Posted: 6/8/2026 2:32:56 PM EDT
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Wife just got a 2018 Mini Cooper Convertible. I've never been a super fan of them, but we were looking for something really small to pull behind a small RV on a dolly. This, a Fiat500 which I just found out they aren't making anymore, or flat towing a JL Wrangler. Wranglers are up there in price, and this Mini was just sitting at a small lot and she found it on the way to Knoxville for a Costco run. Yeah, we came home with it. Good deal (I think), and she loves it so... good deal. It's got 105k on the dial, and seems to run fine. Carfax showed regular maintenance with just some oil changes skipped by a particular owner who was doing it themselves I wager. When the first of these Mini's were hitting the streets, I was elbow deep in MK4 VW's and not really paying attention, and the owner group of them kind of turned me off to them. Now, having driven this thing I'm really digging it. Maybe I've just been in SUV's and MDT's too long, but it's a little go-kart on some back roads around our town. Of course, the reignites the desire to tweak it here, push it there. So I come to you guys... What am I going to want to do to upgrade any OEM stuff? What's a good bang-for-buck mod to toss on these things? Not looking to make it a track or show car, but I definitely am all about making sure controlling it has all the upgrades reasonable for safety, and also a little more spunk for when I'm driving it in the mountains :) So far I've just dropped a K&N filter in, swapped the headlights up to LED (and having some CANBUS issues with them), and it's getting new motor/trans mounts this week before our first road trip west with it. Looking at control arms in the next few months as I'm told those tend to go around 100k on these. Also, would love to see any pics of your F57 or similar Minis. Hers is the Electric Blue with white mirrors. We've pulled the white stripes off of the hood, and I'm thinking of powder coating the wheels white. Would love any other styling inspiration for these you guys might offer up! Attached File |
I've never seen one with a ladder rack before.   Way back in the 70's, there was a mini that sat in a driveway a couple of blocks away from me. I didn't think it was a "real" car - maybe from an amusement park or something. |
9 lives - 9 pellets... Coincidence?
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Originally Posted By ske714: I've never seen one with a ladder rack before. Way back in the 70's, there was a mini that sat in a driveway a couple of blocks away from me. I didn't think it was a "real" car - maybe from an amusement park or something. The original Mini's were far FAR smaller then the Mini's of today. The rim's were 10'' in diameter and 3.5 inches wide which were basically wheelbarrow tires and rims or small garden cart sized. A modern one compared to a original is like a mini moke being compared to a Jeep Gladiator. |
Liberals are a curious mix of communism and fascism, they want to destroy you but want to use your own money to do it.
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
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Originally Posted By fxntime: The original Mini's were far FAR smaller then the Mini's of today. The rim's were 10'' in diameter and 3.5 inches wide which were basically wheelbarrow tires and rims. Originally Posted By fxntime: Originally Posted By ske714: I've never seen one with a ladder rack before. Way back in the 70's, there was a mini that sat in a driveway a couple of blocks away from me. I didn't think it was a "real" car - maybe from an amusement park or something. The original Mini's were far FAR smaller then the Mini's of today. The rim's were 10'' in diameter and 3.5 inches wide which were basically wheelbarrow tires and rims. Yeah, it looked like a go cart with a body. It wasn't until I was stationed in England in the 80's that I realized it was a real car. |
9 lives - 9 pellets... Coincidence?
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Originally Posted By ske714: Yeah, it looked like a go cart with a body. It wasn't until I was stationed in England in the 80's that I realized it was a real car. Originally Posted By ske714: Originally Posted By fxntime: Originally Posted By ske714: I've never seen one with a ladder rack before. Way back in the 70's, there was a mini that sat in a driveway a couple of blocks away from me. I didn't think it was a "real" car - maybe from an amusement park or something. The original Mini's were far FAR smaller then the Mini's of today. The rim's were 10'' in diameter and 3.5 inches wide which were basically wheelbarrow tires and rims. Yeah, it looked like a go cart with a body. It wasn't until I was stationed in England in the 80's that I realized it was a real car. Modified, fast as fuck. |
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