OT: Mini cooper equivalent of 914world?, Too used to rare cars... Options

[emerygt350]

So I picked up an r50 mini for my 13 year old son for nothing and I need 914world quality information to get it all perfect. I am used to very small communities... There are so many mini groups... Anyone know of a group that's as useful as 914world? Tall order, I know.

[GregAmy]

It is a very tall order.

914World seems to be unique, in that it has a large population of informed members that are strongly motivated to help and document, with a significantly high signal-to-noise ratio. It truly is a standout.

For example, I've tried to find a similar support group for the 968; there's several forums out there (Pelican, Rennlist, a cople others) but not a lot of quality support. I bought a poorly-maintained 968 and looking on how to fix things and it seems in a lot of ways I'm Googling a lot of forums and social media and YouTube (I hate 15 minute YouTubes for a problem that can be explained in two sentences) and putting together varying bits of info to get my own answer, and then posting it in one of those forums as the answer.

I "blame" a couple of things for this. First, 914World precedes social media so this forum became THE place for support on our older cars. As social media gained significance answers got scattered about yet 914World was already firmly established and became The Center of the 914 Universe.

Secondly, our cars are older, and came around in popularity some time ago. Given the older-ness there has been a much longer time for the cars to lose popularity, get cheap and basically get forgotten about, then ressurected in popularity and owners looking for answers. Not yet the Mini, and only now are we seeing the 968 come about. I'm still amazed on, for example, the knowledge and support on this board about the Bosch D- and L-Jetronic systems.

A tertiary reason is that not as many people are that interested in working on their own cars...

914World is a unique piece of history. Let's enjoy it and not get frustrated by harboring expectations that it will be done again.

But if you find a good solid board for the 968, do let me know? - GA

[DRPHIL914]

It is a very tall order.

914World seems to be unique, in that it has a large population of informed members that are strongly motivated to help and document, with a significantly high signal-to-noise ratio. It truly is a standout.

For example, I've tried to find a similar support group for the 968; there's several forums out there (Pelican, Rennlist, a cople others) but not a lot of quality support. I bought a poorly-maintained 968 and looking on how to fix things and it seems in a lot of ways I'm Googling a lot of forums and social media and YouTube (I hate 15 minute YouTubes for a problem that can be explained in two sentences) and putting together varying bits of info to get my own answer, and then posting it in one of those forums as the answer.

I "blame" a couple of things for this. First, 914World precedes social media so this forum became THE place for support on our older cars. As social media gained significance answers got scattered about yet 914World was already firmly established and became The Center of the 914 Universe.

Secondly, our cars are older, and came around in popularity some time ago. Given the older-ness there has been a much longer time for the cars to lose popularity, get cheap and basically get forgotten about, then ressurected in popularity and owners looking for answers. Not yet the Mini, and only now are we seeing the 968 come about. I'm still amazed on, for example, the knowledge and support on this board about the Bosch D- and L-Jetronic systems.

A tertiary reason is that not as many people are that interested in working on their own cars...

914World is a unique piece of history. Let's enjoy it and not get frustrated by harboring expectations that it will be done again.

But if you find a good solid board for the 968, do let me know? - GA

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) well said, its rare to find a forum for a single model of car that has as much activity and information as 914world. Good luck i hope you are able to find help. those are fun little cars but thats one reason i didnt get one for my daughter this year when shopping for her first car, we looked but too many issues it seemed to take the chance

[Osnabruck914]

As the owner of a 2003 Mini Cooper R50 since 2005, I can attest that Mini owners on the whole (excluding me of course (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)), are the most unsavvy of all car owners. Most are Gen Y and Z air heads that couldn't replace a wiper blade or a tail lamp at gunpoint, let alone do an oil change, God forbid.

The typical string on a Mini forum goes like this:

Question - My car's making this funny noise, what could it be?
Comment - Hey, mines doing that too.
Answer - Better take it to the dealer.

So, my boy, you are on your own, Sorry.

Osnabruck914

[914sgofast2]

As the owner of a 2003 Mini Cooper R50 since 2005, I can attest that Mini owners on the whole (excluding me of course (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)), are the most unsavvy of all car owners. Most are Gen Y and Z air heads that couldn't replace a wiper blade or a tail lamp at gunpoint, let alone do an oil change, God forbid.

The typical string on a Mini forum goes like this:

Question - My car's making this funny noise, what could it be?
Comment - Hey, mines doing that too.
Answer - Better take it to the dealer.

So, my boy, you are on your own, Sorry.

Osnabruck914

`You have hit the nail on the head! There are no good Mini Cooper forums on the web or on Facebook on on YouTube. It's calculation by BMW and MiniCooper to keep tight control on the information needed to repair the Mini Cooper anywhere else but at the authorized stealerships. You can't even get accurate torque wrench values for rebuilding the various types of Mini Cooper engines.

[friethmiller]

I was just up in Silverton, CO for the Hardrock 100 and there must have been 300 mini coopers driving around. It must have been a local club "drive" or something. I personally don't like the model but as a car guy I could appreciate seeing all the different mods/colors.

