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My '03 Cooper S

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My '03 Cooper S

Postby Daniel S » Mon Oct 17, 2016 11:47 am

Daniel S wrote:Hi Guys,

Daniel S here!

In University of Limerick (final year Mechanical Engineering)! :banghead:

From Ennis, Co. Clare. :D

Looking to buy a R53 Mini Cooper S until I can afford insurance on a John Cooper Works version.

Also trying to sell my Ford Focus, so could be a little while before I get the Mini.

Anyone else from Limerick around? Ever go to Cars & Coffee? Would love to meet a few members and hear their opinions on the car!


So finally I got this done after over a year of trying!

Swapped the '06 Focus (and €700) for an '03 Cooper S with similar mileage, but a far better car overall. :D

Few things to sort out:
- Front left bumper scuff
- Nurburgring sticker removal
- Paint chips
- Rear window wiper needs replacing
- Headlight adjustment switch is missing
- 12v socket loose and not working
- Parcel shelf won't drop after boot opens, stopping it from closing
- Rear bumper trim missing?
- Damaged trim around body
- Central locking on passenger door doesn't work
- Windscreen has a chip
- Slight dent on the boot

Looking to get a few upgrades soon, Aero grill and a few other exterior tweeks. I'll post them here anyway.

Here it is, just after I brought home. Plates have been replaced and the awful chrome surround removed.

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Daniel S
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby MiniMpi » Sat Oct 22, 2016 12:06 pm

Congratulations on getting the R53 Daniel.
You have Xenons so you won't have a Headlight adjustment switch.
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby Daniel S » Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:04 am

Yep! I've realised that and bought the blanking plate. First job done haha!

I don't think there's anything wrong with the parcel shelf, it just doesn't drop after opening the boot. I have to half-close the boot then repeat it until the shelf finally drops.

If anyone is in Galway (where I work), Clare (where I'm from) or Limerick (where I went to university/cars and coffee/girlfriends house) I'd love to meet some of you to learn a bit more about these cars. :)
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby Sportspack-Mark » Thu Nov 03, 2016 10:22 pm

looks great! Always loved Dark Silver :)
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby Daniel S » Thu Dec 01, 2016 2:56 pm

Since getting the car, I've fixed:
- Rear window wiper needs replacing
- Windscreen has a chip (replaced screen)
- Headlight adjustment switch is missing

Remaining:
- Front left bumper scuff
- Nurburgring sticker removal
- Paint chips
- 12v socket loose and not working
- Parcel shelf won't drop after boot opens, stopping it from closing
- Rear bumper trim missing.
- Damaged trim around body
- Central locking on passenger door doesn't work
- Slight dent on the boot

Few more jobs needed:
- Needs new tyres, current ones are rubbish.
- Trim blackener, trim has turned green.
- Full detail needed
- Wheel refurb needed
- Tail light bulb needed
- Full service needed
- Coolant has disappeared.
- Aero grill wanted
- 3 Spoke wheel wanted
- Head unit needed
- Sun visors needed
- Rear wiper washer jet needed
- Air intake hose has split

:1icon_frown:

Car is overheating too at the moment.
Daniel S
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby Daniel S » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:45 pm

New three spoke wheel and airbag ordered
New rear wheel arch trim ordered
New intake pipe/hose/snorkel ordered
New rear windscreen wiper jet cover ordered.

Finally getting somewhere! :D
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby Daniel S » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:52 pm

Any suggestions as to which supercharger pulley kit I should get? What % reduction?
Daniel S
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby Daniel S » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:53 pm

Forgot to mention, bought a new head unit. Bluetooth calls and music and can charge my phone via usb. All I needed. :D
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby irlmin » Mon Dec 05, 2016 8:19 pm

Hi Daniel ,
Don't go beyond 15% pulley , 17 and 19 are just too extreme and create only heat with no major improvement over 15 on a road car . I would fit 15% in conjunction with a modified airbox and filter and a decent remap , we can supply all of above . well tried and tested . next would be a Janspeed manifold and sport cat ( don't be tempted by de-cat it does not work !! :1icon_evil: ) add a GP intercooler or something similar and you will have a very nice package . of course don't forget about brakes as R53 in standard form are same as MINI ONE and really not up to over 200 bhp .
G
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby Daniel S » Thu Dec 08, 2016 1:31 pm

Having enough issues with heat, but I bled a lot of air out of the system (where's it getting in in the first place though...) and seems to have sorted it. What sort of modifications need to be done to the airbox?

