LOVE your channel, Sam! Our Mini story: We bought a brand new 2009 Mini Cooper a decade ago here in Winnipeg, Canada. 15 check engine lights in the first 18 months of ownership. Many were related to ignition coils, among numerous other issues. All were under warranty, but we would bring the car home after service and a day or two later the check engine light was on again. After bringing this to the attention of the dealership's GM, they offered us a black 2012 Baker Street Special Edition (new) with three years of warranty and and four years of free service for a few thousand plus the lemon 2009. Beautiful car, fun to drive, so we went for it. Four more years of check engine lights and other issues, including excessive oil consumption (I was told to check the oil weekly...haven't done that since owning a 1963 beater Valiant when I was in high school). Got hit with a big repair bill right after the warranty ended (the car was on the verge of catastrophic engine failure, according to the tech). Happily got rid of it and gave the full story to the next owner as we wanted him to know what he was getting into. Beautiful cars, perfect for my wife, fun to drive, but I would never touch one again, unless I was mechanically inclined as you are, Sam. Good on you to get one for 1K and be able to tinker with it. This video brought back some memories/nightmares for me!
kind of like one time bought a pair of shoes and since my left foot is bigger than my right, I only usually try that one on, if that fits, the other will. Got home, 1 right and 1 left in different sizes. Someone else has the same issue as I do but I'm only a half size different so it's no biggy but the shoes were 1 size different. and not in a good way.
Yep, I would like to see these type of cars getting fixed with oem components. That's kind of satisfying to watch. Ordinary people like me buy the parts from ebay
the Limp mode is probably a faulty Diverter valve which has a rubber diaphragm that is prone to tear, new design eliminated it. the VANOS code may be the timing chain which is the weakest point in the N14 engines in the MINI.
@@calebhopkins7354 Ericthecarguy showed in his ''Mini Series'' that it fails cuz of the weak guides + loooong oil change interval which does stretch the chain.
@@calebhopkins7354 I remember seeing plastic guides being replaced in a BMW engine in a Hoovies video. I thought that was completely ridiculous! The whole point of using a timing chain inside the engine is so that you might never need to maintain it. Adding those plastic guides that wear out very fast eliminated the entire benefit!
Do what makes $$$ for you - but personally I'm kinda tired of every big TH-camr flipping supercars, that's what makes Mighty Car Mods our perennial favorite channel as they only do what makes them happy rather than chasing trends.
I don't watch sam for entertainment, I watch for how to fix things what it costs how to do it etc. I'll never even SIT in a Gallardo so who gaf about them? The thing is though, with my luck with buying cars? Sam buys cars that can be fixed for $500 if I bought the same car? It'd have $10,000 worth of repairs lol.
Agree; I got tired of watching Sam screw around with Ferraris and A8's. Much happier seeing him tinker with this cheap Mini. I do wish he'd get over his bias towards European cars tho.
Honestly? that would have been my first thought that it was the key. The thing about the old school keys that you actually had one that looked like a key is that if it didn't turn the ignition switch, it was the wrong key. These days with the electronics, it's easy to mix them up since they all look identical. This is why newer fancier isn't always better. I rented a jeep that had push button start (key in your pocket) but it also had a key that you inserted if the push button start didn't work right or the electronic key was dead.
I'm so happy that it was a minor problem. So cool to see that they have the ability to bench test and program those units. That steering column lock was also an issue with the C5 Corvettes. So glad someone came up with a trick so it would never lock again
I agree with others but would like more of these types of videos where you showcase repairs and rebuilds the average person can do. I enjoy the high price cars every now and then but this video is gold for me. I would like to know more about how you even choose the vehicles for budget fixing.
Of all the video channels, I probably trust Samcrac the most when it comes to finding ways of getting four wheels on the road the most inexpensively as possible. Great deal at auction, diagnosing the problem, getting the parts the cheapest way possible, knowing when and when not to do the work yourself. Someone might want their very first car or drop-top exotic to play around with during their mid-life crisis. I'd say continue to do a variety of cars.
Yea, exactly. Surprised he did not mention this. I think that auctions are not required to supply keys, but if there pictures shows car running then the correct key was there to start with. Guess he feels a bit fooled.
@@robertcowling4313 This would be treated the same as buying a run and drive with the key, then showing up to get the car and the key is gone. Losing the key after being auctioned would be something they would have to rectify out of their pocket.
@@dd___dc They have the keys for all the cars in a drawer with a tag on it for the car it fits. Somebody there just pucked up. That shitstuff happens. Majority of the cars that work are driven inside the auction barn and the bidding happens there as the engine runs so the bidding is higher. Once sold ; then the car is driven out by the auction people into the lot and the key is tossed in their key drawer. Somebody messed up in organization. Usually many car buyers buy more than one car...so stay on the bidding floor. Later they see the cashier with their wad of cash. They hand them the keys that are suppose to be for that car. Some people drive to auction with a trailer. so the car is put on a trailer behind their truck. How the key was mixed up is a mystery but it happened at the auction. They never give you the keys until they get the money.
wouldn't go near it for the timing chain issues had one that engine blew at 30,000m. timing chain went without warning and if in uk they don't fix this issue they just give you a bill for £5000 to fix it
It took me a while to find a garage (other than the dealer) who would work on the Ford 5.4L. I went to one: "in 20 years in business I've never had an issue with a Ford 5.4L" oh yeah? what's your secret? "I won't allow them through the front door, I won't even TALK to someone about them".
Great fix video, Sam. Your fixes on more common, every day vehicles are a great service to a lot of your viewers. Doing a high end exotic every so often is still fun to follow, but most of us will never be able to do them.
I own a mini cooper but a diesel and I love it. Known the car for 4 years and it has had a lot of work but no matter what when you get in and drive it, it certainly puts a smile on your face! Not everyone's cup of tea!
My BIL did a Coparts special class 3... Under 4k$ 12k miles 3 years old Vandilized... divorce we think... Probably 10 cans of red spray paint inside and out.... seats and cushions all razor knifed... 10 gallons water in the gas tank. Cheap fix... still going great!
I enjoy watching anything mechicanal being replaces or repaired ,and especially any difficulitys of said repairs ,and any upset remarks made to releive stress while doing it...
