GBMINI#4 (GPMINI)

After a drive down to PA and back last week, with the inside loaded up with dirty equipment, GPMINI spent a day at MINI of Peabody getting “spa” detailed – looks much better now (till the rain comes this weekend!):

Time to get the real GP wheels back on, I think …

GPMINI did not want to run this morning, after being parked for ten days.
The battery was able to unlock the doors but as soon as I tried to turn the engine over, I got various relay clicks, and no engine movement at all!
I borrowed jump leads from Pat & Dave next door – and eventually had to “borrow” Daves Jeep too, since Margarets BMW apparently has no battery (at least, they hid it well and she didn’t know where her car manuals were).

1-1/2 years and 23,000 miles doesn’t sound like a hard life for a battery, even if the GP one is smaller than other MINIs … time for a visit to MINI Peabody I think.

It really wasn’t drastically cold this morning – 13f – but GPMINI didn’t like it!
I loaded some stuff in to the trunk and when I closed the hatch, it didn’t feel properly closed; it rattled slightly and when I re-locked the car, the alarm didn’t “beep” – which indicates that not all doors are closed.

When I started the car, the hood/trunk warning light was on. I had to open and close the hatch quite a few times before I got the light to turn off – basically by giving an almighty slam to it, which is scary! It was fine after re-opening it at work, so apparently it was just unhappy with the cold weather.

The engine & gearbox didn’t like the cold either … the engine turned over really slow and sluggish for the first couple of seconds, almost but not quite stalling; and I had to push hard to get in to first gear, both the cables and the box itself seemed stiff. Again, the gear box was back to normal after half a minute or so.

I don’t remember having trunk hatch issues in much colder weather before (although the engine/gear box has been stiff) – but I suppose I don’t often use the trunk so I’m not likely to notice.

Jason – if you’re reading up there in Burlington, VT … how does your R56 MCS in cold weather compare with your original R50?