You're putting those miles on faster than I did; - and I like your hopes for the future.
Keep the excitement.

Reliability of this MINI has been far greater than any other of my 45 years of German Cars.
But, I still find my story of Spark Plugs hard to believe.(see July 2nd entry above)

What's been your experience with those?

His MINIs a diesel - they don't have spark plugs. I don't suppose they exist in America do they?

The US doesn't sell Mini diesels. So if he has a diesel in America he sepcially imported it. :)

Hope that helps! :)

Well - then the competition is not fair - He doesn't even have as many parts to wear out as I do!

No, the Diesel MINIs are not sold in the US
Unless . . .
You don't suppose ? ? ? .
Naw!!! I'd have noticed that, wouldn't I?
I've been putting 93 Octane Gasoline in it all this time - and it runs just fine.
But, I've never actually seen the spark plugs - maybe it's time I look.

"You're Some Engineer, Harry!"
Well, - that was a long time ago.

Before Volkswagen's New Beetle went into production, they exhibited three prototypes at the Chicago Auto Show.
One had a standard Gasoline engine; - one was a Diesel; - one was a Diesel / Electric Hybrid.
Did the Hybrid ever get to market?

Well - then the competition is not fair - He doesn't even have as many parts to wear out as I do!

No, the Diesel MINIs are not sold in the US
Unless . . .
You don't suppose ? ? ? .
Naw!!! I'd have noticed that, wouldn't I?
I've been putting 93 Octane Gasoline in it all this time - and it runs just fine.
But, I've never actually seen the spark plugs - maybe it's time I look.

"You're Some Engineer, Harry!"
Well, - that was a long time ago.

Before Volkswagen's New Beetle went into production, they exhibited three prototypes at the Chicago Auto Show.
One had a standard Gasoline engine; - one was a Diesel; - one was a Diesel / Electric Hybrid.
Did the Hybrid ever get to market?


Well diesel engines have glow plugs, which do basically the same thing as spark plugs, just diesel is harder to ignite.

The diesel hybrid never went into production, however, if it did, I'm sure they would sell loads with oil prices etc.

The four cycles of a diesel engine are suck squeeze bang blow. :) The glow plug does not do the same thing as a spark plug, the compression is what ignites the fuel.

From Wikipedia:

Diesel engines, unlike petrol engines, do not use spark plugs to induce combustion. Instead, they rely solely on compression. The piston rises, compressing the air in the cylinder; this, by natural effect, causes the air's temperature to rise. By the time the cylinder reaches the top of its travel path, the temperature in the cylinder is very high. The fuel mist is then sprayed into the cylinder; it instantly combusts, forcing the piston downwards, thus generating power. The pressure required to heat the air to that temperature, however, necessitates the use of a large and very strong engine block. The problem posed is that in cold weather, if the engine has not been running (as is the case when the car is left to sit overnight), that large engine block becomes very cold; when one then attempts to start the engine, the cold engine block acts as a heat sink, quickly dissipating the heat generated by the pistons compressing air. The engine is then unable to start, because it can not generate and maintain enough heat for the fuel to ignite.

One common, and very effective, method for fixing this problem is to fit each cylinder with a glowplug. For that reason, many smaller diesel engines come pre-fitted from the factory with glow-plugs.

"MINI Takes The States" will gather first in Chicago on Friday July 25, then spend an exciting Saturday and Sunday
about 150 miles North at "Road America" near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Of course I'm going!

I had a call from 'Jennifer' in San Francisco today; - she is setting up many of the events and activities for next weekend. She'd been trying to figure out what I could do to help - and asked if I'd be willing to be the 'Flag Man' and send the Hundreds of gathering MINIs out onto that beautiful 4 mile Road Race Track for their grand 'Parade Lap'. Of course I agreed! That will be a great chance for me to see each and every MINI from all over Mid-America just as they start one of the most anticipated events of the weekend. (Imagine the sound of all those MINIs - all excited - impatiently waiting to GO!)

But, as I've thought it over, I've wondered whether she was thinking of my enjoyment - or just responding to demands of others to "keep that 82 year old guy with his 280,000 mile MINI out of our way!"

Congrats HWS!

MTTS Chicago was a blast! AND I got to meet Mr. Stanfield! It was a pleasure shaking your hand :D

Check it out...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3035/2711802347_38b2a048b3.jpg

Isn't that you HWS?

How many miles now HWS?

Mines just hit the 180000 miles today and alls ticking along as it should. Diesel as well though I'm affraid. (mind you, I wish it was a petrol as I put £30 of unleaded in it last week and then wondered why the engine warning lights came on and the engine shut down half mile later)

Yes, what a complete numpty!! - Won't be doing that again though - Mini off the road for 36 hours, costing me £350 in lost income and another £150 to get the tank drained and sorted.

Both other cars I own are petrol and soooo used to filling up with unleaded so I guess I was just on auto pilot - Hasn't done any lasting damage to the Mini thank goodness.

Still smileing.:smile:

Getting close to 180,000mile now by mid sept 3yrs old the 1st of Oct 2008 ! Little old mini 1D workin hard ... had 10 sheets of 8 by 4 plasterboard on the roof saturday !
Hope to get some pics on here soon ! !

WOW! 180,000 miles in 3 years!!?? :eek: Good motoring!!:D

well guys just 100,000mile between my mini and hws ! I will cover that in 18months !