It has a resonator which is closer to the motor and then just straight pipe to the rear. Yeah normally it would then go into a muffler but sounds so much better without.
I miss my mini. What I don't miss was the constant expensive repairs that the dealer refused to fix: 2 turbos, a recall on the chrome rear bumper, additional miles on the odometer after we paid but before we picked it up, and then finding out it had been previously purchased and returned-it only had 50 miles on it! Took it to another dealer and they fixed everything for free because we DID pay for the bumper-to-bumper maintenance.
I prefer cheap crash damaged car builds. When you do all the work on the tear down, source parts and rebuild. Like the fiesta, focus etc. Love the channel
Vehcor did a Focus rebuild a while back, it was a nice, simple rebuild, no fancy parts. Parts cars are dirt cheap too and if you find the right wrecked ones, one parts car can fix multiple cars. He does a lot of more regular cars on his channel.
BMW antitheft is nuts, every car that’s been stolen within our club and community groups has either been snatched by a flatbed or someone left the keys in the center console.
LAND ROVER products are even worse, once they go into limp mode even the dealer can't fix them. If you play with the electronics like SAMCRAC did here the odometer will flash indicating tampering and you'll never be able to sell them. I know I had 14 of them here at one time.
Hahaha, I had a f10 where they key went dead. I can unlock the car but can't get the gearbox to go to neutral. So needed to get a specialized tow truck to tow it out of the basement parking.....
GM was the worst. When the cars still used the 2 keys (The 2002 Camaro/Firebird was the last one to do so btw) they would put a chip on the ignition key. The key cylinder had a chip reader and with time, it would stop reading the key basically stranding you. The chips were resistor chips and essentially all you needed was the right ohm resistor to jam in the connector for the ignition (on the car side). The anti theft is well known for stranding the owner than stopping theft.
Your year and model Ferrari has been my dream car since it came out. Seeing you tear it apart like it was just some garage Civic brought me to the realization that it really is just a car... and not a great one at that. Thanks for the vids!
I prefer these lower budget , quick builds . The Supercar stuff is all over YT and takes months to payoff . Further , these types of builds are possible for your subscribers to emulate . Keep up the great work .
BMW USA doesn't build the same as Germany. I know because I shipped a USA 325CI to germany, the transmission blew at 60k miles, and then the German BMW dealer said they had to order a new transmission from the USA. What a joke. So in the USA these cars go to the trash heap since they are so unreliable.
can't up here in Canuckistan either. The thing is: I bet he has a dealer bid account at COPART which means he saves a bundle. Here in Canada, the gate fees, internet bid fees, bidder bid per bid fees, key fees, hst, transfer fees, proxy bid fees, broker fees, effectively double the price of the vehicle you're buying. I looked into it a year ago and for eg: If I bid $4000 on a $10,000 vehicle the cost out the door for me would have been $7800.00. SO not worth it.
Big fan of your videos Samcrac!! I just recently won my first Copart car at auction...a non-running 2008 Mini Cooper Convertible Base (m/t) for $900 plus fees! Very glad to see a relevant video on TH-cam, because my car is just getting finished up at my local Mini dealer now... and I’m aching to drive it!!! Just like you said value-wise, my car will be worth way more than I put into it. AND it will be a fun year round daily for me. Win-win!
Not too shabby - you keep buying these mid-range cars that are just a step or two from being daily drivers, & finding the right folks to fix them when you can't. It helps other channels & those people that want good advice on these auction cars....so long as they're NOT modern-day Land/Range Rovers. I think the automotive "gods" are trying to tell you something, lol!
To be honest, it'd be even better if he could get his buddy involved who has those handicapped guys who learn how to do stuff. A collab with him would be awesome. For eg: show him tearing down a wrecked vehicle with those guy's help.
Well there is a Jaguar in the beginning of the video and as Jaguar and Land Rover are part of the same company with the same engines that can't end well.
@@CheapBastard1988 I would tend to agree with your logic but I really haven't heard anything about Jag engines or vehicles being half as bad as Land Rovers. Funny though, old land rovers were tanks you couldn't kill and old jags were notoriously unreliable. I don't know the year, but there was an old LR in storage in my building. I don't know much about it other than it had 300,000 miles and was in great shape and the owner said it never failed him and he's only done routine maintenance on it.
It’s so true. You have to crack the nut so to speak. I just did a noise maker delete on my Mini. I followed the instructions from a great TH-cam creator Tweedbean. I had to pivot to plan B (From another TH-cam guy) because I was missing a tool. Mission accomplished. Once I get a really compact ratchet, I’ll confidently finish Plan A! 🤙🏻🤙🏻
Those Saab DIC cartridges seemed a little apple to me at the time... but honestly, 200 bucks for all 4 coil packs 100% ensured to work or NOT work... I'm so glad when I check over my junker Saabs I don't have to deal with individual coil packs. As these coil pack styles vehicles get older and older they just have MORE AND MORE problems, people only "fixing" one at a time etc. Having it be a solid unit makes the issue significantly more simple to diagnose.
Samcrac before you spend the money replacing the coils try taping the connectors down. I saw the same gen MINI at the shop I work at and we just had to tape the connectors down and it fixed the problem.
The diverter valve is likely a torn internal boot. GoFastBits make a great brass piston version. As far as the key, you can see if the mechanical key opens the door (press in the sliver button and pull the key from the fob). If the key dropped from the programming, now that you have a working key you can "re-add" the non-working key thru a simple process. I've got 2 minis (a 2010 R56, a 2012 R55) and the 2012 "forgot" one of the keys because the battery in the fob died. Replaced the fob battery and did the re-add process.
The cheap, The nasty, and the Expensive builds that you already have been doing a variety of is what makes your channel interesting, keep up the cool variety, great work #SamCrac
I like them all. Whatever floats your boat makes the best video. Whether it's the challenge of bringing a bargain domestic or foreign car back to life or a luxury vehicle, it's all fun to watch. Seeing those budget car finds work again and the beauty of the Lamborghini's, Mercedes, etc... It's the challenge, unknowns, & excitement that keeps me watching.
