My 05 mcs recently hit 40,000 miles and although after 3.5 years of ownership is still a very fun car to drive, it has also become very familiar. Subtle annoyances include that vague feel between the clutch release and engine engage (in other words, that feeling that you have depressed the gas, the perception that the engine is revving, and you are disengaging the clutch, yet the car is doing very little) versus say the feeling one might get by doing the same in a 400 hp car (and yes, I understand the numerous reasons why one feels this in a Mini - hang with me, afterall this thread is entitled, "Thoughs on modifying..." I've also grown so accustomed to the car that lately it feels like it makes more noise than power (in other words, hear me roar - oh I'm getting passed by a Volvo!) I'm frustrated that I have a cravenspeed shortshifter and it despite the lowest setting, just feels like I have clunkier shift experience rather than a nice notchy, precise short shift experience. Then of course there is all the squeaking from the dashboard, the crappy non leather seats that seem to get stained just by looking at them, the interior that tells me BMW made it, but looks and feels like VW copied it (all of which I've resolved as the RAW driving experience that is MINI - afterall, it's not my former 330ci or 987 boxster).

Some may recall that I had minor upgrades (pulley, belt, plugs, springs) sitting in my garage awaiting installation which were stolen during a break in. Historically I have not been timid when it comes to (over) modifying my vehicles - I owned a 2003 New Beetle (non turbo) that I dumped thousands into to make it ride and sound more fun, but it remained a turtle; a 1999 CBR f4 with custom paint and bodywork, etc etc. And, since the theft last year, I've been planning to repurchase the parts and slowly make my mcs more "dialed in" And, I've been one since purchasing my mcs that exclaimed I'd keep the car for years and years (modified or unmodified) - maybe I feel this way because its unique with the AC Schnitzer body kit, interior, exhaust. However, lately I've started to be a little more practical and it makes me wonder, does this mean I'm not in love with my mcs anymore? Is it just another car now that makes me think, why would I invest $2500ish ($800 for R/I SC pulley with parts and engine tune; $1200ish for R/I & part: springs, shox, rear sway bar; $500-600 add'l misc: alta PSR, adj rear control arms, powerflex bushings, etc) and that wouldn't be re-couped in an accident or sale? Naturally, I could swing some low key mods (pulley, plugs, springs) for under a $1000k - but this is about recognizing that the car really needs to be dialed in to be what most of us really want or expect from it and why just do it half way, only to be still dissatisfied. Which leads me back to that dilemma - am I just not into the mcs anymore? Is it worrisome that I think, well sure it'd be a fun and unique car to keep in the garage, but as for spending $2500, that's either a downpayment (either with or without mcs trade in) towards something already "dialed in" a bit better from the factory - whether it be a little bit more expensive (subaru wrx sti) or a lot more expensive (bmw m3, the soon to be release m1, a 997, s4 or rs4). Is it the fear that even if the $2500 "dials the car in" it's still an mcs with cheap seats, tons of wind noise, mediocre acoustics, etc. What's going on with me????? Thoughts??????

 

Well, one of my own realized self-philosophies states that "don't try to make it something it's not."

For example, a big truck can be lowered, given slick tires and a loud exhaust, but this does not make it a dragster, it is still a truck. Econoboxes can be given big turbos, cut springs and fart cans, but they are still econoboxes. Your MCS, and mine too, could be given coilovers, cylinder heads, pullies, and the like, but that doesn't make it a race car, or even a sports car. It is still just an amazing little runabout who's trump cards are handling and a sense of theater.

 

i guess that's what it is - the bimmer and the porsche were sports cars (the boxster a little more so than the bmw, probably bc bmw has so well refined the driving experience that the 330ci just seemed luxurious). the mini isn't a sports car - its got a heritage, it looks and sounds cool, but at the core its a little car with a little engine that represents an idea more than a tangible reality. when i modded the new beetle i had no expectations it would be faster i just wanted it to look nice, sound nice (inside and out) and ride more like a sport tuned coupe. maybe i'm worried that i'd spend a chunk of money on the mcs and only really feel a mild difference and then become more unsatisfied - considering that at $2500 parts and labor, i haven't done anything to remedy the mediocre sound system or the corolla-esque interior; i haven't upgraded to jcw injectors or installed a new cam or even gone with coilovers. i mean, at this point, is it worth dumping $2000-$5000 in interior/exterior/engine/drivetrain mods to dial in a seemingly fun car to achieve what it could have been from the factory " if only..." or does it make sense to just go buy the car that comes of the lot pretty well tuned but with room to express the little scratchy mod when it comes an itching!?

maybe the real question here is do any of us mcs owners/enthusiasts really like the car as it comes from the factory? and, even after we've tweaked this or that, does it really satisfy - in other words, did we make it the car we desired or did we just make it different enough to make the driving experience newly acceptable?

 

I understand where you're coming from, I had the same epiphany with my last car; an 01 VW Jetta TDI. I had modified that car to the point where mode were becoming increasingly expensive and very much so. I had bigger turbo, bigger injectors, koni fsd's, gti seats etc etc. However at that point I realized that spending more money would still leave me with a mildly sporty economy car that would net 45+mpg no matter how I drove it. It would never be considered a "fast or quick" car, at most it could be considered a quick TDI.
With that said I feel the Mini Cooper S is a different breed. These cars really transform into a whole different animal when modified. Yes it will still be a compact fun hatchback. But performance can be upgraded tenfold compared of that of a stock Cooper S. The Mini is a great platform to build upon that is great in stock form but with plenty of capability when modified. That is one of the reasons I love these cars so much; because it's so easy to make it my own. I think most car enthusiasts like us get stale with cars we've had for a long period of time without changing anything to keep it fresh. All in all you just have to ask yourself what do you expect from your car?

