Sup guys, I was looking around for a Mini S about 2 years ago after having a mishap on road course with this RSX



But didn't find the perfect Mini so I got this RSX



Unfortunately it was stolen and wrecked a month ago.

Also I have this Miata for AutoX. The RSX was competitive in STF class locally but was just frustrating to drive with unrelenting understeer and slim powerband.



Well after passing on a very well priced (but out of my budget) JCW before the 2nd RSX I had to get one now.

I found it to be very well optioned as that was the problem before (and RSX's have no options really) and have more options than I'd ever buy if I was getting a new one.



I'm gonna do my research but I figure if it doesn't hurt I'll post my questions/concerns here.

1. What did you guys tune your Mini with and how do you like it?
I'm considering Alta Accessport. Its supposed to be able to tune the car separate on Sport setting which is perfect for retaining MPG. (mine's an 09 so it works).


2. What spring rates and alignment specs work well with this car?
RSX was simple: 2X stiff in rear than front, 2X camber in front than rear, 2X toe out in front than rear given stock sway & strut bars.

3. Do the JCW springs fit with stock strut housings? I would like to get Koni yellows and JCW springs similar to what I did with the Miata to keep it stock class legal(ish)

4. What coilover options are preferred for autocrossers?
I like the Fortune 500s the most so far. I don't think I'll run it competitively as I have the Miata but I want something good in case.

5. Are there any inexpensive exhaust & 2nd cat delete combos that fit well?
From my experience with the RSX, OBX is out.
I was thinking this CNT exhaust
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CNT-Racing-Mini-Cooper-2012-Coupe-S-R58-Catback-Exhaust-system-/290941322245?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3ACooper%7CSubmodel%3AS%7CYear%3A2009&hash=item43bd744405&vxp=mtr
And if the muffler is too annoying, get this one
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HIGH-FLOW-2-5-INLET-WELD-ON-EXHAUST-MUFFLER-CHROME-CANISTER-DUAL-SQUARE-TIP/181165813099?rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D261%26meid%3D88531580921038702%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D1088%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D181075963479%26
Alternatively it looks like I'd just spend the money and get Invidia
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2008-2013-Mini-Cooper-S-Invidia-Q300-Cat-Back-Exhaust-System-SS-Muffler-NEW-Work-/271082440966?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3ACooper%7CSubmodel%3AS%7CYear%3A2009&hash=item3f1dc5c906&vxp=mtr
Thanks in advance

 

Welcome to NAM and congrats on your new MINI. Fantastic looking by the way. Many of our experts will be along shortly to help you on your way. Happy motoring.

 

I thought everyone on the internet was an expert

1. The Accessport is a great tool that is more than just a tuning tool. However, Alta/Cobb have discontinued the product and it's no longer supported. That means you'll have to find one used. Shame because I love the AP. There are other tuning solutions out there for the N14 motor. I would recommend the tuning solution from Way Motor Works.

2. I'm guessing you're talking coilover spring rates? You're pretty much on your own here. Not many people with Minis who competitively race them. We run 350 square and are happy with the car for auto-x purposes. I don't remember toe measurements but we run -2.5 degrees of camber in the front and somewhere around -1.2 in the rear.

3. JCW springs will fit with stock strut housings. Koni yellows/JCW Springs would be legal for stock class. I believe there was a SEB clarification a year or two back that the dealer installed JCW tuning kit is also stock class legal.

4. Personally I would start at KW V3s and go up from there for coilovers actually designed for any form of racing. But I'm a bit of a coilover snob. We run the TC Kline Double Adjustable setup. It works. Not blown away by it but it's also not a $6k set of Motons/Motion Controls.

 

Thanks for replying.

That's a shame on the Accessport. I'll look around used and the Way Motor Works one.

I'm now leaning towards going with JCW springs and Koni Yellows. But I kind of wanted to lower it.

V3's are gonna be out of my budget. The more I read into it the more I like the Fortunes. Tho I'm liking the 510 with swift springs over basic 500.

I did not think a square set up is whats good for the Mini. 350 is a bit over 6K so I suppose if I go coilovers I can run 7K front 8K rear.

