I had the chance to drive an 2k2 MCS yesterday and it handled much differently than my 2k3 MCS. Both have 17" Pirelli Perf RunFlats. The other car seems to have more of a "floaty" feel than mine. The other car didn't feel as "tight" (no, not push tight, newness tight). Also it seemed easier to turn the steering wheel in the other car, like it had more power assist. I have 2100 miles and the other has 4300 miles. Me and the other owner drove eachothers cars. We both came to the same conclusions. Neither of us are suspension experts, but we both knew there must be something different. Any ideas what it could be?

 

There was a suspension change made after February 2002 (March??) where the front spring/strut/swaybar link assembly was altered. So if the other MCS was built in this timeframe this could be what you are experiencing.

R

 

It could be that on of you have the Sport Plus Suspension (comes with Sport Package) and the other just has the Sport Suspension (standard on "S&quot. Just a though.

 

>>There was a suspension change made after February 2002 (March??)

I think the other person's car was made the last month of the 2002 builds, just before the 03's rolled off the assembly line.

 

>>It could be that on of you have the Sport Plus Suspension (comes with Sport Package) and the other just has the Sport Suspension (standard on "S&quot. Just a though.

Hmmm... Could be. I'll have to find out if it was this.

 

Nope that's not it. While the Cooper has varying degrees of suspension setup, the Cooper S comes with Sport Plus and no other option.

And if the other MCS in question was a late 2002 build, then it has the same suspension as your 2003. No changes were made. Maybe the sloppy one was built on a friday/monday.

R

 

>>Maybe the sloppy one was built on a friday/monday. On the more serious side, it's just "different". I never got to push the other car to the limits, so I don't know what the difference would be then. The other owner liked mine so much they commented that they would start adding suspension mods next.

 

I think what you need to do is to have more than a single data point for your comparison. This may be tough to do (outside of a MINI meet), but if you're really interested it'll be necessary.

There are really two variables in your comparison. First, there's the possibility that Davbert mentions that your friend's 2002 is just an oddball car. Second, there's the fact that your friend's car has double the mileage of yours. How do you know that your car won't feel the same when it reaches 4K? So, the thing to do is to drive several other late-build 2002s with various mileages and see what you feel.

Or, you could just be happy that you like the way your car feels and that you aren't (yet) driving your friend's MINI.

 

I know this is not scientific or a well proven fact, but every Cooper S (4-5 cars) I have driven drives and feels different to some degree.

Clutch, steering, power delivery, etc., etc. all different to a degree or another.

Quality control?? Who knows.

 

>>I know this is not scientific or a well proven fact, but every Cooper S (4-5 cars) I have driven drives and feels different to some degree.
>>
>>Clutch, steering, power delivery, etc., etc. all different to a degree or another.

Wow. I wonder what gives.