So...my 1-Car garage...

"Desu-San-Desu" (Desu-San-Desu) 01/04/2015 at 18:30 • Filed to: ReadersRides

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Just became a 2-car garage.

Yep, Herr Wilhelm Elric Quattro III now has a sibling: a 2006 Mini Cooper S with a 6-speed manual, 74,000 miles, and apparently every option available at the time, minus navigation (Whew! So glad it doesn't have nav; really dodged a bullet on that one.) Calling the dealership tomorrow to run the VIN too see if I got lucky and managed to snag one with the Limited Slip Diff option too.

So yeah, Desu has a new ride while Herr Quattro gets some long-overdue TLC.

You know that that means, right?

Now I gotta think of a name for the Mini. Ugh...

;-P

BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 18:33

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Congratulations! Why not name it Sir Nigel Cooper?

Desu-San-Desu > BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo 01/04/2015 at 18:36

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I just laughed so hard I think I pee'd a little.

BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 18:38

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Oh my God. You knew where I was going with that. Thank you.

Also, see if this helps. It's a decoder that tells you what options are fitted to your car. http://www.bmwarchive.org/vin/bmw-vin-de…

dogisbadob > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 18:49

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nice Windstar.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 18:57

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Good choice!

At least you get the supercharged engine. That's a good thing.

Desu-San-Desu > dogisbadob 01/04/2015 at 19:01

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That is actually the girlfriend's, haha. We're planning on trading it in for a 2005-2009 Subaru Outback XT or H6 in a year or so.

Desu-San-Desu > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/04/2015 at 19:05

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Thanks! Honestly, it's the whole package for me, excepting for the lack of a rear differential. It's a lot more spacious on the inside than one would expect. It's comfortable on and off the highway and a blast in both city traffic and on the back roads. It's also got more than enough pep for me (easily the fastest car I've owned). It is in immaculate condition (obviously maintained extremely well) and drives just like a brand new car, with a nice, firm, communicative suspension and superb steering feel. Not to mention the fact that the supercharger whine is insanely addictive.

My only issue? I'm going to need to adjust the pedal heights to make heel-toe'ing a little easier.

ttyymmnn > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 19:06

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Now I gotta think of a name for the Mini.

"Pearl"

Desu-San-Desu > ttyymmnn 01/04/2015 at 19:07

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Sorry man, I think "Nigel" took the cake.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 19:09

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Mine just makes turbo noises. And it's a bit larger (Clubman S). They must have changed things from the R53 to the R55/R56 since I'm happy with the pedal height.

However, I will get rid of the runflats on mine. Because they are terrible. They were terrible on the Z4, and they are terrible on, well, ANYTHING.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo 01/04/2015 at 19:10

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You can also get the build sheet if you have the last 7 of the VIN and give it to a BMW Group dealer. Or grab it from WebETK.

I don't remember the exact procedure off the top of my head, though.

Desu-San-Desu > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/04/2015 at 19:14

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Yeah, mine was the last year that came with a supercharger, I think. They switched to turbochargers in 2007, I believe. I much prefer a supercharger, as it fits my driving style better, so I'm extremely happy to have one instead of a turbo. I've actually always dreamed of having a supercharged engine, so this is a big thing for me, haha.

The issue with the pedal is the gas pedal is too low, so in order to be able to blip it, I have to basically slam the brake pedal down all the way, which is not exactly conducive to accomplishing the smooth transition that's the entire point of heel-toe downshifting.

And I got lucky- mine no longer has run-flats. The previous owner apparently installed a nice set of Falken Ziex ZE912's not long before trading it in.

davedave1111 > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 19:34

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As far as I know all Minis are either called Eeny or Mo.

Dsscats > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 20:22

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You just bought pretty much the best modern Mini ever. Late R53, so more reliable than the early one's, supercharged and 6 speed with perfect dynamics. The envy is real.

Desu-San-Desu > Dsscats 01/04/2015 at 20:29

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Yup. After much, much, much research, I discovered exactly what you said and when I saw one with that exact specifications for sale in such good condition, I just had to look into it. When I realized just how good of a condition it was in, I knew I had to have it- especially after the test drive.

