R53 Mini Cooper S

Brad Smith · Oct 13, 2015

So I have bought one of these to use during the winter and have myself a little project. Got it last Saturday from Oxford was really cheap but it does need a few things doing to it to tidy it up a little bit, which I'm hoping to do.

Plans are to tidy it up but keep costs down:

- Wheel Refurb as I think previous own painted them with a brush !! Thinking of going back to silver.

- Bonnet scoop needs re painting as it was covered in carbon fibre wrap badly ! When I removed it all the paint came off so I think they've had a go at painting it themselves then got fed up and covered it in this.

- Interior dash and door cards need painting as they've attempted it and again looks like it's been done with a brush and looks terrible, thinking of going for piano black.

- Install a cheap radio with an aux point just to use with my phone through winter.

- New rear wiper as the current one is falling off.

- New Cooper S badge as there isn't one on atm.

- New rear passenger light as this one is cracked.

That's it just want to tidy them few bits up, gave it a good clean and added some wax to it to protect it during winter. The spec is really limited ! But for the price I got it I'm happy with it, has MOT till next year, tyres are brand new.

Oh and that whineeeeeeeeee is addictive !

Pics

With my other car BMW 330ci which is terrible in the snow !

Daz. · Oct 13, 2015

People need to stop buying these! I keep looking at then on Autotrader....

Silver wheels will look much better, exhaust tips aren't to my taste but all good bar that!

Brad Smith · Oct 13, 2015

Daz. said:
People need to stop buying these! I keep looking at then on Autotrader....

Silver wheels will look much better, exhaust tips aren't to my taste but all good bar that!

They are a good buy ! You need to drive one!!

Yeah defo need to go back silver. Yeah I don't like the exhaust tips trying to find some cheap original ones.

wozza182 · Oct 13, 2015

Nice purchase. Good job it isn't another grey one. Lol

Sesqui89 · Oct 13, 2015

Love these! Had one a few years back and the supercharger whine puts such a smile on your face! :smile:

Dan.AS · Oct 13, 2015

I was never really a massive fan of these, but they've grown on me quite a lot recently. Agreed with doing the wheels silver. I think it'll make it look nice and bright, and really freshen it up.

Brad Smith · Oct 14, 2015

wozza182 said:
Nice purchase. Good job it isn't another grey one. Lol

Lol I was originally looking at a grey one but I was sold so went to look at this. The red has come up great and always fancied owning a red car.

Sesqui89 said:
Love these! Had one a few years back and the supercharger whine puts such a smile on your face! :smile:

Yeah the whine is definitely addictive.

Dan.AS said:
I was never really a massive fan of these, but they've grown on me quite a lot recently. Agreed with doing the wheels silver. I think it'll make it look nice and bright, and really freshen it up.

Yeah definitely thinking of going back to silver think it will look much better and original.

Steveball · Oct 15, 2015

Speak to @Feirny as he works for a Mini specialist

Sam · Oct 16, 2015

Welcome to the Mini world. There great little cars and your plans sound like they will take it back to how it's meant to look. Silver wheels will make it look a lot fresher.

Piano black on the inside to is a great mod.

Brad Smith · Oct 16, 2015

So I was going to do the interior piano black and get it done professionally but when I went to show the painter I know he said it was too much work in the prep to make it cheap enough due to how much the previous owner had sanded it down and the marks were deep and visible ! So I found on eBay an interior,got all the dashboard trims, 2 door cards and gear and handbrake gaiter for £90 !

I'm really pleased with the interior being back to original.

Here's it all fitted:

The old stuff not sure if you will see the sanding marks, the door cards also had overspray all over them where they had just sprayed whilst still on the car.

Sam · Oct 16, 2015

Looks miles better pal.

Brad Smith · Oct 17, 2015

Sam said:
Looks miles better pal.

Thanks mate.

Brad Smith · Oct 18, 2015

Had the bonnet scoop re painted in red as previous owner had tried to Refurb it but obviously it never come out very good so they covered it in carbon fibre which I didn't like at all.

Matthew · Oct 18, 2015

You thinking of getting an aero grill for the front? We did it to ours. Great cheap mod...

wozza182 · Oct 18, 2015

Matthew said:
You thinking of getting an aero grill for the front? We did it to ours. Great cheap mod...

Aero Grilles is a must. Changes the look for the better.

