thanks for the feedback corin & giggles!

I've had pepper for about six months now and am finally getting around to tweeking her out . the ddm intake looks like the cleanest CAI installation I've come across and am hoping it not only gives a bit of extra growl & scoot but goes at least part-way towards solving that annoying throttle lag.this is the first car I've owned with fly-by-wire and it really took me aback at the impact it has. your personal accounts would indicate that it just might do the trick.
yesterday I finally ditched the OEM Conti runflats with some 205/50-16 General G-Max's. Took her out to a large industrial park near here to run them in and adjust for optimum pressures. only looped it twice and am pretty pleased at the results so far- better grip,smoother ,quieter ride and more predictable turn-in & breakaway. tommorrow I'm expecting to receive a blackout grill from sewell. I'll post some pics when she's sorted and it finally stops pouring down rain.


best,
k

w/ grille and tires installed

 

Yeeha! I have a tracking number - it's due here tomorrow. Thanks to Aaron @OM for getting this straight and to DDM for cranking out some new stock. Looks like i will have this for the trip afterall.

 

Wow - what a difference - it's LOUD. Much more than I expected. A while back - I did the "Modified Intake Silencer" mod - basically disabling the silencer - now I'm wondering if I should remove the mod. I'm gonna wait a few weeks (til after my trip) to see if I think it's too loud. Anybody else running this mod with the DDM intake?

Anyway - my NM torque arm inserts arrived today - but I just couldn't help myself from taking my new little growler out for a spirited run through the curvy little road that traverses the perimeter of the local state park. So now my exhaust is WAY too hot to install the inserts. Oh well - it's supposed to rain all weekend - so I will target Saturday morning to do the deed. Should give me plenty of time to test it out before the trip.

Now I have to start educating myself on rear sway bars....

 

hi euells,

aside from being loud, do you have any other observations, critiques or comments about the ddmworks intake ? any perceptible performance or drivability gains that you noticed?

i haven't yet received any more updates on when my order might possibly be filled.

'starting to get antsy.
best,
k

 

Peppermill,

I have to say it does seem quicker, especially when giving it gas at speed (cruising at ~40mph - then accelerating). I am still getting used to the sound, but it definitely helps you know when you are at top end and time to shift. I have squealed the tires a couple of times shifting to second - never used to do that before.

All in all I am VERY pleased, but I am still not sure if I want to remove the silencer mod. I think I will just to see if it makes a noticeable difference.

Today I installed the NM torque arm inserts, and wow - does that make a difference. Shifting is tight and smooth.

It's been a big week - I also finished putting in my Italian leather shift and brake boots last night. I did the armrests a couple weeks ago. Redline does a great job making the leather products.

BTW - I really like you color scheme. Very unique!

 

They are positively brilliant! I just had a few club members today commenting how amazing it sounded on my '09 hatchback - they were surprised it wasn't an S from the sound. There's definitely improved throttle body response (most definitely noticeable) and HP gain is likewise most definitely noticeable - especially on freeway onramps and passing you'll notice the difference. I fell in love with it the first time Cary started up with the CAI installed! Purchased mine through WMW.

 

Today I drove from Chesterfield, VA to Williamsburg, VA down Route 5, which is a two lane country road. Its most flat and cuts through open fields and old plantations, with a few good curves. It 's about a 45 minute drive each way, and I was able to get into the throttle pretty hard. I have decided I love the DDM intake (and love even more the intake + the torque arm inserts - these are mods made for each other). The car really seems to accelerate easy when I came upon slower moving cars without requiring a downshift in any gear but sixth. I just whipped around them and hit the gas (even in 5th) and the engine responded with ease. We had a great lunch at an out of the way seafood restaurant before heading back home.

To my surprise - both mods got a high rating on the WAF (wife approval factor) scale. She liked the growl, and loved the tighter shifting (she claims I used to give her whiplash!).

The car seems to respond quicker in throttle response, although I must admit it really could be the growling sound that makes it seem that way. Either way - this drive sold me on both mods. Highly recommended if your Justa is getting a little mundane, these mods will increase the excitement that drove you to buy the car in the first place.

 

Cary, I, too feel the same way about this mod. Got to really put her through her paces yesterday at the C3M run, which was great!! LOVE it!!

 

I ordered mine this morning from WMW. From all of the positive feedback that I am seeing on this, I am really excited about getting it. With the speed of Way's shipping last time, I hope I'll have it by the weekend.

