I have a broken MINI. It was my first MINI and my first new car. It is now broken and I can't bring myself to part it out or sell it outright. There's too much of a connection. So I'm going to attempt to pull it apart and see if I can repair it, make it better, or find out if I really do need to let go of it.
It's a 2002 R50 (MINI Cooper). British Racing green with white roof and mirrors. The only extras I got on it were the Sport Package and a sunroof. Everything else is standard. I ordered it and waited for a long time. It was the 64th MINI in the state! It currently has 135k+ miles on it and has had a couple warranty claims: transmission and a new motor (due to the transmission issues) at about 75k. It was been to Vegas and the Grand Canyon in one road trip and countless mountain bike races.
The trouble started when a seal broke on the oil filter and wasn't noticed. We kept driving and then on the way home - POW. We threw a rod. It's now parked on jack stands in our garage. My goal is two-pronged: I'd like to learn more about how to work on MINIs and also possibly get this one running again. I am also realizing that the 2nd goal may not even be possible. I'll cross that bridge when it comes...
That's about it! Feel free to offer tips/advice, ask questions, ask for pictures, etc as I go along.
Thanks for stopping by!
