Reluctant Admirer!
#26
Your right but I like to drive and not work on it. I don't think this is true of all enthusiasts. I consider myself an enthusiast but I also don't like changing my own oil. I don't change my oil on any of my cars. Once I was able to afford it I like someone else to do it. When I was young and didn't have the dough I had no choice. But I also rotate my own tires so that I can clean the wheels. We all know how the brake dust is. I enjoy that but I don't enjoy changing oil. I also don't do engine work. If I was a modder then I probably would do my own engine work. But I don't mod and just enjoy a track event now and again and I just motor. (I leave the wrenching to someone else.) In my younger years I built my own engines and raced plenty of cars. I have left some of that behind. Some due to kids, some due to just wanting to drive without all the other worry. My hands stay pretty clean now. I enjoy that for sure.
But I get your gist so no worries.
Pat
But I get your gist so no worries.
Pat
#27
This isn't a jab at anyone...but everyone should know how to change their own oil. It's very easy, and knowing how to do it can save you a good amount of money and hassle. It's one of those things like changing a tire that everyone who owns a car should know how to do. It doesn't take long to do, you'd have piece of mind knowing it was done right, and you don't have to work around a shops schedule.
but hey, that's just me.
but hey, that's just me.
And for me, when I can get a factory trained BMW mechanic to change the oil with the correct replacement parts using the correct tools as I stand 3 feet with him and chat with him and can watch everything he is doing, I will take it in a heartbeat. And all for the amount I would pay in parts alone.
#28
I agree but sometimes life gets in the way of such things. I have no garage and while I have a friend who has a lift and would gladly let me use his garage sometimes I just do not have the time to do the work myself and I prefer not to take advantage of his generosity. Also, in my climate sometimes it is hard to do the work in your driveway, or even in a garage if I had one. A garage is a luxury and a heated garage is almost unheard of. Temps in the teens makes it difficult to find the motivation to change my own oil, though I have done it on many of my vehicles in the past.
And for me, when I can get a factory trained BMW mechanic to change the oil with the correct replacement parts using the correct tools as I stand 3 feet with him and chat with him and can watch everything he is doing, I will take it in a heartbeat. And all for the amount I would pay in parts alone.
And for me, when I can get a factory trained BMW mechanic to change the oil with the correct replacement parts using the correct tools as I stand 3 feet with him and chat with him and can watch everything he is doing, I will take it in a heartbeat. And all for the amount I would pay in parts alone.
That's all.
I just like to do as much work as I physically can to my cars. It certainly doesn't hurt that my Dad is basically a mechanic either
#34
Geebob,
I am a new MINI owner also retired and would offer my $0.02-worth here.
Got a lovely '09 a couple of months ago - regrets, yes one huge one - why did I wait to get this fun, car. I am perhaps older than you but this has been a drink from the fountain of youth.
Problems? None. Don't anticipate any serious ones as well. If so, will get them fixed and keep on going.
Don't mean to offend anyone here but - recognize that many of the people that are within this forum are interested in performance, drive the stuffing out of their cars and also do lots of modifications to them. They get enjoyment from this and pay the price - hopefully, gladly pay but deservedly pay in any event.
I imagine from your current stable of autos that you are looking for an additional increment of fun to go along with your accomplishments as a retiree and a parent of left-the-nesters and I am recommending that you scratch your itch and do it and I hope that you will have the same regrets that I do - should have done this sooner.
About your maintenance questions/concerns - oil changes - just not a big deal in the scheme of things - purchase price-gas-tires.... do the arithmetic and divide the difference in oil costs on a per-mile basis and you will find that it is insignificant.
If I could offer you some advice (won't be well received here) but seriously consider just a MINI (aka Justa on this site) the Justa will have vastly more performance than your current cars and will have fewer bits and pieces to go haywire - I live in the mountains and have great twisty roads to enjoy and at my age, at my level of expertise and particularly, at my level of... no lack of competitiveness - the Justa is just-the-ticket. It will beat the whatever out of the geezer-mobiles that my peers are lumbering around in - and with a measure of poise that is commensurate with my age.
Dip your toe in the water and I hope you'll get hooked and enjoy the decision that you might make (I bet you will) as much as I am enjoying it.
