Drivetrain Which country is the lead modifier/tuners of MINIS? UK or USA?
#1
Which country is the lead modifier/tuners of MINIS? UK or USA?
Does anyone know?? If I were to guess I'd say USA, because we have more Cooper S's than them. Plus looking through the magazines, I see some Euro names putting Alta stuff on their cars.
So is the USA showing the others how its done? Your thoughts. And I hope the fact that this is an American board doesnt make the responses biased. lol.
So is the USA showing the others how its done? Your thoughts. And I hope the fact that this is an American board doesnt make the responses biased. lol.
#2
I'd say that it's about the same to be honest. I know of a few outfits in the UK that are working on projects like SPI's car and getting good results, but they aren't publicised just yet and I am sworn to secrecy
Then you have BBR which produced the first 275bhp twinscrew MINI. Now there is GT Tuning (with a 275bhp Mini as well) that I use for alot of my tuning needs and are IMO the best outfit here in the UK. There is GGR, AMD etc, the list is pretty endless. Not to mention that little outfit by the name of John Cooper Works as well...
That said, I do envy you guys in the states with the likes of M7, Webbmotorsports, Helix13, SPI etc right at your fingertips. The luxury with being in the UK though is that distances between good tuners is like 3 hours max, whereas in the states you could be looking at a 10 day drive!
Cheers,
Henry
and btw, my car will be one of the most heavily modified MINIs in the UK in private hands when it is completed in the next few months.
Then you have BBR which produced the first 275bhp twinscrew MINI. Now there is GT Tuning (with a 275bhp Mini as well) that I use for alot of my tuning needs and are IMO the best outfit here in the UK. There is GGR, AMD etc, the list is pretty endless. Not to mention that little outfit by the name of John Cooper Works as well...
That said, I do envy you guys in the states with the likes of M7, Webbmotorsports, Helix13, SPI etc right at your fingertips. The luxury with being in the UK though is that distances between good tuners is like 3 hours max, whereas in the states you could be looking at a 10 day drive!
Cheers,
Henry
and btw, my car will be one of the most heavily modified MINIs in the UK in private hands when it is completed in the next few months.
#3
What about Germany? Lots of tuners over there.
What about Japan? We don't really know what they are up to.
In the US we have lots of crazys.
The mules at Webbmotorsports- a track only MCS
and at Helix13 now Twin charged!
Randy's MCS from M7
Tuls MCS and many more.
People in the US are nuts about their MINIs. Just from my visiting (on two trips to the UK) I'd say that the proportion of modded MINIs is higher in the US especially for the MCS than in the UK. There's a lower percentage of MCS in the UK and there is more to mod for the MCS.
But if you look at classic minis then I think the UK is very very very nuts about minis.
What about Japan? We don't really know what they are up to.
In the US we have lots of crazys.
The mules at Webbmotorsports- a track only MCS
and at Helix13 now Twin charged!
Randy's MCS from M7
Tuls MCS and many more.
People in the US are nuts about their MINIs. Just from my visiting (on two trips to the UK) I'd say that the proportion of modded MINIs is higher in the US especially for the MCS than in the UK. There's a lower percentage of MCS in the UK and there is more to mod for the MCS.
But if you look at classic minis then I think the UK is very very very nuts about minis.
#4
Originally Posted by minihune
What about Germany? Lots of tuners over there.
What about Japan? We don't really know what they are up to.
In the US we have lots of crazys.
The mules at Webbmotorsports- a track only MCS
and at Helix13 now Twin charged!
Randy's MCS from M7
Tuls MCS and many more.
People in the US are nuts about their MINIs. Just from my visiting (on two trips to the UK) I'd say that the proportion of modded MINIs is higher in the US especially for the MCS than in the UK. There's a lower percentage of MCS in the UK and there is more to mod for the MCS.
But if you look at classic minis then I think the UK is very very very nuts about minis.
What about Japan? We don't really know what they are up to.
In the US we have lots of crazys.
The mules at Webbmotorsports- a track only MCS
and at Helix13 now Twin charged!
Randy's MCS from M7
Tuls MCS and many more.
People in the US are nuts about their MINIs. Just from my visiting (on two trips to the UK) I'd say that the proportion of modded MINIs is higher in the US especially for the MCS than in the UK. There's a lower percentage of MCS in the UK and there is more to mod for the MCS.
But if you look at classic minis then I think the UK is very very very nuts about minis.
