Mini R53 Checkmate
Discussion
So I happened upon my Mini following a forum post on here looking for ideas for a car that’s fun but has back seats (primary use is getting my daughter to school) for around £4K.
I must also say that the timing was less than ideal as I’d sold my Jazz through Motorway for a great price (I highly recommend Motorway and their services), after initially only looking for a valuation, this then left me with just over a week to find a replacement!
I was originally looking at Clio 197/200 as I’ve had one before then the obligatory EP3 and FN2 Type R’s. Then someone threw me a curve ball of a R53 Mini Cooper S…a little bit of research and my interest well and truly piqued I began to look for one.
I was originally looking for at an R56 but turbo engine related horror stories put me off. I then happened upon a specialist Mini dealer over in Brighouse (I think I’ve bought my last 5 cars from Yorkshire!). I was there to look at Silver R53 but then he said he had a fresh arrival of a R53 Checkmate special edition which had the usual stickers, interior changes etc…but also a factory LSD!
The car came with a full file of history (first time I’ve ever seen one of these) and was really clean and came with 4 nearly new P-Zeros. There was the usual rust around the rear driver’s side light and above the boot handle, these were both sorted out prior to collection.
The test drive was great for a 15 year old car and I surly put a deposit down and collected the following week.
I’ve missed cars like this that just put a smile on your face and it’s nice to have a car I can mess around with. I’ve not done much so far other than change the head unit and get a good clay and a coat of polish on it. I also removed the side chequerboard stickers which were old and curling at the edges.
Thanks for getting to this point!
I must also say that the timing was less than ideal as I’d sold my Jazz through Motorway for a great price (I highly recommend Motorway and their services), after initially only looking for a valuation, this then left me with just over a week to find a replacement!
I was originally looking at Clio 197/200 as I’ve had one before then the obligatory EP3 and FN2 Type R’s. Then someone threw me a curve ball of a R53 Mini Cooper S…a little bit of research and my interest well and truly piqued I began to look for one.
I was originally looking for at an R56 but turbo engine related horror stories put me off. I then happened upon a specialist Mini dealer over in Brighouse (I think I’ve bought my last 5 cars from Yorkshire!). I was there to look at Silver R53 but then he said he had a fresh arrival of a R53 Checkmate special edition which had the usual stickers, interior changes etc…but also a factory LSD!
The car came with a full file of history (first time I’ve ever seen one of these) and was really clean and came with 4 nearly new P-Zeros. There was the usual rust around the rear driver’s side light and above the boot handle, these were both sorted out prior to collection.
The test drive was great for a 15 year old car and I surly put a deposit down and collected the following week.
I’ve missed cars like this that just put a smile on your face and it’s nice to have a car I can mess around with. I’ve not done much so far other than change the head unit and get a good clay and a coat of polish on it. I also removed the side chequerboard stickers which were old and curling at the edges.
Thanks for getting to this point!
Looks cracking.
I’m a huge fan of the R53. I loved my cold Cooper S (mine was Indi blue metallic, black leather, wood dash, heated seats, chilli pack, xenons etc). It was such a hoot to drive, it felt faster than it was but was always fun to chuck down a B road. The noise from the supercharger always egged you on. I even liked the noise from the steering. I still think these are the best looking of the BMW MINI.
Have fun.
I’m a huge fan of the R53. I loved my cold Cooper S (mine was Indi blue metallic, black leather, wood dash, heated seats, chilli pack, xenons etc). It was such a hoot to drive, it felt faster than it was but was always fun to chuck down a B road. The noise from the supercharger always egged you on. I even liked the noise from the steering. I still think these are the best looking of the BMW MINI.
Have fun.
The r53 is a cracking car. Very much the feel of a 'proper' 90s hot hatch, with well-weighted controls and a buzzy little engine.
The Checkmate is an interesting one. They are highly coveted in enthusiast circles because of their rarity, but they are a bit Marmite in the looks department for me.
I've made the mistake of modifying mine too much (an easy trap to fall into), and while it's hilarious fun with buckets, coilovers and 225bhp, it's bloody hard work to live with when you're not 'on it'. I suspect I'm going to ship it on for something more relaxed and grown-up soon.