Best,
I am a new MINI owner also retired and would offer my $0.02-worth here.
Got a lovely '09 a couple of months ago - regrets, yes one huge one - why did I wait to get this fun, car. I am perhaps older than you but this has been a drink from the fountain of youth.
Problems? None. Don't anticipate any serious ones as well. If so, will get them fixed and keep on going.
Don't mean to offend anyone here but - recognize that many of the people that are within this forum are interested in performance, drive the stuffing out of their cars and also do lots of modifications to them. They get enjoyment from this and pay the price - hopefully, gladly pay but deservedly pay in any event.
I imagine from your current stable of autos that you are looking for an additional increment of fun to go along with your accomplishments as a retiree and a parent of left-the-nesters and I am recommending that you scratch your itch and do it and I hope that you will have the same regrets that I do - should have done this sooner.
About your maintenance questions/concerns - oil changes - just not a big deal in the scheme of things - purchase price-gas-tires.... do the arithmetic and divide the difference in oil costs on a per-mile basis and you will find that it is insignificant.
If I could offer you some advice (won't be well received here) but seriously consider just a MINI (aka Justa on this site) the Justa will have vastly more performance than your current cars and will have fewer bits and pieces to go haywire - I live in the mountains and have great twisty roads to enjoy and at my age, at my level of expertise and particularly, at my level of... no lack of competitiveness - the Justa is just-the-ticket. It will beat the whatever out of the geezer-mobiles that my peers are lumbering around in - and with a measure of poise that is commensurate with my age.
Dip your toe in the water and I hope you'll get hooked and enjoy the decision that you might make (I bet you will) as much as I am enjoying it.
Best,
#35
Had just washed it. Just drove it 100 miles home the night before. It was terrible, the wife followed me home and she'd given me strict orders not to lose her!
Bakeson - The smiles still there!
Bakeson - The smiles still there!
Last edited by Geebob; 09-04-2011 at 10:04 PM.
#37
PHOXX47,
You are dead on. Some mods are just going too far especially when a vehicle is still under warranty. and then they complain about the repairs. Yeah, I'll make some minor changes to mine like changing the standard air filter for a K&N to help with the air flow and some aftermarket items that will enhance the vehicle's beauty . I don't regret the decision to order our Countryman.Base. The vehicle was perfect for my wife and I. The size, the fit for my back (able to drive without back pain) and it is a fun car. If we didn't order it and settled for something else we would have been full of regrets. It's two more weeks until delivery.
Just continue to enjoy, I have been following this site since April and have read and been able to feel good about becoming a MINI owner.
You are dead on. Some mods are just going too far especially when a vehicle is still under warranty. and then they complain about the repairs. Yeah, I'll make some minor changes to mine like changing the standard air filter for a K&N to help with the air flow and some aftermarket items that will enhance the vehicle's beauty . I don't regret the decision to order our Countryman.Base. The vehicle was perfect for my wife and I. The size, the fit for my back (able to drive without back pain) and it is a fun car. If we didn't order it and settled for something else we would have been full of regrets. It's two more weeks until delivery.
Just continue to enjoy, I have been following this site since April and have read and been able to feel good about becoming a MINI owner.
#40
#41
Don't mean to offend anyone here but - recognize that many of the people that are within this forum are interested in performance, drive the stuffing out of their cars and also do lots of modifications to them. They get enjoyment from this and pay the price - hopefully, gladly pay but deservedly pay in any event.
I GOOD chunk of my driving has been track time and I’ve only had three problems.
1) fuel pump went out twice in the first few months... got that fixed, never had a problem again.
2) melted 3 valve covers (bolts backed out of exhaust to turbo)
3) timing chain tensioner.
The car was totalled last year when I hit a wall at a 120mph. Being in the bodyshop business, I’m here to tell you that the car can take a hit.
Anyway, point is, any car can have a problem but I hardly think the mini had that much more than any other.
My .02 worth..
Mark
#43
#44
#45
I changed my oil at....
1200
5000
and every 5K after that using synthetic.
Since it it synthetic and you could go 6-7K miles, changing the oil at 5K might be a little overkill but since I do it myself, it’s worth the 35 bucks for oil and filter.
Mark
#46
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