(Part 2) Best products from r/MINI

Volume should always work..

This is what i use in the r56

and this is what i prefer for the r53

I also have this power switch, well not that one exactly, but similar. So I keep the bluetooth turned off when i'm listening to radio or turn off the radio so that my phone will ring if i get called, instead of sending the ringer to the bt.

Best sound quality is through a cable though. i don't notice anything on the stock system that I have in both cars, but on my friends cars with upgraded systems you can hear the compression over bluetooth on their aftermarket head-units.

EDIT: I use those because they give me play pause skip control. I've mounted them both near the radio so i don't have to fumble for the buttons to use them. The wireless one for the r56 has the benefit if a friend wants to play music, i just unplug the aux cord and hand it to them.

Bonus for the wireless ones, i have it secured to car via Velcro. 5 seconds later they're Velcro'd to my headphones while i mow the lawn. 5 seconds after that they're plugged into an aux cable for an old boombox i use while i lounge in the pool.:P

Oh, and they both support 2 phones connected at the same time, so gf/copilot/that friend with good music taste can play their music, without me having to disconnect mine.

I would recommend signing up to some classic mini forums, the best one I have found is The Mini Forum lots of great advice also lots of projects and ideas to read about.

I would recommend 'The Yellow Bible' (as it is know to classic owners) for excellent information about all the 'A' series engines.

I own a copy of this which has some excellent and interesting information about the models.

Haynes also do a 'restoration' manual that you might find interesting if you decide to persue ownership.

Where abouts are you from? It could be worth looking up a local club and trying to meet up with owners to get some infomation - I've always found this useful as most of them are very knowledgeable and very willing to help!

Feel free to AMA - I'll try to help as much as I can!

The work itself isn't difficult and doesn't require service position (just removing the right front wheel and wheel well), but it does require two special tools; the serpentine belt tool and the crankshaft pulley puller (Amazon links are the first I found, not the best prices).

/u/ModMini did a video on it which is mostly what I followed, with a few additions:

• I highly suggest replacing the crankshaft pulley with an ATI Super Damper Pulley; the OEM pulleys are notorious for drying out, cracking, and failing which is what mine did. It's an IF not a WHEN. The ATI pulley is rated for 10 years before requiring servicing according to the label.
  
• The crankshaft pulley bolt is an M12 x 1.75 x 80 bolt I believe, but you'll need a longer M12 bolt to successfully remove the crank pulley. I used an M12 x 1.75 x 100 bolt I picked up at home depot for $3 and it worked perfectly. If you try to use the stock bolt with the pulley puller, you may end up like me where the pulley won't quite make it off the crankshaft before it gets stuck on its own bolt.
  
• I used an angled o-ring pick to remove the front main seal, and replaced it as /u/ModMini suggested. BE CAREFUL not to poke through the front main seal as you could damage the crankshaft and the metal behind the seal. The back of the seal rests against metal, so don't go too crazy with whatever you choose to stick into the seal.
  
• The ATI Super Damper comes with installation instructions. It's a press fit at first, followed by using a supplied bolt to get the pulley most of the way onto the shaft. Then you remove the bolt they give you, and tighten it down fully with a new OEM bolt. To make the press fit easier, they suggest warming the new pulley on a hot plate; just stick it in the oven at 250F for 10 minutes instead. This is hot enough to expand slightly, but not hot enough to burn you through gloves if you're careful about handling it.
  
  
  If you're handy, have the necessary tools and know how to remove and install the belt, this job is easy peasy. If you don't have the proper tools, it won't end well.

When I did it and then reversed it I used a 20 or 25 Torx bit driver on the female connector pins. Don't jam it in there and move it around while pushing. Place the bit on the connector and apply firm pressure. It'll feel like it doesn't want to go, but then it'll just pop out. Very easy. Took me all of 10 minutes to do the entire job.

As far as "should you do it", I say it doesn't hurt to try. I drove around for almost a year with it like that. You'll definitely notice the difference right away. You'll get a lot more bass and you'll be happy because there was none to begin with, but when I hear it in other cars it sounds odd to me now that I know what a proper sound system is supposed to sound like.

Also, you're Bluetooth calls will come from behind you. If you have backup sensors then those will come from the front.

Did I also mention sound deadening? If you want to increase the bass more, then I recommend getting a pack of Noico. I used this whole pack to do the entire rear, tailgate, and doors. Probably the best sound system upgrade I've done.

I've had my S for about eight months or so now, and obviously this early in the lifespan of the car I don't have a lot of long-term information on cost of ownership, but I'll offer what I can:

The oil changes are more expensive than a standard car. They're about on par with a luxury or performance car. For instance, my parents own a Merc and after comparing notes with my Dad, it's pretty similar. The plus side is that your new car will come with four free oil changes from the dealership, so that helps for a while. Also, the standard Cooper is pretty easy to change the oil on if you have a decent oil pump like a Topsider. (The S's engine is a bit more cramped and harder to do) You don't even have to get under the car to do it! You can practice at the halfway interval between dealer-supplied changes at first and then just transition over to doing all of them when those run out.

