17 replies to this topic

[olly33]

I am thinking of taking my mini to mitp this year on its first run of this distance so was wondering whats best to put in the car that usually is often needed most,incase of a breakdown. Don't fancy taking a boot full, I mean even a trolley jack is enough weight for a mini. I'm in the AA so not a big problem but be nice to get there after forking out on tickets.
No spare wheel does not help I know! Got a standard rim but no tyre yet.
Cheers

[ukcooper]

aa or rac card full paid up membership and as many part as you can carry,parts parts parts as aa and rac carry tools but not mini parts.

 

usual - oil water- wd40 torch like this one  http://www.ebay.co.u...872.m2749.l2649

 

 

parts

 

ball joints

brake pads

 fan belt

plugs

dizzy cap

rotor arm

track rod end

rad cap

Edited by ukcooper, 09 August 2017 - 02:19 PM.

[lawrence]

Don't forget.
Cable ties
500mls concentrated coolent
Some electrical connections i.e. Emergency scotch blocks and electrical tape

[jamesmpi]

AA or RAC members card 😎

Edited by jamesmpi, 04 August 2017 - 06:56 PM.

[benm]

hopes and dreams

[Spider]

I'd suggest just taking some basic tools, like a 2 x each spanners in 7/16, 1/2 and 9/16 as well as a few screw and phillps drivers, jack and wheel brace. AA Card and Mobile Phone beyond that.

 

If you need more than that, then you have a bit more than a 15 minute road side fix that's likely to run in to hours and more. Given your likely traveling time frame, repairs needed extended time aren't going to be practical.

 

As an example, a few years back on a Moke gathering that was a long way away, and many had taken annual holidays to do it in and even then it was tight for time. Someone suggested taking a head gasket, which I suggested was a bad idea. Sure enough, someone in the group did a head gasket (turned out to be a cracked head) and so the group spent (read: lost) a whole day while that was trying to be sorted, followed a few days later when the same occurred dues to the head being cracked. The end result was a lot of fraid patience, holiday days lost  and the end 'gaol' not being met. It was a disaster to say the least, not to mention some lost friendships too. Had they not carried a head gasket, it would have taken 10 minutes to hitch up a tow rope and that would have been all the time that would have been lost for the group. The other dumb part of this story was the guy who's Moke it was worked for the railways and so could have sent his car home for no cost.

Edited by Moke Spider, 04 August 2017 - 10:08 PM.

[Steve220]

AA relay and hopefully a sympathetic technician, one that comes out and wont drag it but will put it on a low loader instead.

Edited by Steve220, 04 August 2017 - 10:12 PM.

[robminibcy]

AA relay and hopefully a sympathetic technician, one that comes out and wont drag it but will put it on a low loader instead.

Touch wood I've not called recovery out for a few years now. However last time i did (due to wiring loom shorting on dip stick!) i told them over the phone it was an original mini with 10" wheels. Sure enough along comes a transit van with a dolly to tell me: "oh I can only fit 12s on the dolly, ill have to arrange a flat bed!" 3 hours later a flat bed turned up! So if anyone does need to call them, make sure you stress in the strongest possible terms it will need lifting!

Edited by robminibcy, 05 August 2017 - 12:13 AM.

[CityEPete]

I had the same with a Renault 5 GT Turbo, the engine was fubarred hugely! I told them this and no way was it either A-fixable or B-going to fit on a dolly, they sent a motorbike to check, yep totally knackered as I said, he sent a transit to look at a repair, he didn't have an engine and turbo in the back going spare so he tried to dolly it, yep wouldn't fit, so they then sent the beaver tail I requested 3 hours earlier!

[carbon]

I always carry some basic 'get you home' tools such as pliers, plug spanner, Bahco adjustable spanner, small flat bladed screwdriver (for carbs), and Leatherman. Plus cable ties, small roll electrical tape, and nitrile gloves...

[mk1leg]

spanners, spark plugs, feeler gauge, fuses, duck tape, insulate tape, jack, the list is long....lol

[megamini_jb]

I've never had breakdown cover, nearly 10 years of mini ownership, but I'm considering it with the current mini though! a little tool box is a must though to keep in the mini

Edited by megamini_jb, 06 August 2017 - 06:56 AM.

[greenwheels]

What makes you think your Mini is so unreliable. Think about how far the MITP is from home and back. Has your Mini broken down in that distance just pottering about from home recently? If that is so then it is unreliable and you need to think about a more rigid maintenance regime. There is no reason why a Mini should be so unreliable it  won't make a couple of hundred miles trip.

[MacGyver]

Penknife... 😉

[absx2]

I always carry a complete distributor for two reasons

1, someone once put their tow ball through my grill when i was parked and if you have a little "bump" the dizzy is the first to get mashed.

2, I have cheap electronic ignition so if it suddenly failed I can pop in a points dizzy and be on my way.

 

The other item is a clutch slave cylinder or just the seal kit as I had one go on a trip and the AA man said he had every clutch cable in his van but no seals.

 

A bit of brake fluid and a bottle of water amongst the other suggestions and your good to go.

 

i have done a few 1000 miles in a week trips and a 440 hard miles in a day trip with no problems other than my ears bleeding and a few shattered vertebrae.