I think you'll also find that modding in the UK is not only limited by a lack of availability, but frikkin exhorbitant insurance costs! We are talking up to 7 times more than an equivalent US premium (taking into account the exchange rate and based on same driver details). If you add an air filter to your car over here for example, it's reason enough for your insurer to slap $300-600 on your annual premium . An exhaust, pulley and chip nearly DOUBLED my premium when I declared them. In the States, as long as the insurer knows about the mods, they are happy and in most cases won't charge you for having them on the car
Different countries, different practices :smile:
Henry
#5
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Originally Posted by supercoopers
I'd say that it's about the same to be honest. I know of a few outfits in the UK that are working on projects like SPI's car and getting good results, but they aren't publicised just yet and I am sworn to secrecy
Then you have BBR which produced the first 275bhp twinscrew MINI. Now there is GT Tuning (with a 275bhp Mini as well) that I use for alot of my tuning needs and are IMO the best outfit here in the UK. There is GGR, AMD etc, the list is pretty endless. Not to mention that little outfit by the name of John Cooper Works as well...
That said, I do envy you guys in the states with the likes of M7, Webbmotorsports, Helix13, SPI etc right at your fingertips. The luxury with being in the UK though is that distances between good tuners is like 3 hours max, whereas in the states you could be looking at a 10 day drive!
Cheers,
Henry
and btw, my car will be one of the most heavily modified MINIs in the UK in private hands when it is completed in the next few months.
Then you have BBR which produced the first 275bhp twinscrew MINI. Now there is GT Tuning (with a 275bhp Mini as well) that I use for alot of my tuning needs and are IMO the best outfit here in the UK. There is GGR, AMD etc, the list is pretty endless. Not to mention that little outfit by the name of John Cooper Works as well...
That said, I do envy you guys in the states with the likes of M7, Webbmotorsports, Helix13, SPI etc right at your fingertips. The luxury with being in the UK though is that distances between good tuners is like 3 hours max, whereas in the states you could be looking at a 10 day drive!
Cheers,
Henry
and btw, my car will be one of the most heavily modified MINIs in the UK in private hands when it is completed in the next few months.
I know the new software ive started producing is powering one of them ....but shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
#6
Originally Posted by Cooper_Si
OH YES there is some BIG projects lurking around the MINI tuners of the UK but myself is also not allowed to mention who
I know the new software ive started producing is powering one of them ....but shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I know the new software ive started producing is powering one of them ....but shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
If so, I need to pick your brains about ECU custom mapping after my install is done
Cheers,
Henry
#7
There are a lot of differences between how both countries approach tuning. In the UK, there are a lot of negatives to tuning. Most deal with general costs of tuning, and the other deal with insurance costs. Secondly, warranty is a lot more important to individuals living in the UK compared to the US. With that in mind, you tend to find a lot more tuning in the UK to be related to visual tuning (i.e. wheels, body kits....), or to packages/kits from well established tuning companies that come with some form of a warranty. This is what makes Hartge, JCW, BBr, AmD or others very popular in the UK and much less popular in the US. That is not to say they don't have smaller homegrown tuners, but they are no where near as popular as they are in the US. The cost of parts in the UK tend to be about 50-80% more than they are in the US, especially when you include the higher tax.
In the US, individuals are more concerned with ultimate outcome of the tuning mod, not with the cost or warranty as much. Most tuners in the US are building pieces of parts and not whole integrated kits. In the UK, there is a lot more emphasis on a whole tuning approach. In the US, the emphasis is more on a pick and choose approach. We are more willing to purchase a 17% pulley from one company, an exhaust from another, an intake from even another, and finally a chip made and tuned by a totally different company.
So I am not sure who is the leader. If you are looking at just pure numbers, which is more American, I would say that you would have to say the US, especially with the fact that there are quite a few 300hp and some 400+hp Minis running on the street here. If you are looking at integrated tuning packages, I would say that you would have to say the UK. They have a lot more "one stop shops" that have put together and tested whole packages that include warranty and support. Sure the US has isolated cases of this, but I would think the UK as a whole has a much better lead in this respect.
Hopefully I can gave a balanced perspective, since I live in both the US and Europe, so I feel I have a little more balance between the two continents.
In the US, individuals are more concerned with ultimate outcome of the tuning mod, not with the cost or warranty as much. Most tuners in the US are building pieces of parts and not whole integrated kits. In the UK, there is a lot more emphasis on a whole tuning approach. In the US, the emphasis is more on a pick and choose approach. We are more willing to purchase a 17% pulley from one company, an exhaust from another, an intake from even another, and finally a chip made and tuned by a totally different company.
So I am not sure who is the leader. If you are looking at just pure numbers, which is more American, I would say that you would have to say the US, especially with the fact that there are quite a few 300hp and some 400+hp Minis running on the street here. If you are looking at integrated tuning packages, I would say that you would have to say the UK. They have a lot more "one stop shops" that have put together and tested whole packages that include warranty and support. Sure the US has isolated cases of this, but I would think the UK as a whole has a much better lead in this respect.
Hopefully I can gave a balanced perspective, since I live in both the US and Europe, so I feel I have a little more balance between the two continents.