The non-S is also cheaper on tires than the S. At ~15k miles my front tires were getting some noticeable wear on them. I rotated them so I imagine I'll probably need to change the tires somewhere around 30-40k miles depending on how I drive. The S comes standard with run-flats since there's no place in the car for a donut. The standard Cooper has a spare bolted to the bottom rear of the car so you can more safely run standard (cheaper) tires without worrying about being stranded after a blowout. The non-S will also be a little easier on tires since it has less power.

You'll be able to save money with the standard Cooper instead of the S for sure. Of course, by getting the non-S you're going to be missing a LOT of power. My advice would be to NOT test drive an S if you're not set on getting one. Just...don't let yourself know what you're missing.

Valid point. But it’s his car, I won’t tell him what to do with it. At least you can still see his damn brake-lights.

I ‘m really happy with the taillights :) They look great and they were super easy to install. It’s all plug and play since the resistors are already wired in. They’re sold by K2 Motor and they’re super affordable on eBay. Only gripe is that they didn’t come with LED reverse lights, you’re expected to transfer the incandescent bulbs from your old lights. Easy fix, I got these LEDs and they fit just fine (and they’re super bright!)

Been there my friend. Just got these (18 and 19 I believe) and they've been the best I've had. Super silicone is the magic phrase. And I do recommend giving your windshield a really good scrub. Went to town on mine with 0000 steel wool, cleaner, and rainx. Rarely use the things in the rain lol

PIAA 95048 Super Silicone Wiper Blade - 19" 475mm (Pack of 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002Z9QXU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DwvKAbZZ7BAKK

Mine get tons of carbon buildup as well (2013 R60). I have black tips so it's not obvious, but it's definitely there.

Cleaning tips: Get the following items:

• A long, thin wheel brush like this: https://www.amazon.com/Household-Cleaning-Multi-purpose-Motorcycle-Bathroom/dp/B071RYMKVP
  
• Some cheap microfiber towels.
  
• a PowerBall Mini or PowerCone (I like the cone better): https://www.amazon.com/Mothers-05146-PowerCone-Metal-Polishing/dp/B001MXTOKQ
  
• Decent all-purpose cleaner like Simple Green
  
• Decent wheel and tire cleaner. I like Meguiar's Hot Rims myself: https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G9524-Rims-Wheel-Cleaner/dp/B0009IQXM2
  
• Optional: Chrome & aluminum polish: https://www.amazon.com/Mothers-California-Gold-Chrome-Polish/dp/B006VU37AS
  
  Start by spraying the wheel cleaner in and around the tip. Let it sit for a minute then agitate with the wheel brush. Spray some water in there after agitation to rinse the crud out. Follow it up with a spray of Simple Green. Place the microfiber towel around the wheel brush and agitate again. This'll get the little bits that the stiff brush left behind. Rinse again.
  
  Then attach the powercone to your drill. dunk the powercone into soapy water. Put it inside the tip and spin it. This gets the inside pretty darn clean.
  
  You can clean the outside with the same products. It typically doesn't need it as bad and a simple wipedown with simple green and a microfiber is usually good enough. You can always shine it up with the chrome polish as well, if it needs it.
  

Front headlight

Door Handles

Rear Lights

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I didn't use the rears because I have a clubman with no bezel but that should do the trick! they do feel cheap like the reviews say, but after you take your time and install them correctly they are great, and you don't have to break any stock hardware taking the oem one out.

I’ve been working on my display and wiring setup for a while now and I’m finally happy with it so I thought I would share it with r/mini. Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated. This is one of my first posts so if I messed up, that’s why.

Links:

Ultragauge: http://www.ultra-gauge.com/ultragauge/

Aluminum GPS Mount: http://www.cravenspeed.com/mini-gps-mounting-kits/

AUX in: http://www.minicarparts.net/Instructions/M3367_Instructions.cfm

Phone/ipod holder: http://amzn.com/B009GMKT0Y

Charging cable: http://amzn.com/B000EFVGV8

gold plated AUX cable: http://amzn.com/B004LTEUDO

Antenna: http://www.cravenspeed.com/products/The-Stubby-Antenna.html

Inverter: http://amzn.com/B004MDXS0U

Lights: I don’t remember exactly, but if someone want the link then I can look more. They were like $25 total.

At 6'4" a coupe is a bit of a squeeze, but I do fit and love driving it. However, the mirror was designed with the average motorist in mind, so it's not only nearly useless since I can only see the road maybe 100' behind, but a hazard, since it blocks my forward-right view, notably when at an intersection. So I replaced it with a four-inch compact mirror mounted on a magnetic dash phone mount for under $20.