 

Can't wait for your feedback. Seriously, if all it did was make her growl, I would be happy, but it honestly makes a slight difference in response. Sometimes it feels like she's in "Sport" mode all the time, as I forget to activiate the sport mode......sometimes

 

Was that at the Cabin Fever Run (II)? How was the weather (I imagine if good folks probably left a little rubber behind on the tarmac here and there)? Weather was downright dodgy when I ran it earlier this year with the gang in the snow/ice (that was just before I had the DDM CAI installed). How did she feel like to you charging up some of those rollers on the run? Keeping the RPMs high, I can definitely feel the power difference when plowing up the steep rollers after installing the CAI - Cary now just growls at them like a pirate ("arrrrrrrr")

 

Sorry other posters, off-topic, we know. Yes it was that run. Ran into a few showers, but nothing major, but still want to do it again in dry conditions! Great roads!! Yes, up the hills she really RPM'd high and LOUD!!! Nice pick up, too. My husband kept telling me to ease off the throttle as she rev'ed pretty high and MIGHTY!!!! Those hills really wound her out

 

Once installed, you won't regret it!!! Just keep in mind, with the change in the 'vocal range' of your Justa, you'll likely have to relearn the sound of the 'sweet spot' shift point... you might find, like I did, it jumps by several hundred RPM. Just don't use the current engine/exhaust sound as your baseline guide (or get caught up in how cool the DDM CAI sounds... which it does! ) as you just may catch yourself inadvertently speeding! I might suggest you watch your RPM gauge a little more again on street upshifts to get used to the sound. It is an attractive unit when you install it - very clean, fits like a glove, looks like it was factory designed. Cheers!

 

you guys got me pretty excited. now if i can just stand the wait.
aside from the post here on the forum from aaron last week, not a word from outmotoring since I first placed my order & payment. called ddm works directly and found them pleasantly reassuring but unable to commit to anything definitive regarding production/ delivery timelines.
i've got some other items planned including the NM torque arm bushing that euells is raving about, an FES autosport+ module and a few other trinkets but as this is my very first purchase experience with Outmotoring, i'll prolly wait and see how well this intake order is handled first.

 

so my friend hopped in my mini last week and he hasn't been in it since before the intake. what he notice as a passenger was a) the extra noise in the cabin b) how awesome that sound is when going through a tunnel/overpass and hitting 3.5k rpm in 3rd and c) the extra punch the intake added. so the power is even noticeable by other people and not just me as the driver

 

All this talk of a delay is making me sweat! LOL. I am sure that Way will get it to me as quickly as he is able to. If I don't get the tracking number by EOB tomorrow, I'll shoot him an email and see if he has any information for me.

On the upside, I'll have my grill badge from GoBadges tomorrow when I get home.

 

My husband, who installed said intake, will not admit that she has more punch. It just has to be enough that I know it does!!!!! Sometimes...grrrrr...maybe he's jealous

 

hi murdoc,

here's the deal as i understand it. if your supplier carries the ddmworks intake in inventory, you're all set. if they rely on ddm works to drop ship, you're in the same boat as moi.
ddmworks is currently out of stock and they are waiting for their metalwork supplier/subcontractor to produce another run of air boxes & lids. when i last spoke with them ,they were thinking anywhere from a week or two and maybe more but were doing everything they could to speed up the process for existing sales.

k

 

I think the only reason I got mine last week was that they had shipped me the wrong intake and wanted to make it right. However - I called them as well and they told me the same - it was fabrication of the box. They did tell me the first production order was all sold so if you want it get your order in now as they will eat up the inital stock with backorders. I know you are anxious but it will be worth the wait. If you aren't in a hurry - order through Outmotoring or one of the other vendors that give you a NAM discount. Mine was $235 shipped from Outmotoring. They do the dropship from DDM though.

 

Beautiful Mini. Where did you get the top and bottom grill?

 

Euells, pardon me if this is an ignorant question, but does the torque arm bushing also help if you have a auto transmission?? (blush) don't know much about this stuff, but I am learning...love my DDM, too! Thanks!

 

it should give most of the same advantages to either manual or automatic transmissions- ie- quicker, more positive shifts,and a subjectively more "connected" feel to the car

k

 

^ Thanks! I actually emailed Waymotorworks, and got a response about a nanosecond later Gonna do it!!!!

 

*knock*,*knock*...

who's there?

ups with my ddm intake (very kewl!).



thanks all for the support, and esp to ddmworks for expediting my order .
prolly won't be able to get it fitted till the weekend. looking forward to it.

k

 

Oh, boy,oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy....jumping up and down and clapping...teehee...