To start off with, I am retired so I have time to review various MINI topics. I will visit ebay, type in MINI or mini cooper and see that comes up. I have noticed that ebay has a Italian made harmonic balancer/pulley for the R53 that is cheap, under $100. Appears to be a OEM type pulley and in one picture I noted REPM 3122311 and a manufacture date of 2014.

Now I know all about "you get what you pay for" and "caveat emptor." Even know why it said that money is kept in a "bank", but that is another story. There will be those that say ebay stuff is junk, that they only buy OEM, but, there will be those that are concerned with how much money they pay to keep their means of transportation on the road.

So has anybody bought one of these? If you don't want your member name known, send me a PM, I will keep your name private. If you have purchased, what are your thoughts? Did it install without major issues? How many miles on it?

 

I will move this to the Stock Problems/Issues area.

 

Just to close loop on this thread..8 years later... The Italian made 'Hamburg Technic' harmonic balancers for the R53 are pure garbage. I got 11K miles out of the last one I bought from ECS Tuning. Unfortunately, it was purchased in 2022, before they started doing lifetime warranty parts. Got a $150 tow truck bill for a 6 mile trip home.

 

Hamburger Tech? Send the bill to ECS.

 

Wow! dreaded having this happen to, hopefully the ATI super damper holds up.

Looks like horrible moulding of the rubber, so many inconsistencies

 

I installed an ATI on my R53 about 15 years ago - It's still holding up!

 

Glad to hear that, I heard about rebuilding the ATI after 10yrs is this true? Unsure of the age of mine due to it being from a parts car.

 

That's what ATI recommends, the rubber elements inside will eventually dry rot. I'm overdue obviously so I should probably think about doing it.