I'm still debating about what to do with the stock mirror/antenna, since upon taking it apart I discovered that the clown nose stem goes through the circuit board, and is pressed in, so not something readily removed. I'd also have to clip and solder the wires since the connector doesn't fit through the hole. So a bit daunting, and mostly irreversible, which makes me a bit nervous, especially given the relative rarity (and > $200 OEM cost) of this particular mirror. Any suggestions there would be welcome!

You can buy it here it’s like $40. You can get dual lightning or a lightning and aux like mine. Also if you charge from the car you may need one of these to keep the signal noise from the charger from going to the head unit. All in all it cost me like $150 with the mount and cables and in my opinion it’s worth it.

I don't know of any instruction sets online, but I found this video with a quick search:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho9uprCZkVM


You're best bet would be to buy the Bentley Manual which has step by step instructions and some pics.

http://www.amazon.com/MINI-Cooper-Service-Manual-Convertible/dp/0837616395/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394746015&sr=8-1&keywords=mini+cooper+bentley

First thing you need is an OEM aux input

aux input

Then I picked up a Bluetooth module off Amazon and I have been enjoying Bluetooth audio in my '06

Aukey Bluetooth connection
Amazon link

I like this Bluetooth device because it turns off and on with the car and automatically connects to the phone. Plus it came with a 3port USB charger (one port is quick charge)

Do you have the aux volume and phone volume turned all the way up? That reduces the volume difference between the radio and aux quite a bit on my 2013 Cooper S with the base stereo.

https://www.amazon.com/iClever-Bluetooth-Hands-Free-Multi-Point-Activation/dp/B00GJFGE0K/

I have that and the sound quality is pretty good, I think. Also my stereo stays on the aux input and never goes back to FM on its own. Do you not have the base stereo?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/iOttie-Universal-Holder-Cradle-Smartphones/dp/B017HME9AU?ref_=bl_dp_s_web_1869204031

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This is what I use. The first mount I tried was a stick on with a magnet but the adhesive started to wear off so I decided to try again, this time I'm very pleased with my purchase.

I've liked the vent mounts but the positioning of the vents in the MINI make it difficult to read the screen on either the right or left of the wheel.

I just picked up a CD mount that's magnetic and I am loving it so far. It makes reaching the right most radio buttons a little tough but doesn't completely block them. All in all it was inexpensive so even if I didn't like it I didn't mind giving it away.

This is the one I went with

Not HID, but these are really nice LED Halo Fog lights:

https://www.amazon.com/iJDMTOY-Daytime-Running-Lights-Assembly/dp/B00F4ISFC8

For BimmerCode to work properly, you need to get a "good" BT OBD2 reader. I have the OBDLink MX+ (https://www.amazon.com/OBDLink-Bluetooth-Professional-Grade-Diagnostic-Performance/dp/B07JFRFJG6/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=obdlink+mx%2B&qid=1564401419&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1) which is $79.99. However, it's worth it imho as it's super fast when reading values (which is a must when you start adding upgrades to your engine). You *could* go with a cheaper one, but it's a crap shoot if the programming will take or not due to the cheaper ones dropping packets and such. This is very much a "you get what you pay for" situation.

As for what to code, at a minimum I do comfort access close (you push and hold the door handle button or the keyfob lock to have all the windows close automatically), turn off "corrected" speed on the digital and analog speedometers, 3 blinks for turn signals and enable the double-blink style hazard lights. I also tweak all the welcome lights to be "soft on". I don't have the navigation package in my wife's R60, so I don't know what I would do there or what is available in BimmerCode.

Another thing to learn would be the expert codes. You can find a LOT of information over on NAM: https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/3rd-gen-faqs/321561-bimmercode-app.html A lot of the codes there only apply to the 3rd gen Minis, but there are a lot that also apply to the 2nd gens.

I use this on my r56s and love it
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B016GNYZIC/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://i.imgur.com/CtG4Uey.jpg

I used to always buy the Bentley manual for my VWs. I have been looking at the Mini manual for a few years and am just now coming up on some repairs that might require some torque specs and other useful info from a manual. Is it worth buying this? The Amazon reviews only give it 4 stars, saying they aren't as good as they used to be. non affiliate link

Went with this one and I have to say, it's been a great tiny mount

And no, I'm not getting paid by these guys.

This happens to me too, but only when I’m plugged into aux and charging at the same time. You could try a ground loop isolator, which supposedly solves this problem but I haven’t confirmed myself.

This is what I used in my R56. Consider Comfort Access button also.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5BAWK2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GmVgDbN41EM53

depending on if you have the AUX jack or not, this works really well. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0168GBMCY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This may not be the cheapest option, but currently on my r53 I am running an aux kit from the back of my radio into the glove box and then I purchased a 5 foot aux cord so every one in the car can take a turn playing music.
Adaptor -https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000PA03AC/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8
Aux cord -
https://www.amazon.com/Mediabridge-3-5mm-Stereo-Audio-Cable/dp/B004LTEUDO

Air Power America 5060 Topsider Multi-Purpose Fluid Removing System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001445IZ8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_FcWszbYHR74QC

This