It took 7 years, 11 months, & 24 days…2918 days in total…to reach 100,000 miles on my Clubman.
Read More…Motoring
How To: MINI Cooper Gen2 (R55/R56) Battery Replacement
After 6 1/2 years and just over 87,000 miles, the original battery in my 2013 MINI Cooper S Clubman finally bit the dust. What I initially thought would be a straight forward battery replacement, quickly became a bit muddled. Depending on the options a Gen2 MINI is equipped with, replacing the battery can be a bit more involved.
So here is a write-up of what I learned while replacing the battery in my MINI, so hopefully it helps some of you down the road.
Read More…80,000 Mile Maintenance
GhostPepper's New Brakes
In early April, as GhostPepper closed in on 80,000 miles, I finally had a chance to take care a few maintenance items she had coming due.
Most importantly a full brake service was needed. A few days after ordering parts to do the brake job, one of the brake wear sensors was triggered. So, while there was a little life left in the brake pads, it was definitely time to get them swapped out for newer pads. I last replaced brake pads and rotors at around 38,000 miles, and while it was a bit before it was really needed, we were heading on a 5000+ mile road trip from Chicago, out to Jackson, Wyoming, and then onto Denver, Colorado, before heading back home. So being proactive seemed prudent. As it had been just about 42,000 miles since I last did a full brake service, it seems like 40,000 miles is my magic number.
Read More…2019 Mazda CX-9
2019 Mazda CX-9 Signature
My MINI Clubman has a new stablemate…a 2019 Mazda CX-9 AWD Signature in Machine Gray with a gorgeous Auburn Nappa leather and black interior. It replaces our 2008 Jeep Liberty, which after 11-years, almost 200,000 miles and some mounting issues, was in need of being replaced.
I looked at most of the major players in the 3-row SUV segment…Honda Pilot, Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander and 4Runner, Kia Sorento, Nissan Pathfinder, VW Atlas, Hyundai Santa Fe, and the Mazda CX-9. It’s a pretty solid segment, with some good options. In the end, the Mazda won out on its looks, and features for the price.
Read More…How To: MINI Cooper Gen2 (R55/R56) Oil Change
MINI Gen2 R55/R56 Oil Filter & Oil Filter Housing
The Gen2 MINIs have been around since 2007, along with a lot of documentation and how-to’s. Sadly, as I was changing the oil in my Clubman the other day, and couldn’t find my notes on the torque spec for the oil drain plug, I realized a lot of how-to’s have been lost to the Internet black-hole…broken links, missing images, etc. as they reach a decade-plus in age.
So I figured I would publish a new how-to on changing the oil in a Gen2 MINI. For all of us owners who have had them for years, and for those who will come to own them in the future.
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