I have a 2015 Countryman JCW 6M. Before I traded him in on a newer faster Mini, I spent $800 on a tune from Mario.
simple STAGE 1 (with new plugs)
IT IS EVERYTHING I EXPECTED AND WAY MORE !!!
+40ish hp
+40ish tq
FEELS LIGHTER, MORE RESONSIVE, QUICKER, FASTER!!!
and it PULLS!!! ALL THE WAY TO REDLINE!!!!
I’ll drive it till the wheels fall off now.

Mario is a true enthusiast with a gift. You can check out his media channels and see that.
HONEST AND TRULY A GOOD, CARING PERSON

 

Another overly satisfied customer here! I consider myself a picky enthusiast when it comes to upgrades and maintenance. I have lost count on how many custom tunes my fleet has had over the years. But this is my first Mini. 2011 MCS 6M. I went with Mario's RPM stage 2 and couldn't be happier. The car is actually faster than I thought it would be. I was hesitant to do this for the simple fact that I have never driven or driven in another flashed Mini. All the R56's I sat in were stock. There were 2 main reasons I went with custom tuning. First, I did not want CEL issues with my downpipe of choice. And secondly, I feel these cars run way too high ECT and custom tuning was the only way I found to lower temps. I had replaced the entire cooling system and wanted to ensure high heat would not be a failure point in the future. I had the JB+ and pedal tuner. I did this because initially I could not bring myself to deal with the down time and cost of ECU tuning. The pedal tuner made more of a difference to me than the JB+. If I'm honest, I'm not sure I noticed a single thing with just the JB+. It was less than 30 mins of drive time that I had instant regret of the purchase. I went with BMS because of the success I had using JB4 on my 2012 550i, but not an option for Minis.

his car is intended to last our family of 7 until the wheels fall off. I drive it, so does my wife and 16 year old daughter. My son gets his permit next week and will also drive this car. So reliability and drivability are really high on the list. I know i know.... reliability and Mini Cooper don't belong in the same sentence in many cases. But I do my own wrenching, and more often than not, one or more of my kids are in the garage with me. If I had nothing to work on, there would be far less bonding and teaching opportunities with my kids! Knowing i was going to do these upgrades, it left a few choices for who was going to earn my business. Without naming other vendors, I did reach out to 3 of them Mario included, and the customer service was not there. Remember I stated I was a picky customer. The other 2 options could not be bothered with my general inquires and how the process would affect me and my car. Not only is Mario's response time light years ahead of the other 2, but his response info was so perfectly written. Its like I was asking the wrong questions, but he knew how to answer me any how. And what could not be resolved via text, he initiated phone calls for further clarification. Its rare that I am eager to spend this kind of cash on what seems to be a meaningless reward to most drivers on the road today. And in my years of tuning I often experienced "buyers remorse" on various purchases. This is not the case with Mario. My only regret is not doing sooner and doing this from the jump instead of trying to convince myself I could use other plug in options. They never worked in the past, but I guess I still had to be certain, ha.

Thanks Mario!

 

I was having a huge performance upgrade done to my 2011 ClubmanS by Matrix Integrated Westside in Portland OR.
The rep at Matrix, Jarid Perry refered me to Mario for the tune.
The turnaround and shipping was super fast and easy. The performance gain is amaziong.
I love the option of using the Sport mode button to switch between daily commuting and Fun Time.
Mario has been quick to respond to my questions and has gone out of his way to make sure my tune is exactly what I needed.
I stronlgy recomend Mario for all of your Mini performance needs.
And if you are in the Portland OR area Jarid at Matrix Integrated performs Amazing work at a reasonable price.
Mario and Jarid worked together to make my Mini Purfect!

 

I was recommended to have my 2012 countryman s all4 tuned by Mario Palza by a friend of mine who also has a countryman. I sent over my dme to him, got it back very quickly so there was little down time with the car. He is super easy to talk to, very kind, and overall a great guy. I got a stage 2 tune from him, and wow it changes everything with the car. I am incredibly impressed with how much quicker it is, and it just sounds healthier over stock. If you’re thinking about sending out your ecu to another company that does it, I wouldn’t, make sure to send it to Mario. His prices are drastically more inexpensive than the big companies that charge you insane amounts for extra add ons, while his already comes with them. Overall, Mario has his stuff solid, and is an awesome guy! Thanks Mario!

