Great deals on Stage Kits this week!

MINI Cooper Stage Kits on sale this week!

USTCC RACE #2 AND GTS3 THUNDERHILL RACEWAY WILLOWS CA. 5-30/31-9

Vincent Parker driving the MiniMania/ BayBridge Motors #96 Mini Cooper S competed with NASA this weekend in the USTCC (United States Touring Car Championship) and GTS (German Touring Series). The Mini was running stronger than ever since getting an engine management error code fixed with the help of Mini Mania and Niello Mini. Luckily 2 weeks before the race while at the Mini Mania annual “Nevada City Adventure” the car was put on the dyno and showed poor results, down 20-30 whp. Scans showed a fault code and with the help of Hans Dinse, the service manager for Niello Mini in attendance at the event, he offered Niellos assistance by having the car diagnosed at Niello. They found a faulty fuse circuit and were able to repair it quickly. Off to the races.

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NCA ‘09 Photo Galleries!

Nevada City Adventure 2009 Gallery!

buy a print!

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Funkhana Video!

Dyno Video!

More Minis From NCA 09 on Mini Mania’s facebook page!

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Should Mini Mania build an Electric MINI Cooper E+

Just a thought and sure Mini Mania would like your thoughts!
Should Mini Mania finish an experiment of their own?

http://www.minimania.com/web/threadid/98750/msgthread.cfm

Help Those In Need: Bring A Bag Of Groceries to NCA!

Every year, the staff at Mini Mania delights in helping a charitable group, and with the difficult economic times upon us, we thought supporting our local food bank and sponsoring a food drive would be a great way to help our community. We know Mini owners have a big heart when it comes to lending a helping hand. So this year we would ask if you could bring one grocery bag of non perishable food to the event where it will be collected and distributed by the Inter Faith food bank in our local area.(suggestions are: cereal, soup, canned goods, etc.) We thank you in advance for your participation and support.

find out more about NCA ‘09!

Mini Mania is having a site-wide 15% off sale Wednesday & Thursday of this week!

This will be a 48 hour sale. If you’ve been waiting for some big savings, this is it!

The sale starts on Tuesday, April 15th and ends April 16th at midnight.

http://www.minimania.com

The MINI Cooper S Automatic is NOT for Wimps!

All I can say is WOW!  I have made it a personal point to never put myself in a position of being called a ‘car salesman’ and thus the following needs to be put into this perspective.  I had my first drive today in a 2009 MINI Cooper S ‘Automatic’!   Now I would like to think that I am perceived as a real car nut!  In fact I have been racing a Mini Cooper of one type or another for the last 35+ years! Yes, that is a long time but then….

While I still occasionally drive one of my classic Minis on my commute to work, my usual daily driver is a ’07 MINI Cooper S.  While the MINI has a few modifications such as the Sprint Booster, performance exhaust, Turbo muffler delete, etc. the MINI Cooper S is close to stock.  As much as I have grown to really appreciate the torque and overall performance of the latest turbo MINI, it has suffered from the well know ‘death rattle’ for some time.  Our local dealer has been great in his best efforts to arrest the problem but alas it has again had to be taken back for what we all hope is the ultimate fix.  The bottom line is that as the problem as now been recognized as a potential warranty issue, a loaner car was established as acceptable.  While in the past the second best car provided as a 3-series BMW, this was a special occasion and a 2009 MINI Cooper S ‘Automatic’ was the loaner of choice.

The bright Yellow MINI Cooper S automatic had all of 17 miles on the odometer as supplied before our 60 mile trip home.  As a fellow gear head and occasional visitor to Mini Mania, the service advisor assumed that no instructions were needed and thus the start of the experience.

