That is one cute little MINI! Beautiful!

 

Minitee - how was that grille install? Particularly the bottom-most slat - did you have to remove the bumper for that one?

And congrats!

 

I did not have to remove the bumper... and I can't quite figure out why people say its easier if you do. The trick, and this wasn't at all clear, is to start in the very middle. The slat sits on two raised ridges about 1" high that run sideways across the front. In the middle there is a 1.5" or so gap where the slat has some space between it and the bumper. So, if you just grip there and pull, you'll get yourself started. I was at first grabbing from the sides (L/R) since that seemed more logical, but when I was grabbing I was getting under the raised ridge since those two ridges are open on the bottom and its hard to catch just the slat and not also the ridge part of the bumper. I hope that makes sense.

I have some pliers with plastic on the jaws (from Japan) that are great for this kind of thing, but any pliers or vise-grips would work too. Just be careful not to leverage against the bottom of the grille (that part below the slat that's already chrome) - it would be very easy to leave a mark on there.

Once the slat is off, you "just" have to remove the adhesive that's already there. Although its harder to do so, at least its obvious and straight-forward so its just a matter of patience. I used a narrow putty knife & standard screwdriver. I tried heating it up with a hair dryer to lossen it's grip... not much luck with that but you can try. I ended up using a Dremel with a buffing wheel to get some of the stubborn gunky stuff off. It takes a steady hand, and I masked off the surrounding grille to avoid any oopsies. Even with a buffing wheel spinning at 2+K RPM it still can be time consuming. ;-)

A final cleaning with some denatured alcohol and then I put the new slat on. I found that the new slat wanted its edges angled in just a bit to catch correctly on either side, but that could have just been me.

You didn't ask, but for the upper grille I ordered the entire surround, so that makes it easier... you don't have to preserve much from the old piece (and I ordered the extra zip nuts). The trick, I found, to remove the zip nuts from the top piece (thanks to someone on MINI2 for this) was Vise Grips... just grab a hold and coax them down.

 

Wow! That made no sense to me whatsoever!

All of that went straight over my head. Its a good thing I have the chrome grill....

 

Forgive me group, but I have transgressed. It has been too long since my last confession. I did not MINI today. My MINI has been 12 days without a wash and 7 days without a quick detail. I must repent.

 

Wow - I'm exhausted just READING that description!! This ought to go into some forum knowledgebaswe as a reference guide!
So it sounds like this took you quite a while from start to finifsh - at least, it took a long timem to read it!

Thankas for all that detail!

And SFOJOE - os your confession worse, or my confession that I Might have to drive my vert TOP UP todau - and it's NOT raining!!

I think we need a "True Confessions" topic...

Cheers!

 

FOR SHAME!!! I washed mine on Tuesday night!

 

I believe there already is, but I didn't feel comfortable sharing my deep, dark secrets outside my support group. You guys are my peeps!

 

hmmm..I think mine needs a good scrubbing too. Damn you, pollen and tree...gunk!

on a side note, reading the above description makes me feel like the $197 I paid the dealer to install the chrome grille on my MCS was worth it!

 

Finally after 2 weeks at the dealer we have Billy II at home. What fun this thing is to drive. Congratulations cnreng and everyone who is adding up the miles. While fooling with the paddles I accidently shot the rpm's up to 7k.
I can't believe how hard it is to keep below 4.5k. cnreg where did you get the Hyper Blue icon? Pictures to follow. Thanks for all the help with this thread during this agonizing process. It's been a fun experience.

 

Congrats!!!!! 2 weeks at dealer????!!??
I'm at 2020 miles - whoo hoo!

Do a search on "owner's club" - I jsut searched "convertible owner's club" and found a sticky topic where the very first page is a compilation of about a gillion icons.

 

Congrats rondon!!

I am up to 850 miles.

 

Hi All,

I finally filled up the gas tank after the free tank from the dealer. I went 307.6miles on 12.591gal -> 24.4mpg. It's 90% freeway.

Alas, I too must confess. Chili Pup has neither a bath nor a detail since coming home! I did wash the windshield to get the bugs off and to check on it's first rock chip!

 

My first tank was 23 or so, second tank was about 27 or so, third tank dont remember, and this current tank is about 21/22 Part of that is the extra HOUR i spent in traffic today, when it usually take about 10-15 minutes. But at least I was in my MINI.

 

Yes, traffic in the MINI doesn't seem so bad. On the other hand, it does present golden opportunities for damage, like what happened tonight. I'm driving along, minding my own business when all of the sudden a crushed soda can comes flying off the tires of the car in front of me. Nothing much to do but watch it carom off my front driver's-side bumper. When I got home, I checked and sure enough there are 2 or three fairly noticeable divots in the bumper, kinda like someone drove a (relatively small) nail into the plastic a few times.

