Good shopping on the parts. I did a lot of the same jobs which I called “maintenance” in my R53 cost spreadsheet. I just checked and my total for parts was $2,137 US - buying in early 2021. My primary source for parts in the US is a company named FCP Euro. FCP Euro offers a good selection and competitive prices. They also offer lifetime warranty on everything they sell including oil for oil changes. Amazing. Their customer service it top notch as well. I am also fortunate I am friends with a few US based Mini breakers for “fun parts” like new grills and an interior parcel shelf which was missing from my car. Enjoyed the breakdown.
@huwjones58792 жыл бұрын
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Your experience just shows it possible not keep these cars on the read and in good condition for not too much money with a bit of research for the next part prices and of course doing as much of the work as you can yourself, which is a huge part of the fun!
@sheriff12922 жыл бұрын
£1743 is a surprisingly low number for such an extensive parts list. You've done very well to get all of that. What mileage was the car and how much did you get it for? I'm thinking of buying one as my first proper performance car but all the facelift 2004 - 2006 ones are such varied prices and conditions I don't know where to start. Nice video!
@huwjones58792 жыл бұрын
Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. I paid £2700, probably a little over the then going rate, but the car had a strong engine and solid rust free bodywork and all the electrics worked which were the most important things. The mileage was 91K. I knew what would need doing to bring the car back to standard spec, I'm not into modding at all. The parts cost was kept low by a lot of internet searching, I found eBay to be the best source of parts, there are some good sellers on there. I only bought from sellers who were UK based and looked for parts made by Mahle, Lemforder, Bilstein/Febi etc. The Minitorque forum is a useful place to get info. What I've learned doing this project is that unless there is paper evidence that the suspension/bushes/ball joints have been recently replaced then they will be shot. Give the front wheels a sharp kick towards the rear of the car, any movement means the lower suspension arm rear bush needs replacing, its big job that requires the front subframe dropping, so it gets put off unless the car fails the MOT, replace with Poly bushes. Same applies for the Supercharger service. This is a big job that requires the car to be put into Front Service Mode, it's not difficult though, just time consuming. Also be wary of cars that have reduced supercharger pulleys, unless there is evidence to show the other mods have been done (fuel injectors, plugs, intercooler) to prevent engine problems down the line. The R53 is a difficult car to remap so watch out for generic remaps which can lead to bore-wash and premature piston ring wear as well as lean running at high revs. Other things to watch for are: The rocker cover gasket leaks but it's difficult to see as it does so at the rear, flows down the block and looks more like a sump gasket leak. The power steering can leak, as can the crank position sensor on the front of the block. Serpentine belt idlers can go noisey. Hatch handle gasket leaks. Brake lines corrode, especially the rear. If it has run-flat tyres budget for replacement with non-runflat, it makes a world of difference. Michelin Pilot Sport are popular but expensive, I like the Toyo TR1 asymetrics. If you intend to do the work on the car yourself then these are all easy enough to put right and the R53 is an absolute blast to drive once sorted. If you rely on paying someone else to do the work though it's going to expensive very quickly. Good luck with your search, let me know how you get on.
@sheriff12922 жыл бұрын
@@huwjones5879 I fully intend on working on the car myself as I aspire to learn the ins and out to make it a hobby of mine. Currently, I drive an R50 Mini Cooper with about 120K miles on the clock with some extensive work done on it to make the car up to standard, so I'm somewhat familiar with how the MINIs tend to be. My first car and I'm absolutely loving it! Sound's like there's a lot to look out for, but as you've written they're easy enough to put right, and fortunately the parts list isn't too expensive! I look to keep my current car and if I find a good enough R53 (currently got my eyes peeled for the facelift models with 170BHP and the Limited Slip Diff) I intend to restore my current, and have fun with a supercharged little go-kart. Thank you for taking the time to share what you've done, and i'll try to let you know how things are going! Enjoy your MINI!
@matimusthegreat9 ай бұрын
Hi did you end up buying a CJ auto lift to use on the mini? I saw your comment on a separate video from someone who was reviewing it. I have a 05 mcs and was wondering how it fits? Cheers Matt
@huwjones58799 ай бұрын
Thanks for getting in touch. Good detective work! Yes i have a CJ Autos lift and it worked very well on the R53. The lift is adjustable widthways to enable it to fit safely. It takes a bit of practice to get the balance set correctly. It doesn’t fit my Boxster 986 so if you want to make me an offer?
@matimusthegreat8 ай бұрын
@@huwjones5879 thanks for the reply. It depends where you are? Im Bolton way..