BTW, what do these normally run, as far as used purchase price with similar mileage? I paid $8,250 for it. Did I get a good deal or overpay? I couldn't seem to get a reliable number from NADA, KBB, and Edmunds. They all say different ranges.

Dsscats > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 20:32

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Manual, low miles, very good condition, manual. If you plan to keep it for a while, it'll be worth it to have gotten an '06 in the long run.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 21:26

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If it's like other BMW Group products, the throttle is bottom hinged, so you may have to either put a spacer behind the module to bring it up towards you, or deal with a lower brake pedal.

I also have fat feet, so I can heel-toe the Mini. The S4 is torture to do that due to the clutch (Le RS4 clutch) and the fact that I hadn't fixed the brakes at the time.

Arben72 > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 21:32

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My recently purchased mini is almost your twin. Except it's slower and a 5 speed....

http://www.bmwarchive.org/vin/bmw-vin-de… Check your options here.

Desu-San-Desu > Arben72 01/04/2015 at 21:44

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Awesome! Except it's in German...

So...here's my last 7 of my VIN, in the event that you speak German, lol. TL22725

Levitas > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 21:51

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Beautiful purchase, welcome to MINI ownership! IMO $8250 is much less than some of the recent MINIs I've seen. Many of the others in good condition I have seen go for as much as $10-11k.

Unfortunately I paid $8750 for my 2003 Justa 4 years ago :\ After a bad power steering pump, blown transmission, and all the broken suspension parts, I would kill for an 06 R53.

Anyways, good luck with (what seems to be 'Nigel', great name I must say!) and happy motoring. And if you haven't heard already, wave to all the other MINI drivers.

Arben72 > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 21:58

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It doesn't look like you do, but I could be wrong (my German isn't the best). Find an empty road and do a burnout, if it leaves two marks you know for sure. Enjoy it, I love my mini, I can't imagine how much funner it would be with some boost.

Desu-San-Desu > Arben72 01/04/2015 at 22:16

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Lol ok. Gotcha. I'll see if I can find a nice abandoned stretch of road and see what happens.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Desu-San-Desu 01/04/2015 at 22:21

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YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Fellow R53 owner here too!

Desu-San-Desu > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 01/05/2015 at 04:07

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HELL YEAH! Tell me about yours! How many miles on it? What should I expect in owning a Mini? How's the rest of the community? Have you modified yours at all and if so, in what ways? I'm thinking of doing a couple small things so I can Autocross it.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Desu-San-Desu 01/05/2015 at 05:07

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Well, I wouldn't say /mine/ exactly, it's more the family car. But of course, I can offer tips and advice. Ours has about 68-69k miles on it and the typically, the things to go wrong would be the electrically controlled components. We've replaced both window motors because over time, they wear out and get slower and slower, eventually failing. The alternator has been replaced too, along with fuel pump, both of which had worn out. Consumables like the clutch and brake and discs have been replaced once or twice. Recently, the flywheel bearing started making grumbly noises, so that's been replaced as well.

The major component to watch is the power steering pump - those have been known to fail. A recall was issued for that, so check that it's been done. If not, signs of failure is that the PS pump starts to whine even when the ignition is off. That poses a fire hazard, so if you can't take the car to a repair shop soon, disconnect the battery which is in the boot because the fuse is impossible to access without some wrenching under the hood. I'm not trying to make it sound like the MINI is an unreliable - these things happen over time and usage and because they're BMW parts, replacements can be a little costly. But it's German, so I wouldn't be surprised.

Mods wise, the standard suspension has been replaced with the JCW kit. After seven to eight years on bumpy roads, the standard suspension on ours was trashed. The JCW kit is 10mm lower, has better dampening and helps greatly with high speed cornering - it'll probably help with autocross. At the same time, we also got some lighter, two-piece wheels to reduce the unsprung weight - that combination improved the ride. Mods not fitted, but definitely recommended if AutoX is in mind would probably be a pair of strut braces, both upper and lower. Another problem that the MINI suffers is a "mushrooming" effect of the strut towers, where the metal bulges upward. The only strut brace that I know of, recommended by a local MINI specialist, that combats this mushrooming effect is this set.

