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April 2013
Over the last two weeks or so I have spoken with three people who have been looking for parts for their R50 Cooper S. The first generation of BMW MINI Cooper S was (and is) the R53. But there are cars out there with ID plates - I suspect that they are Aussie compliance plates rather than factory build plates - which identify them as R50 cars. More intriguingly, I've heard of early and late cars identifying themselves as R50's when they are R53's.
Now, I'm a car geek and a bit of an automotive nerd. And I kind of have to be if I am to have any chance of being able to help people choose the right parts for their car. I really don't want to argue with customers 'cause that's no way to win people over but sometimes conversations just get off on the wrong footing, and from that point it's hard to pull them back. More importantly, it matters because a Cooper S will use different brake, clutch and some engine components.
If your car claims to be an R50 and it has a supercharger and a six speed gearbox, it's a Cooper S, and it's an R53. Beyond that, your car's serial number (the last seven characters of the VIN, which consists of two letters followed by five digits) will always provide an unambiguous identification of whether the car is an R50 or an R53.
Maybe MINI got it right with the second generation of cars after all - the second generation cars (well, the hatchbacks, anyway) have model number R56 for "justa" and Cooper S cars alike.
This newsletter is guaranteed to make you stop!
In this newsletter:
An explanation of how brake pad sensors work, courtesy of Biff and Bash.
Brake kits for Porsches and MINI
Performance brake options for Porsches and MINI
New store section - workshop supplies and tools
Brake Pad Sensors
If you have a car equipped with brake pad sensors (also known as brake warning wires), you will see a brake warning light on the dash when it's time to replace the pads. This video with Biff and Bash explains how brake pad sensors work.
Brake Kits
If your car needs new brakes, Master Parts brake kits bundle pads, discs and pad sensors to save you 10% off the component prices. Plus, we've been able to reduce prices on many Porsche brake components. Kits are available for Porsche and MINI models.
Performance Brakes
Drilled or slotted discs and motorsport spec Pagid RS pads are now available in the Brakes and Motorsport sections for Porsche and MINI
You will also find performance discs and pads in the Brakes section for your model of car. If your car isn't yet catered for and you'd like to upgrade your braking performance, reply to this email and let us know what you're after.
Workshop Supplies and Tools
This new section of the web store currently offers a varierty of sizes of hose clamp, oil filte removal tools and nitrile rubber gloves. Nitrile rubber is not dissolved by oils, keeps your hands clean and protects them from the nasties found in used engine oil. In the next few weeks this section of the store will expand with a range of quality hand tools and workshop manuals.
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