I bought a plug kit at Wally World--cost was only a couple of bucks. Don't forget the compressor and slime, though. All 3 should be about $30 to $35 bucks.

 

A kit with sticky string, a reamer, a sturdy t-handled plug needle, and a small tube of rubber cement should set you back less than $10. As someone else said, also pick up a tire inflator.

Note that if the sidewall is damaged, you can't repair safely, and even a run flat may not be able to continue. But a basic sticky sting plug kit will address most tread punctures.

If you take a screw to the tread, a permanent repair may not be possible. The threads can do a real job on the steel and aramid belts inside. You may be able to save the tire by carefully unscrewing the screw back out; I've had about 50/50 luck with that over the years. You'll know pretty quickly if it worked: the tire will hold air. If not, it will leak slowly, usually showing up within a few days.

Hth.

Sent from my iPhone using NAMotoring

 

When parking the car for the night, you should lock your vehicle. Besides the obvious advantages of doing so, this forces the electricals to shut down. When your car is unlocked some components stay on and consume more battery. While there's a "garbage collector" routine which eventually runs and shuts off remaining components, I've seen where they don't work as planned.

 

Celebrating the national holiday yesterday, 420, and had trouble shutting the glove box lid - banged and banged then suddenly the panel above it slowly opened to reveal the "secret compartment" that I have heard about on this forum but never realized my model had it. Quite the shocker at the time, what timing for this reveal almost a year after I bought the Mini used with no owners manual.

 

And what shall you be hiding there in the future?

 

After 11 months, I actually just discovered the speed-dependent volume control on my MCS's H/K system. I had no idea it had that -- overlooked it in the owner's manual, I guess. I turned it all the way up and it works great, even for spoken content.

 

Speed defendant volume control drives me crazy. I always turn it off or down as much as possible.

 

I like the speed dependent volume, when its adjusted properly. Different tires need different adjustments.

 

After driving it for a day with the SDVC all the way up (6), I found it seems to work better for me on 5. I can see how different tires might require different settings; its effectiveness seems to vary with the road surface.

From iPad / 2013 MCS Hardtop

 

the black dot at the tach (beyond 8k rpm)is a light sensor for the brightness of instrument panel when daytime (ie no lights on)

 

I have had my cooper since 2010 and discovered the remote spare tire filling valve that allows you to fill the tire without removing it from the car. Something new after 70000 miles of driving is cool!

 

I have both a 2013 fJCW Hardtop and a 2011 Clubman S. They both have the JCW temp and relative torque gauges installed. The JCW always runs right at 90C no matter the out side air temp or A/C settings. The Clubman always ran 105 to 108C. Normally don't run the A/C in either car as it's never that warm here on the central coast of Cali. Today it's right at 101F here and we went shopping in the Clubman with the A/C turned full cold and fan on fastest speed. The engine temp ran between 90 to 93C, but no more than that, even in traffic, or on the freeway. I think I had heard of this, but never had tried it. Good to know as we're planning a trip to Montana next month, with the desert between us and there.

 

That's what I do for the last 5 mins of running before shutting it off (2012 S) after the temp gets past 100C (fully warmed up). I like to run some 'cool' water through the turbo and let the EGT settle a little.

 

R56 etc MINIs have a 2-stage thermostat. Normally the car runs very hot - apparently it's to help make it more efficient. My Cooper S runs around 105C normally. When you drive hard, the second stage of the thermostat opens to keep the engine cooler; it runs around 80C then. I've driven mine around on 43C (110F) days and only once or twice has the second stage of the thermostat opened briefly (and I have driving lights blocking the grill!). So you should have no problems in the desert. But - if you're concerned, if you turn the aircon onto full (4th speed and recirculate), the second stage of the thermostat opens too. So you can make sure the engine stays cool in the desert that way if you're concerned.

90C seems an odd temperature in your JCW. Maybe JCWs don't have the 2-stage thermostat?

 

1st stage: 105-108 C
2nd stage: 90-93 C

I have the JCW temp gauge and I watch it all the time. 2012 S. The 2013 JCW runs at 90C all the time. I forget which but another late model runs at 90C all the time with 'Sport' pressed....maybe the 2013 S i dunno...

 

I just found this out, prepping Molly for a 3,000 mile round trip.
Parcel Shelf storage...you can store your Parcel Shelf behind the front seats when not in use. It has a hump formed into the front of it that conforms to the Rear Wiper housing on the interior boot door when closed, it is identical to the Rear Floorboard hump.
I think it's pretty clever engineering since it stows away inside and you are not having to look for other storage options!!

 

Found out yesterday Benni has headlights that move up and down, on their own! Is there a way I can check and see if they're the ones that turn as I'm cornering? When looking at the window sticker I don't remember it mentioning it. Anyone know what it would say if it has them?

 

If you have HID lights that's the headlamp leveling system which is standard with that lighting to prevent blinding oncoming drivers. That adjusts the lighting up and down.
If they also turn left and right slightly depending on your steering angle, you have adaptive light control which helps you see in the direction you're turning.

 

Oh ok, I was looking through the window sticker again and it didn't say anything about the adaptive lighting.

 

You get the same effect when you drive the R56s in SPORT mode - runs at 90-95 degrees.

 

Mine usually run 219-222º F (indicated by SGII and Craven nGauge) all the time and it is always in sport mode.

 

It's year dependent. Starting in 2013 if sport mode drops the temp or not. I always run sport mode for this reason.. (Cooler temps)

 

First off with all due respect I just flat do not believe in this 2 stage thermostat theory. It either opens at 90C or 105C. There are no wires going to the thermostat for one thing. Another thing I've noticed on the MCS is that you'll be running at 105C at the bottom of a 6% grade and by the time you get to the top it will be at 90C. Evidently the DME senses the load on the engine and turns on either the low speed or the high speed fan on until the engine cools to 90C. With the A/C full cold and fan full speed and the refrigerant at a certain pressure due to the heat exchange the DME sees this and turns a fan on until the coolant temp reaches 90C and keeps it there. Having worked on GM non-computer cars earlier in my life that is my theory on how the NINI works. I will check with my tech next month who is from Germany and is very sharp on all things MINI.

As for the 2013 JCW and GP2 they both have 90C thermostats in them. I had asked my tech if we could put the 2013 thermostat in my wife's 2011 MCS and he said no, because the thermostat housing in her car has the temp sensor in it, and the JCW is in the radiator hose and the wiring is different.

I'll get back to this subject next month after I talk to my tech, but this is how I think it works.

 

This is not true for my 2012 S. You have a 2013 I'm guessing.

 

Don't forget the water pump (and oil pump I think) is demand driven too. It doesn't just spin with engine speed. This may also explain how the temps drop so fast when certain criteria are met (AC on full, etc.)