The white checks are actuall y reflective like street sighns so you can see em reflect way sweet!

 

I used Duplicolor wheel paint. i sanded them down with 600 grit then sprayed them. If you get close you can see some bad spots like the paint looking like a cracked egg shell and some runs. I think i got bad paint thats been sitting on the self way too long. when i was spraying the white, it looked like tiny pieces of dried white paint landing on the wheels, then when i went to spray the clear coat, it came out running all over the place and left a brown tint to the wheels. i had to re-sand two of the wheels. but the primer i got worked really well.

The reason i painted them white was to match the mirror caps and the roof. I like the white. But mine had little yellowish spots on them too where the clear coat was coming off so thats another reason i sprayed them.

Here is a picture of the wheel it self.

 

I don't know what it is but the paint always seems to test you. From this distance thow they do look good,mine actually came factory painted so I guess I'm just lucky that way cause I really like the white rims too yeah there is some up keep,but they just look so good on there!
I'm going to try the BMW wheel wax and hope it's going to help with the break dust..

 

before i painted mine i just cleaned them with a brillo pad, it work really really well. But white wheels are awesome.

 

Wish I could use a Brillo pad every time I wash it but that would really dull my luster..

 

I think another method with painting for me that seems to work pretty good if you have the patients? Is painting in thiner coats just cover what ever your painting with a lite coat and then let it dry repeat,you don't even have to completely cover it with the first coat cause we all tend to try and finish it with that first coat,when you need a lot more..

 

Yea i think i did 4-5 coats first one really light then got little heavier after each one. Worst part is making sure you get every side of the spokes, they are kinda tricky to get real good. Then i put 3 coats of clear.

 

Hello! I guess I am a member of this club now. I bought my 02 electric blue MCS on monday for an excellent price.

I'd wanted a Mini for months, and my "needs" were:

S-model
Sun Roof
Cruise Control
05 or newer
< 100k

What I got was:

S-Model
Sports Package
Solid Roof
2002
No Cruise
104k miles.

How I feel:

THIS CAR IS SO FREAKIN AMAZING. Whoever had it before obviously loved it as much as I do. The battery (which I was shocked to learn was in the trunk), is a MINI brand battery, which leads me to believe that at least the most recent owner took it to the dealer for service. The RPMs don't wobble one bit. Clutch feels great. Carfax was super long... lots of Oil Changes, services, inspections. I wouldn't have purchased a 2002 if it hadn't been for the background and price. Then again, I'm a 21 yo college student, so I'll take what I can afford for my first car loan. It legitimately feels like a new car, minus some small cosmetic issues. Keep in mind, I'm coming from a liftedd 99 Jeep Cherokee with 31" mud terrains I find myself parking about 3 feet back in spaces.

What surprised me the most so far was how good the stock exhaust sounds. I was expecting one of those quiet new car exhausts, and wanting to upgrade it later, but I may just leave it as it is, because it sounds pretty awesome especially with the windows down.

His name is AONYX, which is the genus of clawless otters. He's blue (water), cute (otters), and playful (otters), but can also kick some A$$.

I think the best part is not getting 15mpg anymore.

So happy to be here

 

Ehhh.....i like my Magnaflow

 

Welcome MD2Be to the fastest color mini!
Your car has good potential to become a race car no cruise and a hard top not as heavy,less sway..

I just have to say I've had my 02 R53 MCS since august of last year and I have had a couple issues with the car,like the window motor dieing,steering pump self-destructing,my in cabin air filter looked like a dead rat,my air box filter looked like a science project and then when i went to tighten the bolts down they striped out and now my driver seat is tearing!

That's all the negative I can think of besides the having to use premium gas..

I still love this car more than any other car i've ever owned!, I just destroyed two dodge rams, countless mustangs,several old cars that where some older American cars that thought they would just pass me,nope I at least stay write with them or pass em all! And I still get about 26 to 32 miles to a gallon driving it like Stole it!

Then there are the twisties,it's like driving the light cycles in tron,you turn the wheel and the car goes there! When I first got the car I kept trying to break the rear end free and it really took a lot compared to any car I've ever driven.

Love my little car! Now it's time for mods my friend weather you new it or not you now have one the most moded cars out there..

 

Congratulations, MD2BE, on your EB MINI. I have an 02 as well, and it still feels like new, but that may be because it has only 34k on it! Post some pix when you have the time, and welcome aboard!

 

Has anybody painted their brake calipers to match the Electric Blue color of the car? Seems like that's begging to be done. I think it would look nice behind the stock (white-ish) rims.

 

Here is Electra, just got the Out Motoring light brackets and Hella Black Magic put on last week. She is coming along pretty good. For a 2004 with 102k on her. but she is just getting started.

 

Hey piccupstix I painted mine the blue motor paint you get at advance auto I believe it's a ford blue and I think it looks great! They do kinda hide behind the rims some...

 

And here is a pic in the ford blue I bit different but still a good shade..

 

Very nice. '04s are the best!

 

fleazilla, that looks good, and I like the idea of hiding behind the rims. Did you take them off the car or do them right there? Was it a spray paint or hand painted? Important to be long lasting, withstand heat, no flaking, etc. Nothing but the best for this car! Thx

 

Hey stix I did 2 wheels at a time and spray painted the calipers still attached to the car,I did however take the pads off and kinda hung the calipers to the inner calipers and use a steel brush like drill bit to kinda sand down all the break dust and grime that gets all over them,then taped everything off including the out side of the car some to keep any off spray from getting on it, I did a bunch of coats on those suckers,start early! When doing this,and it's a real pain to do but I think it looks good, don't know if I'd really want to do it again?

 

@MD2BE I have about 68 thousand miles on Fleazilla and and i picked the car up with 53 thousand on it in august of last year and I'm already thinking about keeping it for my kids that I don't even have yet...

 

I'll definitely post some whenever I can figure out how to do it.

I really like it so far. I'm probably gonna stick to cosmetic mods until I get the manual and learn my way around under the bonnet.

The jeep's engine compartment was so wide open and huge. I could just crawl under it to change the oil. Looks like I'll have to invest in some ramps!

 

Heh, I also went from Jeep to Mini. I had an '84 CJ-7. I still have it actually, but leaping through the hoops of fire concocted by the smog police became too much. At well over 200K miles it sits in my carport. So, from running over "no access" signs with the lifted 4 wheel crawler to the urban go-cart racer has been a lesson in contrasts - and I love it! I do miss driving straight over the parking curbs in parking lots.

 

That's pretty much what I've been doing the whole interior of my car is almost covered in checkers,the union jck just didn't seem to match up with the electric blue like I wanted..

 

Did you buy some strut tower protectors yet? If you didn't already know some of the mini's have had an issue with getting beat to death and need strengthening to remain in a shape well enough to keep your alignment in check..

 

In went from a spectra blue mica 3rd gen MR2 Spyder I miss the convertible top and thats really about it,I could out drive that thing in the mini easy!

 

Heh, first post.

I didn't see any other Electric Blue R50s without white roofs. Am I the only one with a sunroof?








Moving with my Cooper this week:






and this is the POS that my Mini replaced. 2006 GT manual. Dead engine. May it rust in pieces.