A simple pulley and plug change will liberate 20-odd bhp and make it feel a lot more beefy. The r56 brakes are a tried and tested upgrade that have no drawbacks with the right pads (I rate ds2500s for the road). And that's probably the sensible place to stop it you want to keep it liveable.
They are at the age where common faults are showing up on most cars now. Luckily there's a great wealth of knowledge in the owners' community, and none of the common faults are likely to be terminal.
Depending on where you are in the country I've used a couple of excellent independent mechanics, with ridiculous attention to detail. Happy to recommended.
Enjoy!
The Checkmate is an interesting one. They are highly coveted in enthusiast circles because of their rarity, but they are a bit Marmite in the looks department for me.
I've made the mistake of modifying mine too much (an easy trap to fall into), and while it's hilarious fun with buckets, coilovers and 225bhp, it's bloody hard work to live with when you're not 'on it'. I suspect I'm going to ship it on for something more relaxed and grown-up soon.
A simple pulley and plug change will liberate 20-odd bhp and make it feel a lot more beefy. The r56 brakes are a tried and tested upgrade that have no drawbacks with the right pads (I rate ds2500s for the road). And that's probably the sensible place to stop it you want to keep it liveable.
They are at the age where common faults are showing up on most cars now. Luckily there's a great wealth of knowledge in the owners' community, and none of the common faults are likely to be terminal.
Depending on where you are in the country I've used a couple of excellent independent mechanics, with ridiculous attention to detail. Happy to recommended.
Enjoy!
Gandoolie said:
I’m in Lancashire, I’ve been toying with springs over coil overs. The car is in for new gearbox fluid on Thursday so I’ll have my usual garage give it a once over just to be on the safe side.
I’m also toying with fitting the Chrono pack gauges and then getting them coded to the car.
If you're in Lancashire, you're a short drive from one of the best indies in the country. As a mark of his quality, I've done several 4hr return journeys from London to leave my car with him for major upgrade work.I’m also toying with fitting the Chrono pack gauges and then getting them coded to the car.
Sean (CarsOrBikes on here) runs https://www.exclusiveworkshops.co.uk and is the most knowledgable person I've met in R53 circles. He doesn't promote his business half as much as he should.
Drop him a line and he'll be forthcoming with great advice and the option of excellent service. He'll try to persuade you to fit a camshaft, I'm sure of it - try to resist, I dare you.
My $0.02 on coilovers is that the chassis/shell is incredibly stiff as standard, and coilovers rarely result in a ride that is compliant enough for regular road use. If you're not taking it on track, I'd consider alternatives. This comes from someone who spent more than half the purchase price of his car on coilovers...
Edited by C70R on Tuesday 12th October 09:39
Gandoolie said:
The blue interior takes a little getting used to but it’s good, needs to be noisier in my opinion so looking at an exhaust and new intake when they are back in stock
The one ball mod used to be pretty popular when I had my MINI.Are the likes of GTT still making MNI parts? Lohen and 1320 were also pretty well respected when I had mine.I’m used to bother a guy called Mini Matt in Shropshire for parts (he used to break them).
The R53 brakes are s
te, I didn’t realise just how bad they were until I was given an R56 courtesy car; they were so much better. Edited by Court_S on Tuesday 12th October 09:44
Stevenery said:
Regarding the intake, you need a K&N RU-3190, bulkhead flange to suit, then for some extra noise and a neat install Roadie Designs can print a rear inlet not too dissimilar to the JCW air box.
Honestly, I wouldn't bother. A friend with an R53 has done the same mod, and trackside footage of us both (mine has the OEM airbox) suggests no difference in noise. My OEM airbox with a paper filter flows well enough for 225bhp, so it's definitely not a performance bottleneck.While we're talking about Roadie Designs (another excellent provider of R53 tat), this phone holder is just about the best <£100 'mod' I've done: https://www.roadiedesigns.co.uk/product-page/right...
I'm working with him to get a cupholder made to fit around my Coolerworx shifter at the moment, and he's a top bloke.
Edited by C70R on Tuesday 12th October 09:54
carinaman said:
Court_S said:
The R53 brakes are ste, I didn’t realise just how bad they were until I was given an R56 courtesy car; they were so much better.
