Mini Cooper

[Deuce]

So a couple of months back we realised that since my wife cannot ride a motorbike (and she cannot borrow mine anyway) and is going back to work instead of me, she will need the VY, and I would use the VR for kid run about.
Since that was a bad idea we decided VR is for special events only, I will run the kids with the VY, and we will buy a cheap runabout for the wife.

I PM'd @VS 5.0 before hand for a chat, and then picked this up locally.
It has Bilstein shocks, AC schnitzer springs, ABS delete (they always fail anyway and are drug money to replace), good tyres, no funny noises and recently had its big check to put back on the road after a rego lapse.
On the downside though, the roof lining is bare (card only, no fabric) it's done over 240k so the interior painted plastics are a little worn, the bonnet stripe decal is cracked, and the LCD screens don't work.

After a little time the front left was knocking over bumps, and over the weekend I found the LH strut top rubber is split, and the engine mount bracket was not sufficiently tightened to the chassis, which I quickly sorted and the knock stopped. I'll still need to sort that strut top though.

All around a fun car and quite frugal on fuel.

 

[Fu Manchu]

I love those things. Look like fun cars to drive. I’ve seen some early drive tribe videos featuring them as their producer’s brother has a mini performance shop. I like the Union Jack rear lights you can get for them.

 

[Immortality]

And it was better than the one I test drove.

 

[Deuce]

And it was better than the one I test drove.

Indeed. I did (I mean my wife did) like the red colour better, but this one was probably the better vehicle.

 

[Immortality]

That one definitely looked good in red, shame it had a few mechanical issues but as long as the boss is happy, happy wife, happy life.

 

[Commo64]

Makes a nice cheap car which is also fun to drive... I wonder if more JC members will join the Mini Cooper bandwagon?

 

[Deuce]

Merry Christmas little Mini.
Yesterday was a new set of Autolite spark plugs, and a clean up on one coil terminal that looked a bit dirty. A light smear of di-electric grease on some spark related terminals.
And then today the left front strut came out and got a new top plate fitted before going back in.

Test drive went well.

 

[Deuce]

Oil and filter change went down this weekend.
Cool little cartridge filter in these things.
Except to ensure that the filter housing was sealed up properly, I needed to also purchase a 36mm socket. Turns out that the adjustable wrench had tightened past 25Nm. Oh well, the job will be easier next year now I have the (expensive) socket.

Taking it for a decent run in a week.

 

[Immortality]

I wonder if that is the same as the BMW cartridge oil filter? Plastic?

 

[Deuce]

I wonder if that is the same as the BMW cartridge oil filter? Plastic?

That white ring is like a felt seal.
O-ring is for the housing.