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#8
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Originally Posted by supercoopers
Are you the owner of EssentialMini.co.uk by any chance?
If so, I need to pick your brains about ECU custom mapping after my install is done
Cheers,
Henry
If so, I need to pick your brains about ECU custom mapping after my install is done
Cheers,
Henry
I agree with dgszweda1 comments...as you say regarding warranty, UK peeps hold there warranty like MAD! there are a few good second hand cars now that are having LOADS fitted performance wise so watch this space.
#9
Originally Posted by Cooper_Si
That would be me yes sir
I agree with dgszweda1 comments...as you say regarding warranty, UK peeps hold there warranty like MAD! there are a few good second hand cars now that are having LOADS fitted performance wise so watch this space.
I agree with dgszweda1 comments...as you say regarding warranty, UK peeps hold there warranty like MAD! there are a few good second hand cars now that are having LOADS fitted performance wise so watch this space.
#10
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#11
Originally Posted by Cooper_Si
we have a thing called TLC over here...you pay a fixed amount when you buy the car...then get free servicing for so many years and so many miles. Which is a really good idea but then if ure modifying with air filters etc it voids this :(
#12
Japanese modified mini
First of all, excuse for my poor English.
As far as I know that most of the Japanese shops won't touch engine because people consider Mini is one of fashion accessory stuff.
Most of the Japanese shops do business for car dressing up.
To see is to believe.
I give some URL for Japanese shops. Take a look. (No English)
http://www.g-shinwa.co.jp/shopping/mini/index.html
http://www.prestige-ag.jp/mini/owner.../owners-s.html
http://www.hosokawa.co.jp/bond-mini/demo.html
http://www.hosokawa.co.jp/bond-mini/gallery.html
http://www016.upp.so-net.ne.jp/good-...per_s_top.html
As far as I know that most of the Japanese shops won't touch engine because people consider Mini is one of fashion accessory stuff.
Most of the Japanese shops do business for car dressing up.
To see is to believe.
I give some URL for Japanese shops. Take a look. (No English)
http://www.g-shinwa.co.jp/shopping/mini/index.html
http://www.prestige-ag.jp/mini/owner.../owners-s.html
http://www.hosokawa.co.jp/bond-mini/demo.html
http://www.hosokawa.co.jp/bond-mini/gallery.html
http://www016.upp.so-net.ne.jp/good-...per_s_top.html
#13
Originally Posted by mini_r53
First of all, excuse for my poor English.
As far as I know that most of the Japanese shops won't touch engine because people consider Mini is one of fashion accessory stuff.
Most of the Japanese shops do business for car dressing up.
To see is to believe.
I give some URL for Japanese shops. Take a look. (No English)
http://www.g-shinwa.co.jp/shopping/mini/index.html
http://www.prestige-ag.jp/mini/owner.../owners-s.html
http://www.hosokawa.co.jp/bond-mini/demo.html
http://www.hosokawa.co.jp/bond-mini/gallery.html
http://www016.upp.so-net.ne.jp/good-...per_s_top.html
As far as I know that most of the Japanese shops won't touch engine because people consider Mini is one of fashion accessory stuff.
Most of the Japanese shops do business for car dressing up.
To see is to believe.
I give some URL for Japanese shops. Take a look. (No English)
http://www.g-shinwa.co.jp/shopping/mini/index.html
http://www.prestige-ag.jp/mini/owner.../owners-s.html
http://www.hosokawa.co.jp/bond-mini/demo.html
http://www.hosokawa.co.jp/bond-mini/gallery.html
http://www016.upp.so-net.ne.jp/good-...per_s_top.html
Btw, thanks for the link, hashimasta. lol. (No Japanese)
#16
#17
Originally Posted by minihune
What about Germany? Lots of tuners over there.
What about Japan? We don't really know what they are up to.
In the US we have lots of crazys.
The mules at Webbmotorsports- a track only MCS
and at Helix13 now Twin charged!
Randy's MCS from M7
Tuls MCS and many more.
People in the US are nuts about their MINIs. Just from my visiting (on two trips to the UK) I'd say that the proportion of modded MINIs is higher in the US especially for the MCS than in the UK. There's a lower percentage of MCS in the UK and there is more to mod for the MCS.
But if you look at classic minis then I think the UK is very very very nuts about minis.
What about Japan? We don't really know what they are up to.
In the US we have lots of crazys.
The mules at Webbmotorsports- a track only MCS
and at Helix13 now Twin charged!
Randy's MCS from M7
Tuls MCS and many more.
People in the US are nuts about their MINIs. Just from my visiting (on two trips to the UK) I'd say that the proportion of modded MINIs is higher in the US especially for the MCS than in the UK. There's a lower percentage of MCS in the UK and there is more to mod for the MCS.
But if you look at classic minis then I think the UK is very very very nuts about minis.
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