[pipsyp]

Hey guys,

So as most of you probably now know, Ive bought Jim's (bigjim) R52 One Convertible off of him. He's a gent and has done me a good deal on it, even travelling down here tomorrow to drop it off which Im most grateful for.

A few months back, found myself losing my job due to CoVid having been furloughed for a number of months. Head won over heart and led to me selling my R53 which I genuinely thought id never end up selling....was a shame but I needed the money more than the car and thankfully it did end up going to a good home for a price I was happy with so wasnt all bad.

In the time being by good fortune found another job...income whilst far from terrible is nothing like it was so simply I dont have the play money for now to do what I was doing with the S....which lets face it was quickly becoming a restoration project 😂😂

With my new job (eventually) being mainly office based with a short daily commute vs being home based as I was before I could foresee having just the one car would eventually become problematic so started considering options.......really I just wanted something reasonably priced that would make the commute easy and I wouldnt be bothered about parking on the street all day long.

I first considered buying a 2010 Golf 1.6 TDi SE off a mate who was selling it on behalf of someone else.... didnt want an awful lot for it but it had done 100k, concious it had a few nasty knocks and bangs, quite a few advisories at its last MOT and would no doubt experience DPF and/or EGR issues at some point.....also monumentally boring so despite not being a bad deal all in I fucked it off.

I then deliberated buying a few year old Mokka off my brother, again far from my ideal car but seemingly quite a bit of car for the money and would be cheap and easy for me to get it looked after. However I didnt much fancy piling a big chunk of my redundancy into it or taking a loan for the rest so quickly the idea tailed off.

I then realised Jim was selling his R52, to me it just made sense. Cheap, interesting and fun to drive (as all Minis are), well cared for with some nice spec improvements like the full leather and wheels. I have also rather always liked the idea of having a convertible as have never had one......so it all came together! Ironically it'll be the first car Ive ever purchased thats had more than 100k miles on the clock!

A very different prospect this time as whilst I do really rather like it, its more of a means to an end than the last one (needs to be cheap!). Not to say I wont do anything at all to it but it will mostly be just things to tidy it and get it as I want it.

When I get it I plan initially just to give it a good clean inside and out, treat the bumper/sideskirts with C4 restorer. Ive also bought a set of Bosch Aerotwins from Euro Car Sharks for it (boy Im pissed with them, 2nd or 3rd time now Ive gone DHL next day delivery and the actual date will be about 3 or 4 working days probably last time I fucking use them!).

Hopefully Jim wont hate me for it but I will probably also remove the bonnet stripes and Union Jack bits and bobs as I'll be going for the sleeper OEM look. In two minds about whether I'll keep the spots or not as I cant deny they are probably quite handy (particularly as it doesnt have Xenons)....we shall see on that!

Other plans are to try to fix the passenger backrest tilt mechanism (if its even possible) and I wont lie if I can pick up a good wheel and airbag cheap enough I would like to put a 3 spoke wheel in it.....im not a hater of the two spoke but I do prefer the 3...we shall see.

Anyway, as soon as it lands and Ive had a chance to give it a spruce i'll whack up some pics 👍

 

[KeithyCoop]

The addiction to mini personalisation never leaves you, I bet your eBay watch list is at least 2 pages long, full of Mini bits.

It looks like a nice car (reading Jims thread). Look forward to spring and getting the roof down.

 

[pipsyp]

The addiction to mini personalisation never leaves you, I bet your eBay watch list is at least 2 pages long, full of Mini bits.

It looks like a nice car (reading Jims thread). Look forward to spring and getting the roof down.

Definitely hard to leave it alone! Today would have been nice for a bit of top down motoring actually....see how it holds out for tomorrow 👍👍

 

[Maccmike]

I absolutely agree on not buying a Mokka. Awful cars as are most Vauxhalls to be fair.
Good shout on avoiding the Golf. The 1.6tdi has too many problems. Ive got a 2.0 CR tdi. Phenomenal car. Does 48mpg around town, 150hp, smart inside and out, vast boot being an estate but not the sharpest drive. Compliments the Mini perfectly though.
So yes I think you buying the R52 is a great purchase.

 

[pipsyp]

I absolutely agree on not buying a Mokka. Awful cars as are most Vauxhalls to be fair.
Good shout on avoiding the Golf. The 1.6tdi has too many problems. Ive got a 2.0 CR tdi. Phenomenal car. Does 48mpg around town, 150hp, smart inside and out, vast boot being an estate but not the sharpest drive. Compliments the Mini perfectly though.
So yes I think you buying the R52 is a great purchase.

Agreed mate! I dont mind Vauxhalls generally (we have a Zafira Tourer now) but most dont do anything for me.... certainly they are a long way from the redtop and turbo'd calibra and cavaliers which were actually quite cool.