I had a 2008 clubman non-S. Got car sick on the test drive and had to have it. Since then I have had a 2011 countryman S and now have a 2013 convertible S. I love the handling of the mini. Nothing else like it on the road.
Do 1 “main project” that’s a Ferrari or lambo or Aston Martin or whatever, and then do several cheap cars on the side that you can focus less on but will help change things up especially if you get tired of working on one car.
I’m working on a 2005 Bentley GT. I like watching your channel because it gives me hope with my purchase-since I’m doing the bulk of the fix up work myself.
The MINI is the best of both worlds; cheap and common; complicated and expensive to fix like an exotic! How do I know? I suffered through not one but TWO MINIs. The blow off valve and turbo both got me. gaskets, oil lines, oil filter gasket, body computer. Steering column lock never failed, but the right seat air bag switch did, to the tune of 6,000$.
Fun Fact: Dealerships are always expensive because they need to pay their rent and the all the staff they employ while they wait for a car to be sold or people to bring their cars in for repairs/maintenance. Selling cars aint as easy as you turning up to FCP Euro and buying some brake cleaner and a few air fresheners.
Gen 2 Mini's are excellent and fun cars...but you HAVE to change the oil (5W-30 full syn) at about 2x the frequency recommended by the OEM. In other words, change oil every 5K miles and not 10k miles. If you do not, you will run into real issues: timing chain, turbo...This is a must for both N14 and N18 engines. Some things you should do with an Gen 2 N14 engine: 1) make sure the timing chain tensioner is the newer version and not the recalled version prone to backing out and causing the chain to loosen; 2) replace the oil line to the turbo with a good aftermarket steel braided flexible line (N14 and N18); 3) run only premium gas (N14 and N18); 4) Install an OIL catch can to the clean side and as well, to the dirty side. (On the N18 engine, to the clean side only). On an older automatic car with 80k+ miles I would also have the transmission fluid Drained and Replaced (NOT flushed) along with a kit that replaces the filter and gasket.
Just curious if anyone tried to replace the battery in the "wrong key" - a dead battery might be the reason for the key not being able to communicate with the security module...
Not likely they probably had 2 key fobs for 2 same cars, so the other car that was sold will also be rejecting the key when the other buyer gets the other car
The chicken is happy!! LOL I prefer the low budget cars rather than the exotic stuff. I find them easier to relate to. But whatever content you chose. I'll be watching!! Cheers!
The bad thing is? This has become the norm these days no matter how much you spend on a vehicle. No one gives a rat's ass anymore about build quality. It's all about the most tech you can pack into a vehicle. I'm seriously looking at 80's era pickups back when they were so simple and reliable. Who cars that it doesn't have lane assist and adaptive cruise and wifi and blu tooth? I want a vehicle that will start and run every time I need it to. The problem is? They are becoming collectible so they want good money for them. I saw a fully restored 1984 Ford Pickup for $80,000.00 USD
@@muskokamike127 80 pickup trucks are going up. Looks like a pattern..before was 60's...70's and now 80's. Ford Bronco 2 still are cheap..time to buy?...
Always keep an eye on the oil level. These cars are notorious for oil consumption because of the crappy PCV system that is integrated into the valve cover. I replaced my valve cover and it did slow it down a bit, but I still check it weekly.
I love my Mini, Stage 2 with 220 hp in a 2600 lbs car, that's 600 lbs lighter than a Mk7 GTI. I'd recommend an upgraded diverter valve though, the GFB+ is pretty good.
My 2006 Mini Cooper S had insane level of acceleration. It was seriously fast. Not sure what made it much faster than standard ones…but it was a special one.
We have this same car except it’s the s model and it’s 2018 model and it wasn’t from an auction but rather from the dealer and has the day time running lights and everything is exactly alike interior wise except for it’s more modern. honestly if you can get this puppy to run it definitely won’t let you down their super fun to drive!
Yes, do both. I like the learning. Sort of like Mustie1. One day, air cooled Vdubs, the next lawn mowers. For most, the bigger the $$$ or the more exotic, the more risk, but potentially the most reward. I tend to stick to Diesel Jettas and like to see the cars in person, but even then I got burned once. (In my state, I haven't found anyone willing to do frame repair on a salvage vehicle. ) I would like to see a start to end project on a car thats a reliable daily or has good resale value, from auction selection to finished project or resale, going through all you've learned over the time.
That is a marvelously lucky find. While I admit to a bit of jealousy, I also admire your knowledge and ability to figure out how to fix stuff, as well as finding people that can do the stuff that you can't and promoting them. I don't have the space, time, or resources to do what you do, but I like watching you do it.
I had a Clubman S with the timing chain and tensioner issue. Unhappily, I paid the dealer about $1,800 to replace all the affected components. This was truly a BMW engineering failure that they saddled their customers with. A class action lawsuit was filed against BMW and the lawsuit was successful. The law firm sent me a letter informing me of the win and that I could be reimbursed by just sending them a copy of my service receipt, which I had. I got a full refund, but nonetheless, I will never buy a BMW product again for the rest of life because of the runaround I received from that company because they refused to own up to their engineering failure on those components..
i love buying and installing any and all safety defeat products. i pretty much hate all of the modern theft prevention devices on a car, not to mention the beeping and warning lights that are nothing but red herrings designed to get you back to the dealer's service departments as often as possible. BTW, the spontaneous animal husbandry references are entertaining.
if you go into the dealership missing a key, all you need is a license and registration, it then takes about a week to get the new key. In Canada, it is about $410 Canadian rupees and programing for the comfort access. the only time you need to replace the CAS is if the CAS is dead, not for a replacement key.
The R56 Mini key fob actually stores information on it, including service history and fault codes. Things stored on key: (Dynamic Vehicle Data) Mileage Fuel level Coolant temp Air temp Engine Oil Status (level) Battery Voltage Any Check Control messages shown on car dash Average distance driven over last 8 weeks. Bottom line is that the Mini dealership should be able to pull up all that data from the key fob, including the VIN. So you could tell immediately if that was the correct fob for the car.
Yeah, have a Renault that uses a card style key. IF you drop it way too many times it will fail to register to the immobilizer module. If you crack these cards open (as well as many other immobilizer equipped fobs or cards) there are small coil modules inside that communicate with the IM moduel. A simple resolder of the coil to the board will repair the "key". They use what is known as a proximity card by the alarm industry. Without the coil in the card or fob, the key will not power up and therefor not read the card code.
