Hi everyone I'm new to this forum and the mini club. I just bought a 2006 non-s mini. It really is the most fun car I have ever driving with that said I'm already wishing I had bought an S but I did get a really good deal on what I bought. Which brings me to my question if anyone can recommend some good bang for your buck performance mods to start with I would be very grateful.I'd like to get started asap.thanks everyone

 

If you go off and dump a ton of money into power adders you'll have been better off having just paid more for an S (a friend just got a high miles 2006 JCW for under $4k). So my recommendation is suspension, brakes and tires.

Urathane bushings
Koni FSR
H&R Springs
Adjustable stiffer rear Sway Bar
EBC Dimpled/slotted rotors
Akebono pads
Conti Extreme Contact DWS tires

That's the list of stuff on my 2006 R53 (regular S) that I've been super happy with compared to my mother in laws 2003 R53 which is pretty much bone stock.

~Mitch

 

Thanks mitch could i put a turbo on what i have now

 

I know this thread is old, but for the cost of doing all the mods, would you be creating a turbo R50 just to be different?

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...turbo-r50.html

By the time you're done with it, you might be at what you'd have paid for a nicely appointed R53. To each their own. Also depends what you want to do with the car. After owning my my R53 for 3 years, this year I took it to the track 3 times, and now I'm hooked on that. And for driving at PIR in Portland, I concluded I don't *need* power adders, I need to drive better I was just talking to a friend this evening who has a very similarly set up R53 to mine but is getting around the track about 5 seconds faster than me.

Your R50 will be great for handling windy roads, not so much for beating GTI's from stop light to stop light

~Mitch

 

That makes sense man like i said i pretty much bought the car for my wife and feel in love so you're are definitely right if I had known then what I now I would have bought a Cooper s but yeah is there anything I can do to make it shift a little faster then work on the suspension

 

That makes sense man like i said i pretty much bought the car for my wife and feel in love so you're are definitely right if I had known then what I now I would have bought a Cooper s but yeah is there anything I can do to make it shift a little faster then work on the suspension

 

I just read that thread and yeah that's out of my league you're right I appreciate it brother thanks for getting back with me

 

I must have missed in your first post that you bought the car for your wife. That's even better! That means you can do some upgrades to this car, then when she's like WTF get your own, you get yourself an S or JCW

~Mitch

 

Actually brother you didn't miss that post I wrote that on the mini Mania page but yeah that's exactly what I was thinking you know how it is I just wanted to go fast now LOL I will probably end up just doing cosmetic upgrades with this car maybe a few bolt on performance things but that's it I really appreciate the help man if you can think of any sites that are good to get parts cheap please let me know used or otherwise you seem to really know your stuff thank you for sharing your knowledge tricks of the trade

 

It all started with me borrowing my mother in laws 2003 R53 every time we went up to visit. I lucked out when I started looking for one of my own by finding a used one modified my a real enthusiast who is older and a scientist. So I have amazing records of what was done to my car and when.

Depending on how you drive and what you want to spend the suspension mods are worth it. My R53 drives WAAAAY better than my mother in laws. It's actually kind of amazing.

 

so how much are we talking for the suspension modifications I really didn't have a price in my head if everything was going good I would just keep going thanks

 

Can you do your own labor?

https://www.waymotorworks.com/02-06-...ng/suspension/

https://www.waymotorworks.com/h-r-sp...s-r50-r53.html

https://www.waymotorworks.com/powerf...0-r52-r53.html

https://www.waymotorworks.com/koni-fsd-shocks.html

https://www.waymotorworks.com/wmw-rear-sway-bar.html

Probably $1500ish in parts.

 

From one Justa-Cooper owner to another. You have a great car. Ignore the "shudda got an S" comments. Those comments only take bhp out of your car - like 2 bhp per comment. Justsayin... not helpful.


First off, your Justa starts out about 200 pounds lighter then an S - this is good. Less weight is great. You have the Getrag 5 speed so you can, if you so choose, get 160hp without getting a new transmission. This is also good. My super accurate reading from the Buttdyno I use, it never lies, says that even after 145k all 15hp or so that was lost over time, have returned after the intake and exhaust mods - aFe short ram cold-ish air intake and Megan Racing Justa Cooper exhaust. What these do is make the car sound like a racecar - which is AWESOME. The best mods you can make have been mostly addressed above - suspension and tires. Find the lightest wheels that you can get. 15 pounds or less. It makes a HUGE difference.


