Just came in from wiping the wheels down. I have Axis pads on my M Roadster and they are almost dust free but still maintain their grip for breaking. Not sure it they make any for the Mini yet, but I will be checking.

I'm almost half where there! Just under 600 miles now.

I chased some friends through the mountains this morning. One with an M Roadster the other with an M3 (both with the S54 engine with over 300 HP). I had no trouble keeping up with them. I was even pushing them from time to time and I had to stay under 4500 RPMs . (We were over a mile above sea level, I doubt it would be the same at sea level.) Went through a couple of tunnels and I was able to hear the great exhaust note. It really made me smile.

 

Well, I hit the magic 1200 mile mark this past weekend...but I've gotten so used to keeping the rpms under 4500 that it's hard to let it go...maybe this coming weekend after my first oil change (after reading numerous posts here, it made sense to me to have it changed right away after break-in)...I'll let you all know how he feels after the oil change!

And I'm getting the mudflaps installed as well, although I'm debating on getting just the fronts done - the rears seem to change the whole look of the back end of the MINI, giving the car way more "junk in the trunk" than I'd like...anyone else here get the mudflaps?

 

I'm planning on an oil change soon too, though I'm going to give it a shot myself. Hmm... should print out those instructions and such

Sadly there seems to be some sort of noise that might be clutch related. I'm headed in on the 12th to get it checked out and I'm hoping it's something like a loose mount. It hasn't seemed to be impacting driveability, but my concern is that it will lead to a problem. Keeping my fingers crossed (and especially that it's not tranny related)!

 

I have about 450 miles on my JCW now. Absolutely loving it. There is so much power compared to my last S that I don't even turn on the sport button anymore for town driving and I used to do it out of habit. Actually the wife yells at me when it's on because it literally JUMPS from the red lights without trying!

It's not 'broke in' according to manufacturer but I've let it rip a few times and .

 

I'm just over 650 now. Can't want to the the restrictions lifted

I got the just front mud flaps because I'm told they help keep the sides of the car cleaner.

I was also told the back mud flaps don't help keep the rear clean.

I'm happy with my decision and figure I can always add them in the back later if I find I really need them. I agree with you on the looks.

 

Wow we all went quiet here quickly, lol.

I don't think I've ever seen a MINI around here with mudflaps.......

I dropped by my dealer to take an R53 out for a boot. It's amazing how the cars are very similar yet different at the same time. I did like the whine of the supercharger. But no blow off sound. It felt like more like driving with the sport button of my R56 on. It just seemed more raw while the R56 is more refined.

Only 30km more to 2000km!!! I should do that tomorrow, if not definately on Saturday.

 

If only my quietness was due to being out motoring

Sadly, it's just due to having a very busy week and nothing interesting to report re: my Mini. Though I'm desperately looking forward to getting some summer wheels and tires in a month or two. The all seasons are fine for what they are, but I want something better!

 

I don't think I would call them mudflaps, more like mudstubs. But they do seem to help keep the sides clean.

 

COKen, thanks for the pics, I was just about to ask you for some...

I think the front "mudstubs" look just fine, but the rears add too much visual weight to the back end, and since there is little to no rear overhang, there's not much to keep clean.

BTW, very nice BRG JCW!

Thanks again!

 

'mudstubs' lol.

They're very subtle. Much less noticable than what I first pictured. Who knows I might have seen them and just not noticed.

Awesome pics!!

 

I agree about the rear flaps. The dealer said they don't help keep the hatch clean and I really don't think they help the looks at all, so I just went with the fronts.

 

 

I still have 400 fun filled miles to go until I can unleash it all

 

I also just took a pic of those red speed markings I was talking about earlier, for those without a speedometer in km.

 

I just passed 2000 miles. So far, everything is fine.

 

I went all quiet because we went on a road trip in the MINI! Racked up 2000kms in one trip to Vancouver! Over 3300kms now. We stopped in all over the place on the way there so that we didn't do a lot of highway miles in a row. I love the passing power in the MINI, even in 6th gear. Up a hill, passing 3 cars at a time in mountains!

 

Side note, we saw a TON of MINIs in the Vancouver area. Mostly Justacoopers. Most were cool and waved back.

