Readers’ Motors

Back in April 2019 I began planning some overdue work on my wife’s 2006 MINI One R50 1.6 auto, bought from new and affectionately named Eric – the first car we bought together before getting married. A slow sump leak diagnosed as a bad gasket was replaced twice under BMW’s 2-year parts and labour warranty, but by the third time this happened I wanted to have a go myself. Little did I know what rabbit hole I would fall into.

With Eric parked in my cramped garage I began an assessment. The manual mentioned the removal of the crush tubes which are bolted to the subframe. As shiny as the exterior of the car looked, the underside bared no resemblance (points finger to the great Scottish weather). Several garages had mentioned to me how crusty the subframe was getting and I had to agree. After scrutinising the underside along with the shocks, springs and control arms (all 13-year-old originals with over 110k miles) I bit the bullet and proclaimed those famous last words ‘well, while I’m in there’... and decided to remove the entire subframe.

I started with undoing the swivel hub and strut assemblies, unbolting