Hey guys. I have Jeremy almost a month now and 1400 miles in I'm loving the car more and more every time I drive it. I've done some mods: Alta CAI, Alta Hot Side Boost Tube, Whalen Shift ****, Stubby, Some black trim (although I'm not liking it, I may remove it tomoro), and a rear seat delete which isn't always on.
I was thinking for my next mod exhaust, which is a big expense for a college kid but I really want it. After deciding that I wanted it, I find myself totally in love with the stock soundtrack as I run through the gears and don't know if an Alta Catback will change that note.
I also thought about an intercooler upgrade, but I may AutoX or track the car once in a blue moon if I ever get around to it so I think that would be a waste for me.
I was also offered a short shift kit, which I'd like to pick up but I'm not sure if I am mechanically capable of doing the install. Anyone know about that instal and the tools/knowhow required?
Also, what about wheel spacers. I have the stock webspoke 17s and was going to space them, but is that safe to do? Any rubbing on a 17incher?
What should I do next?

 

personally i think you should get a FMIC, either helix or forge, depending on what you like better, it will definately help your car even if you dont autocross or go on the track, and you will feel a difference in power gain

 

Wheel spacers are safe. There may be the debate on wearing out the ball joints and bearings quicker but it's negligible. I think spacers always look better for people using coilovers so the edge of their tires line up with the wheel arches a lot better. They might make your un-lowered car look a bit odd.

Riss Racing cat-back. There is a great group buy on it right now!

I still vouch for an FMIC but a new exhaust is more noticeable in my opinion. There is definitely a lot of restriction on a stock R56's exhaust!

 

i'd say exhaust...get additional power with added sound.....then do fmic

 

Spacers are great, I have the 15mm no probs and look cool. If I had it to do again I would get the 25mm, but thats just how I am.

Exhaust or FMIC. You know I actually think you will get around the same power increase from both. The exhaust will make your car more crispy (climb the rpm's quicker), but I think you will notice a huge gain from the FMIC (tons of torque). I did my FMIC before my exhaust and love them both.

 

I also was recently looking at the Alta ECU Tune, which is about the same as an exhaust or intercooler. From the graphs it seems to yield more of a power increase, but that would be at a decent MPG expense as well no?
I think I am going to go the exhaust route in the end, but I'm waiting for a $400 check from my school and I have an M7 Front Splitter for sale. Until those give me some income I'm not gonna pull the trigger.

 

Suspension mods where my first choice - Making the car handle better is something you can use and enjoy everyday.
The rear sway bar is tops on most peoples list.

 

Hmm that's a good idea

 

 

I chose a rear sway bar as my next mod. After that I think I'll do a tad bit of cosmetic stuff. I bough a pair of regular cooper side scuttles and I'll probably get a set of 15mm wheel spacers as well. Should both make a low cost mod with some big impact. I might lower it as well.
Exhaust will have to wait. Like I said I love the sound of it now so I can deal with some short horsepower for a while. The car is only a month old lol.

 

Don't touch that Alta tune! I thought they don't even sell it anymore because of all the Unichip issues? There is probably a lot of people trying to get rid of them because they were a huge failure in the market.

 

Alta is working on a new tune thats not a unichip. I'm waiting on the new one. From what I have gathered on the forum here it is going to be a hand held tuning device.

 

Yea Alta isn't even selling it, so that idea is out until further notice.

 

if you love the stock sound so much why go aftermarket at all? stick with JCWs stage 1 kit... yeah it's a bit more money but you can get just the JCW exhaust which will keep the MINI factory sound but give it a nice snarl and growl that the stock exhaust lacks, and i fyou can afford it then the Stage 1 IMHO would be right up your alley! power and sound that you'll notice.

 

Handling, stopping, power... in that order.

Granted I screwed up on the stopping part cause wheels and brakes (for what I want) is going to run me roughly $5k. But these cars are meant to be twisty cars... going all out on performance before the thing can corner like its on rails seems like a waste to me.

I went with a full suspension first .. then did my performance mods.

All thats left on my list is a tune (/sigh), brakes (brembos) and 18" wheels.
If the economy weren't in the ******* ... I would have finished all of the above months ago.

Again ... my 2 cents.