I also have the Megan Racing coil over adjustable suspension all around. I really like it though many out there will tell you to get BC set as they are made in the same factory but they use higher quality parts - and they cost a lot more. The first part there I am not so sure about the second part I am certain.


Better brakes rotors and pads are also great value and adds performance as well - if done right, shorter stopping distances and less fade.


Exhaust - I really love mine - it is fairly loud but it has a nice tone.
http://www.meganracing.com/products/...d=202&catid=15


suspension - l like them even though there is some spring binding on the front right side.
http://www.meganracing.com/product_d...2142&catid=105


afe - this one is AWESOME - massive intake rasp at full throttle! I got mine for - no joke $109 - you can find them for way less elsewhere.
https://afepower.com/products/induct...year=2002-2006


Hope this helps!

 

thanks a lot for the very informative post the only thing is that I have the 6-speed automatic but I really do like it Four Winds would you recommend the 15s or something bigger I do like the look of a bigger Rim tucked up in the fender I do really appreciate all the recommendations and I do think that is the best way to go working on the suspension and cosmetic stuff will be the way I go if there's anyway you guys could give me some recommendations on size rims Brands and tires it would be greatly appreciated I am really glad to get a car that has such a helpful community and like I said before it really is most fun car I've ever driven thanks again everyone keep the recommendations, coming I really love this

 

http://949racing.com/15x6-6UL.aspx


If you are going to go with 15. They have 10.6 pound wheels at a reasonable price. I do not believe that they are intended to be used on the street though.


I'd go with a 205/50-15 or 195/50-15 for the tires.
I use the Tire Rack for the reviews and selection then try to find the tires locally and haggle a better price with the local tire dealer. Usually works out well for everyone.

 

That's a great tip for the tires i like it i was wanting a bigger Rim i was looking at 17s cause I'm not going to be racing on an official track they just don't have any close to me that i know of so i just wanted to be able to have fun on back roads and look good at the same time will a bigger Rim work or should i be looking at 15s

 

I wouldn't go with 17's unless you can get them really light. The larger rim will cause a shorter sidewall which will in turn make for a more harsh ride. For our Justa's, 16 is as big as I would ever go. They can still be had for reasonable amounts of money and reasonably light. Again, weight is our biggest enemy. I have a set of 16x7 Pannasports that I got from a friend for a very good deal. They are reasonably light about 18 to 19 pounds each without tires. The factory 17x7 inch S-Lites for the MINI are 25 pounds each without tires on them. A good set of sticky tires will weigh about 18 to 22 pounds. 15 inch wheels are abundant if you are looking for race wheels thanks to the popularity of Spec Miata racing. However, your best bet for variety is probably going to be in the 16 inch range. I wouldn't go wider than 7 inches. Weight is also our best ally. You will come to a point of diminishing returns the wider your tire as there is not enough weight on them - too big of a contact patch for the amount of weight of the car, unless you go with R-compound tires made for the track. You should look for tread wear ratings from 200 to 240 range and they will be sticky enough for the back roads of you go with 16x7. I have yet to completely break free with my Yokohama Advan V105 Sport in 205/55-16 (more choices in 205/55 than 205/50 range). This also gives you a slightly taller sidewall, which KIND OF makes for a softer ride. Not much but a noticeable difference from my last set of summer tires that were 205/50-16. The summer tires are for just that SUMMER USE ONLY. They will work okay when it gets cold but really should be used at temps higher than 45 degrees F. So late spring and early fall is okay, too.


Your biggest hump to overcome is the automatic transmission. It's not all that good. May be better than the Midlands 5-speed that I have but not by much - it could be worse as well - I don't have much knowledge on the 2006 autos. Like Collin Chapman said or has been given credit for saying - Add lightness and simplify...


...or was it Simplify and add lightness... either way, keep it simple and keep it light and you can't go wrong.
Craig