While the ‘key’ to start the motor looked similar to the manual MINI Cooper, with no clutch to engage before pressing the start button, the obvious choice of depressing the brake pedal brought it all to life.  The next step was how to move the gear lever from park to drive.  First tried pulling and pushing- nothing worked!  So after a closer look I found an area in front of the gear lever that serves as a lock for lever movement.  Finally got into gear with no clutch I hit the gas!  Ugh! Not a good start.  The engine acted like an old fashion engine that needed a little choke at first.

We’re off!    Still in the parking lot and thus still no feel for the car.  After another stop which felt strange without a clutch pedal, another cold start resulted in yet another engine choke.  But, acceleration was very brisk and before I knew it I was moving fast enough to understand that the road feel was MINI through and through.  So while still on the twisty bits of the road, I spotted the “M/S” on the gear lever housing- it hit the lever to the left and the indicator on the dash changed from “D” to “DS”.  The engine now seemed to really come to life and all of sudden I could not tell it was an automatic.

While still on the twisty bits I spot the strange paddles on the inside edge of the steering wheel- one on the left and one on the right!  My natural tendency was to press them any way I could.  Using my fingers on the back of the paddles had not apparent effect.  Then I realized that the simply process of hitting the front of the paddles with my thumb resulting a very smooth down-gear.  It became clear that hitting one of the paddles resulting in a gear change down while hitting the back of the paddle up-shifted the transmission.

So “experimentation” was for sure the next plan.  Six speeds provide a wide range of choices that are available in either the “D” or “DS” modes.  The design of the automatic is such that you can simply allow it to do its own thing or use the paddles to direct it!  And this is where the “WOW” comes in!  While the automatic clutch is not ultra quick as is it not possible to initiate any wheel squeals upon changing gears, it is possible to scare yourself as to how quick it all happens.  Up-shifting or down-shifting by a tap on the pedal is very, very quick and can be downright exciting.

Once one of the paddles is hit, the manual part of the automatic is engaged and shift activation is in manual control.  This can be both fun and dangerous.  For those of us that are more use to a manual clutch with the finite time required from depressing the clutch to moving the shifter to releasing the clutch, the speed of gear change in the automatic is a bit unnerving.  And most of all it can be done without lifting off the throttle.  While it is possible on the race track to change gears with little or no throttle lift in a manual MINI Cooper, it is never done when driving on the street.  The Automatic MINI Cooper S creates a whole new sense of control and speed.

If someone had asked me a week ago to take an Automatic for a test drive I would have made any excuse to not be bothered!   What a mistake, the best thing you can do as a MINI owner is to try this new experience!  All I can say is the MINI Cooper Automatic is not for wimps!  (Motor-on ladies as most of you are the fortunate ones to have the pleasure of driving one of these daily!)

Latest T-Shirts from Mini Mania

New T-shirts designs from Mini Mania are now available.
Unique and fresh design are available in limited quantity.

MINI Cooper CATALYTIC CONVERTER INFORMATION

The exhaust header for all the new MINI Coopers and MINI Cooper “S” from BMW have the catalytic converter built into them. The replacement of the original stock header with any aftermarket header is limited by the Federal Clean Air act, as outlined below. Thus it must be understood that replacing a stock header with one from any aftermarket supplier, even those with catalytic converters, can only be done if intended for off-road use only. MORE CURRENT INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND HERE!

CONDITIONS FOR REPLACEMENT

To any person repairing or installing any exhaust system, the Clean Air Act, as amended 1990, requires that:

AFTERMARKET CATALYTIC CONVERTERS MAY ONLY BE INSTALLED IN THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS:

1. If the vehicle is missing a converter; *

2. If a State or local inspection program has determined that the existing converter has been lead-poisoned, damaged, or otherwise rendered ineffective and needs replace-ment. Retain a copy of this statement from any government inspection or enforcement agency for your records;

3. If the vehicle is over five (5) years old, or has more than 50,000 miles, or eight (8) years old or 80,000 miles for 1995 and newer model vehicles, AND a legitimate need for replacement has been established and documented.* This situation normally would include only plugged converters or those damaged to the point where unrepair-able exhaust leaks are present. See * DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS below.