-Nate S

 

Hello, I just wanted to leave a review on my stage 2 tune and spark plugs I received from Mario. Everything is great the power coming out of my mini is just amazing. It sounds better than ever and his customer service is as good as it gets. I originally came to fix my CEL from my downpipe and left with a mini that is a canyon killer. 10/10 would definitely recommend to anybody trying to make their mini faster without losing reliability

 

Sending props to Mario for a great tune/experience. He answered my email inquiry and set up a call the same day. We had a great conversation about what I wanted to accomplish with my recently purchased GP2. I went for a stage 1 tune and plugs. My ECU was turned around and back in the car in just a few days. The only thing better than Mario's communication during the process, is the tune! Turbo lag is barely noticeable now. And the car pulls strong in any gear, at any RPM. I've been grinning all morning - thanks Mario!

 

I first reached out to Mario looking far a “oem” “stage 1” tune on instagram. He responded almost instantly and we got talking. We very soon a had good and informative phone call. He’s very straight forward and professional. Now the itself is amazing. The car feels completely different in an amazing way. Boost hits and power can be felt at all times. And when it hits, it hits. I can’t wait to continue working with Mario as my mini build advances. FYI.. for those wanting a tune for your n18 but don’t want to send your ecu. Mario made it a very quick process. He overnighted it back the day he recieved it. Took 4 days feom ecu out to ecu back in. I highly recommend Mario and his services.

 

With my recent ownership of a N14 MCS, I was looking at who tuned these things (searched on the forums, and Modified R56 MINI Owners on FB). Everyone kept pointing to @MarioKart! I messaged him on Facebook on what tunes he offered, and which one he would recommend for my case. He recommended Stage 2 and he answered all the questions I had. I am beyond shocked with how great its been working with him. I had some issues with boost, and misfiring under load and he was quick to help me out and address those issues. His customer service is top notch!

With that said, I ended up acquiring a JCW Turbo second hand, so I went to a stage 3 tune (didn't get to drive much on the Stage 2 tune).

With that said, here is my mods list, and a review of stage 3.
'09 MCS N14
JCW Turbo
AEM Intake
spelabs 2.5" catless downpipe
Milltek Non-Resonated Cat-Back Exhaust (which I honestly hate, and can't wait to switch)
M7Speed - Oil Catch Can
M7Speed - Charge Pipes
wagnertuning - FMIC

I think one of my favorite features of this tune is the sport button (over boost). When sport button is off, it makes a smudge over stock. Makes it perfect for daily driving! Not only that, I choose to have burbles as-well. With sport button off, the burbles are subtle, while sport mode on its a lil spicy and sounds like a gunshot going off haha!

Once the sport button is on, its a whole different animal! Its shocking in terms of performance and how much it pulls. The powerband is well balanced, the drivability is so nice! The smile this car gives me is unreal, genuinely smiles per gallon!

I think my favorite part of the tune is the coolant temp adjustments. Its nuts how these engine stock run around 220-225*C, with his tune it now sits cozy around 190*C. (I am sure those pesky plastic cooling system pieces will be a bit happier)

Lastly I do want to mention, I let my dad drive my R56 (He has a R57 MCS), and the first thing he told me once he got back is (I need a downpipe and tune, this is the most fun I have had driving a R5X MCS).

In conclusion, it might be slightly expensive for his tunes. Trust me, its worth the investment and Mario cares about his customers!

Looking forward to work with you more!

Thank you again.

 

Mario, thanks so much for the Stage 2 tune! The straight Stage 2 with the overboost option has me doing pulls everywhere—it's been incredible. Running the PLM 200 catted downpipe, K&N intake, and an eBay intercooler, and I’m having the time of my life driving this thing around! Also, appreciate the candy—thanks again, brother!

 

Hi Guys,

I wanted to take the time & provide my experience with Mario's RPM Stage 3 Tune on my Mini Cooper JCW R57.

I had my Mini Cooper JCW tuned here locally in Sydney Australia. My experience was not that great. I took the car back several times because the guys could not get the tune right & the car kept going into limp mode. At the end they fixed the limp mode issue but I did notice a power drop.
I did some research on the net & read the great reviews on Mario's RPM tune. I decided to ping Mario & have a chat with him about my modifications to date & his recommendations for a tune. At the end, I decided to go with the RPM tune & we settled a Stage 3 tune was the way to go with all the mods I had to date.
Mario shipped out the Alientech OBD2 Bluetooth/Wi-Fi power gate module & colder spark plugs that I opted in to purchase from Mario. The kit it arrived within a few days. & was able to back-up/flash my car with my mobile phone. It was so much easier than using the laptop that I was required to use on my Audi's remote tune.