Zafira was a savvy buy IMHO, not expensive, nice and practical, best seats ive experienced in an affordable car and drives superbly (id say it handles better, with nicer steering and a better ride than the 2017 Bi-turbo S Max Titanium Sport it replaced....not as fast mind!). Even the 1.4 Turbo engine is very good......though it is horrendously thirsty. Hoping it improves a bit with miles (not quite broken 6k miles yet). This is our third Tourer though 😂😂

Ive had quite a few VAGs over the years, had a 2013 (early newer shape) Octavia Elegance estate with the 150 TDI motor and agree its a peach. Car handled like shit but it was so light it absolutely flew. I had a couple of Mk7 GTDs with the 184bhp motor and honestly there wasnt alot in it performance wise (golf with the multi link rear was alot heavier).

Looking forward to having a Mini again, being a convertible definitely going to be a bit of a boon in nicer weather!

 

[NigelStap]

If it rains all next year we know who to blame!

 

[pipsyp]

If it rains all next year we know who to blame!

Indeed 😂👍

 

[Fro-dizzle]

Great choice imo, ticks all the boxes and is far more interesting/engaging than your other options!
Get that roof down at every opportunity, if no precipitation it’s gotta be down 🤣
My best memory of my E46 convertible was too down after it had snowed blue sky, sunshine and snow in the fields 😎
Look forward to seeing your stamp on it and I’m sure it will do you proud! Very kind of Jim to be driving it down to you too, top man!

Regarding your seat problem let me know if you need any bits before buying anything, I still have the two I tore down from mine and all the trim bits. It will all be scrapped at some point so more than happy to send bits to you for postage costs 👍🏽

 

[pipsyp]

Great choice imo, ticks all the boxes and is far more interesting/engaging than your other options!
Get that roof down at every opportunity, if no precipitation it’s gotta be down 🤣
My best memory of my E46 convertible was too down after it had snowed blue sky, sunshine and snow in the fields 😎
Look forward to seeing your stamp on it and I’m sure it will do you proud! Very kind of Jim to be driving it down to you too, top man!

Regarding your seat problem let me know if you need any bits before buying anything, I still have the two I tore down from mine and all the trim bits. It will all be scrapped at some point so more than happy to send bits to you for postage costs 👍🏽

Cheers buddy, really looking forward to having another one and totally right, i'll be getting the hood down as much as possible.....heater on full and snow sounds good too!! 😂👍

Jim's a top chap, super grateful to him for letting me have it for a good deal and dropping it down to me......I know despite him getting the very lovely facelift R53 from Sean hes sad to see this car go and will miss it, so I feel bad in that respect (as was pretty devastated to let mine go recently so know the feeling) but he knows its going to a good home and will get well kept so guess thats the main thing 👍👍

Also buddy much obliged on the seat parts offer, 100% will keep you posted 👍👍

 

[Fro-dizzle]

Heater on full, coat and beanie 😂

Absolutely, he knows it’s going to a good home so I’m sure he’ll be well chuffed with that.

No problem at all!

 

[big jim]

If it rains all next year we know who to blame!

ive driven a train twice to pipsyps hometown and both times it was raining sideways!


i am genuinely gutted to be selling the convertible, been a great little car as opposed to the blue one that i couldnt wait to see the back of last night when it was collected by its new owner

im going to miss the top down motoring, pip has had the windjammer as part of the deal, with that you can happily do 70 without being buffeted and have things fly off the back seat at speed

looking forward to the trip down tomorrow, coming back on the train as i have a pass so it wont cost me

as for things hes got planned, a good clean inside is a must, im not exactly mr detail king, more mr trebus, although i have mucked it out it needs a hoover

spotlights id recommend keeping on as the standard lights are poor, i have upgraded the bulbs though so they are better than normal, union jack bits, im glad you said you will be removing them, i’ll do that myself before i set off as i was going to buy similar for the new car so i’ll keep them

anyway off to sleep, long day ahead tomorrow

 

[CarsOrBikes]

hope you get on with the car and actually use the roof a lot, many people have rag tops and never use the roof at all, I do have a convertible (14 or 15 years) but so very rarely used, 12k in that time, including several trips to the Isle of Wight in it which are 800 miles usually so really very rarely used, anyway when it has been, maybe once or twice a year if that it just goes for lunch in the sun with the hard top off and roof down, otherwise I'll waft about in it locally to clean the brakes and park it again, currently it hasn't left the drive I think in over two years and has green growing on the green.... again but worse


finally got my Mini rag top here today, battery on charge, will be interesting to use it a bit before it's sold, heated leather this time of year will be nice I'm sure

I think Jim was quite fond of the red convertible, and another person actually quite content with the N/A motor it seems, it sounds alright with it's intake, not many cars do as they're often loud but his didn't seem it when I heard it,

enjoy!

