wuss...

_________________
03 MCS-CR/B>>>>Now motoring through a twistie near you<<<<<< CWFAC 03 Rocks!

 

Good Morning:

Jack has done a mini over 600 miles since delivery. Received the the MINI survey earlier this week and gave a 5* rating. My only negative comment was the brake dust and she said that was by far the greatest complaint todate.

My miles so far have been mostly to/from work, minimal motorway (freeway) driving. However, the comfort level is outstanding - the seats are far better than my '95 911 sports seats or my wifes Merc. The HK system is awesome (the thread to the HK article written by a MCO member was very educational). Have bathed Jack once and fed him twice. Lots of pictures but alas, no digital camera as yet but working on it. Of interest, when I picked up my 3 rolls of film the other day the guy at the store had written on one of the picture envelopes .... "your MINI is the best MINI I've ever seen". One of the other rolls of film included shots of Ferrari's and Porsches - he made no comment on those!

I haven't really pushed him as yet and therefore, cannot comment on the DCS woes that some others have commented on. I haven't had any problems with gear shifting and in fact one of the joys of the "S" is the smooth gear shifts.

Oh, and I'm joining the British Sports Car Club here in Memphis as it seems we don't have, as in other cities, any active MINI clubs even though there are many MINI owners.

Absolutely Fabulous

_________________
<IMG SRC="https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...humb.jpg"

 

WOW!!! Luckily we were in the April Club. Check out the thread on the new shocks. It would suck to be after April. How lucky were we.

 

hey Chef -

nice action pics! strangely, the MINI looks pretty big parked next to your M3... and a completely different design asthetic between your two german ponies.

 

>>Red,
>>I like the DSC while moving. Has only come on once and I was really sliding.
>>
>>My problem has been pulling out on a real busy 45MPH (everyone drives 60) road. While turning the wheels hard to make the 90 degree turn and accelerating hard in first, it comes on about every time. If I pull out without really trying to go hard, it is never a problem. Unfortunately, it is dangerous when I am shooting for a small gap. It has never been a problem in turns or a straight line acceleration. It is just extremely frustrating since there is absolutely no wheel spin when this is happening. With my bimmer, I could have a little 1st gear spin (just a tiny bit) and second gear barks without interrupting acceleration. The MINI handles better, so I would have expected BMW to have the DSC match the handling capabilities.
>>
>>I am loving Motor'nMAX, but frustrated with a few things. The DSC in first gear is one. The rattles are another. The love definitely outweighs my gripes. :smile:

So the problem with the DSC happens when you are stopped with the wheels turned very sharply? If so, I am never in a situation like that. You are applying a lot of power to two wheels with very different travel (outside more), so i could see the DSC intervention.

Why not shut it off for that intersection, then flip it back on?

Regards,
Red
>>
>>Regards,
>>
>>_________________
>>Motor'nMAX
>>
>>03 MCS PS/B, Bonnet Stripes, Rally Lights, Lapis, Anthracite, HK, Pkgs #1, 2 & 3

 

Red,
You got it. Our neighborhood feeds out onto a busy, fast traveled road. I flip off the switch, just wish I did not need to. Nothing that make me hate the car, just a little gripe. BMW could solve it. They had it right on the 3 series and it is not as nimble as the MINI. I guess the front drive versus rear could make a difference.

 

>>Red,
>>You got it. Our neighborhood feeds out onto a busy, fast traveled road. I flip off the switch, just wish I did not need to. Nothing that make me hate the car, just a little gripe. BMW could solve it. They had it right on the 3 series and it is not as nimble as the MINI. I guess the front drive versus rear could make a difference.

You are right. The FWD does make a difference. Look at the weight shift when you nail it, especially in an "unbalanced" situation with the wheels angled sharply at rest.

I bet you get used to turning it off for that one spot. Good luck!

(Now where is Ryan? He would normally chime in about now.............)

Regards,
Red