Yep, I'm a newbie. To the Mini life, but not to mechanics So, here's my story...

08 MCS 6MT with 58k miles. I'm the 3rd owner and have had this little turbo kart for a little over a month now. The most I know of the previous service history is a few receipts from the new clutch and from the new plastics/paint from being introduced to a shallow ditch. No idea on how it was driven or cared for, but the fluids were all clean and the car kept in immaculate condition. Bought it from a widow, whose husband passed away last year and she couldn't drive a stick.

Ran great for several weeks. I commute to work roughly 35 miles each way, all open highway. Ran it up to Baltimore and back -- couple hours each way. Then last week, I ran up to south NJ and back one afternoon -- about 2 hours each way, an hour of that solid running 75-80 on a closed highway.

When I got home, I noticed that it just didn't have the same level of power as before. More like it wasn't in sport mode, even though it was. Seems to hunt a little bit looking for a solid idle, but no problems starting or driving a bit. I haven't driven it much as I don't want to cause any other problems.

Troubleshooting so far:
Diverter valve -- looked fine, but had already ordered a GFB replacement DV and installed
Wastegate -- pulls back under vacuum, rod moves, borescope through the O2 sensor hole shows the valve closing under vacuum.
Tested vacuum at the wastegate line, vacuum pump working fine, ran a temporary new vacuum line from the wastegate back to the solenoid

No codes, no CEL
Doesn't rev quickly when blipping the throttle like it used to.

I do have the cheap USB OBD-2 reader and OBDWiz software, and the basics I have logged so far look normal, BUT, this would be my first crack at a Mini and certainly not familiar with the nuances of such a rig.

Would appreciate any help or hints.

Thanks, Iz