OK, so it looks like the OEM Aisin LSD available from Jan. 2005 is only going to cost 100 pounds Sterling (circa $170) as a factory-fitted option.

Anyone know whether it is possible & cost-effective to fit this same diff. as a dealer-installed option (we're taking delivery of our '05 MCS next week, just a little too early for the LSD option unfortunately).

As an alternative, anyone know how much the Phantom & Quaife LSDs cost and how difficult/expensive they are to install ?

I don't do much tracking or auto-x'ing, but I would like to maximize my enjoyment of the JCW kit.....is an LSD even necessary for "normal" day-to-day driving ?

 

For everyday driving a Limited Slip Differential is useless. I would never consider getting one unless I was going to use the car for competitive driving.


Getting an LSD installed after the car is produced is always costly because the transmission must be removed and disassembled to install the LSD. I do not think that anyone knows yet if the OEM LSD will be able to be retrofitted.

I believe that a Quaife unit is costing around $1500.00 installed.

 

Tom D.,
Thanks, you've significantly lessened my LSD envy and saved me mucho $ to boot. Unfortunately, I'll probably find a million-and-one other ways to "waste" money on my car. In the meantime, what about those uber-expensive Volk Racing Wheels for my next shopping trip to the mall

 

I disagree. Snow, ice and wet roads encountered during daily driving make an LSD useful. People spring for AWD or quattro all the time even if they only drive in snow 1 month out of the year or take one ski trip a year. Useful is different from practical, however.

One question I had until recently was whether the DSC and LSD would compliment each other or make each other redundant. I think that question has been answered in the recent blurb on motoringfile.com

I would not spend $1.5K on an LSD for daily driving. I know people who would. I would not.


Now, if the OEM LSD cost more than $1K, it would not be practical to get one for daily driving. If the OEM LSD costs $500 as one 'report' stated, it would be borderline practical. If the OEM LSD costs only $200 (100 pound sterling), it would be a friggin' bargain. That's the same price as a universal garage door opener or an anthracite headliner. That's less than dealer-installed driving lights or about the same as DIY driving lights. I just hope the final US price is less than $500.

 

Hi gr8britwjh,

I was curious, how do you know for certain that AISIN is the manufacturer of the L-SD being used by BMW/MINI? Do you know any details about the unit being used?

Thanks!

 

Some time ago motoringfile.com released info that the new automatic transmission on the MCS in Jan 2005 would be by AISIN.

If the LSD option is indeed only 100 pounds (this seems too little!) then that would be great. In the US that might translate into $500 which is still quite good.

LSD is useful for everyday driving if you accelerate hard out of corners and even on the straights. It helps as a mechanical back up to DSC whenever there is less than optimal traction to the two driving wheels- this may be under any circumstance that allows for loss of traction- such as bad weather, loose debris on the road, slick surfaces, etc.

The aftermarket Quaife LSD is $1100 for the part and about $900-$1500 for labor. A few places will do it for less but it takes alot of work. Phantom grip is alot less expensive but still very costly to install.

I have a Quaife LSD and use it everyday for street driving as a safety feature with DSC on at all times. When on the track or at autocross it comes in handy to deliver power to the wheels with DSC off.

For the average driver I would not recommend it. In areas of bad weather I think it would be helpful. It is not the same type of performance as "All wheel drive".

 

i got an email in reference to a question and aisin usa said that since it was a getrag tranny they wouldnt be making an LSD for the mini.

 

Well I guess we will have to stay tuned to find out who is making the LSD if AISIN is not.
It's not a Quaife and not a Phantom grip either.

More motoringfile.com news on the LSD
http://motoringfile.com/2004/11/01/d..._slip#comments

The US price is $500 for the LSD.
You cannot install it on a 2002 to 2004 MCS.
It is only for the MCS cabrio or hatchback with manual transmission.
While you may someday be able to fit the LSD on a new 2005 MCS the part may be hard to get and cost alot more than the $500 once you get through the labor costs.

I would think that instead of using the stock differential the factory to could just install the LSD and the labor time would be about the same. Therefore the $500 represents the difference in price between the stock differential and the LSD upgrade.

Hey, I have a stock MCS differential sitting around at home in a box. It's a pretty expensive paperweight. Just as heavy but much more compact than my MCS exhaust header paperweight.

 

The LSD is rumored to be made by GKN Driveline:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72917