maxmini (Randy) recommended Steve's Auto Clinic in North Hills to me. I'm leaving Sunday for my big cross-country roadtrip and wanted to get an oil change and a new air filter. Randy suggested I call Steve up and when I did, this past Saturday, I was able to take Wanda right in today (Monday), at 10 AM.

I decided to get the K&N CAI Typhoon kit for her. Steve said it would be about 2 hours for the appointment, but he had me out of there in 90 minutes! I was VERY impressed with his service and especially by his obvious enthusiasm for the MINI. He did a special mod for me...dangit, I can't remember what exactly it was, but Randy will know. I'll call Steve tomorrow to report on the K&N and ask him to tell me again what that mod was, so I can update this thread with the info.

Wanda is BETTER than new, now. She is much smoother in the lower revs, all the way through the high end of the rpm band. And she sounds fantastic!!!

Steve is located at the corner of Nordhoff & Woodley. I'll be going back for all non-warranty work!

Clo/Wanda

 

Steve aligned my MINI after I installed the H&Rs, we talked a bit while his guys put the car up on the rack and he's truly a car enthusiast and knows a great deal about the MINI. I too will be going there for all non-warranty work that I cannot tackle myself.

 

Contact information for Steve please :smile:

FYI to all you SoCal folks. The 45,000 inspection II costs nearly $400. I had that service done at Crevier on Saturday, but I'd love to do my 60k or at least as much of my 60k as possible through someplace other than the dealer.

How much of the MINI Maintenance is Steve taking on? Just oil changes? Or belts and brake system stuff too?

Dave

 

I forgot the dudes address, (our site is being moved) but his office number is

(818)891 6109

 

Here's the contact info for Steve's Auto Clinic:

16205 Nordhoff Street
North Hills, CA 91343
(8180 891-6109
Fax (818) 891-6433

His card says, "Complete Auto Electrical Repair, Foreign and Domestic"
Lic. #AB137792

While I was waiting for Wanda, other customers came in with their Toyotas, Suburbans, etc., and Steve's does the servicing for all of them. I think he can handle whatever we need done.

 

I am happy you had a good experience with steve. I met him about a year ago and have been working on spreading the word about this rare find. He is a CAR guy thru and thru. He has owned that shop ther efor 22 years and has been creating some of the most amazing street machines for over 2 decades now. His expertese was in the corvett and camero world and he owns several unbelievable examples.However ever he bought his first cooper then his current S he has been a mini freak! You ask if he can do more than oil changes well leet me see if i can rattle off from memory what I have personally had done. Tuned header, exhust systems twice , coil over install, sway bars front and rear, adjustable lower control arms, adj front adj camber plates, roll bar, tire mount and balance, several wheel alignments ( he has a 4 wheel alignment machine) error messages read and cleared, pulley install, BMP short shifter, and water temp and voltmeter gages .He is presently having a new head ported and plisihed for Maxi as well. I think there are more but off the top of my head that is what he has done with my car. I have also seen him install , lightened flywheels , Quaife limited slips , competition clutches, rear wings, sort out and repair the 12,000 dollar repair estimated mini from Nor Cal and the first M7 turbo system install. . Suffice to say there isnt anything he can't do there. We have used him with a lot of out R& D for M7 products and he is the first full service M7 install center.
As for the secret item he installed in Miniclo's car we are going to keep mum on that for the moment. We want to do some dyno runs with it to see if what we have noticed on the boost gage and the seat of the pants is for real. If it is we are going to do a special promotion and GIVE them away for free. We are just working out the details and need to get some dyno time in the next week or so. I promise SCMMers will get first crack at the " device " :smile: If you call steve for any work or info you were referred by me and are a SCMM member. You can't go wrong with taking any of your cars or trucks there. I just worry that he is going to get so busy I won't be able to get anything done on my car LOL I was in there last week and there were 6 minis being worked on or waiting their turn. He is getting quite the rep and deserves all of it. See you all soon I am sure,Randy

 

Just my 0.2 cents worth...

Steve is the BOMB, the nicest guy you ever met and fair to top it of......
As for the device, yes we will break the news within the week, this little baby will take the scene with a storm!!!!!

So look out for a M7 announcement....Sooooon

peter

 

>>Steve is the BOMB,
>>So look out for a M7 announcement....Sooooon

Steve and Peter. Wish I were in Southern Cal, at least long enough to get a bunch of upgrades.
We have no MINI shops here but I am working on it. Hate to be the "first" one but that is the way it goes.

Clo,
K&N CAI Typhoon! Vroooooooooooom! Good choice. That and the Alta with Hose are the top choices of Helix13.
It doesn't hurt that it looks fast too. Paint your pipes metallic black to match Wanda's body color! Add some gold and red flames.

 

congrats, i got my pulley installed by steve about 2 weeks ago...

about the K/N typhoon, what color did u get? because he was supposed to order me one b/c it was on back order, hope u didn't buy mine

how does it sound, i'm getting it as soon as its available...

oh yeah, and how much did the intake cost installed?

 

Thanks, CooperS53! I got a red one, which looks hot with Wanda's black color scheme. I paid about $235 for the kit and another $25 for labor. I thought it was a great deal!

Are you waiting for a polished one? I'm leaving for a 6-week roadtrip in my MINI, so I couldn't wait. I really dig the red, even though it hadn't been my first choice.

I'll get the pulley, too, eventually...just waiting for the warranty to run out.

 

i actually wanted teh aluminum one, but i guess he ordered the polished one, i'm going to call him today and see if he can get me an aluminum one... congrats on the red one, he offered it to me, but it wouldn't match dark silver... it matches black much better... how does it sound? throttle response? what can u notice?

 

S53, It sounds fantastic!!! Combined with the new mystery mod, she is totally smooth throughout the powerband! No lurching whatsoever! I feel like I have a new engine...and a much more responsive one! She's more powerful and I cannot get over the smoothness! You'll LOVE it!

 

hmm, wonder if he did my Ryephix #1!

Smoochez n junk,
Ryan

 

Ryephile, I will NOT behave on the road with MINIclo!

Nor will I keep my arms, legs, or head inside the vehicle at all times!

I will insist that we make a 100 mile detour to see a curious roadside attraction and then cry if we find that it burned down years ago.

I will announce that I have to pee 5 minutes after we have stopped for gas and then not have to go when we pull over. (of course, with all the iced tea Clo drinks, we're liable to have to stop five minutes later, anyway)






_________________

SE Regional, BAMA Club Moderator: PM me

 

>>hmm, wonder if he did my Ryephix #1! :smile:

This is different....and way easier

peter
Team M7

 

I will be going to steves when I get some new suspension parts and the B&M short shifter :smile: