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That's a very personal question, and the answer depends on what you're looking for. More power, better handling, day-to-day enjoyment/convenience, or something else entirely?
If I had to narrow it down to the one modification I've appreciated the most, day in and day out, it would be Ian Cull's "auto up" circuit for the windows. But, if I could make several mods, and I only had to keep the *total* cost under $500, they would be:
1) Ian's auto-up circuit
2) Whalen shift knob
3) Euro parcel shelf to replace the stock knee bolster
4) LightInSight windshield lens
5) iPod adapter
I don't know how much the OEM iPod adapter costs, since mine came with the car, but the other four can be had for about $300 total and have probably contributed more to my enjoyment of the car than the thousands of dollars I've spent on wheels, graphics, coilovers, swaybar, etcetera.
This bar has graphite impregnated bushings. I put mine on in my garage in around 1 hour total time using NAM instructions. It made a huge handling difference and is by far my favorite mod.
Plenty of $$$ left over for a drop in K&N air filter.
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Speedwing
Motoring in HENDRX
2005 Purple Haze MC
I'd vote some front camber plates and a slightly bigger rear bar (Maybe a MCS swaybar, with maybe a hole drilled closer to the inside to make it slightly stiffer.)
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Factory built 08/08 MINI JCW: JCW Aerokit, M7 C-Wing, Bilstein PSS10, Vorshlag camber plates, RennSport Racing Rear Upper and Lower Control Arms, Howerton Engineering HFS-3 w/ Race Tank, Whiteline 20mm RSB, RMW Tune, Dunlop Direzza Star Spec Z1, DoS CAI, Evolve FMIC, BSH OCC + Dual Boost Port, NM SSK, etalj-spec torque arm ;), Goodridge SS Brake Lines, Endless RF-650 fluid, Carbotech XP12s, ALTA PSRS, Powergrid adjustable endlinks, Challenge Decals
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Mini cooper S 2004 ,home made air intaike ,17''x7'' adr interspeed with s3000 nexen tire 215/40/17,15% alta v2 puley,1ball exault.costom maid front spliter .costom maid exault tips.costom made gps stand,moss mini front strut bar..35% tinted window..alta 19 sway bar,shark ecu,oil cacht can..
I would say that the best mod, single mod, for under $500 would depend on how you drive and what you are after.
Do you the stance of your car? Is it looking too much like a four wheel drive vehicle?
If so, I would add some TSW springs or some H-Sport springs then. works well with OEM shocks and gives better handling and eliminates the wheel gap associated with the stock springs.
If you want to have a more neutral turn-in and want to eliminate the understeer from your car, then go with a 19mm rear sway bar. tighter handling and improved feel for sure. This still is my favorite mod!
If you want a cooler sound and improved throttle response, then I would suggest the DDM intake or a drop-in filter from either Alta or ITG. I chose the drop-in due to cost ($60) and I wanted to keep my engine bay relatively OEM. I love my ITG filter. It gave me improved throttle response along with a cooler sound (more throaty). Prob. no power gain, but our cars won't ever be a dragster, so don't expect a lot of power out of it. By all rights, mini tuned this engine rather well from the factory, and an exhaust or intake aren't necessary to make this car's powerplant a blast to use.
Those are my top three to choose from. Of course, their are a lot more but these are the most common.
Another option is the short throw shifter. I have looking into these and depending upon your year of vehicle, some of these assemblies are in fact very inexpensive to buy and can improve the feel of the driving experience.
i could live with an otherwise stock MCS with a cat back exhaust. A muffler shop could weld one easy for $500. My second choice would be a pulley and intake.
i could live with an otherwise stock MCS with a cat back exhaust. A muffler shop could weld one easy for $500. My second choice would be a pulley and intake.
I think his car is "justacooper" But I do agree an exhaust is a good mod as well.
It's going to be hard to get more HP out of an R50 for $500 or less.
Therefor you could do the Front Camber Plates and Rear Sway bar to make it faster in the corners for less then $500 in parts. You and a buddy with avg tools and skills could install them. Those two mods are both mods you will feel in the seat of your pants and take time off the clock in the cones too.
That's a very personal question, and the answer depends on what you're looking for. More power, better handling, day-to-day enjoyment/convenience, or something else entirely?
^this
Most of my driving is spending 2-4 hrs on the highway, so I LOVE my DICE iPod adapter - I don't have to fumble with CD's, remember a charger and FM transmitter for my iPod, or take my hands off the wheel to change songs. A close second was changing out the runflats for non-runflats (they're a bit stickier, so they're also more fun there).
Following all this was suspension stuff (the car's HS legal, so I got SS+ springs and rear sway bar, kept the SS front bar).
I agree that this is a personal/personalized question and depends a lot on what you expect to use this car for.
I bought this car just to be a daily driver with good gas milage so the best mod would be either better tires (Winter tires for winter) or something to make the comute more barable.
I realize that Cooper will never be any fast and there is no point throwing money away and making it look and sound like ricer Honda
If I wanted to have a true performer, I would've spent my money elsewhere.
The IE camberplates have helped a little with the understeer and handling...they also will help prevent you having to hammer down the strut towers after a few potholes...Definitely stick with suspension and brakes if performance is what you want for $500. A drop in will make you sound faster and you can find them for less than $50.
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