I’ll delete this post upon a confirmed answer.
Assuming rear seats down, maybe even with the ladder out the sunroof? Can I go to the store, buy a ladder, drive it home in a 2013 Cooper S?
Hey guys,
I have an 2011 mini one and my airbag light came on a few months back. At first I could reset the code but it came back after a day or two. Now it comes back immediately. It says occupancy sensor communication fault passenger side. I don’t have money to buy the replacement part at the moment and my car need his TÜV (im from Germany, I don’t know if other country’s have the same thing).
I watched some videos and they said the telltale light saying the passenger airbag is off should be always on if there is no one in this seat. It never did that tho.
Could that be an indicator something else is going on? I already exchanged the fuse in slot 16.
Any ideas to fix it without buying the new part?
Is there something else I could try?
Hello guys, my r56 JCW has a really bad leak from the back pcv pipe. I changed the whole valve cover 2 times, and it is still leaking oil, which is really frustrating. Also, i have a bad smell of oil in the car, and it has blue smoke from the exhaus. I had new turbo installed. I would appreciate some advice on how to deal with the problem!
Just wanted to share my experience repairing my Mini Cooper S. Almost everyone says people should avoid this engine for various reasons, which are understandable.
For people who don’t wrench and perform any car maintenance, this is not the car for you. It’ll cost you $$ at the mechanic for seals and parts overpriced for retail monopoly and labour costs.
Now, if you do wrench or even understand the basics with a little YouTube help and a handy workshop manual bought or found free online, this car can be maintained and running in near-new conditions with the right mindset. I found almost every issue I have experienced well documented online and how to diagnose and repair it myself. I have repaired wastegate and boost leaks, to all types of oil and coolant leaks. The only thing I had to car in for was a transmission replacement for a secondhand one.
The car now is running in almost perfect condition for its age and ready for either mods or keeping it stock. Please note I have waited over 7 months after all is done to give my genuine opinion as I’ve doubted myself and the reliability of the parts for being so cheap.
I have bought genuine Mini Cooper parts like vacuum pump seals, valve cover, and compared them to the aftermarket parts listed, and I was astonished by the Chinese aftermarket parts and how much better they performed for a fraction of the price (thank you tariff war).
All the parts below were bought from either AliExpress or Alibaba.
Vacuum pumps, HPFP, all coolant and intake silicone hoses and lines, aftermarket BOV, coolant expansion tank, oil filter housing, downpipe, turbo feed lines.
I know it is hard to believe how reliable these parts can be. I also had doubts too, but when I installed MINI genuine parts and parts from known aftermarket brands, they always seemed overpriced and occasionally fail or leak. I’d then replace the whole unit/part with AliExpress parts, which seemed slightly better built for some reason. I would not experience any failure, and the car would actually perform much better than expected.
I’ve only needed a jack and stands, a socket set kit, and accessories like swivel bits, a magnet for assistance, and fishing dropped bits.
If you’re ever lost. Pop into your mini garage, ask them to diagnose it, and then do the work yourself. Never tell them that’s what you’re planning to do. Always use high-grade full synthetic engine oil and change oil regularly, which is super easy.
I have been gradually pressure testing the car by aggressive driving and racing. The car seems to be enjoying it with no issues. Thinking time for the timing chain replacement, VANOS solenoid, spark plugs, and coils, then a stage 1 tune.
These parts would obviously be OEM and Bosch brand for reliability as they experience the highest amount of stress.
All brake pads and rotors are also Bosch and high-quality racing local brands for reliability and warranty performance reasons.
Doing all the work alone and not needing any assistance shows how easy it can be to replace all the parts listed above and more without any labour cost. People should also stop hating on Chinese parts and have reliability anxiety because most OEM and aftermarket parts are also labeled Made In China on the packaging. MOST OF THE TIME, IT’S THE SAME PACKAGING AND BOX with different brand print.
I’ve been looking for this part for six months… I’d really appreciate it if anyone could help me find it… I’ve ordered everything I could find on eBay, but none of them fit… I’m talking about the 3D-printed ones… Please, I’ll pay for the part plus shipping…