Mini R53 Update
Since the flat battery a few weeks back I've been giving the Mini some well-deserved attention. Firstly I tackled a few minor bugbears, which included some new boot struts (no more banging my head on the tailgate as it drops back), a new tailored mat set and a replacement coolant expansion tank.
Just after I got this Mini, Car Mechanics magazine ran a servicing feature on the R53, using expertise from a Mini specialist which by chance is very local to me - Mad4Mini Ltd.
Keen to have someone familiar with these cars take a look over it, I had a chat with Mad4Mini who agreed to carry out a full inspection report. I knew it had at least one oil leak, was concerned about a metallic chatter at around 3.5k rpm and naturally expected the worst!
However I was pleasantly surprised at Mad4Mini's report which contained nothing major at all, just a few relatively minor odds & ends required. The main oil leak was caused by a failed sump gasket; a straightforward job, but a couple of driveshaft boots were also split, adding to the oil on my driveway.
For some reason, a complete genuine BMW driveshaft with joints and boots is only £20 more expensive than a single genuine BMW driveshaft boot, so they advised I get both driveshafts replaced instead - which I did.
The metallic chatter turned out to be a loose exhaust heat shield which is quite expensive to replace, but which they were able to sort on my car by remounting with some new washers. On top of all that it received an oil change (seemed sensible since they were removing the sump anyway) and a couple of other bits. A couple of days later I was presented with a bill far smaller than I'd feared.
It feels great now and I finished the refresh off with a polish on Saturday morning. All I need to do now is sort a peristent dash rattle, have another look at the tailgate rust and stick some fuel in it!
The Astra awaits d-day next weekend: if the replacement ECU doesn't solve its issues then it's facing a one way trip...
Mini R53 Update
Since the flat battery a few weeks back I've been giving the Mini some well-deserved attention. Firstly I tackled a few minor bugbears, which included some new boot struts (no more banging my head on the tailgate as it drops back), a new tailored mat set and a replacement coolant expansion tank.
Just after I got this Mini, Car Mechanics magazine ran a servicing feature on the R53, using expertise from a Mini specialist which by chance is very local to me - Mad4Mini Ltd.
Keen to have someone familiar with these cars take a look over it, I had a chat with Mad4Mini who agreed to carry out a full inspection report. I knew it had at least one oil leak, was concerned about a metallic chatter at around 3.5k rpm and naturally expected the worst!
However I was pleasantly surprised at Mad4Mini's report which contained nothing major at all, just a few relatively minor odds & ends required. The main oil leak was caused by a failed sump gasket; a straightforward job, but a couple of driveshaft boots were also split, adding to the oil on my driveway.
For some reason, a complete genuine BMW driveshaft with joints and boots is only £20 more expensive than a single genuine BMW driveshaft boot, so they advised I get both driveshafts replaced instead - which I did.
The metallic chatter turned out to be a loose exhaust heat shield which is quite expensive to replace, but which they were able to sort on my car by remounting with some new washers. On top of all that it received an oil change (seemed sensible since they were removing the sump anyway) and a couple of other bits. A couple of days later I was presented with a bill far smaller than I'd feared.
It feels great now and I finished the refresh off with a polish on Saturday morning. All I need to do now is sort a peristent dash rattle, have another look at the tailgate rust and stick some fuel in it!
The Astra awaits d-day next weekend: if the replacement ECU doesn't solve its issues then it's facing a one way trip...