My Bini (new mini)

[MiniGT5]

Oh we'll if it happens it happens sounds like an easy fix though where did you get the updated bushes?

N

[Miniböttcher]

Off a company on eBay. Who ever could send them the fastest.

Powerflex

[Miniböttcher]

Well been noticing that the bini was idling a bit high at start up from cold , it was only for few seconds then settled down, but something was not right

Then a few days after that happening " ping" engine warning light. Oh great

Was a bit confused as everything was running fine no missing, or lose of power.

Anyway I through it will have to go onto mr BMW and have a nice heavy bill.
Until I remembered about a nice little gadget Neil showed me. It's called scan gauge ll.
Does a few great things. Tells you all about the stats of your car while it's running, and also tells you fault codes,and allows you to clear them , very handy, Cut out mr BMW

Well pugged it in and a code P0342. Camshaft position sensor. Looked up solutions.
Check battery condition. Tick that's fine
Check starting system. Tick no problem there
Change sensor. Bingo

Well first I cleared the code just to check it was not some weird glitch. Whoo hoo
It worked. Turned engine off started again. No engine light, went for a drive come back turned off. Start back up, "ping" you guessed is engine warning light , so new sensor time

Popped down to auto car parts and they had a genuine Bosch sensor .
So into the workshop the car went 2 minute job and the sensor was changed.
1 snag there are 2 sensors ,one for each camshaft so a bit of trial and error

Ignition on , cleared the fault code , started engine , no engine light, but I remember this from last time so. Waiting till I got home to test it again. And guess what "ping"
Dame wrong camshaft sensor

So back to the workshop today and had a swap around of the sensors, while I was there I noticed the underside of my oil cap was a bit crappy, it only does 3 miles to work and 3 miles back so does not get much of a run, plus BMW say oil change every 2 years.
But I still have another year to wait. And I don't want to leave that engine oil in my engine
So a engine flush, new oil and filter went in today.
Back on its wheels, started it up and no high idle to start with, that's good

But yet again I holding my breath , but it did seem better.

But I happy to say that I think it's sorted, tested it a few times went for a drive about and everything seems fine and no fault code.

So that should be the end of that. What relief.

[MiniGT5]

Good job Dean

BMW charge about 80 now to reset the light and that's without any fault finding or replacment of parts

Scan gauge ii is highly recommended on the new mini scene but works with most post 2000 cars

Neil

[Miniböttcher]

It's well worth the money for the scan gauge. Its staying connected and being used as a gauge and showing the man things like water temp etc.

[Miniböttcher]

Well 2 days and everything is fine, so it looks like its fixed

You know what these things are like tho,

[Miniböttcher]

Well this week I have been riding to work so the bini has been left at home.

Well today I come home to this on my passanger door.



Looks like someone bike handle bars has a disagreement with my door. And parts of it are down to bare metal.

[MiniGT5]

Dean

I feel you pain total bar-stewards to do that!

can you get it done at Leeds motors?

Neil

[Miniböttcher]

Maybe but I know it will be about £250 a panel so that's £500. Most garages like to re paint the whole panel.

May try one of those chip away repairers , I also have chip on the bonnet which is an eye sore and a mark on te rear bumper. So I may see how much the whole lot will cost.

We are going away for a week tomorrow so instead of it being parked outside , I have put it in my garage. Bit safer there.

[Miniböttcher]

Well. It's been over two week since the scratch. It was just before we went away for a week , so I ending up putting it in my garage where is stayed to Wednesday this week.

Took it to chips away for a quote for repairing that scratch, mark on the bonnet and on the rear bumper. £550. Ouch.

Took it to Leeds motors where the mk1 is being sprayed and much cheaper and they are going to do a more proper job than just a touch up.
So is going in , in about 4 weeks. Could get it quicker but it will be squeezed in between jobs, I rather wait and have its on slot.

I post some photos up once its been done.

They had a very nice mk1 aus built car in there prepping it for paint. And they are doing a very thorough job. Not just a prep and paint. They have made sure every panel is perfect, smooth , dent free, had the right shape. Took the whole car back to bare metal. so there paint work will look perfect. The hours they put in to the door boot and bonnet alone was 16 hours ( that's only to etch primer ) . This is a aus car so its rust free and they have not done any panel welding work.

But this comes at a price. So I have a even more of a realistic price for the mk1. There's a prep and paint , and there is a PREP AND PAINT .

[Miniböttcher]

I finally decided to lower my car a bit. I Did not want to go as low as Neil , just a little to make the car look a bit better

I got hold of a set a new springs off a bloke on the total mini forum , which give 25-30 mm drop. Which is about as much as I wanted to go,

They turned up Wednesday and so day I decided to fit them , the rear were nice and easy but the fronts took a bit more time as there is more to unbolt etc.

Now I am happy with the look, the ride is about the same, speed bumps are fine with less bounce so a bit stiffer. But not harsh.


Before



After.

[MiniGT5]

Looks good your moving In The right direction... So what's next? Oh and did you get the paint fixed yet?

[Miniböttcher]

It's going of to be fixed on the 14 October. For 4-5 days.

Rear brakes pads next. Brake fuild change, and my do S/S hoses. But that's got to be done before the end of December.

[Miniböttcher]

Well I picked my car up from the paint shop

And

WOW. They did a very good job. Perfect. You would not know that it's been done.

[MiniGT5]

Glad to here its all fixed. Bet you glad to have it back.