MINI Community Chat
Posted by murmini Thu, 11 Jan 2007 11:25:56 GMT
Just a reminder that Pedro Tomas of MotoringFun has a very popular MINI Chat area on his site where throngs of MINI owners gather and exchange notes, technical advice and general MINI-related stuff.
Pedro and a team of moderators, have been working hard to keep the room monitored and generally speaking there is a good crowd in attendance most evenings. Now many of you may roll your eyes at the concept of 'chat rooms' but there is a lot of good MINI discussion here. As it enters it's fourth month of operation, Pedro informs me that it has about 300 registered guests from all over the USA, Europe, the Middle and Far East.
The room was launched on the evening that White Roof Radio - the famous weekly MINI podcast, delivered it's 100th show as a way to involve the listeners in the celebrations and it has grown in popularity ever since. The podcast of that show can be heard here.
MotoringFun Live Chat has attracted some very interesting guests including: Peter Horvath from M7 Tuning Fireball Tim Lawrence from Fireballed Racing and is having Phil Wicks of The Ultimate MINI Driving Academy in chat on January 24th 2007.
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So drop by, sign up (its free) and speak out!
Thanks for the kind words Murray and all your help!
YES…it is a GREAT place to visit.. ..anytime after 9PM (EST)..you will find a good number in attendance..and the ‘Chat’ (most times) is quite lively..!!!
Anybody know why my 2004 mini with 37000 mile wont start? When I turn the key the headlights flash on and off and nothing else!!! Help!!!
Much as I would love to tell you what is wrong, it is really not possible with such little information to even hazard a guess. Sounds like a battery issue but its too hard to tell. Please let us know what you find.
Hi, anybody have P/steering pump problems? jj
JJ, the power steering pump has been a little troublesome over the years. Its an electrical item, to prevent taking more power from the engine. Due to its high operating temperature it has a cooling fan mounted on it. The whole contraption is mounted under the car, behind the engine bay and is a little vulnerable to any under car impact from debris. They have been known to be intermittent prior to failing as well as quite noisy. Keep your eye on it! Its easy to tell when its failing due to the incredibly heavy steering, but I have heard stories that some dealers will not replace them unless they fail in front of them. Let us know how you get on.
This is a great blog, i'm glad i found it… Can;t wait to buy my own MINI cooper, i live just across the street from the local dealership… but they are to damn expensive here. will have to wait another year…:(
I'm considering a plasma booster for my 2003 JCW. I've installed the M7 cold air intake box,changed the pulley, and have the M7 intercooler. Considering these mods would the plasma booster be worth the near $300.00 cost. Thanx Andrew
Well I can’t tell you much about these things, but the consensus tends to be ‘save your money’! I would recommend you read some of the threads on NAM such as this and this
I bought my Mini a little over two years ago and have faithfully followed the owner’s manual and the dealer’s advice regarding filling it only with premium gas. However, the prices are going up and up and it’s becoming a serious economic problem. Does anyone know if it’s safe to use regular gas?
Ann, I am to assume that you have a Cooper S, as I don’t believe the Cooper requires premium gas. The use of less than premium is frequently discussed and I would only add this. While I would not recommend regular gas, you may try the intermediate (91 Octane I believe) and frankly if the car runs well with this then you may see some saving. However, i would advise you review consumption as well as performance as frequently there is little saving in a cheaper gas. I know in my area, they are now adding ethanol and I am sure this is having a detrimental effects as well so all this must be considered. The Engine Control Unit does a very good job of trying to compensate for inadequacies and variations in gas quality and octane so I think you will be fine using 1 step down from premium. Do let us know what your findings are.
my ipod wont play in my 2005 mini.. any ideas? Ive read the manual and followed all instructions.. nothing
PLEASE HELP!!
Try resetting the iPod, then follow the instruction on accessing menu vs remote on the radio head unit. You may also need to power down, remove the two cables and reconnect. Usually once its running it will nto require that again.
anyone have a problem with passenger seat stuck back. dealer says to hold the button and yank as hard as possible to get it back in syc – isn’t working. dealer charges too much to work on them
how about the sunroof rattling? the noise is driving me crazy. happens most when cold out-have to open it a crack to decrease noise
‘Tinis and Weenies – a great party in Hollywood on Sept. 26 at 6 pm. A Mini Cooper will be raffled off! Buy a ticket which includes a raffle ticket and admission www.Win-A-Mini.org Help a charitable cause!
How is the Mini in the snow and ice? Car looks like fun. What do you think of using it as a 28 mile commuter car?
Great car on the snow and ice. While it’s not 4 wheel drive and may not get you through big drifts, it is front-wheel-drive and handles better than most in icy conditions. As for the 28 mile commute, its one of the most fun cars to drive… Take one for a test drive and you can experience it for yourself.