mdsbrain.com MINI Blog

Thanks to a deal from a local DCMM club member Paul!, I have a great set of lightly used (had 2500 miles on them but look new) 16″ Mille wheels with Continental ExtremeWinter tires 195/55 R16.

I’ve put about 200 miles on these since they went on and the ride is totally different from the 17s. Its almost like going from runflats to non-runflats. This wheel and tire combo is 9lb lighter per corner and I can feel it. Car turns faster and accelerates moderatly faster. Braking also seems slightly improved. So till the warm weather returns my R99s and BFGoodrich KDW2s are in storage.

Bringing the wheels home:

Installed, the car’s appearance is dramatically different to me (anyone notice mods I forgot to blog? lol):

Also check that rear tire gap, it seems a tad smaller.

Also my car got a boboo on the way home the other day.

Its a hole about the size of a quater in my aero side skirt.

Better view:

I dropped off my car last night and picked up a loaded 06 MCC HB cvt loaner.

My car is in to have several small rattles and issues looked at. Shall we look at the list…?

1. Oil change – I’m paying for this one since i’m still 6k away from the next free service. Also the oil is blacker then black lately.
2. Steering wheel – It doesn’t seem to be straight and I believe I found a TSB on this issue.

3. Strut Tower – Mushroom issue. I told them to let me know if I will pay for this or not. I say pay because of my springs, lets hope for a warranty fix.
4. Exhaust rattle – issue mostly when stopped and it changes depending on what gear I’m in. Worse when in R.

5. Squeek in rear – Probably my sway needs some more lube.

6. Yo-yo on hills – I get a yo-yoing when going uphill almost everyday as I enter the metro parking garage. I don’t know what  they will do with this.

7. Install PS fan – I was told when my car was in several months back that my Power Steering fan was gone. So I am having them put one in. I have noticed no steering issues from driving without the fan for 6 months.

Man, what a list. But that list would be much shorter if it didn’t take 5 weeks to get an appointment.

Oh and my normal SA Caroline has gone to the dealer’s BMW side. WTH!?! She was so great and she has been replaced by a BMW guy. So we’ll see how the new guy is.

As posted on this NAM thread.

Crazy morning yesterday. Got the car towed and brought to dealer. The car started and ran fine when it got there and there was zero stored codes. I had told them the car seemed to run but had no boost. I looked down and I was doing 4k rpm and my boost gauge was flat with no power. The SES and DSC light then lit. So I pulled over it and it started to chug and sounded like it was misfiring. Car was towed from the side of the highway near Columbia to the dealer. They said they would replace the bypass valve but then theres no code stored so they say nothing to fix. Oh well, so my car got a free ride to the dealer and a car wash. Now I just have to explain this to the boss why I missed work. *rolles eyes*

Well it happened to me. Well more like it was pointed out to me. I had my bonnet open while showing the guys from “MINI Custom shop” on Sunday my baby.

My passenger side is mushroomed. So bad I cannot reinstall a M7 STB.

See the back screw? Either way I push the plate I cannot even start 2 of the screws. The passenger side is also the side I hit very hard back in February causing a bubbled runflat.
Compare it to the driver’s side which Is just fine.

So what do I plan to do? Well its a hard one because I am running on H-Sport springs. So I plan to mention it at my next scheduled service on Sept. 21st. We’ll see how they handle it or call me crazy and say its not a problem.

UPDATE – I spoke to my SA about my upcoming appt on Sept 20th and mentioned the mushroomed tower. She said its a common issue and they have fixed several. Interesting no? But that they should have the part in stock so it shouldn’t take to long. And if I have to pay is up in air or not depending on if they blame my springs for it or not. Regardless if Stock or JCW suspension equiped cars have the issue.

My toggle switch for the rear fog doesn’t light up. The tip that normally lights when the light is on. But the rear fog light lights. So go figure. Another thing to add to my list of crap to bug my SA whenever their schedule clears up.

Of course people start to look @ my mods list everytime I complain of an issue. Well I really don’t think it’s my Ian Auto-up circuit simply because the light works.

I need to double-check the connection of my toggle panel and the Auto-up circuit when I get a minute.