What are the preferred changes to address the poor brakes?te, I didn’t realise just how bad they were until I was given an R56 courtesy car; they were so much better. I'd been sceptical until I did it (after wasting money on better pads in the R53 calipers), but the car was transformed.
C70R said:
If you're in Lancashire, you're a short drive from one of the best indies in the country. As a mark of his quality, I've done several 4hr return journeys from London to leave my car with him for major upgrade work.
Sean (CarsOrBikes on here) runs https://www.exclusiveworkshops.co.uk and is the most knowledgable person I've met in R53 circles. He doesn't promote his business half as much as he should.
Drop him a line and he'll be forthcoming with great advice and the option of excellent service. He'll try to persuade you to fit a camshaft, I'm sure of it - try to resist, I dare you.
My $0.02 on coilovers is that the chassis/shell is incredibly stiff as standard, and coilovers rarely result in a ride that is compliant enough for regular road use. If you're not taking it on track, I'd consider alternatives. This comes from someone who spent more than half the purchase price of his car on coilovers...
I’ve picked Sean’s brains on multiple occasions on Mini Torque so will definitely be looking him up at a later date as next year the car could do with belts and supercharger service so might as well do the pulley if my man maths works out!Sean (CarsOrBikes on here) runs https://www.exclusiveworkshops.co.uk and is the most knowledgable person I've met in R53 circles. He doesn't promote his business half as much as he should.
Drop him a line and he'll be forthcoming with great advice and the option of excellent service. He'll try to persuade you to fit a camshaft, I'm sure of it - try to resist, I dare you.
My $0.02 on coilovers is that the chassis/shell is incredibly stiff as standard, and coilovers rarely result in a ride that is compliant enough for regular road use. If you're not taking it on track, I'd consider alternatives. This comes from someone who spent more than half the purchase price of his car on coilovers...
Edited by C70R on Tuesday 12th October 09:39
C70R said:
You can fit the R56 calipers and discs with minimal modification, and it's a gamechanger. It increases the dead pedal travel ever so slightly, but the feel and resistance to fade is markedly increased.
I'd been sceptical until I did it (after wasting money on better pads in the R53 calipers), but the car was transformed.
It’s had brand new pads and disks just before I collected so will get some wear on those things over winter and see where we go with it afterI'd been sceptical until I did it (after wasting money on better pads in the R53 calipers), but the car was transformed.
Forgot that I’d changed the side lights to LEDs to match the xenon’s and also the front indicators to silver just clean up the front. The LEDs flicker slightly on start up but then hold fine while driving.
I’ve discovered that water has been getting into the boot and subsequently the battery tray so I’m on a mission to find where it’s getting in. I’ve ordered a new rear chrome trim as there are obvious gaps along the glass and also a new boot handle gasket to see if that makes any difference?!
I’ve discovered that water has been getting into the boot and subsequently the battery tray so I’m on a mission to find where it’s getting in. I’ve ordered a new rear chrome trim as there are obvious gaps along the glass and also a new boot handle gasket to see if that makes any difference?!
Gandoolie said:
C70R said:
If you're in Lancashire, you're a short drive from one of the best indies in the country. As a mark of his quality, I've done several 4hr return journeys from London to leave my car with him for major upgrade work.
Sean (CarsOrBikes on here) runs https://www.exclusiveworkshops.co.uk and is the most knowledgable person I've met in R53 circles. He doesn't promote his business half as much as he should.
Drop him a line and he'll be forthcoming with great advice and the option of excellent service. He'll try to persuade you to fit a camshaft, I'm sure of it - try to resist, I dare you.
My $0.02 on coilovers is that the chassis/shell is incredibly stiff as standard, and coilovers rarely result in a ride that is compliant enough for regular road use. If you're not taking it on track, I'd consider alternatives. This comes from someone who spent more than half the purchase price of his car on coilovers...
I’ve picked Sean’s brains on multiple occasions on Mini Torque so will definitely be looking him up at a later date as next year the car could do with belts and supercharger service so might as well do the pulley if my man maths works out!Sean (CarsOrBikes on here) runs https://www.exclusiveworkshops.co.uk and is the most knowledgable person I've met in R53 circles. He doesn't promote his business half as much as he should.
