I just got back from a Portugal and Spain trip. Had a Fiat Punto 1.3 Diesel and was typically driving around 150-160 km/h on the autovia's and people were passing me like I was standing still, whether they were in new BMW's or old Peugeot's weaker than my car. Except for the random person who doesn't move out of the way or decides to pass a semi going 1 km/h faster than it, people are pretty good about driving on the right outside of the cities. The big cities can be a nightmare to navigate and drive in, but the countryside is really nice to drive.

 

It's like a dream driving out here in the country side. Some of the drivers suck @$$!!!!!! I had a guy that sat on a on ramp onto the Autovia for like 5 minutes with little traffic coming and people getting over so that he could get on. Really annoying! Where at in Spain did you go to? I might have been one of the people that passed you. lol

 

I'm sure you did! Just didn't want to bring TOO much attention to myself in a foreign country in my Portuguese rental car whilst being horrible at the language. Did a roadtrip starting in Lisbon heading north to Porto. From there we went full circle; Salamanca, Madrid, Bilbao, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Granada and Seville before going back to Lisbon. So yeah, a lot of driving! Did a little countryside exploring too.

Prolly wasn't the best time of the year to go with the weather and floods and all. Dunno if you saw on the news maybe a week ago about that bad wreck on the E-5 north of Madrid during the snow, but that part of the trip freaked me out because that happened literally an hour after I went that way, of course driving over the speed limit on near bald tires passing the plows.

 

LOL Yeah the roads aren't that great to start with, bald tires on snow isn't going to help very much at all. There's a lot of nice places to be seen out by Seville and Granada, but if you get the chance to come back here again, be sure to check out Ronda and Sentile de las Bodegas. Great little white washed villages, one has all its houses and buildings made into the side of a cliff. By Ronda theres a road that makes the Dragon look like a Mc Donalds playland! Just that many turns and all the while on the side of a mountain over looking this beautiful gorge.

 

tmo... just found your video of your exhaust!! sweet dude!! wow!! wish i had the knowledge to piece that together. sweet! nice job!! if you ever want to sell it.. hahah.. i'm here for you

 

Dude I got all my parts from auto zone. It's all about trying things out. I'm honestly still working with the exhaust. It gives me somthing to do while I have off time from work. I still have yet to have it welded together so you can still see the clamps. But thanks man. I rather have one that was actually made for the car. If you want to know more just PM me and I'll tell you all the parts you would need.

 

Oh and there's another Vid on youtube if you watch it on there with a inside the car while driving sound check.

 

hey tmo... when you go back home...you can sell me your magnaflow before you go

 

tmo.. i found your other vid of you driving in the car.. the sound is wicked
right now, i don't have the know how to put it all together like you do..but i'm working and playing with small things first like getting my front grill off and headlight rings to blackout the chrome. after that...maybe i'll be brave and tackle the exhaust. then i will pm you for info

maybe next time i'm driving down to Spain i'll pass by and we can cruise together around Mini a Mini. last time i drove down to Spain from Switzerland was last June and took my Audi S3 (2008). always do love passing people on the highway and love cruising fast in Spain Just wish my Mini could do that as it's a cabrio and in Spain... with the sun... simply ahhhhh

 

tmo.. so you are near Marbella. well.. close to it at least. love it out there! i am mostly in Valencia/Alicante on the weekends. but i fly most of the time. drive only sometimes.

 

I live in El Puerto De Santa Maria. Im a lot closer to Seville and Rota than Marbella but yes its a great place to drive at. If you ever get back this way again let me know, I'm always down for a drive.

 

hey tmo I was thinking of doing my own exhaust for the same reason that you did, no one has ut one out for us non - s r56 drivers. I love the sound of your exhaust, what magnaflow is that? (like model number or name)

 

Minimack to be honest I can't remember the part number or model number for it. But its 14in.x6in.round with a 2.25in inlet and 6in. outlet. as far as piping I used 2.25in. from the 1st hanger back. with a 1 7/8in. to 2.25in. adapter to connect the OEM piping all welded together by a friend. the bends from behind your gas tank to the muffler are 45 degrees and 2 are needed for it. I order all my parts from Autozone, so Im sure you can go in and find what you will need at one of the local shops unlike me out here in Spain. I suggest taking it to one of your local muffler shops and having them do it for you unless your a true DIY'er try looking at http://www.jegs.com/ as well for some idea's on piping. Good luck with it and have fun playing around with it to see what you like. I'm going to email VIP to see how many people actually have emailed them with request for theirs.

 

thanks for all the information, i love doing things myself I just put lowering springs on yesterday but the exhaust I will leave to a shop i jus wanted to know what to ask for and I liked the sound of yours. It would be great if VIP came out with one, I definitely think that the demand is there for it.

 

Yeah, the demand is there but the thing is who's going to cash in on it. If I could I would thats for sure. Last I heard from them they said they wanted to get at least 10 emails from ppl wanting the non s r56 exhaust or they were'nt going to bother. That over a month ago so hopefully me putting the word out about them with plans to release it helped...... I emailed them today to see what was going on with it. Hopefully Van will get back to me with good news. Just took a look at their web site and I guess their already in the swing of getting parts ready for the Countryman.........

 

Well keep me updated on what he says because if they make one I will buy it. I hope the countryman doesn't take up to much of their time.

 

I suggest going to a local muffler shop and have them build one for your MINI. I did mine including header,high flow cat, resonator, and Supertrapp muffler for less than the cat back system you see offered for the S. I installed the header myself as it was the labor intensive item, the rest the muffler completed in about an hour and a half.

 

Well just heard back from Van at VIPCustoms and he said that over the past month only 4 ppl had contacted him about it. So looks like all you have is to make your own.

 

alright will do, i just go to a exhaust shop around here and say i want something that will add a little more power and a throaty sound. also to take out the second cat and resonator

 

Good idea Mack..... but it's not going to give you much power at all..... look up OBX headers on ebay before you take it to a exhaust shop and have them make one for you. The headers go for like $250ish and they come with the pipe from the headers back to like the hanger(pretty much 2nd cat). Im actually going to be ordering mine probably on the 1st.

 

They are sold on Amazon for the same price:
http://www.amazon.com/OBX-Header-07-...9457415&sr=8-1

 

but if i do that then my car wont pass emissions correct? I dont overly care right now but when it comes around to inspection time its going to be a hassle.

 

I put on a obx header followed by a Random Technologies high flow cat and have not had any problems throwing codes that would fail emissions testing or otherwise.

When I first put it on I had intermittent electrical connection that gave me fits with codes, but with this fixed no cels no codes.

It was necessary to extend (cut and splice) the O2 sensor wiring for both probes (be very careful when splicing/soldering - stainless wire is hard to solder - problems above noted).

 

What high flow cat did you use? Do you have a link for it?

 

http://www.randomtechnology.com/universal.html