Awesome car, looks like you got an absoloute steal on it! These things are ace fun to drive. Saw the front passenger head rest is missing, you probubly know this already but not everyone does, they are really important as if you are in a crash without one your head can go back over the seat breaking your neck. Keep up the videos, absolutely love watching your restorations and can't wait for the next one
Replace the timing chain tensioner. When it gets weak the timing is off and sets vanes codes. They always fail anyway and it’s cheap protection from the timing chain skipping.
Posted before you mentioned it but with my experience I couldn’t here anything and skipped a few teeth. Pulled atensioner and reset chain with new tensioner and all was good.
I am not a car guy, however watching your video is fun, educational and lot of take away point. Really appreciate your efforts. Keep it up👍🏻👍🏻shout out from India!!
everytime I watch your video, I'm always anticipating that your stepmom will be making a cameo appearance. I'm just too cheap to pay for her new channel. Good work on the Mini.
I Love that Little car! Such a blessing! I brought a 06 ford explorer and have nothing but problems with it! And it's so bad because I've had to live and work out of it! Not all of us get so lucky buying cars! 😔
Hi Sam I had a new 2007 Cooper s which had a timing chain tensioner failure at just 4000 miles, the car was in manufacturers warranty as was around 6 months old. When my car failed I was in my garage just leaving to go to work and got a very loud mechanical clanking sound. The rest you can imagine. The tech who responded from mini assist said this is a very common failure.
Don't know if the key swap was an "accident" or on purpose, but I had a similar issue with a SAAB 900 Turbo Convertible which I was able to buy very cheaply at auction because it was running very rough. Since it was advertised as a "Green Light" running and driving, the seller had a mechanic come and diagnose it. Apparently, someone at the auction had swapped two plug wires. It could have just as easily been a blown head gasket. Like Sam says, cheap gambles can be fun. Maybe you can call this series 'Five Cent Slots'.
Do what makes you happy. The cheap cars are fun because anyone can do them. The high end cars are fun because I get to see stuff I never would in person.
why dont you stick with ads that are actually good and useful, these raycon earbuds are actually really good, i have friends who have them also and all have absolutely loved them.
Let's have a little farm tour with all the animals. Curious to learn a little more of what you got going on there.
Like to see what’s up there. I run a poultry farm and just started growing produce. Knowing how others are doing would be cool.
He's a contracted weed farmer 👩🏽🌾
LOVE your channel, Sam! Our Mini story: We bought a brand new 2009 Mini Cooper a decade ago here in Winnipeg, Canada. 15 check engine lights in the first 18 months of ownership. Many were related to ignition coils, among numerous other issues. All were under warranty, but we would bring the car home after service and a day or two later the check engine light was on again. After bringing this to the attention of the dealership's GM, they offered us a black 2012 Baker Street Special Edition (new) with three years of warranty and and four years of free service for a few thousand plus the lemon 2009. Beautiful car, fun to drive, so we went for it. Four more years of check engine lights and other issues, including excessive oil consumption (I was told to check the oil weekly...haven't done that since owning a 1963 beater Valiant when I was in high school). Got hit with a big repair bill right after the warranty ended (the car was on the verge of catastrophic engine failure, according to the tech). Happily got rid of it and gave the full story to the next owner as we wanted him to know what he was getting into. Beautiful cars, perfect for my wife, fun to drive, but I would never touch one again, unless I was mechanically inclined as you are, Sam. Good on you to get one for 1K and be able to tinker with it. This video brought back some memories/nightmares for me!
A mini is made by BMW. As you should know if you csnt afford a new BMW you definitely can't afford a used one
Someone gave out the wrong key so there’s probably someone else with a mini from the auction who are having the same problem 😂 nice to see it fixed!
Haha lets see if Sam can buy that one too, get the price down since he probably has that key hehe
@@Hagis2k he should go back to the auction and go round pressing the unlock button too see if the other car is there lol
kind of like one time bought a pair of shoes and since my left foot is bigger than my right, I only usually try that one on, if that fits, the other will. Got home, 1 right and 1 left in different sizes. Someone else has the same issue as I do but I'm only a half size different so it's no biggy but the shoes were 1 size different. and not in a good way.
@@muskokamike127 Sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you. Sorry to hear about that.
@@adamshinbrot I drink the bear
Do both. I like seeing the cheap gambles and the big money whips.
Cheap ones are better, more realistic for the average buyer, with the odd luxury lose yer arse car for the schadenfreude element we all love.
too bad he makes 1 video per week love the budget builds too.
Yep, I would like to see these type of cars getting fixed with oem components. That's kind of satisfying to watch. Ordinary people like me buy the parts from ebay
@@l2ikardo WatchJRgo is good for more realistic builds
Agree 100%
the Limp mode is probably a faulty Diverter valve which has a rubber diaphragm that is prone to tear, new design eliminated it. the VANOS code may be the timing chain which is the weakest point in the N14 engines in the MINI.
Its not the actual chain its the plastic guides
@@calebhopkins7354 Ericthecarguy showed in his ''Mini Series'' that it fails cuz of the weak guides + loooong oil change interval which does stretch the chain.
@@calebhopkins7354 I remember seeing plastic guides being replaced in a BMW engine in a Hoovies video. I thought that was completely ridiculous! The whole point of using a timing chain inside the engine is so that you might never need to maintain it. Adding those plastic guides that wear out very fast eliminated the entire benefit!
Do what makes $$$ for you - but personally I'm kinda tired of every big TH-camr flipping supercars, that's what makes Mighty Car Mods our perennial favorite channel as they only do what makes them happy rather than chasing trends.
I don't watch sam for entertainment, I watch for how to fix things what it costs how to do it etc. I'll never even SIT in a Gallardo so who gaf about them?
The thing is though, with my luck with buying cars? Sam buys cars that can be fixed for $500 if I bought the same car? It'd have $10,000 worth of repairs lol.
@@muskokamike127 you got that right. I’m in the same boat of luck as you are. It’s fun to watch but that’s it
Samcrac don't like make money , he like to wasting money on shity cars.
