Aug 7th, 2009
This week’s Ask MF comes courtesy of Lisa:
I want to purchase a roof rack for my 2005 Mini Cooper. Â Please point me in the
right direction. Â Should I buy Thule, Yakima, or other? Â Which is best/ easiest
to work with?  Which foot  packs, etc do I need?  I want to haul kayaks and
bikes. Â I’m sorry for all the questions but I keep getting different answers
from different websites and distributors. Â Thanks for any help that you can give
me.
We’ve had experience with Yakima and the OEM rack but would like to throw this out o our readers. Let’s hear it MINI owners, sound of below…
Related:
+ MF Quick Reivew: Yakima Rack / MotoringFile
Jul 15th, 2009
Dare we say it Autoexpress has created a pretty interesting article. They’ve taken 12 of the best MINIs ever and tested them all. Worth a read for sure but there’s no definitive conclusion unfortunately.
+ Greatest Mini Ever / Autoexpress
Jul 6th, 2009
This week we’re cleaning out the in box a bit and getting to some Ask MF’s we’ve had in the queue for awhile. The first of the week was sent in by Tim:
I was trying to find the JCW website. Â Prior to MINI take-over, JCW had a completely separate website. Â I’m only getting links to MINIUSA or MINIUK now. What I’m trying to do is contact someone knowledgeable about the R50 works head, specifically if there is a recommended cam or profile to get the best out of the head. Â I know from prior experience MINIUSA won’t have a clue and the JCW R50 is so rare in the States there’s no reason to post in popular forums. Your expertise is appreciated. continued →
May 16th, 2009
Let’s say you missed the boat on ordering park distance control or bought your R50/R52/R53 MINI without it used and suddenly realize it’s a must have. While it can be retro-fitted, it’s not easy. Luckily MINI has a solution. It’s the new license plate based PDC. And as you can guess, installation is a little simpler. If you park in tight quarters in an urban environment, it may be worth taking a look at.
This should be available at any MINI dealer in the US (via special order).
[ Rear Plate PDC ] Official MINI PDF
continued →
Apr 20th, 2009
Automobile Magazine has a great piece in this month’s magazine that details 12 of it’s favorite used car deals. But why is it great? Ok it may have something to do with the website they used as a source for the article. Here’s an excerpt:
The current version of the new Mini is bigger, faster, more refined, and better engineered than its predecessor. But it was the original car, introduced in the States in 2002, that inspired a grassroots eruption of Mini mania, and its smiley-face charisma and go-kart performance promise to make it an enduring cult hero. “It will be a classic,” says Gabriel Bridger, founder of MotoringFile.com, one of the country’s most authoritative Mini Web sites. “It brought sportiness and efficiency to the masses, and it’s authentic in a way that modern cars aren’t. It will be one of the last mass-produced cars to have a vintage-car feel.”
The interview that we did for the article was thorough and the author (Preston Lerner) was able to create a concise four paragraph piece that hit most of the high points of the R50/R53 ownership.
+ 12 Used All-Stars / Automobile
Mar 23rd, 2009
Seven years ago on March 22nd 2002 the first MINI dealers in the US opened their doors. While this may be US specific I think the enthusiasm of that time translates well to any market and any language. Personally I vividly remember showing up at the local MINI dealer that morning in an effort to get to know the Cooper and Cooper S demos fresh off the truck. Naturally I was totally floored by how the car felt and I immediately put the wheels in motion for my initial MINI purchase. You can get a sense of that excitement in my first short review of the car as posted on March 22nd 2002 on the web:
continued →
Mar 16th, 2009
This week’s Ask MF comes from Demian:
I wanted to let you know that your website is a great one! I daily check for updates and info. In regards to used minis, I am looking for a used 2005 and later model. Could you recommend an adequate price range for these models? Any website recommendations for used minis?
Assuming you’re looking for an R50/R53 (they were made from 2001 through 2006 worldwide) it’s really hard to say what prices to expect or even what currency you’re talking about. However if you’re located in the US we’d recommend starting your search in the normal used car places like Cars.com and Autotrader.com. While some forums have a decent selection you need to be aware that some of the cars offered are forum based sites can be heavily modified. Obviously this is not always the best thing for used car longevity. Unless of course you don’t mind that.
But enough of our suggestions. Let’s hear from MF readers. Where would you look? What would you expect to pay for a 2005 – 2006 MC and MCS?