[emerygt350]

Sigh. That explains why I haven't been finding anything useful. Well, at least I won't care so much when I screw something up.

[technicalninja]

I've BANNED Mini Coopers from the shop...

My Dad had an 08 Clubman Turbo 6 speed.

Water pump is driven by a rubber wheel that rides against the serpentine belt. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif)

Clutch job required subframe and engine package removal leaving a car stuck on your lift that CANNOT be moved.

Parts are a PIA to get. Hung that clutch job for a week...

NEVER EVER release torque on the harmonic balancer bolt. The lower gear is NOT indexed to the crank, no key at all and IS the last bolt you torque when you are replacing timing chain.

I believe the engine was Renault based and looked like it.

PCV valve built into expensive valve cover.

Rear door would UNLOCK and OPEN all by itself over night. This would drain the battery. It did this shit INSIDE a locked garage...

Every time I turned around there was some other JACKED up design failure.

I breathed a sigh of relief when he got rid of it.

[windforfun]

Yeah, BMW really blew it with the Mini. We'll see what they do to Rolls Royce. Even the new Steinways are pieces of junk.

[wonkipop]

chicks car (by and large)?
at least in australia.
not being sexist. just what it is.


mini coopers from last century.
different matter.
= 914 world scenario.

good luck.
i hear the engines are ticking time bombs.
might be hearsay and doom talk.

[worn]

As the owner of a 2003 Mini Cooper R50 since 2005, I can attest that Mini owners on the whole (excluding me of course (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)), are the most unsavvy of all car owners. Most are Gen Y and Z air heads that couldn't replace a wiper blade or a tail lamp at gunpoint, let alone do an oil change, God forbid.

The typical string on a Mini forum goes like this:

Question - My car's making this funny noise, what could it be?
Comment - Hey, mines doing that too.
Answer - Better take it to the dealer.

So, my boy, you are on your own, Sorry.

Osnabruck914

Dealer!?!

[worn]

Osnabruck914
[/quote]
Dealer!?!
[/quote]

Never mind. I thought we were talking about an old British car, rather than the BMW. I once saw some folks fit an accurate cardboard model of the original version entirely within the interior space of the newer version. With the newer version I would imagine one is trapped in the mire of elongated and prolongated you tube videos. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[Steve]

We has a 2009 Mini Cooper turbo. It ran like crap, the dealer said it needed this special additive to fix the problem and a flush. After many overpriced visits with the special additive, they finally replaced the fuel pump and solved the problem. Then the plastic camshaft belt bushings died and blew the motor up. The stealership didn't want to replace the motor unless we proved we got the oil changes at the specific intervals and of course we use jiffy lube, etc and the receipts were everywhere. After they found out we got it from Car Max with extended warranty they replaced the motor on their dime. We dumped the car after that. I was told the newer mini coopers have BMW motors in them and do not have the reliability issues of the older ones made in England.

[emerygt350]

You guys are making me feel so good about this. Now it's almost like a challenge, can I keep it running?! To make matters worse, it has a cvt transmission. This is going to be more fun than troubleshooting a d-jet. At least it all currently works. It was refreshing today to look under it and see zero rust. Just nothing. No rust anywhere. 20 year old car from New York and Philadelphia.

[Shivers]

Ok, so you have three years? Could be fun for you two

https://rptcreations.com/products/rpt-creat...=41800252686514

@emerygt350

[emerygt350]

Ok, so you have three years? Could be fun for you two

https://rptcreations.com/products/rpt-creat...=41800252686514

@emerygt350

That is hilarious. Sadly, that kit plus the engine and transmission is still less than replacing the cvt (dealer).

[bkrantz]

I was just up in Silverton, CO for the Hardrock 100 and there must have been 300 mini coopers driving around. It must have been a local club "drive" or something. I personally don't like the model but as a car guy I could appreciate seeing all the different mods/colors.

There is a long distance Mini club drive. They spent a night in Durango and gathered on the Fort Lewis College campus before heading north to drive the million dollar highway. Out local paper claimed that 600 Minis are involved.

[L-Jet914]

If memory serves me right the 1st gen new Mini Coopers has strut tower cracking issues and there was a update that installed reinforcement plates either on top of the strut tower to increase the bracing for that area of the car. I remember working on the S and non S R50/52/53s. I hated where they placed the oil filter on the 1st gen new Minis. The coolant bottles against the firewall always cracked after a short amount of time. The supercharged versions had supercharger issues. The 1st gen new Mini Cooper 1.6L Tritec (Chrysler/Rover partnership (which was a subsidiary of BMW at the time)) engines were plucked from the Chrysler PT Cruisers/Neons hence the Dodge/Plymouth Neon ignition coil pack as BMW did not have a small 4 cylinder at the time. The second generation new Mini's (08 up) ran the Prince engine manufactured by PSA Peugeot/Citroen to verify @technicalninja post.

[r_towle]

Service position 1 is really cool..
Basically you remove all the body work on the front of the car.
Oddly it’s not that hard todo.

Then pull up a chair and get to work.

I had one , it was not a great car, sold it, got screwed on that too.

[Superhawk996]

. . . it was not a great car . . .

Biggest problem :


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)