All I can say is wow ! The tune turned my R57 JCW into a little beast. The driving experience is amazing. With the power button off, its a daily drive with standard power. As soon as I hit that button, the car power is of the charts & ready for the track :-).

Thanks for your excellent work Mario !!!

 

Hello everyone,
Just wanted to add to Mario's awesomeness reputation. I recently reached out to him about a Stage 1 tune and he was very prompt, professional and courteous. Even though I just purchased my Coupe 6 months ago, I felt it was lacking something in the power department and just was shifting incorrectly. It had a JCW factory tune installed from the previous owner and I knew if anyone could help me, it would be Mario. Once contacted, he took the time out to reach to me over the phone, listen to my needs and concerns and then setup an appointment to get my ECU read. Then the next day the tune was ready to be installed. In all it was almost like 24 hours. Now my coupe is such a pleasure to drive, like it should. No more jarring shift points, or high temps. Just pure silky smoothness, smooth linear delivery and gobs of power when you need it and don't forget about the loud pops and bangs of pure enjoyment. Just brings that little kid grin to my face when I plop down behind the wheel and know my Mini will perform.
Thank you Mario!

 

I just got my tune from Mario installed and this car has never run this good. The mid range power comes on like a freight train. And normal driving is way smoother than it ever was stock. It even idles smoother. Mario is definitely a car guy, you can tell he has a passion for it and not just in it to sell parts. I had some minor issues unrelated to the tune and Mario jumped right in to help troubleshoot the issue.

 

How do you get a hold of Mario?

I've googled a bunch and can't find a website.....

 

Tell him Fred referred you to him

Mario Palza
805-746-2666

https://www.instagram.com/mqubed_motorsport/?hl=en

 

New to Mini here. Bought an R56 about 3 weeks ago that was setup for autocross. Came with an aftermarket turbo and RaceChip+ piggy back tune setup on it when I got it. Seller was super cool and knowledgeable and the only complaints I had where I felt there was more on the table and that that tuning setup that was on the car was kinda finicky. Just for reference I've never went European but I have owned a couple supercharged V8's that were tuned and my old S2000 also had a tune so I kinda had an idea what to expect. Gentleman who sold me the Mini recommended Mario and said he wished he had used him. I got Marios contact info and reached out to him, within an hour I got a reply on a weekend even though Mario was busy at an event. I read through all the reviews and now after working with Mario I can confirm all the high praise is definitely warranted!

We opted for the Stage 3 tune since all I was missing was the Carbon Fiber cold air intake Mario recommends. I also went with the torque arm inserts as per Marios recommendation since the extra power could induce torque steer. Let me be clear Mario wasn't pushy or trying to sell me extra stuff, I actually oped for his brand new NGK spark plugs despite the Mini already had NGK's in it but just to paint a picture im kinda particular.

Ok so just got back from my first drive with the Stage 3 tune and all I can say is wow. This thing is a little rocket now, it's kinda ubeleviable and I found myself just laughing pull after pull! Id say Marios estimate of 265hp to the front wheels is about dead on accurate if my butt dyno is calibrated correctly. With the old tuning setup it was intermittent when it wanted to participate and the turbo just wasn't impressive despite being aftermarket. Now it is extremely impressive and im kind of in disbelief how smooth it runs and the way it builds power man I just couldn't have asked for it to be setup better. Absolutely recommend using Mario if you're looking fora. tune and can confirm Stage 3 is worth every penny!

Would use again over and over. I should also clarify I did also opt for the power gate for ease of tuning since I live in Hawaii. The device is neat and nice as I didn't need to upload anything to a PC like other tunes ive done via email. Just plug in the power gate and use the app on your phone and thats it.

I am already itching to go out and drive the Mini again today, thanks Mario I don't think I would have kept the car very long the way it was setup before but now I can confirm its staying a while as it offers a ton of performance and fun while still being very easily to drive and have the Mini act almost as a daily so I can drive it even more. Absolutely stoked.

 

I wanted to jump on here quick to show my appreciation for Mario, his customer service goes unmatched and is always happy to answer a text at any hour.

now for my stage 2 tune, I completed the supporting mods he recommended and I installed the ecu after the tune…. What a difference on throttle response, low power and torque . The car spins into 3rd gear and is a blast to drive. It now makes my previous cooper s look like a base model. I am over the moon happy with everything Mario had to offer!