Can a remap be done on a stock ECU? I'm considering building a megasquirt.

'm all for a performance exhaust too, but as a male 23 year old, I don't want to be attracting too much attention. Friends have had Janspeed exhausts and they were extremely loud. They possibly were decat, but I'm not sure.

I've seen GP intercoolers going for next to nothing on eBay, but I couldn't tell the difference between that and stock. What's the difference?

Brakes can wait until I've tyres done. Jesus f*cking Christ, the tyres on it are horrific. Imperial Ecosport or something along those lines. I was considering EBC pads as a short term, temporary solution for brakes. I'm a big fan of Uniroyal Rainsports and after having a few scares with aquaplaning on the motorway, they're first in line come next pay day haha!

I'm looking to have a full service done on the engine (brakes, suspension etc. I can manage myself) and the coolant flushed properly (as it's brown). A health check/second opinion really. Do you open weekends?
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby irlmin » Thu Dec 08, 2016 4:35 pm

Sorry don't open weekends , just checked GP intercooler price Today about E1700 they were about E 280 2 years ago . look very like std unit but are just wider with more capacity , be careful if buying from e-bay std ones being sold as GP .
EBC green pads are OK and will reduce fade if discs are good . Janspeed manifolds are not very loud with sport cat retained , and best cat back system noise vs performance is JCW system . Maniflow do some good stuff as well very good performance with good build quality and fit , manifold , sport cat and back system . worth a look . be wary of some of the E-Bay manifolds and systems !! brutal quality and they will not fit .
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby Daniel S » Mon Dec 12, 2016 2:06 pm

Copied from Boards.ie:

The airbox to throttle body pipe/hose had perished so that was replaced.

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Fúck me, it was the biggest pain to reinstall.

Image

Hose clamps were attached after (as they were missing in the first place). The other pipe directly below it in the picture was detached and kinked.

Then I moved on to the rear arch which looked like a dog or something had got to it. Easy and cheap fix.

Image

New headunit as the old one couldn't take aux and half the buttons didn't work.

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Finally, I've hated this since I purchased the car and I've been searching and searching to find a decent replacement three spoke wheel at a decent price.

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Voila! :pac:

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The car needs a full detail, not just a wash! :D
Daniel S
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby Daniel S » Fri Dec 16, 2016 10:46 am

Dropped it into the garage there, not good news. It needed 2.5 liters of oil, was down on coolant (why I dropped it in) and has a misfire. The cooling system was pressure tested yesterday morning and hadn't dropped in 40 minutes, but it was still getting out somewhere by the evening. I don't know how it could have got so low on oil so quickly but I'm pretty embarrassed about not checking the oil in the last two/three weeks. I'm used to cars never burning a drop of it.
Daniel S
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby Daniel S » Thu Jan 05, 2017 11:29 am

Back from the garage, few new pipes, connectors and thermostat housings. Fahys garage were fantastic. Some very nice cars out there too! Coolant boiled on the way home after a long drive but has been 100% since. It's been difficult to start the last few times. Yesterday, it wouldn't start, opened the bonnet and pushed down on the spark plug leads and a few other things. Fired right up.

Car wouldn't start this morning, I'm thinking it's the coilpack as it was having difficulty starting and misfiring a bit. But now I'm thinking it could possibly be the immobiliser. Will a car crank over still with the immobiliser blocking it? Does it just stop the fuel or spark? Or does it stop the starter?
Daniel S
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Re: My '03 Cooper S

Postby Daniel S » Thu Jan 05, 2017 11:36 am

So, after having a coffee, I realised it's obviously not the immobiliser.

What are peoples opinion on this?

http://www.lohen.co.uk/shop/gen-1-mini/ ... ack-detail

Trying to see if I can get it sent overnight, so I can fit it tomorrow (I've a half day at work).
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