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General => General discussion => Topic started by: Sam on 17 June 2012, 17:16

Title: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Sam on 17 June 2012, 17:16
Just come up to 100k and the little mini it starting to feel a little 'looser' than it used to. What can I do to make it feel like new again, I assume a good service and a set of tyres would be a good start but I was thinking about putting in all new bushings etc or even replacing the suspension completely whilst im at it... any thoughts?

P.S. don't bother with any 'sell it and buy a blah blah...' or minis are sh!t etc style comments. The car aint going anywhere as she loves the little thing but doesn't like the way its starting to feel.

Cheers in advanced, sam
Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Ant1981 on 17 June 2012, 17:18
The ladies mini usually doees feel a little lose with some milage on it.

Pelvic floor exercise.
Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Sam on 17 June 2012, 17:21
The ladies mini usually doees feel a little lose with some milage on it.

Pelvic floor exercise.

Brilliant...
Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Agreeable Slick on 17 June 2012, 17:23
If you want to stiffen it back up, tyres won't do owt.

Suspension bushings, checking rod ends, CV's etc should help.
Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Sam on 17 June 2012, 17:26
If you want to stiffen it back up, tyres won't do owt.

Suspension bushings, checking rod ends, CV's etc should help.

Well its on f**king wanky runflat bags of sh!t at the moment and I wanna f**k them off and start using proper tyres. You would not beleive the amount of punctures she gets, I get less on my mountain bike.

So you think simply strip and replace bushings, what about engine/gearbox mounts too?
Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Agreeable Slick on 17 June 2012, 18:24
Run flat tyres are hard as you like, so that will give a stiffer ride.

The mounts are worth checking, but depends on how it's driven. They could be fine if it's not lots of hard stop starts, and slappy changing gears.

It would be worth having a look at all the suspension top mounts as well.
Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Bandit127 on 17 June 2012, 19:43
I would start with 4 wheel alignment.

For £70 or so you can transform the way a car feels. At the same time ask the workshop to give it the once over for further suggestions to improve it. Rather than replace every rubber bush and mount they will be able to find the ones that need doing (or perhaps find the bent wishbone you didn't know about). You should get that inspection included if you ask nicely. And they will probably be more than pleased to quote on anything they find...

Wheels in Motion is Chesham are the gold standard in my experience for that. But any Protyre place will do - they have standards for geometry setup and my experience of them has been very good.

Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Thom89 on 17 June 2012, 20:29
Top and bottom ball joints... re shim them.
Track rod ends, replace them.
Engine stabiliser bushes, engine mounts, replace them.
Rear Radius arms, swap them for reconditioned units.
Replace the bush ay the top of the steering column

I reckon on way less than £100 for that lot, and a morning to fit it all, car will handle like a go kart again!

EDIT Proper Mini, or new Mini Sam? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Thom
Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: PenguinGTI on 17 June 2012, 20:58
From the original post I'm guessing it's an R50/R53 - so an "original" New MINI.

Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Thom89 on 17 June 2012, 21:09
So not a proper one then :grin:

Sam, ignore my post.... the parts wont fit

Thom
Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Bandit127 on 17 June 2012, 21:15
From the original post I'm guessing it's an R50/R53 - so an "original" New MINI.


It's on runflats... Original original mini never had those... Only the BMW original mini (and then an option I think).

Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Thom89 on 17 June 2012, 21:28
From the original post I'm guessing it's an R50/R53 - so an "original" New MINI.


It's on runflats... Original original mini never had those... Only the BMW original mini (and then an option I think).



Wrong! original Mini had runflats as an option, 1275's etc

Thom
Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Bandit127 on 17 June 2012, 21:39

Wrong! original Mini had runflats as an option, 1275's etc

Thom
Hmm - your are right. Denovos - must have slipped my rose tinted memory for the previous post...
Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Dolly on 17 June 2012, 22:16
front control arm rear bushes have almost certainly had it, either fit new genuine ones that might last 2 years or fit poly bushes. other than that, track rod ends and a four wheel alignment, they are generally pretty good and dont wear the suspension out too much :smiley:
Title: Re: Making my ladies mini feel like new again
Post by: Sam on 18 June 2012, 17:51
Its a new mini, aka mini 2 or whatever... the bmw jobbie