Catalytic converters are emission control devices which are designed to last the life of the vehicle and do not normally require replacement. Furthermore, if the vehicle is properly used and maintained, original converters are covered by the emissions control warranty for 5 years/50,000 miles, or 8 years/80,000 miles for 1995 and newer models. Federal law prohibits any person from replacing these devices except under limited circumstances (listed above).

• DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

In order to establish and document that the circumstances permitting replacement of an original or missing converter with an aftermarket converter meeting the required performance criteria exist, the Installer must complete the INSTALLER’S WARRANTY SHEET. The installer and the vehicle owner must sign the statement establishing and documenting catalytic converter replacement justification.

- A copy of the completed warranty sheet must be attached to the invoice and retained by the installer for six (6) months.

- Also, the replaced converter(s), if any, must be retained by the installer for at least fifteen (15) days from the date of installation.
- The installer must install each replacement catalytic converter according to EPA policy, as described in the INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS.

Drawing for free Dyno Testing at NCA 2009!

Come and join your friends at the 8th Annual Nevada City Adventure, May 16th and enter a Free drawing to have your Mini/MINI Cooper tested on a Dyno! The Nevada City Adventure is a great annual event , this year in support of the “California Food Bank”! The event this year include a ‘people’s choice’ car show, a ‘Funkana’, Socializing, Local driving tour, Free Lunch AND the opportunity to have your Mini/MINI Cooper tested on a Dyno!

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MINI vs. SUV?

Tips for Saving Fuel

By Joe Wiesenfelder

If you’re not ready to buy a more fuel-efficient car, you can still save money in a number of ways in whatever vehicle you drive. Cars.com provides the tips and dispels the myths.

Revive the Classics

The biggest fuel savings comes not from hybrid technology but from the old standards: car pooling and public transportation. If you and just one friend or neighbor trade off commuting to and from work, you cut your fuel …
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This week only! Save 10%*

When you use this Promo Code:FREEMINI
*Not applicable to special order items or items already on sale. Expires 2/14/09

Save 10% now!

Casual Autocrossing the MINI Cooper

Autocrossing has been a popular competitive sports car activity since the earliest days of sports car driving in the United States. Offering a competitive atmosphere and the opportunity to challenge your own driving ability and the car’s capabilities, these events provide adrenalin-boosting excitement and the chance to improve your driving skills under very safe conditions.

An autocross is a race against the clock over a course laid out in a large open, paved area, such as a stadium parking lot, or occasionally on an auto racing track. The course is marked out by plastic traffic cones, and typically will include one or two longer straightaways, often ending in abrupt turns, tight and loose curves, and at least one section that requires the driver to weave in and out of a straight line of cones. Because the cones are plastic, if the driver strays off course, no damage will be done to anything except the driver’s score and ego.

Typically at an autocross, all participants will have the opportunity first to walk through the course to figure out how best to navigate the turns and curves in the most rapid means possible. Then, running one at a time, each participant will have two or three opportuniti…

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Celebrating 210 Years of Mardi Gras!

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MINI Cooper Power Steering Failure

http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog

The Mini is 50 in 2009. Once ever-so British, it was re-launched by BMW in 2001. Since then, more than a million have been produced worldwide and, as they say in their adverts, it’s no ordinary drive, more a ‘Mini Adventure’.

But some of you have found your ‘Mini Adventure’ is more a test of your nerves, because a crucial part of the steering system can fail without warning, and drivers can be left fighting for control of their car.

Frightening

It happened to Heather Hinam as she was driving her five-year-old Mini around a roundabout. Heather said: “I came to a roundabout, went to turn the wheel and there was nothing. It was just like the wheel was rigid. So, I wrenched on the wheel as hard as I could. I just managed to get a little bit of movement in it sufficient to get me around the roundabout. It was very frightening.”

