I just bought a 2004 Mini (non-s)
I like it and it's pretty peppy! But I am
open to getting a little more hoarse power
into it.

I'm sure I can spend a fortune if I want but
I was wondering what I can do to at least
get the most bang for my buck.

Any Ideas?

Richard

 

The search button is in the upper right corner of your screen. use it and you will find your answers

 

First you may want to try this sub-forum:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...play.php?f=138

You just currently posted in the second gen MINIs (2007+) whereas a 2004 is a 1st gen.

Moderators? Make a switcheroo?

EDIT:

Oh yeah... and since you're new here...


and BTW, Welcome to NAM!

 

you can get more hoarse power from yellling. So, try a free-flow exhaust.

 

intake, exhaust and headers.. it will just be loud but thats your best bet without spending the big bucks.. a flash wouldnt be bad to keep the noise levels down.. not sure how much it helps stock though.

 

most bang for buck is losing weight by tossing stuff out the car, heck you could even earn money by selling your rear seats and belts...radio speakers...dunno how hard core you want to go...

if you wanna spend i would say lighter wheel/tire combo with a smaller OD (helps a bunch with acceleration) i run a 205/45R16 effectively lowers the final drive so helps accel but hurts top speed and mpg (mpg change not that noticable though just theroy eg i haven't seen a change on my car)

i have also been happy with my exhaust (another place to save weight) added a few horses up high not much down low though, that does depend on what exhaust you get though

do you have the cvt, midlands 5-speed or the getrag 5-speed?
as the cvt does not fit quite the same and the midlands doesn't like bunches more power without a good dose of TLC

 

I'd say flash first, then exhaust. Should get you 10-15 real (at the wheels) HP at peak rpm combined.

Have fun and welcome to NAM Richard!

 

wouldn't you want your flash to match your exhaust though? cuz of the different flow characteristics between the styles

 

Intake - exhaust - flash. That should be all you need to do to the cooper. Anything else is going to cost far to much money for minimal gains. Save that money for suspension mods.

I have the moss intake and love it, but I'm eyeing the DDM intake that waymotorworks just started selling. I have the Miltek exhaust and its a wonderful sound and does not drone in the car, but be warned that almost all the resonators start to rattle after a short amount of time due to a loose baffle. UKcooper has the magnaflow and it sounds awesome, though a little loud in the car.

As far as a flash, I've heard GIAC is very good, though I haven't tried it myself I'm probably going to go for it this winter.

Oh, and go with a Hsport competition swaybar as well.

 

You can do some things to get a little more power with a Cooper, but I think you should focus on improving the Cooper where it already really shines: handling

Get a stiffer rear sway bar, improve your suspension, get a set of incredible tires and you'll blow away the bigger guys on the twisty roads.

 

that is also true, then at the dragon you can get on the radio and say, "Hey you S guys wanna pull over let a cooper by" i say this from first hand experience, right colin and darkness? and all i have suspension wise is a set of decent goodyears and light weight wheels, low weight ftw

 

btw someone wanna move this to 1st Gen Forums?

 

Oh yeaaahhhhhh just watch out for that oil while powering through 3rd gear! yikes!

I was about to delete my rear seats but in STS I must maintain the same number of functional seats :(

 

Keep your stock rims and mount some 205/50 summer, super sticky tires. I have kept my 15" holies and put some 205/55-15 Bridgestone RE750's on, Bridgestone RE040's are even better. The 55's are just a little smaller dia. than stock but really help transform my Cooper. The 50's will give you ever more torque.

If you don't have the SS+, change the stock 16mm rear sway bar to an S 17mm bar. I did this at the Dragon, the bar was free and Chad at Detroit Tuning put it on for $80. This really helped the Cooper rotate, reducing the understeer a lot, but still very good as a daily driver.

Racing Warehouse has a 2" x 12" long race glasspack for about $22 with shipping. Midas cut off the stock muffler and installed the glasspack, a new tailpipe and hangers for $45. It sounds great, a little loud for my wife, and it feel like a little more low end torque, but maybe not.

During the Dragon my "Just a Cooper" was able to hold my own and pull away from more than a few S's. Right Graham?

 

Do you have a sound clip? I'm thinking of replacing my rattly pos miltek resonator with a glass pack but want to hear what the potential sound could be. I still love the sound of the car but the rattle is irratating.

 

For now, I only had the intake changed. While at MOTD, I rode in Alfie (Waylen driving) who has the DDM/Works and Militek exhaust and it sounds great. You don't hear the exhaust after installing the intake. Waylen intalled the CAI for me afterwards. It's definitely worth it to install. Not sure how much hp you get with it, but it works for me

I have pics if you want to see it

 

I'd love to see some pictures. I like the idea of the heat shield, which is why I'm looking at it. Plus my moss filter is crushed from a detailing accident and i took my girlfriends filter for car shows and put mine on her's :impatient

I too hear pretty much all intake as well, and that's mostly what you hear when the car approaches, but after that it's all miltek :D

 

here you go!!! I really like how it looks.

 

Looks like a perfect fit! Now all I need to do is get these brakes replaced and suspension finished up ;\

 

His exhaust sounds awesome and agressive, it is a bit more refined than mine (ie doesnt crackle and boom) which colin prefers cuz he isn't 20 like me and into such tomfoolery (sp?) and i can't remember if he got exhaust drone on the highway for sure but i think not cuz of the resonator he kept.

I have a sound clip he sent me, I will forward it to you...

 

All I hear is MAGNAFLOW cuz it is just loud and awesome, it easily overpowers a panel filter (what i have), when i get a ride (carpool to work) i am stuned by the quiteness in other people's car...i guess i am used to the drone and it comforts me lolz

 

wow thanks for all the great ideas, I guess some sort of Turbo would be the next level up?

 

All I hear when I'm driving behind you is Magnaflow! A intake will make a even bigger difference to the sound.

 

You'll get mixed responses on that. A turbo will cost thousands and will require a whole new tranny (among other expensive pieces) to handle the power and you still may not put down more power than an S. It would make a great project car, but not worth it if it's your daily. If my engine ever blows, I'd probably rebuild it and stick a turbo on there.

Your best bet is to find a exhaust sound you like and a intake to go with it. Get a ECU flash and then call it quits on the engine. Pick some lightweight wheels and sticky tires to reduce rotating mass and increase grip. After that add a short throw shifter on (i like my helix alot and wasn't too difficult to install). Then go to the suspension; add in a larger rear sway bar, springs, and shocks. Again, I like my hotchkis swaybars, springs, and koni yellows. If you really want to get serious, add some coil overs, camber plates, and control rods and turn it into a autocross/twisty master. Bump up to a big brake kit to improve stopping power (or just add some high quality rotors, pads, and stainless steel lines). Now you can brake later in the turns, take them faster, and not be sliding around.

The way I like to look at things with my cooper is that an S can outrun me in the straights, but it can't get away in the turns. UKcoopeR and I can run with alot of the MCSs at the dragon.

Hope all that helps.

 

If you want to do a turbo thing, talk to Paul Webster (nam username), he has done a cooper S gearbox into a cooper:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=96594

which is something you will want to look into...

also if you are doing the tranny (lol that sounds a bit dodgy)
might as well check this thread out too (about cylinder heads):
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=87415

there is also the moses/jesus head:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=93689

that thread has gone a bit haywire but you can just can the supplier (revolution mini, just google it)