 

[pipsyp]

hope you get on with the car and actually use the roof a lot, many people have rag tops and never use the roof at all, I do have a convertible (14 or 15 years) but so very rarely used, 12k in that time, including several trips to the Isle of Wight in it which are 800 miles usually so really very rarely used, anyway when it has been, maybe once or twice a year if that it just goes for lunch in the sun with the hard top off and roof down, otherwise I'll waft about in it locally to clean the brakes and park it again, currently it hasn't left the drive I think in over two years and has green growing on the green.... again but worse
View attachment 101794

finally got my Mini rag top here today, battery on charge, will be interesting to use it a bit before it's sold, heated leather this time of year will be nice I'm sure
View attachment 101795

I think Jim was quite fond of the red convertible, and another person actually quite content with the N/A motor it seems, it sounds alright with it's intake, not many cars do as they're often loud but his didn't seem it when I heard it,

enjoy!

Cheers Sean, love the SL...they sure dont make them quite like that anymore!

The Pentagon motor isnt bad is it, hardy and does a good job of punting the Mini around.....I know it wasnt endeared with praise by the motoring press when it came about but think BMW probably made the right decision to use it to be honest....after all as nice as the K series is when running well they arent the most robust things...well the head gaskets at least 🤣🤣

I suppose whats nice is it will amount to being (pretty much) a warm hatch with a rag top which is ideal for me right now. If Id kept the R53 I know the running costs would have very quickly become a problem, not so much with this hopefully 👍👍

 

[big jim]

And pipsyp drives off into the sunset, well, sea fog in his new toy after Dropping me off at the station

A faultless 250 mile non stop run from Cheshire to East Sussex, really sad to see it go but the new owner seems happy with it (especially when he heard the induction kit/exhaust roar!)

now to get the 3 trains home!

 

[pipsyp]

Am made up with it Jim, alot of car for the money! Appreciate you bringing it down and a pleasure meeting you finally 👍 now to set about de-Tregus'ing it 🤣👍

The hood is working a treat now by the way 👍👍

 

[CarsOrBikes]

making a point of roof down.... don't let that be the only time 😂

just got into the boot of mine now some power is in it, and sitting there was a storage bag with the wind break, so that's a win imo, well for the next owner it is....

 

[big jim]

Pipsyp Hope you’ve ordered a skip for all the crap your going find under the seats!

Edmund Trebus - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Maccmike]

You can always tell when someone has a new convertible. The roofs down in the shittiest of weather 🤣
Congrats to both of you on your purchases

 

[pipsyp]

Nice to see Jim got a photo of me mosey-ing off into the mist 🤣👍

.....also Jim wasnt fucking kidding about Edmund Trebus 🤣🤣🤣

After a solid 5 hours or so I managed to rid of Jim's (Id say 2 good years worth of) detritus, dry hoovered it as best as I could with the Miele indoor hoover and simply used an absolute shitload of neat Bilt Hamber SurfexHD APC on all the surfaces to clean them up......is great stuff with a bit of elbow power it really cuts through just about anything including double sided tape residue 👍👍...then I just gave it a quick single bucket wash with Gtechniq GWash and didnt bother drying it as it was getting dark (and the missus pissed at all the time id spent on it!). Missus hoovered the hood for me as there was the majority of a ginger tom on it and once washed it came up remarkably well.....sure it has the usual water channel splits etc but for 15 years old its held up remarkably well....and still works!

Naturally I didnt expect the earth for a grand, and through the process found a few little odds and sods that I will look to address (that probably wouldnt bother most) cheaply as possible at some stage, priority one probabky being to get the drivers window realligned as it leaks a bit, but have to say underneath the layer of Jim (sorry mate🤣👍) there really is a good honest car there 👍👍

Other than drop Jim at the station and drive it home Ive not driven it so cant comment too much on it, but will say initial thoughts are its wearing its 116k miles very well and is very pleasant (if somewhat different to the S) to drive. I do like the noise....in fact I think it probably does sound a bit better than my old S.....just a nice bit of induction noise and NA roar but not too silly. Very much looking forward to getting a nice day and a bit of free time to really get to use it hood down, think its really 100% the point of it.

 

[Fro-dizzle]

And pipsyp drives off into the sunset, well, sea fog in his new toy after Dropping me off at the station

View attachment 101801

A faultless 250 mile non stop run from Cheshire to East Sussex, really sad to see it go but the new owner seems happy with it (especially when he heard the induction kit/exhaust roar!)

now to get the 3 trains home!

Now that's what I'm talking about, roof down unless it's raining/snowing