Heather had bought her Mini from a used car dealer but she took it directly to her local BMW garage for repair. They said that her power steering pump had failed. That’s the crucial part that has made manoeuvring modern cars so much easier, and it’s so essential that if it fails, steering becomes extremely difficult – far harder in fact, than an older car with no power steering at all.

BMW’s customer service told Heather this wasn’t a common fault, which is surprising because we’ve heard from dozens of other Mini owners who’ve told us they’ve had exactly the same problem, and have had to fork out anything up to £800 for the repair.

Shocked

Natalie Redford was shocked to find the steering on her six-year-old Mini became hard to handle on her journey home from work. As she turned right, she couldn’t turn the steering wheel enough to make it around the corner and she mounted the pavement, narrowly missing a wall. “I was quite shook up – really shook up actually,” Natalie told Watchdog. “Someone could have been on that path, and I could have gone into them, and there was nothing I could do about it at all.”

BMW say that power steering pump failures are not common. When we rang 45 main dealers, 30 denied there was a common fault, 14 said they’d had a few problems and only one dealer said the power steering does have a tendency to go wrong. But if the problem really is as rare as BMW would like to make out, we were surprised to hear from one Mini specialist telling us he’s doing a roaring trade replacing the faulty part.

Common problem

Matt Pike is an independent Mini mechanic, and a supplier of spare parts. He says he can barely keep up with demand for replacement power steering pumps: “At least 60 per cent of our regular customers have all had pumps changed. And we’re getting at least two calls a day from people after power steering pumps because they’re such a big failure. I’d say it’s the most common problem we have with the Minis.”

Some worried drivers have contacted VOSA, the government body responsible for vehicle safety. VOSA said they’d done their own tests, and were convinced that even if the pump fails, the car can still be driven safely.

Motoring expert Mark Brown is surprised the Mini’s power steering pumps are failing so early in the car’s life, and is concerned by the risks the failure can cause: “I’d expect power steering pumps to last virtually the lifetime of the car, with a few exceptions. I think that because of the number of reported incidents, and the potentially dangerous situation it can leave a driver in when the failure does occur, that we’re getting into the realms now where a safety recall ought to be seriously considered.”

BMW say that they’re aware of an electrical issue which has the potential to affect the Electro Hydraulic Power Assisted Steering system fitted to more than 223,000 petrol-powered Minis sold between 2001 and 2007. This includes 175,000 Mini one, Mini Cooper and Cooper S cars sold between 2001 and 2005, 9,000 convertibles and 32,000 Mini Hatch cars sold in 2006 and 7,800 Mini Convertibles sold in 2007. BMW say that in January 2005 a modification was made to the pump supplied with all new Minis which virtually eradicated the issue.

Statement

In a statement the company said: “Mini UK strives to provide the best possible service to its customers and is concerned when they are not satisfied with their cars. We can appreciate that the issues these Mini owners experienced can be disturbing, but we have thoroughly investigated the cases of each customer, and worked hard to eradicate the issues described. As with all modern cars, power steering systems are an added support function that makes steering easier, especially at slow speeds, when parking for example. They are not an essential component of steering systems and cars can be driven perfectly safely without power steering assistance. All new Minis on sale today also feature new power steering mechanisms completely unaffected by these issues.

“However, Mini UK takes such incidents very seriously and has worked closely with the independent regulatory bodies who have liaised with us on the most appropriate route to take with this issue. Furthermore, we would advise that if any owner of a petrol-engine Mini produced between 2001-07 has concerns over this issue or has experienced a similar situation, they should contact our dedicated Mini UK Customer Service line on 0800 777129.”

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10% Rebate Offer! Now you can get a 10% rebate by simply telling us what you think of Sprint Booster! Buy a Sprint Booster at our sale price, install it and then simply e-mail us a product review and we will refund 10% of the already great sale price! Find your Sprint Booster model!

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