I also wanted to clarify the context here a bit too.
here in context

this is a general question regarding chassis rigidity, I have been under the impression that the R56 is stiffer and stringer than the R53 despite its more compliant factory suspension. thus my question is simple will strut braces raise the rigidity on load bearing surfaces to an equal degree of the factory R56?

the first sentence is correct but the last bit may be misleading
again in context
I was responding to
so yes my intent is to make the car more ridged, I am not a fan of bump steer or mid corner wobble that can come from flexing components.
yes I intend to put rally lights on the car, they are off my old Audi rally car that I sold because I wasn't using it anymore I got into motorcycling and enjoyed it more than "country" rally so I have 4 KC lights I would like to put on the MINI because I have found them to be very helpful on desolate highways in inclement weather or when the deer are running. a shift **** is because I like a tall skinny one as opposed to the all too common fat ones.

this you broke into two quotes, not sure why.


I think that says it all, not happy with the local dealer network and would like to do the maintenance myself, if I ever need work done that I cant do myself I would like to take it somewhere that treats its patrons better, and isn't exorbitant. my local Harley shop wants $65 to change out grips, that is something I was going to have done only because I was buying parts and figured I would save 10 minutes by having them do it instead of me.



I do hope this will clarify my intentions a bit, I wouldn't want to be misleading.

 

Oh and I'm not upset in the least, aftersll I did ask for huge opinions

 

My comment about context was just to point out your initial concern about 40-80 roll ons and a "harsh" ride (the mere description of it being harsh leads me to believe its already on the edge of your comfort level). Do a search on "harsh ride", you'll get a lot of results. Strut braces and load numbers aren't going to benefit a 40-80 roll (as much as biting the bullet and downshifting), and making it stiffer isn't going to make it less harsh of a ride. Thats the contradiction I point out.

Strut braces are like motorcycle tires; if you get to the point where you exceed the stock capabilities, where your next option is "oh, I need a strut brace or a race tire compound," you likely will have it provided to you at no cost by your team owner. I'm just being realistic here assuming your racing aspirations (aspirations of exceeding stock chassis rigidity) are the occasional HPDE.

You go on to mention the requirement of selling your camera equipment to afford a car out of your budget and cite concerns over maintenance costs. Doing research would help: ConsumerReports.org "Best & Worst Used Cars" . Also, look through the problems/fixes thread for the mk1 and mk2; all the models have issues (not just the convert). The bearing/hub and axle are likely the cheapest replacement parts outside of oil filter and brake pads/rotors. For the R53, I'd be more concerned with the steering rack exceeding my down payment.

Your already looking for ways to improve what you haven't experienced outside the short test drives. I honestly think you'll be disappointed in the long term. I'm all for you getting a MINI, but they're not for everyone.

 

you are right, to an extent, the current vehicle exceeds my cash buying power and I would rather not have a payment. I don't have one on my current car or my bike and rather enjoy it. so yes the one I am currently looking at exceeds my budgetary wishes.

the closest I have had to a sponser was my local shop offering me pars at cost for my 5.0 ranger build, never really been a sponsored racer but I do like to have some fun on occasions with my vehicle in safe environments.

the 40-80 roll on/ passing power was once a common vehicle test figure because it is more relevant to the average driver than a 1/4mile time or even a 0-60. thus I was using it as a gauge of comparison not as a performance requirement that needs to be reached in a certain time. I have had plenty of fast/scary vehicles, now I want something that I can have fun with every now and again without breaking it.

and yes I am looking to improve a car that I have not yet owned, I am doing so based on advice that I was given by friends of mine that I consider to be reliable sources of information. I follow their recommendations to improve the areas of any vehicle that they have specific knowledge of and know its weak points.

for example the factory belts on 2003 buells have a tendency to break, many riders have experienced this and some have had catastrophic crashes as a result. the belts on most other buells is still a weak point, partly because the tensioner is stationary. thus before I even purchased the bike I knew I would need to make improvements to the drive line to keep from doing more damage and made sure my cash budget allowed for the purchase of the additional parts needed to fix the problem areas.

I don't think buying aftermarket parts as a preventative measure against future damage is unwise at all. just as I have been looking at strut tower plates to prevent "mushrooming".
different subjects entirely, assuming that those two are even remotely related is like assuming a turbo will increase your lateral g's on a skid pad.
suspension is one subject
engine performance is another

I also know of many track day riders that ride on race compound that do not have team owners or sponsors but they are very capable of exceeding the adhesion limit of street tires.
Edit: exceed the adhesion limit of tires and capabilities on stock suspension while riding with proper technique, also of note, I am NOT one of these riders. Their skill far exceeds my own.

 

well thank you all for your opinions and information I appreciate it all, but I have decided to return to the scooby world.

BoCRon,

best of luck to you in your search, if you have not found the right car for you yet I hope that it reveals itself to you in short order.

I may decide in the future to buy a MINI but for now it just makes more sense to get another AWD, especially since I can turn my own wrenches on it and build it to perform as I like.