@@muskokamike127 I watch sam to see how not fix cars personally.
Love Mighty Car Mods, also enjoy watching the Skid Factory especially good if you like old school Aussie cars.
"I didn't tighen down the battery, Im almost positive. " Punny
No negative comments on here so far
100th like
I figured the comments would have been polarized with this.
Lol I got a charge out of this post.
Good stuff.
got me grounded..
You and Rich sneak those sponsorships in better than anyone😂😂😂
$1000 cars are good. It's more realistic for the average Joe.
The average joe doesnt have $1000 to gamble with.
Agree; I got tired of watching Sam screw around with Ferraris and A8's. Much happier seeing him tinker with this cheap Mini. I do wish he'd get over his bias towards European cars tho.
The part I liked the most about this video is that Valentin saved the day. Lol
Honestly? that would have been my first thought that it was the key. The thing about the old school keys that you actually had one that looked like a key is that if it didn't turn the ignition switch, it was the wrong key. These days with the electronics, it's easy to mix them up since they all look identical.
This is why newer fancier isn't always better. I rented a jeep that had push button start (key in your pocket) but it also had a key that you inserted if the push button start didn't work right or the electronic key was dead.
No I was just happy that someone that has my name saved the day! Lol
What is the website of your company? I need a Mercedes key replacement only have one need another.
I'm so happy that it was a minor problem. So cool to see that they have the ability to bench test and program those units. That steering column lock was also an issue with the C5 Corvettes. So glad someone came up with a trick so it would never lock again
That steering lock defeater box is cool and all but It might make that Mini a bit easier to steal though!
@@markbennett6658 That was a worry with the C5 when it was worth 30k. If someone wanted a 1k Mini that bad, they could probably have it 🤣
Re: soft-limp mode. That’s a common issue as you get older. Uh, I mean the car... 😅
Keep buying every Land Rover you can get your hands on..!!!! LMAO
One of them will work
@Samcrac did you know there is a company in Kissimmee that converts Rovers into electric.
It will be like a hall of mirrors of parts cars
@@gord7025 The thing about RR's that every one of them will have the same issues so you'll have a sea of parts cars with none ever working.
Says the guy with a Land Rover he's trying to get rid of??? lolz
I have a smart car you can gamble with...
Lol
💀😂
Goonzquad needs help with a key for their audi
Yes!!!!!!
Thats a mercedes not a bmw silly
I agree with others but would like more of these types of videos where you showcase repairs and rebuilds the average person can do. I enjoy the high price cars every now and then but this video is gold for me. I would like to know more about how you even choose the vehicles for budget fixing.
Of all the video channels, I probably trust Samcrac the most when it comes to finding ways of getting four wheels on the road the most inexpensively as possible. Great deal at auction, diagnosing the problem, getting the parts the cheapest way possible, knowing when and when not to do the work yourself. Someone might want their very first car or drop-top exotic to play around with during their mid-life crisis. I'd say continue to do a variety of cars.
The auction company should be paying for those new keys
Yea, exactly. Surprised he did not mention this. I think that auctions are not required to supply keys, but if there pictures shows car running then the correct key was there to start with. Guess he feels a bit fooled.
Yea itz a scam cuz with out keyz it cost less so 2 Auction it off 4 more $$$$ dey throw any keyz
@@robertcowling4313 This would be treated the same as buying a run and drive with the key, then showing up to get the car and the key is gone. Losing the key after being auctioned would be something they would have to rectify out of their pocket.
He could take the key to the auction house and see what it starts? Probably to late.
@@dd___dc They have the keys for all the cars in a drawer with a tag on it for the car it fits. Somebody there just pucked up. That shitstuff happens. Majority of the cars that work are driven inside the auction barn and the bidding happens there as the engine runs so the bidding is higher. Once sold ; then the car is driven out by the auction people into the lot and the key is tossed in their key drawer. Somebody messed up in organization. Usually many car buyers buy more than one car...so stay on the bidding floor. Later they see the cashier with their wad of cash. They hand them the keys that are suppose to be for that car. Some people drive to auction with a trailer. so the car is put on a trailer behind their truck.
How the key was mixed up is a mystery but it happened at the auction. They never give you the keys until they get the money.
wouldn't go near it for the timing chain issues had one that engine blew at 30,000m. timing chain went without warning and if in uk they don't fix this issue they just give you a bill for £5000 to fix it
It took me a while to find a garage (other than the dealer) who would work on the Ford 5.4L. I went to one: "in 20 years in business I've never had an issue with a Ford 5.4L" oh yeah? what's your secret? "I won't allow them through the front door, I won't even TALK to someone about them".
Great fix video, Sam. Your fixes on more common, every day vehicles are a great service to a lot of your viewers. Doing a high end exotic every so often is still fun to follow, but most of us will never be able to do them.
I think you should race this against Rich’s old school one and his soon to be electric Cooper.
Good day
I own a mini cooper but a diesel and I love it. Known the car for 4 years and it has had a lot of work but no matter what when you get in and drive it, it certainly puts a smile on your face! Not everyone's cup of tea!
Samcrac it's time for a Class B motorhome build from Coparts.
That is a brilliant idea.
@@CheapBastard1988 yup.
Man I see those go for so cheap ... even smaller ones. I imagine someone is making bank fixing them up and selling them
I hear the Bluetec engines have issues--just up his alley...
My BIL did a Coparts special class 3...
Under 4k$
12k miles
3 years old
Vandilized... divorce we think...
Probably 10 cans of red spray paint inside and out.... seats and cushions all razor knifed... 10 gallons water in the gas tank.
Cheap fix... still going great!
I enjoy watching anything mechicanal being replaces or repaired ,and especially any difficulitys of said repairs ,and any upset remarks made to releive stress while doing it...
Aftermarket exhaust lol, shows a muffler delete.😂
It has a resonator which is closer to the motor and then just straight pipe to the rear. Yeah normally it would then go into a muffler but sounds so much better without.
I miss my mini. What I don't miss was the constant expensive repairs that the dealer refused to fix: 2 turbos, a recall on the chrome rear bumper, additional miles on the odometer after we paid but before we picked it up, and then finding out it had been previously purchased and returned-it only had 50 miles on it! Took it to another dealer and they fixed everything for free because we DID pay for the bumper-to-bumper maintenance.