Drop him a line and he'll be forthcoming with great advice and the option of excellent service. He'll try to persuade you to fit a camshaft, I'm sure of it - try to resist, I dare you.
My $0.02 on coilovers is that the chassis/shell is incredibly stiff as standard, and coilovers rarely result in a ride that is compliant enough for regular road use. If you're not taking it on track, I'd consider alternatives. This comes from someone who spent more than half the purchase price of his car on coilovers...
Edited by C70R on Tuesday 12th October 09:39
I'm on MT too, as "DRP". You can read the ups and downs of my ownership via my thread over there.
C70R said:
Honestly, I wouldn't bother. A friend with an R53 has done the same mod, and trackside footage of us both (mine has the OEM airbox) suggests no difference in noise. My OEM airbox with a paper filter flows well enough for 225bhp, so it's definitely not a performance bottleneck.
While we're talking about Roadie Designs (another excellent provider of R53 tat), this phone holder is just about the best <£100 'mod' I've done: https://www.roadiedesigns.co.uk/product-page/right...
I'm working with him to get a cupholder made to fit around my Coolerworx shifter at the moment, and he's a top bloke.
The result is a deeper whine from the supercharger inside the cabin. I also noticed slightly less hesitance when accelerating over a new stock paper filter - marginal though. Used modified air boxes sell for at least the cost of parts on eBay, so it's a good mod to try. While we're talking about Roadie Designs (another excellent provider of R53 tat), this phone holder is just about the best <£100 'mod' I've done: https://www.roadiedesigns.co.uk/product-page/right...
I'm working with him to get a cupholder made to fit around my Coolerworx shifter at the moment, and he's a top bloke.
Edited by C70R on Tuesday 12th October 09:54
If you add the rear air box inlet, then a plastic trim has to be cut. Take your time to remove this, as it's a good chance to access and lube the gear change cables with some lithium grease which sit down behind it.
Also, if you change the tyres for non run-flats and feel uneasy on longer journeys without a spare, consider a Honda space saver. They tyres are often newer over the more common Rover options. Easily goes behind a seat, or can be ratchet strapped in the boot. Either way, put something below as the tyre will wear away the carpet. A downside of it being in the boot is being up against the parcel shelf meaning it can't be lifted as usual.
Lastly, check your low-speed fan is functioning. I believe it should come on with the air-con. You don't want to get stuck in traffic and risk overheating or giving an error code which reduces power until cool.
Stevenery said:
The result is a deeper whine from the supercharger inside the cabin. I also noticed slightly less hesitance when accelerating over a new stock paper filter - marginal though. Used modified air boxes sell for at least the cost of parts on eBay, so it's a good mod to try.
If you add the rear air box inlet, then a plastic trim has to be cut. Take your time to remove this, as it's a good chance to access and lube the gear change cables with some lithium grease which sit down behind it.
Also, if you change the tyres for non run-flats and feel uneasy on longer journeys without a spare, consider a Honda space saver. They tyres are often newer over the more common Rover options. Easily goes behind a seat, or can be ratchet strapped in the boot. Either way, put something below as the tyre will wear away the carpet. A downside of it being in the boot is being up against the parcel shelf meaning it can't be lifted as usual.
Lastly, check your low-speed fan is functioning. I believe it should come on with the air-con. You don't want to get stuck in traffic and risk overheating or giving an error code which reduces power until cool.
Good advice there! I’ll be having a look into thisIf you add the rear air box inlet, then a plastic trim has to be cut. Take your time to remove this, as it's a good chance to access and lube the gear change cables with some lithium grease which sit down behind it.
Also, if you change the tyres for non run-flats and feel uneasy on longer journeys without a spare, consider a Honda space saver. They tyres are often newer over the more common Rover options. Easily goes behind a seat, or can be ratchet strapped in the boot. Either way, put something below as the tyre will wear away the carpet. A downside of it being in the boot is being up against the parcel shelf meaning it can't be lifted as usual.
Lastly, check your low-speed fan is functioning. I believe it should come on with the air-con. You don't want to get stuck in traffic and risk overheating or giving an error code which reduces power until cool.
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