 

just finished tuning a Boxster conversion yesterday.............

they put in a 3.4L Cayman S into it.......... headers GT3 throttle body etc
car put down 338whp........talk about a fun ride. I think it will own the SCCA class it's in..........He's going to need those 275 hoosiers.........lol

 

you gotta start somewhere... do the pulley, cold air, and maybe a header and you'll feel a huge gain. then the mod bug will come back

i dont even want to begin to think how much money ive "thrown away" at this car. getting close to what i payed for it!

 

Sounds like you don't want a MINI anymore. I was pretty underwhelmed with my car after I bought it. It was a stock r53, and my 1985 SAAB Turbo was faster and handled (kind of) better. Now it's got coilovers, endlinks, and some cosmetic stuff and I like it a lot more. I'll probably get exhaust and a quiet intake if I can find one, a pulley, and have it tuned. And still have under 200 whp in a car that's not particularly light for it's size. BUT, it will be fun to drive, it seems to have more character than most new cars, and you have to admit, they look pretty damn good.

Oh, and it's front wheel drive- it'll never be a sports car.

 

wow that sounds brilliantly fun! i can only imagine the perma grin on the owners face (and yours jan if you got to take it for a spin!!!!)

 

you obviously haven't ridden in a modified Mini

they wanted me to drive it..........said no way, I'll end up getting one

 

i know i still like the car - bc i stare at it after i get out of it. i look back at it after i've parked it and am walking through the parking garage. i drool a little bit if i see it in the rear view mirror (for instance when my wife is driving it and i'm in her car - but then i also may be drooling at her!).

i'm amazed at how well it rides on a long road trip (unless i'm driving the 10 west towards LA, then it gets stuck in the ruts in the road and pulls all over the place). and i was blown away at how well it handled despite being fwd, compared to my 2 previous rear wheel drive sports cars.

maybe i just need to hear more people say that enhancing the engine/drivetrain and suspension don't just tweak the car, but really change it into something masterful...enough such that one doesn't really perceive the expense as money thrown away but rather utilized to unleash the full potential and that potential is truly beautiful. which goes back to one of my earlier questions - does a good engine tune (rmw, pulley, etc) and thorough suspension change (not just a new set of springs) really make the mcs the car bmw should have released from the factory?

 

oh i'm salivating - a car like that doesn't need a radio - you just slobber to the sweet sound of the (mid) engine roaring underneath you. probably a good choice not to drive it - your wallet probably thanks you

 

[QUOTE=mach schnell;3213253]i know i still like the car - bc i stare at it after i get out of it. i look back at it after i've parked it and am walking through the parking garage. i drool a little bit if i see it in the rear view mirror (for instance when my wife is driving it and i'm in her car - but then i also may be drooling at her!).

I bought a loaded 2006 BRG MCS Convertible last year with 16K on the clock, for $19K and have spent $5K on the mods - mostly from Madness and some work by a local shop. I'm done now. I didn't do any work myself.

The car is what it is, and that's saying a lot. It is far and away better than when I bought it, and does everything the way I have heard Coopers are supposed to do. It has no rattles, leaks or anything unpleasant. I bought the car instead of a Harley MC (to please my wife) and now I am addicted. My MC-riding friends aren't impressed though.

That said, if it had another 100K on the clock, and had some of the problems you mentioned I'd buy another one like it with low miles rather than try to "re-manufacture" the car.

Just my thoughts.

 

i think your just getting to overwhelmed by the thought of spending all this money and not seeing no return like on other cars you have owned. you should just take it one small step at a time man that way you dont stress yourself out. lol

i say first start off with a 15-17% pulley and a 19mm rear sway and see how that feels... both are cheap and you should see a decent gain with both parts. then if your happy with the improvement so far you should move on to other parts like CAI, exhaust and springs.

its obvious from what you write that you still love your car so dont give up on it.

 

I think you need to figure out what it is you want first.....you buy econo boxes but you salivate over sports cars.

So why not buy what you really want? All the money you've spent modding could have gone towards what you really wanted all along.

However, I'll bet once you get it you won't be satisfied with it either. It'll get terrible mileage, ride too rough, be too loud or eat tires like candy - something.

So, I think you need to really examine what you want in your car, then go buy it. But be aware, there is no such thing as a perfect car, or one that is perfect for everything, there will always be compromises....not to mention, your tastes/needs/wants/desires will change over the years too.

Good luck!

 

i actually have a full ac schnitzer exhaust (i believe its made by remus - very nice sounding) on the car and have an alta cai with an open carbon fiber box. I imagine with a new pulley, the engine roar and intake will be even more superb. i think if i were doing the work myself, then doing add ons piece by piece would work. but, i don't have the space or tools and kinda like the idea of supporting the economy by paying people like danny at minicorsa and jan at rmw to do fine work (and since it's a bit of a drive to get to them it's easier to just do it in one big production). originally, prior to my garage theft last year, however, that was the plan - upgrade to the 15% alta pulley, brisk plugs and a set of tsw springs. then go from there. now since i need to re purchase the parts, my frame of mind is more all or nothing. ah, the dilemmas of life!