I am going to receive my MCS in three weeks. Can't Wait till September. I was going to order the JCW package until I found out it would cost $6,000 ($4,500 for parts and $1,500 for labor to install it)


How did you guys modify your cars? I would like to have extra horse power for half the costs of the Works package. I plan to get a pulley, intake and exhaust. Which ones did you choose and why? Is there anything else I should add? What would you add if you had to do it all over again?

Thanks,

RaceCarDriver

 

I have the Helix pulley, the madness intake and ECU is next. Still waiting on exhaust options. But then again you know this since you're my brother....

Why even ask this question, you know you're gonna go to Helix with me (and dandp?) once you break it in!

 

There are many upgrades possible for the MCS and MC
This thread gives you an idea of what we've been up to
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...mp;topic=11936

Do you want to join the $10K club?

 

>>I am going to receive my MCS in three weeks. Can't Wait till September. I was going to order the JCW package until I found out it would cost $6,000 ($4,500 for parts and $1,500 for labor to install it)
>>
>>
>>How did you guys modify your cars? I would like to have extra horse power for half the costs of the Works package. I plan to get a pulley, intake and exhaust. Which ones did you choose and why? Is there anything else I should add? What would you add if you had to do it all over again?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>RaceCarDriver

If I had to do it all over again..I'd stick w/ the M3 (stolen or not ) & the vette :smile:
I'm bout ready to start a rant..... bout electrical problems... and I'm toooooo tired to type :smile:


Peace,
D

 

Here's 3 mods (maybe $1500 installed retail) that made a HUGE difference:

 

andy you said you got about 5 whp out of the magnaflow correct? what is that in regular hp, at the crank, the one that everyone uses?

 

if you do a search you will find all kinds of goodies and recommendations.
Here's what i want to do
madness intake - done
pulley
ecu-giac or powerchip
exhaust-when a good one comes out
then maybe throttle body, shrick cam, worked head
before that i will get H-Sports, sway bar, and new rims and tires so i am getting the most out of my hp mods. Congrats on your new MCS!

 

In my signature you can see I have the 3 mods you plan on getting, most recently the exhaust.

Mini Pilo Intake: Just about $150, comparable to the Madness/Rogue intake (except that is over $200) in design. Fit and finish was excellent. The power gains are clear, the engine is relaxed on the low-end and the top end brings out the unmistakeable SC whine.

Alta Pulley: I did this during the SoCal pulley party when Randy (R. Webb Motorsport) from CO came over here since he is very experienced and it's just the best deal in the country. I believe almost all the pulleys out there are reduced by 15% (some customized 20%) and the output is all the same, the difference is in the way the pulley is installed back I believe. It made the car a lot more driveable, basically after 2k RPM, the car doesn't have any problem moving quick and it's made things a bit more linear.

Quicksilver Exhaust: The main reason for this purchase was to get a substantial gain in power, and make the sound a bit louder. While the Borla exhaust is the quietest, the HP gains aren't much (around 5whp) compared to the QS (closer to 10, sometimes more?). The Magnaflow is too loud for me, I don't mind the nice sound, but the volume is still loud. The QS is somewhere in between these guys, with decent HP gains (I can easily feel the change) and a tone that is very refined. It is also one of the lightest exhausts at around 21 pounds while the hideous looking stock system is 50. The only problem is it's expensive at about $800, luckily for me I got it at a great price from a GB, or else I wouldn't have had it yet.

These 3 mods are going all together quite well in my opinion. Next I'm looking to get some nice wheels and tires as those will surely put a nice smile on my face and improve the ride from the bumpy runflats.

 

>>andy you said you got about 5 whp out of the magnaflow correct? what is that in regular hp, at the crank, the one that everyone uses?

Maybe 6 hp at the crank, and the only significant gains were from 6k on up.

 

d-mini-ero

Sorry to hear about your Mini problems, but the main reason I going for the MCS instead of buying another M3 is...

1. I've always wanted one
2. It's not cool going to all these Mini meets in a vette
3. What am I going to drive in these harsh (recently) New Jersey winters.
4. What car do I take to the JETS and Yankees' games.
5. A new M3 would just get stolen again.
6. The next generation M3 will have a 8 cylinder engine.

Looking forward to joining the Mini family.

RaceCarDriver

 

Thanks for the info Andy. That seems the way to go. My brother (Greatgro) has the pulley in and intake and said it makes a world of difference.

RaceCarDriver.

 

>>d-mini-ero
>>
>>Sorry to hear about your Mini problems, but the main reason I going for the MCS instead of buying another M3 is...
>>
>>1. I've always wanted one
>>2. It's not cool going to all these Mini meets in a vette
>>3. What am I going to drive in these harsh (recently) New Jersey winters.
>>4. What car do I take to the JETS and Yankees' games.
>>5. A new M3 would just get stolen again.
>>6. The next generation M3 will have a 8 cylinder engine.
>>
>>Looking forward to joining the Mini family.
>>
>>RaceCarDriver

Just to share what I have on my mcs
-powerchip ecu re-map
-helix pulley
-borla street exhaust
-madness air intake
-madness rear sway bar
-tenzo rims and toyo proxy t1s tires215/45-17
-whalen shift ****
plus cosmetic stuff......

makes a real diff..


peace,
d

 

my mods:
smaller pulley
ecu upgrade
cold air intake
borla sport cat back ehaust
short shifter with sparco shift ****
iridium spark plugs
performance ignition wires
brembo brakes (red)

And I am not done yet

 

>>my mods:
>>smaller pulley
>>ecu upgrade
>>cold air intake
>>borla sport cat back ehaust
>>short shifter with sparco shift ****
>>iridium spark plugs
>>performance ignition wires
>>brembo brakes (red)
>>
>>And I am not done yet
You forgot to mention your very nice full audio/video system.
I have xtant also! Great amp, I like it alot.

 

This is true. Xtant is the best.

 

My Mods
And still some others. I can't keep up.

I installed a Helix pulley last week. This thing is incredible. I think next will be a Sparco seat.

It's a fun car to mod.

 

>>Do you want to join the $10K club?

What $10k club?!?

 

You can get the pulley installed for $400 these days and if you can do the work yourself you can get the exhaust and intake done for well under $1000 more. That's what I did and I love it!
I drove the JCW and it feels smooth, but by no means faster than mine with the mods.
With the ECU added to the pulley intake and exhaust, you can kick the JCW's butt, but IMO, wait to do the ECU until the prices come down. You can get the ECU modded on almost any other car for 3 to 400 bucks. The MINI should be the same $ after some of the newness wears off.

_________________
[img]albums/album25/ama.gif[/img]VinceAndJessica.com
Alta pulley, Stebro exhaust, Pipercross intake, Progress rear anti-sway bar.

 

>>My Mods
>>And still some others. I can't keep up.

Nice web page. Wheres the Duct tape mod for 5 HP more power?
On your site I especially liked "How to tell if your *** is too small"



$10K club? Yup. Thats for us crazys who have plunked down more than $10,000 in mods for our MINIs.
Nuts eh? Not really. Wait till you drive one and you will see we have not been sitting around twiddling our thumbs.
Go back up and check that thread I posted.wink:
_________________
ALOHA :