Only reason car is worth any money is a manual trans the automatics just die.
Especially euro cars..
Not true. Manual Go-Karts are just more fun to drive
Not if the clutch keeps going out.
Heh weird because I'm at 180,000km on my auto 2010 with no issue. Just make sure to service it.
I prefer cheap crash damaged car builds. When you do all the work on the tear down, source parts and rebuild. Like the fiesta, focus etc. Love the channel
Vehcor did a Focus rebuild a while back, it was a nice, simple rebuild, no fancy parts. Parts cars are dirt cheap too and if you find the right wrecked ones, one parts car can fix multiple cars. He does a lot of more regular cars on his channel.
BMW antitheft is nuts, every car that’s been stolen within our club and community groups has either been snatched by a flatbed or someone left the keys in the center console.
Mercedes is even better
LAND ROVER products are even worse, once they go into limp mode even the dealer can't fix them. If you play with the electronics like SAMCRAC did here the odometer will flash indicating tampering and you'll never be able to sell them. I know I had 14 of them here at one time.
Hahaha, I had a f10 where they key went dead. I can unlock the car but can't get the gearbox to go to neutral. So needed to get a specialized tow truck to tow it out of the basement parking.....
GM was the worst. When the cars still used the 2 keys (The 2002 Camaro/Firebird was the last one to do so btw) they would put a chip on the ignition key. The key cylinder had a chip reader and with time, it would stop reading the key basically stranding you. The chips were resistor chips and essentially all you needed was the right ohm resistor to jam in the connector for the ignition (on the car side). The anti theft is well known for stranding the owner than stopping theft.
On the old Mini's it took 4 guys to pick up the car and walk away with it. BMW added LEAD. to make them heavier.
Your year and model Ferrari has been my dream car since it came out. Seeing you tear it apart like it was just some garage Civic brought me to the realization that it really is just a car... and not a great one at that. Thanks for the vids!
Your channel has the sketchiest trailer loading/unloading clips
Compilation time
I was thinking, well that trailer unload was at least more graceful than the Range Rover when he ripped off the fog lights...
I was yelling at the screen! Hook it to a truck or put jack stands under it! Hard to watch
Lol...farm life!
I prefer these lower budget , quick builds . The Supercar stuff is all over YT and takes months to payoff . Further , these types of builds are possible for your subscribers to emulate . Keep up the great work .
1,000$ for that? Damnn, in EU u can get a barely running 2002 car for that price.
That's the "BMW hipster tax", even if it's a french engine, it's still expensive af even rough used condition.
BMW USA doesn't build the same as Germany. I know because I shipped a USA 325CI to germany, the transmission blew at 60k miles, and then the German BMW dealer said they had to order a new transmission from the USA. What a joke. So in the USA these cars go to the trash heap since they are so unreliable.
in uk you can buy this Mini Cooper run and driving for £600
In South Africa we get ripped off. The cheapest mini here starts at R50,000.00 rand = US$3,200.00
can't up here in Canuckistan either. The thing is: I bet he has a dealer bid account at COPART which means he saves a bundle. Here in Canada, the gate fees, internet bid fees, bidder bid per bid fees, key fees, hst, transfer fees, proxy bid fees, broker fees, effectively double the price of the vehicle you're buying. I looked into it a year ago and for eg: If I bid $4000 on a $10,000 vehicle the cost out the door for me would have been $7800.00. SO not worth it.
Big fan of your videos Samcrac!! I just recently won my first Copart car at auction...a non-running 2008 Mini Cooper Convertible Base (m/t) for $900 plus fees! Very glad to see a relevant video on TH-cam, because my car is just getting finished up at my local Mini dealer now... and I’m aching to drive it!!! Just like you said value-wise, my car will be worth way more than I put into it. AND it will be a fun year round daily for me. Win-win!
Not too shabby - you keep buying these mid-range cars that are just a step or two from being daily drivers, & finding the right folks to fix them when you can't. It helps other channels & those people that want good advice on these auction cars....so long as they're NOT modern-day Land/Range Rovers. I think the automotive "gods" are trying to tell you something, lol!
To be honest, it'd be even better if he could get his buddy involved who has those handicapped guys who learn how to do stuff. A collab with him would be awesome.
For eg: show him tearing down a wrecked vehicle with those guy's help.
Well there is a Jaguar in the beginning of the video and as Jaguar and Land Rover are part of the same company with the same engines that can't end well.
@@CheapBastard1988 I would tend to agree with your logic but I really haven't heard anything about Jag engines or vehicles being half as bad as Land Rovers.
Funny though, old land rovers were tanks you couldn't kill and old jags were notoriously unreliable.
I don't know the year, but there was an old LR in storage in my building. I don't know much about it other than it had 300,000 miles and was in great shape and the owner said it never failed him and he's only done routine maintenance on it.
That was cool of Mr. Valentino to make a video interesting tester! Good video Mr. Sam!!
Awesome watching these videos! You learn so much from them and you see that it's not so stressful fixing stuff your self.
It’s so true. You have to crack the nut so to speak. I just did a noise maker delete on my Mini. I followed the instructions from a great TH-cam creator Tweedbean. I had to pivot to plan B (From another TH-cam guy) because I was missing a tool. Mission accomplished. Once I get a really compact ratchet, I’ll confidently finish Plan A! 🤙🏻🤙🏻
4:49 driving myself crazy thinking someone was at the door 😂
After all the crap you've been through samcrac I'm happy that you got a car with an easy fix
Those Saab DIC cartridges seemed a little apple to me at the time... but honestly, 200 bucks for all 4 coil packs 100% ensured to work or NOT work... I'm so glad when I check over my junker Saabs I don't have to deal with individual coil packs. As these coil pack styles vehicles get older and older they just have MORE AND MORE problems, people only "fixing" one at a time etc. Having it be a solid unit makes the issue significantly more simple to diagnose.
Samcrac, the type of guy who evaluates his cars performance based on a chick he just picked up.
I love you attitude and energy level. It makes your videos fun. Thanks for hard work.
