thanks Pedro for the reply, I knew this was the case with a bmw but was not sure about the mini as I have been able to change the vin number on control units on other parts of bmw and mini cars I though it mite work, in not I don't thing there any way of scrubbing the vin number on the ecu so may just have the imobliser removed from it as I've done in the past, the customer won't spend the money on a new ecu as the car is a 2002