HI all,

After reading all these post, I am pretty sure as my first mod to be the pulley one.

The one I picked as my #1 choice is the $199 Way 15% package.

http://www.waymotorworks.com/wmw-pulley-package.html

Kit includes:
1 WMW pulley 15%
1 Detroit Tuned tensioner stop
4 NGK spark plugs, cooler for pulley
1 Drive belt for pulley

Also recommend to do the Powerflex Supercharger Belt Damper Polyurethane Bushing, I won't get charged extra for labor.
http://www.waymotorworks.com/powerfl...e-bushing.html

I got a quote from a local shop for $98 X 4 hours.

Is there anything else that I should throw in since the shop has the car all in pieces? My current mileage is very close 50k. I probably do this around 55-60k, which is not far away since this car is a daily commuter car.

$199 + $42.95 = 241.95
Shipping 15.00
Labor 424.83
total $681.78 = fun

 

Good choice for first mod. Best bang for buck.

But here is where I cringe. Labor costs. Luckily for me labor is cheap in my country, and I do most of my installs.

Just so you get an idea: custom exhaust welding and bending (minus mufflers/resonators obviously) around $60

Pulley install $90 (but did it myself anyways).

Either way, you'll be very happy with those first mods. Enjoy

 

My first mod as well, good choice. This was the first DIY mod for me with my Mini, it was not hard and only took a few hours.

Check your upper motor mount, this is one more thing you can do while all is apart.

 

Fuze,

Have you checked w/ Helix? I believe they have a standard rate of $385 parts, labor, and tax.

If you buy the intake from Helix...it is free installation at the same time that you do your pulley there?

www.helix13.com

-Click on Shop/ Installations

-Scroll down to Rates

I have plans to do the pulley in September but I'm saving up for my biggest MOD...R60 MCSa ALL4 Countryman.

 

wtf? lol, i did the labor myself (as a 17 year old) its not hard at all, just rent a pulley puller and follow the instructions. (his should come with some, if not alta has instruction booklets downloadable on there website for there pulley, its all the same thing though, so there instructions will work for any pulley)
if you have a service jack, some jack stands, a 2x6 and some free time, go for it. If you do the labor yourself it will mean that much more to you.

 

Hmm the Helix deal sounds good, would save me about $56 dollars in labor but it looks like Helix parts cost more plus I have to drive to Penn. A 2 1/2 hour drive is not too bad in the Mini, but it seems like they don't like to work on Saturdays.

I was thinking about swaping to the JCW intake because I don't want the noise in the cabin. Maybe down the line using the Stratmosphere Catback for the lower noise levels. From youtube and others it sounds not as loud as the others.

The Mini is a daily driver (60 miles daily) and only car, plus I am an apartment dweller in a pretty busy neighborhood in NYC. There is not much choices on location for working on the car, or going to get unexpected replacement parts. The parking garage doesn't allow of that type of work, either. I wish I can tinker around with it, but too much of hassle without a driveway.

 

4 hrs seems high. My local dealer charged me 1.5 hrs for pulley, belt, tensioner stop. Plus .25 hrs for plugs.

 

next, do some front camber plates, and a 19mm rear bar. Then save all your pennies and do a head. Exhausts and intakes are not cheap, and the two together will be a very larger percentage of a head.

Matt

 

Fuze,

Why don't you do a one-ball mod?

 

You misunderstood the Helix price. It was stated that it was about $385 out the door. That is with parts, labor, and tax included. You'd save $296.58. For the money you save you could buy a CAI (and have Helix install it for free at the time of pulley), and have a local muffler shop One-ball your exhaust.

 

Stay away from the tensioner damper bushings from Powerflex.....they are failing left and right and really don't add any benefit.

 

You've got a good plan there if I say so myself.

But they are correct for the powerflex bushings, we've had a couple fail lately. I've used them for a long time but recently we've had a couple sets fail. So we are currently working with powerflex to solve this problem, or discover if it's a fluke. So do the other stuff, but pass on the bushings for now.

 

Hmm that is scary that those bushings are failing. I probably be ready in 2-3 months so maybe it clear up by then. Thanks for the tip.

 

I went back to the site, and I noticed that it did say parts included, my mistake. But from the description it looks like just the pulley part. So $265 (minus $120 pulley that they posted), just for labor and tax. It not exactly the same comparison because price doesn't include plugs and tensioner stop. Not exactly sure if those two parts are $160 more in labor. Choices... Choices.. Choices...