Reliability Mods
 

Can you guys provide input on what kind of mods you'd do specifically to make the car more reliable?

Thanks

Stick with your non boosted car, change the oil more often than the car tells you, run good gas, and take care of it.

Third brake light pulsar from GoMiniGo. When you hit or tap your brake, it blinks three or six times, which catches the attention of the car behind you. Helps prevent being rear ended. We have it on both cars and it really helps.

There aren't many modifications that improve reliability. As you can imagine, the manufacturer is highly motivated to produce a reliable car and invests a huge amount of money trying to do so. Most things like engine additives and magic liquids would be used by the factory if they worked.

^ from what I've seen these days, manufacturers are more into cost cutting than making things bulletproof

If you add anything that adds power you make the car that much less reliable.

Yetti is correct.

if this is all it takes, that's more than fine by me. just concerned over all the minor and not so minor reliability issues you tend to read about on a forum

You have to remember, you are coming to a forum specifically made for this vehicle, so people with problems are going to come here if they have problems. It's a bad idea to base the reliability of a car on what you see in a message board. Just take care of your car (I change my Non-S Clubman's oil every 5k-7k and use fuel injection cleaner around that same time) and just have fun and keep motoring!

They are competing needs within the manufacturer. Any manufacturer makes a high priority of cutting costs, while maintaining the long-term reputation of the product. You can be sure that many a meeting are spent trying to find that balance.

This is true enough. I would think that the mods that won't hurt your reliability should be the phrase that you are using here.

1. Drop in filter or intake
2. rear sway bar
3. exterior modification

These are the things that should still maintain reliability yet improve your driving experience. Other mods like:

1. Torque Arm Inserts
2. Short Throw Shifters
3. Lowering Springs

will certainly improve the driving experience (see my R50 mini for details) but they could compromise the longvity of certain pieces of the OEM makeup of your car. Modding is generally a trade off any way you slice it. I hope that helps. :thumbsup:

very true.

Thanks for that - I don't have any need for more power; as long as I could run the car at 10/10ths without worrying (too much) about anything, I don't care.

A few examples that came to mind when thinking about reliability mods were things like upgraded oil coolers, trans coolers, recommended drivetrain fluid weights etc. Just thought something might pop up like 'be sure to swap out the xyz, it's been known to fail at certain times' or whatever.

For example, a few things I did with the evo were headstuds, catchcan, built trans etc.

thanks for the continued input. seems the car in stock form is fairly bulletproof, and that's all i would really look for.

FYI, while the car purchase is still a few months away I'm definitely looking to run in HS so that's also a consideration -

Strut tower reinforcements.
I'm not sure if 2nd gens have mushrooming issues or if that's a first gen/MCS thing but I'm sure someone will chime in with a answer.

Probably unnecessary but a optima battery is a nice addition but I wouldn't do that until you need a new battery.

A word of caution on aftermarket drop in filters they don't tend to filter as well as stock but I doubt that over the lifetime of your car/engine that will make a difference.

Fuel injector cleaners and other products like that may do some good but you may also be wasting $6.00, I do it at every oil change in all my cars but the only affect they have that I can attest to is that it makes me feel good about doing it.

Other then that top tier gas, regular oil changes with the correct oil, routine maintenance and keep a eye on all its fluids.

No mushrooming issues on Gen 2 MINIs.

I would add gauges to the list of reliability mods. My MINI is the first car I have owned that didn't have at least a water temperature gauge. I added the ScanGauge II to my MINI and can see the Voltage, Oil Temperature, and Water temperature continuously. The following thread gives additional information on the ScanGauge II

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ge-thread.html

Morris, 2011 MC, PW/B

Yes a scangauge II or similar product is a must for knowing what's going on with your car. When I got my mini and couldn't see the engine temps, I got one the next day.

^ interesting ideas, thanks

I run my '10 in HS and wish I had gotten the sport suspension. If you are getting 15's, holies are the lightest.

Since for HS you can only change dampers from stock, you should select the stock suspension which has the firmest springs correct?

Well, I have not done a back to back standard vs sport suspension though I would love to. Logic would say: sport. I believe rear sway bar can be changed in HS. There is a racing section at the end with an SCCA HS forum.

I have driven the normal and sport suspension back to back and the sport suspension is definitely worth the extra $500 added onto the purchase price of any new mini. It's firm and compliant, without being overly jarring. I am loving the way my car rides and handles with the sport suspension. Do I wish it were lower but that's what the weekend ride is for ;)

Yup RSB and a few other minor things. rules were always fuzzy to me on what is offered on trim levels etc (why couldnt mini at least offer a mechanical???) so i'll be compiling some data. happy that at least the base coopers don't have as many issues

gotcha - i'll probably be buying a used mini, and just purchasing a set either from dealer or member when the time comes. since rules allow for a change of dampers i may just bypass getting the sport dampers to go with konis, just to skip a step.

any issues with any of the accessory belts or w/e? or interior parts/trim etc?