So I ran my second autocross on the 29th, and I'm really darn pleased with the results. I ran g-stock, even though my car has a "filter on a stick" which technically would place me in STX, but who'se going to complain...

Best time of day was a 29.2, and I was running a best of 32.4, which I can't complain about which placed me in third for GS out of 7 cars. I run stock everything, even my daily driving summer tires which are Hankook K104's. I want to get some tires dedicated for auto-x just so I don't have to rip up my DD tires, but I'm wondering if I should even bother going for a R-comp or not? I'd like to stay very budget minded, so Hoosiers are out of the question. Right now I'm just trying to locate some cheap wheels, and the tires will come later. So, should I get r-comps, or use another set of nice street tires (Azenis) and spend my mod money elsewhere?

 

Stick with Street Tires for your first season. R-comps will mask alot of beginner mistakes. Just concentrate on getting more seat time, getting smooth. So when you do transition to those stickies you can enjoy and get the most out of them.

If you must mod (I certainly can understand this), to remain in G-Stock you can do a Cat-Back exhaust, and some Koni's.
Also, I don't know what year S you have, but on the 05's up there is a small amount on alignment adjustment that you can benefit from.

 

whats this alignment adjustment you speak of, my wife might want us to implement those changes on hers. . .

 

Cutting out a lot of the toe-in is pretty much it. (Search around, for an autox alignment, a lot of people suggestion 0 or even a bit of toe-out up front, and 0 or a little toe-in in the rear.) Rear camber is adjustable but that can't make a whole lot of dif - you want to change front camber (specifically - add a lot of it).

Max, this thread is just like the one I made in the SM forum

But I have a few more events under my belt. I'm still thinking that going with just some max perf. street tires is the way to go. Either Azenis, or Hankook makes a nice max perf. tire too. R-comps definitely aren't "budget," and we probably wouldn't be getting the most out of them anyways. My $.02

 

First, if you don't own your own helmet, spend the money there.

 

Very true, helmet is something I MUST buy. Borrowed helmets for my first two events. All in all, I'm not worried about not staying stock. It doesn't bother me if I have to run in STX or SM, because if I do some suspension mods, I want to do it the way I want it the first time around. I don't want to go to springs and nice shocks if I think I'm going to end up doing coilovers down the road. Springs and stock shocks perhaps, because springs are cheap.

RedSkunk- what on your car is pushing you into SM? I'm wondering why you aren't in STX. Is it rear sway?

 

One of the first things to consider is a harness of some sort. It's legal in stock and beneficial in all classes. Having a 4 or 5 point harness will hold your torso firmly in place so you don't have to brace yourself. That allows much finer control of the steering wheel and pedals. It really makes a difference.

Harnesses are available from sub-$100 on up, and are easy to install in a MINI.

FYI, rear swaybars and most other suspension changes are allowed in STX. The most common reason a MCS gets bumped to SM is a pulley change. That's what did it for me. Otherwise I'd have one hell of an STX car. Heck, since they allow JCW cars in STX now, I don't really even have a power advantage over a current STX MCS. I just can't see spending 6K on my car now for no performance change. The little plastic tropheys aren't worth that much.

Scott
90SM

 

The things that bump me into SM:
-removing the rear cowl piece behind the CAI
-the different joints on my rear control arms
-the engine damper
-the pulley

 

RedSkunk, could you say more about the "rear cowl removal" putting you in SM? I asked here about a CAI and was told it would put me in STX. Part of the CAI is removing the cowl panel so ... now I'm confused

 

You can use a different intake in STX, up to the throttle body, but you can not modify the body to install it. That includes doing anything to the cowl. The Alta is not STX legal. Same for several of the other newer designs. I used a BMP when I was in STX. It got changed out in 2002, so there weren't a whole lot of choices then.

Scott
90SM