In terms of options, we've got the Chrono Package (two dials in front of the driver, speedo replaced with oil temp, oil pressure and water temp), along with a rare factory option of a voltmeter & additional oil temperature gauge. Voltmeter's been a great help identifying when the battery is starting to give out. I've got at hand a dealer accessories brochure, so if you'd like any factory components fitted to your MINI, I've got the part numbers! Any questions, just ask!

Desu-San-Desu > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 01/05/2015 at 20:13

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Hahaha. I've actually already ordered a set of the M7 reinforcement plates. BTW, CravenSpeed also makes a set . Go figure! I've already planned on upgrading the tires with a separate set of wheels with some sticky summer rubber, though I'm not sure what size. The car came with 17's. Should I just stay at 17' or drop down to a smaller size to reduce rotational mass? Or will the increased sidewall height counteract the advantages of that? I'm looking at the Enkei Racinf RPF1's (the go-to lightweight wheel these days). I also like the O.Z. Alleggerita HLT's, but they are just so damned expensive!

Current plans for mods (not counting cosmetic stuff) are, in order: M7 strut tower reinforcement plates, performance pads, rotors, and lines, Eibach 20mm adjustable rear anti-roll bar, separate set of lightweight wheels with sticky rubber, M7 Stage 1 Ignition Pak, rally lights (haven't decided on a set yet), M7 Under-strut system, M7 Oil Catch Can Kit, Milltek catback exhaust system, Cravenspeed adjustable short-shifter kit, DDMworks Cold Air Intake, Shocks and springs or coilovers (undecided; need to do more research) M7 Stage 1 power kit, M7 Direct Airflow Intercooler complete system, and finally, an Os Giken Limited Slip Differential. I plan on spreading out the list over the course of a couple of years, but I plan on just running it as stock for this year while I get the Audi in better shape. I also plan on upgrading the clutch when it needs to be replaced next.

When it comes to packages, mine has the Chrono Package as well, but sadly I lack the voltmeter. I've been considering ordering that and a boost gauge, once I have the money. I wonder how difficult those are to install. I'm also planning on installing Bluetooth as well. I'm hoping I can get the OEM kit from Mini so I can use the blank insert by the sunroof.

The electrics all work flawlessly and it has brand-new brake pads, though I'm not a fan of them, hence the plan to upgrade. The clutch is also new as it was replaced when the car was serviced after being traded in to the dealer I bought it from. I can discern no leaking or burning and the gauges all report everything to be hunky-dorry. Though I am curious: what are the optimal temps for the coolant and oil and what is optimal oil pressure?

As far as the power steering pump, it seems perfectly okay so far. No odd noises. How do I find out if it's already been replaced under recall?

Desu-San-Desu > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 01/05/2015 at 20:35

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Also what service, if any, does the supercharger require?

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Desu-San-Desu 01/19/2015 at 08:52

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Sorry for the late reply, I was down with the stomach flu and mock exams! Anyhoo, all those sound like solid decisions. Of course, take it step by step and get to know the car. For the wheels, I don't think I'd fret over that yet. The wheels on your R53 right now are two-piece alloys and are pretty light for a stock set already IMO. In comparison to the conventional 8-spokes you often see, they're way lighter. Also, if you want to increase the power, a supercharger pulley mod is one easy way of getting more boost. An ECU remap is also possible - Bluefin's little gadget can release another 8hp from that Tritec I4.

As for the oil pressure, oil temperature and coolant temperature, they should all lie towards the middle of their respective gauges. Your Chrono pack is in imperial units, so I'm not too sure of the conversion. Sometimes, in hot weather, you might hear the auxiliary fans switch on. If they stay on after you've switched the ignition off, that's normal - they're still pumping fresh air into the engine bay to cool things down.

And as for recall, I found this article on Auto Trader that might help. I think you might recognise the author too! Check through the service history as well!

Desu-San-Desu > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 01/19/2015 at 19:43

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Checked with the local Mini dealer and there are no recalls for my car, so that's nice.

Also, I'll definitely take a look at the superchip. Thanks. ^_^