Brad Smith · Oct 18, 2015

The only thing is it's only meant to be a winter car and wasn't hoping to spend to much haha

Brad Smith · Oct 19, 2015

Wheels have gone in for a Refurb today. And also ordered new wheel badges, new 8 ball gear knob and new passenger side wing mirror glass.

Brad Smith · Oct 22, 2015

Wheels are done !! Looks so much fresher in silver.

Also new wheel badges should be here this week.

Philip. · Oct 22, 2015

Looks good!
These are bloody tempting as a winter/track whore.

Daz. · Oct 22, 2015

It's too nice to drive through winter now!
I'll be honest that bonnet scoop would get on my nerves as to me it's not the same colour as the bonnet but I'm very fussy.

Brad Smith · Oct 22, 2015

Philip. said:
Looks good!
These are bloody tempting as a winter/track whore.

Thanks I think it will be good for the winter. You should get yourself one they are fun.

Daz. said:
It's too nice to drive through winter now!
I'll be honest that bonnet scoop would get on my nerves as to me it's not the same colour as the bonnet but I'm very fussy.

Lmao thing is I can't drive something round that looks rubbish so I always have to do little bits to improve it. Yeah that is annoying me a little bit but I paid £30.

leeds2592 · Oct 22, 2015

Can't believe how much better the silver wheels make it look!

Sorry if I've missed it but you driving this through winter rather than your beemer?

Brad Smith · Oct 22, 2015

leeds2592 said:
Can't believe how much better the silver wheels make it look!

Sorry if I've missed it but you driving this through winter rather than your beemer?

Neither can I !! When I pulled up to the garage and seen them in silver looked a completely different car. So glad I went for silver.

Yeah that's the plan. Going to take the bm off the road and use this throughout the summer hoping this will be better than a rear wheel drive 3 litre bm.

Brad Smith · Oct 22, 2015

So as the wheels were done the wheel badges turned up.

To

The gear knob looked rubbish so replaced it with a cheap 8 ball look knob. Does look better than before tho.

cat171 · Oct 22, 2015

Nice looking little motor there! It looks miles better now!

I don't see the need for a winter hack though, it's not like we get weather that bad here

leeds2592 · Oct 22, 2015

cat171 said:
Nice looking little motor there! It looks miles better now!

I don't see the need for a winter hack though, it's not like we get weather that bad here :wink:

It's a good excuse to get another car

cat171 · Oct 22, 2015

leeds2592 said:
It's a good excuse to get another car :wink:

Aye, true!

Stefan. · Oct 22, 2015

Yeah i really dont get the whole buy another car because of winter

Just buy winter tyres....

Nice work, not a fan of red though, makes them look abit girly

Matthew · Oct 22, 2015

I can't believe how much better the silver looks on the wheels! Top choice going for that.

Sam · Oct 22, 2015

The silver wheels look 10x better than the previous. Good looking car now.

That bonnet scoop could do with being a better match. You tried polishing the bonnet seeing if you can get it a bit more shiny. Might match it out more.

Brad Smith · Oct 23, 2015

Yeah silver wheels are a massive improvement on the look !

I do agree with the bonnet scoop, may look to give the bonnet a proper polish see if that improves it.

Sam · Oct 23, 2015

Brad Smith said:
Yeah silver wheels are a massive improvement on the look !

I do agree with the bonnet scoop, may look to give the bonnet a proper polish see if that improves it.

It should help a bit. If not, keep it muddy. Ha

Brad Smith · Oct 24, 2015

Few more little pieces came today:

Stubby aerial:

Rear wiper was rusted and broken and was all over the place so I got a new one..much better:

Cooper S badge was missing so I decided to fit one not keen on the de badged look:

Comments as always.

Matthew · Oct 24, 2015

Thought about getting a cheap private plate to hide the age?

wozza182 · Oct 24, 2015

You should consider colour coding the rear boot strip.
Love my stubby aerial on my car.

Brad Smith · Oct 24, 2015

Matthew said:
Thought about getting a cheap private plate to hide the age?

I have but I don't plan on keeping it long. So dunno if there's much point.

Brad Smith · Oct 24, 2015

wozza182 said:
You should consider colour coding the rear boot strip.
Love my stubby aerial on my car.

Yeah it's an idea but I think I'm done on what I want to do now, just plan on enjoying driving it.

Yeah the aerial looks miles better.

Brad Smith · Oct 26, 2015

So added the final bits and I think I'm about done now will just enjoy driving it and have a bit of fun in it.

New rear light old one was cracked bargain at £5