I really wish the DOT would keep the flotsam off the roads. Really, I wish people were more considerate of those around them and stop dumping things on the road, regardless of whether the dumping is intentional.

 

Man, it's really no fun having projectiles flying at your car at high speed! But at least you have pretty decent roads out in CA.

Today, the Mayor of Boston put a halt to all issuing of permits to utility crews for road work. Basically our streets have been ripped up and re-ripped up so often, it's a total adventure driving in Boston. I've had the steering wheel lurch in my hands and I've scraped the underside of the front bumper re-surfacing from stealthy depressions in the roads here. If the utility companies were forced to completeyl repave the section of road they tore up, rather than slapping down a patch of asphalt on top of the hole they dug, maybe we'd have smoother rides out here. For example, they repaved the street in front of my house a couple of years back and now the pavement is no longer in line with my driveway like it used to be. It's about an inch lower now than it used to be. Great!

 

Wow... makes me glad to have the roads we have here. Although there is so much construction and a gravel pit between home & work so I take different routes to avoid the worst of things. I also find myself leaving more space between me and the vehicle in front of me in the hopes that it will avoid rock chips.

Oh, I passed 1,500 miles on my way to work today.

 

That's just me being wordy. My dealer wanted $270 all-together to put on the chrome grille and I did it for $100 in parts and about 2 hours of my time. That's a pretty good return on my time for me, although not as much as I saved putting in the satellite radio on my own. :D

 

http://www.thompsonsmithdesign.com/?page_id=155
But you can also go to his gallery here on NAM
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...0&ppuser=22042

He allows the use only on NAM. Please read his notes on the usage as I know there are more. He's done a really good job. Now if it ad the HB w/UJ

sfodoug, I'm sorry, but i had a chuckle at your expense. When I pulled open this thread and read your note about the pop can. The vendor ad at the top was for the clear bra.

I am at 1155 miles. And 27 mpg. I doubt the milage will go up much as the car is just too darned much fun to back out of the throttle. I'm not speeding, but as another MINI addict said "I take off in a spirited manner".

Right now I'm Jones'ing to go give my baby a bath.:impatient

 

Here's a link to the hassles I had with my chrome grille, and my resolution, as well as how several other people handled it.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...80#post1012780

Oh - and btw, AMW, are the potholes the latest excuse the Bostonians are giving for their most fascinating driving style???
Just kidding

sfodoug - I got the first tiny nick in my front bumper :(...but I still don't think I'm going with the clear bra. I've seen several that are 2 years old or more, and they look terrible. Lifting up at the edges, and once they do thta, the dirt sticks to them and looks worse than any nicks can.
Now, there is the theory that if you DRAFT the car in front of you, no debris can get kicked up between your bumper and his...
But I'll also opt for leaving lots of space and hopig for the best.

Cheers all.

 

I was wondering, did anyone actually sit down and look at all the manuals/paperwork etc. that came with the MINI. I just realized that I haven't looked through most of it.

 

In fact, I DID I read the manual (not cover-to-cover, but damn near). Even read part of that idiotic online manual - a little too cutesie for me!

Still need to read that riveting "Top-down motoing tips". I think I jsut got overwhelmed with MINI marketing cuteness to go any further.

Manual is well written, even a little tongue-in-check, refreshing change from those bone-dry lawyer-laden product manuals.

Also read the radio-related stuff. Didn't buy the nav this time around, but the nav is so simple to use, don't need the manual.
(Got a Nuvi instead!)

 

Just finished the first application with Z-5, Z-6. I thought you guy's were full of BS when you said how the finish felt when done justifing all the time spent doing the damn applications. Not so. I just seen my grandson yesterday and Billy II feels just like his head. SoooSmooth. Billy II will be in the Hillsboro Elks car show tomorrow I expect a trophy. . No 7k today.

 

Rondon, I hear you. I was amazed. As much as I liked how the finish looked, the feeling of it is almost indescribable.

I passed 1100 miles on the way home this afternoon, but I must confess that I drove with the top up on the way home. I just think that 101 degrees is a little warm to sit topless in stop and go traffic when the car comes with a perfectly good airconditioner.

 

Didn't get a trophy today. The winner for a foreign car was a 1994 Ferier, ( That Italian car) how ever you spell it. I now have to turn it over to Donna. I did go through the the gears on the way home. GOD what fun. Good thing I know some cop's around here. I just went to the McMinville air Musum and seen the SR-71. Got to talk with the pilots, crew, and maint. folks. They flew at mok 3+. Billy II is as much fun. Trying to keep it below 4.5k.