Question ? 1 , who has the most miloes on there mini in the world ?
2, who has the most in the UK ?
3, How many minis in the UK have over 200,000miles on them ?

I haven't written for a while, - but that doesn't mean I haven't been 'Motoring'

We just passed 300,000 miles 3 weeks ago -
and 2 days later 'celebrated' by being towed 60 miles
to my Dealer for a brand new Fuel Pump.

Everything had hummed beautifully for a couple hundred miles,
when suddenly the "Service Engine Soon" light came on.
I pulled over and turned off the engine to make a phone call -
but had to be towed from that very spot when the engine never restarted.
(I didn't know the little light meant that soon!)
It sounded like I had fuel pump - but, it felt like the engine had no fuel.

So, since I don't have to worry about the fuel pump for another 300,000 miles,
I'm leaving on a 2300 mile round trip to Florida for Thanksgiving.
If that's not a special Holiday where you live - Give Thanks Anyway - Anyday!

Have a great trip HWS :D

Congratulations HWS. :D

I always love reading your updates and I'm glad you're still putting miles on your MINI. :)

Have a safe trip. :)

Wow :cool: :) Thats good going!

Have a safe trip! :D :D

Well done - have a good trip:D

Impressive mileage!!!

great to hear from you HWS, hope you enjoy your trip to Florida................now over 300K well done.

Wow! 300K EEK!

I can't stand having a car thats done mre than 70K, they usually just start falling to pieces, and go all rattly and loose feeling then. At 60K is when I start looking for a car, unless its a company car. My 04 Cooper had done 90K last June when it went back (got myself a new Fiat 500 Diesel now :D) Our 05 MCS (which we collect tomorrow which has been swapped for our 30k 03MCS) has done 32531 miles :)

HWH, you should hit a million miles in about eight years? :)

Have a great HWS - I love reading your little reports :cool:

No More Schedules; - No More Time Tables; - No More Deadlines

I don't plan very far ahead.
On a decent day when no-one needs me - or cares where I am,
I'll ' motor' 200 - 500 miles just for fun
(Heck, - People who like to Fly - or Ski - or Fish - or Ride Bikes do that!)
(Come to think of it, - If I had a Girl, I might even Dance for fun!)

So, it's not scheduled - but if I ever hit a million miles, I'll probably want to tell somebody.

I don't mean to 'Whine', 'April', but, is it still possible to update the 'headline' in your first post?

Going to bed early tonight, so I can drive 600 miles tomorrow, - about 1/2 the way to Florida where daughter's family is preparing Thanksgiving Dinner for me. Be back in a couple weeks.

Have fun in Florida! I'm currently nearby, in Gulfport MS. :nice:

good to see another post from you HWS.

I really think BMW/MINI should give you a free new replacement mini of your choice when you feel the time has come to change your faithful friend. ( if that time ever comes !! )

with your attitude and driving tales you do more to promote the mini than any of BMW/MINI advertising campaigns.

I always look forward to your posts and I'm sure a lot of the members on the forum likewise.

all the best

Iain

Wow! Over 300,000 now! when people ask me if it's reliable I always mention HWS.:cool: Wave if you drive by Pensacola :)

Wow am just in on this thread & thats some going HWS!

I'll be trying to catch you as my Mini will be going for the long run. I'm just turning 100k on a 04 Uk spec but...its a diesel & is still averaging 69MPG!!! I would hate to see your gas bill!

Gary

Had a flawless trip both ways between Wisconsin and Florida. It had snowed here the day before I left - but, 2 days and 1200 miles further South, we had Thanksgiving Dinner outdoors in our shirtsleeves.

On the way home, I spent a day exploring the sights and exhibits of the John F. Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral. Saw the enormous building in which the Shuttle and its Booster Rockets are assembled; - the Crawler Transporter which takes that assembly (standing upright) about 3 miles to one of two launch pads; - a full size mockup similar to the three Shuttle vehicles; -
the l-o-n-g runway to which the Shuttles return; - and the 'clean room' lab in which the actual components of the International Space Station were being prepared before being shipped in the cargo bay of the next Shuttle. (The day I was there, we watched from a sealed observation area as a Japanese crew below ran final tests on a Japanese Laboratory that will be assembled to the space Station on a future launch.)

I had hoped to drive the spectacular Blue Ridge Parkway which winds for over 400 miles along the highest ridges of the Appalachian Mountains providing breathtaking views in all directions.
I'd driven it several times many years ago in two different Volkswagen Westfalia Campers; - the favorite family cars and the beautiful vacations our kids will never forget. But, at this time of year, the Rangers were not letting anyone on that twisty-turny mountain road. They call them "The Smokey Mountains" due to the moisture and fog that often shouds those peaks - and that moisture had turned to frost in the trees and ice on the road surfaces on 'my day'.

As I drove, I tried once again to define 'Why Is This MINI Fun to Drive?' It just seems to stay where you put it - and does everything it's supposed to do very well. If I put my tires 1 foot from the yellow line, - 5 miles later they'd still be there. It just doesn't seem I'm ever consciously steering, or turning, or correcting - - regardless of curves, or bumps, or sidewinds, or the turbulence around big trucks. And feeling that way about a car with over 306,000 miles on its original suspension just keeps me smiling - and bragging about it every chance I get!

Me get a new one? No, Sir!! This is getting to be fun!!