Dude, that stering angle sensor is kinda important, ABS, ECS, ASC, well... all kind of systems use that
Samcrac before you spend the money replacing the coils try taping the connectors down. I saw the same gen MINI at the shop I work at and we just had to tape the connectors down and it fixed the problem.
Lowkey love the vids you should start a project car tho
The diverter valve is likely a torn internal boot. GoFastBits make a great brass piston version. As far as the key, you can see if the mechanical key opens the door (press in the sliver button and pull the key from the fob). If the key dropped from the programming, now that you have a working key you can "re-add" the non-working key thru a simple process. I've got 2 minis (a 2010 R56, a 2012 R55) and the 2012 "forgot" one of the keys because the battery in the fob died. Replaced the fob battery and did the re-add process.
$5,000 for that BMW??? :::clear throat::: “no thank You”
Sam..Ive never ever seen such a smooth transition into an ad
Just what i needed to watch while taking a dump and showering
Hopefully not at the same time
@@scottc384 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@scottc384 looooool hhaahahhaha
nope, bmw and mini just charge you for a new key. its around 200$ at the dealer
Imagine totalling a car because of a broken key
The cheap, The nasty, and the Expensive builds that you already have been doing a variety of is what makes your channel interesting, keep up the cool variety, great work #SamCrac
I WANTED THE SAMCRAC FREESTYLE SPECIAL 😭
I like them all. Whatever floats your boat makes the best video. Whether it's the challenge of bringing a bargain domestic or foreign car back to life or a luxury vehicle, it's all fun to watch. Seeing those budget car finds work again and the beauty of the Lamborghini's, Mercedes, etc... It's the challenge, unknowns, & excitement that keeps me watching.
Why you haven’t started a 2nd channel called The Chicken Farmer just to smear that Audi car thief guy is beyond me
shhhuuusshhh the last chicken farmer that had a beef with a Audi driver got himself blown up ...
I like these budget builds.
Why not do both? I mean whatever you’re good with I’m sure we will all like it
I had a 2008 clubman non-S. Got car sick on the test drive and had to have it.
Since then I have had a 2011 countryman S and now have a 2013 convertible S.
I love the handling of the mini. Nothing else like it on the road.
whats the consumption like ?
Do 1 “main project” that’s a Ferrari or lambo or Aston Martin or whatever, and then do several cheap cars on the side that you can focus less on but will help change things up especially if you get tired of working on one car.
I’m working on a 2005 Bentley GT. I like watching your channel because it gives me hope with my purchase-since I’m doing the bulk of the fix up work myself.
Are finding minis in that condition for that price common ? Cuz I was actually
Looking at that same one before you bought it lol
The MINI is the best of both worlds; cheap and common; complicated and expensive to fix like an exotic! How do I know? I suffered through not one but TWO MINIs. The blow off valve and turbo both got me. gaskets, oil lines, oil filter gasket, body computer. Steering column lock never failed, but the right seat air bag switch did, to the tune of 6,000$.
Okay Samcrac, tell me the key guy is not a young Stevie Yzerman! Dead ringer!!!
Funny thought!
Fun Fact: Dealerships are always expensive because they need to pay their rent and the all the staff they employ while they wait for a car to be sold or people to bring their cars in for repairs/maintenance. Selling cars aint as easy as you turning up to FCP Euro and buying some brake cleaner and a few air fresheners.
20:36 Hmmmmmm, I see a red ferrari in the bakground!
me too....
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm 🤔😋😉
Gen 2 Mini's are excellent and fun cars...but you HAVE to change the oil (5W-30 full syn) at about 2x the frequency recommended by the OEM. In other words, change oil every 5K miles and not 10k miles. If you do not, you will run into real issues: timing chain, turbo...This is a must for both N14 and N18 engines.
Some things you should do with an Gen 2 N14 engine: 1) make sure the timing chain tensioner is the newer version and not the recalled version prone to backing out and causing the chain to loosen; 2) replace the oil line to the turbo with a good aftermarket steel braided flexible line (N14 and N18); 3) run only premium gas (N14 and N18); 4) Install an OIL catch can to the clean side and as well, to the dirty side. (On the N18 engine, to the clean side only).
On an older automatic car with 80k+ miles I would also have the transmission fluid Drained and Replaced (NOT flushed) along with a kit that replaces the filter and gasket.
Just curious if anyone tried to replace the battery in the "wrong key" - a dead battery might be the reason for the key not being able to communicate with the security module...
Sam tried it in a previous vid
I did in my previous video
Not likely they probably had 2 key fobs for 2 same cars, so the other car that was sold will also be rejecting the key when the other buyer gets the other car
That was the first thing Sam tried in the initial vid.
Dead battery has nothing to do with starting the vehicle. It's related to the Remote option only (lock, unlock doors). Nothing else.
The chicken is happy!! LOL I prefer the low budget cars rather than the exotic stuff. I find them easier to relate to. But whatever content you chose. I'll be watching!! Cheers!
Then you could sell it to RichRebuilds and he could convert it to electric ⚡️.
Show it till uve got everything tended to man. Ur teaching and we’re learning. Well in and thx again.
The only time when a BMW stop to be a problem is when it goes to the scrapping yard and is recycled
The bad thing is? This has become the norm these days no matter how much you spend on a vehicle. No one gives a rat's ass anymore about build quality. It's all about the most tech you can pack into a vehicle.
I'm seriously looking at 80's era pickups back when they were so simple and reliable. Who cars that it doesn't have lane assist and adaptive cruise and wifi and blu tooth? I want a vehicle that will start and run every time I need it to. The problem is? They are becoming collectible so they want good money for them. I saw a fully restored 1984 Ford Pickup for $80,000.00 USD
@@muskokamike127 80 pickup trucks are going up. Looks like a pattern..before was 60's...70's and now 80's. Ford Bronco 2 still are cheap..time to buy?...
I have an R56 Sport Chili and I'm glad to see you doing videos on MINI's as well 👍
Do more 🙌
The cheap cars all day long. Everyone on TH-cam is trying to rebuild the high-dollar cars and it is getting pretty boring.
Always keep an eye on the oil level. These cars are notorious for oil consumption because of the crappy PCV system that is integrated into the valve cover. I replaced my valve cover and it did slow it down a bit, but I still check it weekly.