 

In all the MINI's I've passed only one waved and they actually waved first. Meh, not too many wavers around here. The ones I've seen were probably about 3/4 justa's 1/4 S's and I don't think anyone around me has a JCW.

On an unrelated road trip note. On Mother's day, before going out to the inlaws, I was taking the wife for a drive on some nearby roads that have a nice set of hills and hard turns. On the way there the road goes from 2 lanes down to 1 each way. This is a 60 km/h zone. I was doing around 65-70. In my mirror I see an A4 rushing up behind me, used the turning lane to get around me and the other car in front. I was passed like I was standing still. Well at the next intersection, as he goes ripping through an unmarked cruzer fires up the lights and chases him down.

So fast forward at least 20 minutes, possibly more. We are now comming back on the same road. The A4 is still there. Now a second marked car is also there with it's flashers on. The driver of the A4 is outside the car leaning against his trunk, not looking too happy. It doesn't take that long to write a speeding ticket. The kicker is, if they managed to clock him doing at least 110 km/h, in Ontario we have a law that if you are going more than 50 km/h over "police have the power to impound the vehicle for seven days, issue a minimum $2,000 fine and suspend your driver's licence for seven days.
And there is no right of appeal in the case of a suspension or impoundment, police say". On top of other charges, ie stunt driving etc, and getting demerit points, which then you end up getting killed on insurance.

I think b/c he was pulled over for so long he might have got nailed with this and they are just waiting around for the tow truck and the drivers ride home. I've always wanted to see someone ripping around like a dumba$$ get caught.

To make this even funnier, his plate is vanity plate that read, HU CARES. I bet he does now, lol.

 

Nice pics COKen, and wow those are some red roads Wish I had some new pics to share, but alas I haven't gotten to get out for a couple weeks. And even if I had, it rained for nearly 2 weeks straight. The weekend was nice, but my car desperately needs a wash now.

As for waving, I'd say it's 50/50 around here. I think a lot of people don't even see that someone's waving at them (which is reinforced by the general quality of driving in this area)!

 

Cameroon - I'm with you on the waving thing...I'd say I get 1 out of 5 waves back...saw another OxyBlue/Black Cooper yesterday, both myself and passenger waved, and the other driver looked at us like we were on crack (we were not) - come on, it's Oxygen Blue for pete's sake, it's a rather rare MINI color! Some of the other MINI owner's around here are just plain stuck up! (No offense to anyone who does wave back or knows me personally)..

Got my "mudstubs" installed on Friday - they look awesome! (Thanks again COKen). My mechanic agrees on the rears though, makes the back end look too heavy. Plus he suggested if I really want them on, to wait until my first tire rotation, since the rear wheels will already be off (less labor charges)..

Got to look around the underside of the car while he was up on the lift for his oil change - amazing what they can fit into such a tiny package! Found a really bad scratch on the underside of the front bumper above the lower grille - wouldn't have seen it if I wasn't eye level with it - glad I got the touch up paint at delivery.

Haven't been able to motor much myself - we've been having the same rain as Cameroon - and it looks like we've got more coming this week. My car is SOOOOOO dirty...

 

Saw a lot of dirt roads that day. It was in the foothills of the Rocky Mts. I was driving down one of the narrow dirt roads with a posted limit of 25 MPH and not much option of going faster either because of the washboard effect you sometimes get with dirt roads. It was a real surprise when my radar detector went off. I came around a corner and there was a Park Ranger sitting just off the road running a radar trap. I'll bet I was the first car he saw all day.

 

Good grief it's been raining a lot, hasn't it? I was hoping to have a chance this Saturday wash the car (supposed to go on a Mini run on Sunday), but from the looks of it it's going to be more thunderstorms.

At least I like thunderstorms...

 

Wonder if you woke him up?

I was out in the rockies (New Mexico) years ago hiking - gorgeous terrain.

 

so I can show you a pic!

 

Really like those stripes MotorMouth! I'm planning stripes in the "near future" once I decide what I want to do with 'em. My plan has been an offset pair, one thick and one thin but now... Oh the choices!

Oops, meant to post this too... Just got back from a Mini run with the DCMM club. This was north of Baltimore (and the cars actually look relatively clean in this pic ... thank god it's not from later). There were 18 of us and nobody got lost