 

I think you would find that setup a little harsh for the street but I never tried it. We played around with a 450lb spring in front and it was too rough on the street and induced too much understeer. Keep in mind spring rates don't tell the whole story... it's wheel rates you're actually looking at ;-) Definitely post up what you try out and your opinions on it though!

 

Would you mind giving me a link?

I haven't found anything similar to Accessport on WayMotorWorks

 

I'm currently codriving a stx built r56 on the west coast and I consider the r56 a dark horse stx car. Honestly if we went to nationals this year I truly think the car will trophy not win cause we are mediocre drivers but the car has really got some attention

But this car has some $$$$ into it ohlins coils with 500lbs springs (valving is awesome not harsh at all) running a huge rear bar, osgiken LSD, running big pretty wide wheels and tires

IMO we race In the most competitive region in the country as far as stx class goes and the mini can do it with obviously talented driver

I came from the world of STC civic and the mini has really surprised
Me never thought I'd jump into another fwd car that could handle really well and have decent power

 

http://www.waymotorworks.com/wmw-rem...ng-module.html

Care to elaborate a little? What size tires? Have you done any power mods? I'm curious how much power the car will make in STX legal trim. I've discussed it with Way and he didn't think very much power could be made but my STI with a STU legal tune had a fairly sizable bump in power. Do you have race seats in it? How much weight did that save you? How did you get around the passenger occupancy sensor?

 

Sure!

The car isn't built to full extent at this time, its still very much a daily driver for the owner of the car, but this season we worked really hard on the handling without jumping to some crazy double adjustable JRZ and the other $$$$ coilovers (actually i consider the ohlins we are on $$$$ LOL). with that said, we are running 17 x 8 fronts on Dunlop Z2s 235 width 17 x 7.5 215 width Z1 tires at the moment (bare with me I cant seem to remember the widths haha). We are still on stock seats, and Way is right we too believe we will not make much power as well. We have all the basic mods, downpipe, exhaust, drop in filter. And we are actually using an STX legal can tune from NM... however I think NM was more surprised we were asking for a tune considering we needed one that would be legal and I believe they questioned because gains might of been minimal. however we didn't dyno but butt dyno says definitely much smoother powerband and beter pull midrange. the car dyno'd around 160whp on a dynapack i think before ecu tune. So we will eventually see if we can get another dyno one of these days.

We have had a national champ (DS national champ) drive the car and he couldn't believe how well the car drives. Mind you he has built his DS type R into a STX car this year. He believes the car can keep up with the STX Type Rs.

 

Hmm, down here there are really only 2 classes that are very competitive; STR and STX, both of which the winners regularly go to nationals. STX its an RX8 and there's another RX8 that's close to her (Teddie).

DS is a little competitive as theres 1 good 335i and a JCW GP both driven by seasoned drivers.

I figure I'm best in RTF

Thanks

 

oh that remote tuning thing, yea I saw that. I just didn't want to have to pay for tunes.

Accessport will have preset tunes for common mods no?

 

yep

Good to see someone else building a semi-serious STX mini. We haven't done any engine mods yet but the new diff is in the mail so that should help. I'm surprised you only dynoed 160whp. Must be a low reading dynapack. Our fJCW dynoed 198hp/199tq on a dynapack. Although that could be a high-reading dynapack.

What wheel are you running in 17x8? We couldn't really find anything that was light and 8" wide so we're running a 17x7.5. Not ideal but it seems to work pretty well with the 235 star spec.

Since I've got your attention... how much camber are you guys getting in the front? We can't seem to get more than around -2.6 with Vorshlag plates. I need to get in there and figure out how to eek out a bit more. I think -3 would be perfect for our ride heights.

 

Hmm, well 2.6 isn't bad. Caster is probably mid 5's right?

 

We are experiencing same issue i think we managed to get like 2.8

The 17x8s are one off Wedsport wheel, don't quote me but it's off a track car?.... Mini challenge not sure

But yes 17 x 8 hard to come bye and most that are available weigh a ton

 

Not sure what the caster numbers are. I do my own alignments and never bothered to check caster since it's not adjustable on the mini Maybe I'll check that next time I have the camber gauge out. I have some ghetto-fab turn plates so it's not hard/time consuming.

 

Nice.

Caster (or lack thereof) was the biggest problem of the RSX. stock was mid 2's and there's no readily available kits.