Mini Cooper S is a blast to drive!! Not a fan of no spare on the turbo model, though, but that's fixed easily enough.
I love my Mini, Stage 2 with 220 hp in a 2600 lbs car, that's 600 lbs lighter than a Mk7 GTI.
I'd recommend an upgraded diverter valve though, the GFB+ is pretty good.
My 2006 Mini Cooper S had insane level of acceleration. It was seriously fast. Not sure what made it much faster than standard ones…but it was a special one.
We have this same car except it’s the s model and it’s 2018 model and it wasn’t from an auction but rather from the dealer and has the day time running lights and everything is exactly alike interior wise except for it’s more modern. honestly if you can get this puppy to run it definitely won’t let you down their super fun to drive!
Yes, do both. I like the learning. Sort of like Mustie1. One day, air cooled Vdubs, the next lawn mowers. For most, the bigger the $$$ or the more exotic, the more risk, but potentially the most reward. I tend to stick to Diesel Jettas and like to see the cars in person, but even then I got burned once. (In my state, I haven't found anyone willing to do frame repair on a salvage vehicle. )
I would like to see a start to end project on a car thats a reliable daily or has good resale value, from auction selection to finished project or resale, going through all you've learned over the time.
I have many fond memories of driving a Mini Cooper in France in the 80’s. I hope you have as good an experience driving yours!
That is a marvelously lucky find. While I admit to a bit of jealousy, I also admire your knowledge and ability to figure out how to fix stuff, as well as finding people that can do the stuff that you can't and promoting them.
I don't have the space, time, or resources to do what you do, but I like watching you do it.
I had a Clubman S with the timing chain and tensioner issue. Unhappily, I paid the dealer about $1,800 to replace all the affected components. This was truly a BMW engineering failure that they saddled their customers with. A class action lawsuit was filed against BMW and the lawsuit was successful. The law firm sent me a letter informing me of the win and that I could be reimbursed by just sending them a copy of my service receipt, which I had. I got a full refund, but nonetheless, I will never buy a BMW product again for the rest of life because of the runaround I received from that company because they refused to own up to their engineering failure on those components..
You've got great presence. A BMW Mini, you are brave. Always enjoyable to watch your adventures.
i love buying and installing any and all safety defeat products. i pretty much hate all of the modern theft prevention devices on a car, not to mention the beeping and warning lights that are nothing but red herrings designed to get you back to the dealer's service departments as often as possible.
BTW, the spontaneous animal husbandry references are entertaining.
if you go into the dealership missing a key, all you need is a license and registration, it then takes about a week to get the new key. In Canada, it is about $410 Canadian rupees and programing for the comfort access. the only time you need to replace the CAS is if the CAS is dead, not for a replacement key.
Canadian rupees?? :D :D
@@shivangsingh8417 it's a joke Linus tech tips says.
The R56 Mini key fob actually stores information on it, including service history and fault codes. Things stored on key:
(Dynamic Vehicle Data)
Mileage
Fuel level
Coolant temp
Air temp
Engine Oil Status (level)
Battery Voltage
Any Check Control messages shown on car dash
Average distance driven over last 8 weeks.
Bottom line is that the Mini dealership should be able to pull up all that data from the key fob, including the VIN. So you could tell immediately if that was the correct fob for the car.
Yeah, have a Renault that uses a card style key. IF you drop it way too many times it will fail to register to the immobilizer module. If you crack these cards open (as well as many other immobilizer equipped fobs or cards) there are small coil modules inside that communicate with the IM moduel. A simple resolder of the coil to the board will repair the "key". They use what is known as a proximity card by the alarm industry. Without the coil in the card or fob, the key will not power up and therefor not read the card code.
Awesome car, looks like you got an absoloute steal on it! These things are ace fun to drive. Saw the front passenger head rest is missing, you probubly know this already but not everyone does, they are really important as if you are in a crash without one your head can go back over the seat breaking your neck. Keep up the videos, absolutely love watching your restorations and can't wait for the next one
Replace the timing chain tensioner. When it gets weak the timing is off and sets vanes codes. They always fail anyway and it’s cheap protection from the timing chain skipping.
Posted before you mentioned it but with my experience I couldn’t here anything and skipped a few teeth. Pulled atensioner and reset chain with new tensioner and all was good.
I am not a car guy, however watching your video is fun, educational and lot of take away point. Really appreciate your efforts. Keep it up👍🏻👍🏻shout out from India!!
everytime I watch your video, I'm always anticipating that your stepmom will be making a cameo appearance. I'm just too cheap to pay for her new channel. Good work on the Mini.
I love your sense of humor.
I used to have a Mini Cooper, such a fun car to drive! It had all the factory rattles and creeks of a mini but it was still fun.
After seeing you struggle with some of your more expensive auction gambles, its a breath of fresh air to see you get a good cheap win.
Always love seeing those time lapse videos. Gives a sense of completion to the projects.
I Love that Little car! Such a blessing! I brought a 06 ford explorer and have nothing but problems with it! And it's so bad because I've had to live and work out of it! Not all of us get so lucky buying cars! 😔
Hi Sam I had a new 2007 Cooper s which had a timing chain tensioner failure at just 4000 miles, the car was in manufacturers warranty as was around 6 months old. When my car failed I was in my garage just leaving to go to work and got a very loud mechanical clanking sound. The rest you can imagine. The tech who responded from mini assist said this is a very common failure.
Don't know if the key swap was an "accident" or on purpose, but I had a similar issue with a SAAB 900 Turbo Convertible which I was able to buy very cheaply at auction because it was running very rough. Since it was advertised as a "Green Light" running and driving, the seller had a mechanic come and diagnose it. Apparently, someone at the auction had swapped two plug wires. It could have just as easily been a blown head gasket. Like Sam says, cheap gambles can be fun. Maybe you can call this series 'Five Cent Slots'.
Do what makes you happy. The cheap cars are fun because anyone can do them. The high end cars are fun because I get to see stuff I never would in person.
why dont you stick with ads that are actually good and useful, these raycon earbuds are actually really good, i have friends who have them also and all have absolutely loved them.