 

If it wasn't for forums like this one and some others I would never have discovered Mario Palza. But im sure glad I did. He has such a huge reputation in the mini world and for good reason. His customer service is unmatched. He is super informative and easy to talk to along with just downright knowing what he's doing. He offers alot of different options be it tuning, how they perform, and how they get to you and your mini. Worth every penny. As I worked up to it with my supporting mods I kept doing my research on what was next and it was a no brainer. Mariokart!!! Stage 2 tune brought the car to life, simple as that. Sent my ecu out Monday morning from Massachusetts and got it back from California Thursday morning, pretty good turn around time if you ask me and I couldn't be happier with it. Contact the man, you'll also be happy you did.

 

Just got my ecu back from having MarioKart do stage 2 with the sport button option on it. If you on the fence about having it done stop waiting! The car is running better and the power increase feels great. The option to run the car as normal is nice to avoid unwanted attention. Mario is quick to reply, this is my first tune and he spent a lot of time answering questions even prior to me purchasing from him. Shipping was super fast. If I ever need another one done I wouldn't hesitated. Thanks MarioKart!

 

if your thinking about getting a tune from mario stop thinking about it and just do it !
his tune genuinely transformed my car i’ve noticed more low end torque, quicker in the top end and just has a smoother RPM band,

 

1000 mile review. I’ll keep it short and sweet. I have 2 mini’s a 2007 s and a 2009 s I bought these cars for my 100 round trip every day to work. After my commute changed I decided to make the 2009 more of a fun car. In my search for a tune it was clear there was really only one option. Mario was the clear option for the tune/plugs. I reached out to Mario on Facebook and with in a week I had the refreshed ECU in my hand. Mario was fast and now so it my car. I will not hesitate to continually support Mario for all my minis.

 

Dam this is an old add thread, but glad I found it. I went with mario and his tunes, some pieces and whatnot, but rhe car is a different animal now! Best part is he's always willing to talk cars and answer questions, form oil to octane ratings and whats best for the car. And as much as I bugged him with dumb questions he was just there to talk cars. The tune is unbelievable, but he's a good dude which makes it more worth while

 

I bought a 2010 R56 last year for commuting. Ended up needing a lot of work, including a new engine... I ended up not needed to commute anymore so I decided to have some fun. After replacing the engine the car was so fun, but I knew I wanted more. I reached out to Mario and it all got better from there! Mario is quick to communicate and really wants to know your goals so he can recommend the right path, which is rare in the world of "buy this" or "buy that" and you get nothing out of it. Mario just wants to share his passion and it shows!

I knew I wanted to make more power but wasn't sure just what though, I also needed a new downpipe. After talking to Mario it was clear, we were going stage 2! It took a little time to install parts, but last night I finished up and damn, this car is way more fun now! This car a truly amazing now!

I will always recommend Mario for mini work!

 

I recently bought a 2009 JCW Clubman with 74k miles on it. I had to take the front of the car apart to fix some oil leaks. While I had it apart I figured I would do some upgrades. That’s when I found Mario. He was very helpful and patient. I bought a stage II kit from him. It was real easy to install. I have been driving it for 2 months with the kit and it is a blast to drive. It really rips. I absolutely love it. 5 stars.

 

Hello everyone,


I've purchased the JB+ N18 back on Jan 12, 2025. I installed it per the instructions once received and got to testing. I noticed that the boost pressure is like stock. I checked the dial to make sure it’s at 100%. Removed it and ran the car stock which boosted over 13 PSI then I installed it again with different settings on the dial with 50 60 70 80 and 90% settings to check any differences. With the JB+ installed, the boost pressure does not go over 13 PSI and just stay in the 12’s. Been testing this for almost 2 weeks now. Not sure if I had received a defective part. Car has no check engine light.
Car mods below:

2014 r55 clubman s
Cold air intake
Upgraded charge pipe and upgraded fmic
Turbo smart 50/50 bov
1422 plugs gapped at 0.6mm
2.5in full catback exhaust

I finally decided to go with stage 2, I just need get a dp which I did and contacted Mario. I sent out the DME once Mario received it, the DME shipped out the next day. I received the package yesterday with free goodies. I should have gone straight to full ECU tune to begin with, Mario is a magician. It’s a different car now. I’m seeing 20 psi peak boost with the stock turbo. The next step would be a JCW turbo or something comparable. Thanks brother.