I'm looking for somebody with the Sport Suspension option that is within a 1 hour drive of Burlington Vermont. And who is willing to give me a ride so I can feel what it is like.

I'm asking because I can't find a dealer car with the option for a test drive.

 

Can't offer a ride; I'm not in northern Vt. Also, you haven't said what you are comparing it to - the base Cooper suspension or the S suspension. Or what your objective is in getting the Sports suspension.

However, I have owned all 3 options. I use my MINI to go to Stowe for skiing. While the S with the stock S suspension was nice handling-wise, the sports suspension is a lot better without a much of a drop in comfort. Hands down better and would do it again without a thought if I had to do it over. If you are looking for something really fun for on the twisties like rt 79 past Mad River Glen, or if you are looking to autocross the car the sports suspension is the way to go. I bought it without trying it and was really glad I did. It was also "wife approved" to ride in and she owns the base Cooper we have. Hope that helps if you don't get a ride offer.

 

Thanks for the post Eddie07S. I'm comparing it to a Mini S with its standard suspension. I want the car for Auto X and driver's education on a track. But 99% of the time I want it for having fun on normal VT back roads.

This morning I took a test drive up the App Gap road (Route 17) from Huntington towards Mad River Glen. I turned around at the top but that gave me a pretty good feeling for the set up. I think that the Sport Suspension would have made the ride more fun. That road has some very bumpy spots but the standard suspension still felt a little too flexible.

 

Are you familiar with previous generations of MINIs?

 

Ok, that is exactly why I bought my second MINI with the Sports suspension. It is an excellent track suspension, quite neutral up to the limits at which point it starts to push. You can make it rotate, but not with the snap oversteer that just a fat rear sway bar gives. It corners very flat without the front end dive the stock S suspension gives. It is a reasonably good autocross suspension and great to learn on. Remember, a car that is really good at autocross is likely not one you want on the track because it will be set up with a lot of oversteer which you don't need or want on the track.

That ride is very good with the sports suspension and, no, it is not too harsh. Of course, once you ditch the run-flats the ride will improve greatly improve. Obviously, I am a fan of the sports suspension and with reason. It is well thought out and comes with out any drama. It handles well enough that I would not have change my if I didn't push past the limits on other parts of the car that necessitated other changes that facilitated my suspension changes...

 

I am tempted to offer you a taste of Gollum III, but...

Reasons to be a wuss:
1. It is Easter Sunday ( so no traffic, right ? )
2. It is a 3 hour drive up 89 from here
3. It will be only slightly above freezing, so the RE71s won't work right
4. Are we not at peak frost-heave season?

Hmmm....

Cheers,

Charlie

 

Charlie - such a tease

Hey - a thought - I believe the base suspension (non-red springs) for the JCW is the sports suspension. Are there any JCWs to test drive?
Just remember that the 17" wheels and the RFTs will have a rougher ride than the 16" wheels. I run 16" wheels on the street to get the better ride.

 

hammerhands,

I'm not familiar with previous generations of MINIs

 

Eddie07S,

You would make an excellent sales person for the Sport Suspension. A JCW test ride/drive is a good idea too. I kind of want to avoid the temptation of the rest of the JCW though.

 

I don't think that's correct. I have a JCW and mine came with the $500 SS option (I hope I at least got something for $500!). It's not harsh at all, and as mentioned it corners very flat, with less oversteer. I put a 19mm (convervative) rear sway bar on my 2007 MCS and this feels similar.

 

On the JCW Exterior equipped F56/F55 Cooper S, the sport suspension is a no cost option, on the factory JCW, sport suspension is standard and the regular suspension is a no cost option.

 

Right I forgot that. That car is a pretty good deal, those cool seats are standard too.

 

I was teetering to be honest. A post by 6 am Sunday morning would have had me heading northwest.

But I assume my lunacy is not prevalent.

Cheers,

Charlie