I have been posting and/or reviewing comments on numerous threads since I became a member of the community this year. As a result I follow a bunch of different ones. Initially back in the fall of last year it was on buying a Mini. Then after I ordered one it turned to the both dealer negotiation and tracking the build. Since then it has all been on modifications. I ended up with a new 2021 Mini Clubman S and much to my surprise more recently a used 2015 JCW Roadster which had only 13,500 miles on it when I found it.
As almost all my comments and questions deal with modifications, another member suggested I start a new thread on this topic and was kind enough to tell me how to do that as I had no idea what the process wast to start one. So here goes a brand new thread dealing with modifications from A to Z, all collected under one roof so to speak. I would love to know what modifications everyone else has done or is contemplating doing, including recommendations about what works and what to avoid.
Modifications include those "under the hood" as well as those undertaken merely for cosmetic reasons because you want to make your Mini uniquely your own.
Most of my modifications have been listed under "what did you do to your Mini" thread, but as I have changed wheels and tires there are some there as well. I am starting "under the hood" mods on both cars now. Hopefully I can benefit from owner's experience that have already completed what I am contemplating.
Below are a couple photos of what the '21 Clubman S and the '15 Roadster JCW looked like on the day they were delivered. Follow up posts about specific modifications will follow.

Yet to be named or modifications added, but my beautiful Pepper White F54 Clubman parked inside the dealer showroom.,

R54 JCW Roadster 2015 at the dealership

 

The 2021 Clubman S was ordered with piano black trim where ever possible. I couldn't quite swing the almost $500 up charge for the door handles, but that was the only place that I missed in covering up chrome.
My first modification upon delivery were to cover:
Beltline: this is a tape commonly purchased through Mini related product stores which can be purchased typically in glossy black, matte black or carbon fiber. I choose the glossy black as I thought it might look best with the piano black trim. I have since seen photos of cars done in the other two and they look fantastic.
It is a real pain to get the tape to look correct all over. Whereever there is a large curved secttion like on the front you will benefit from having both a hairdryer to add heat and pliability to the tape and another pair of hands to help keep it going straight without any wrinkles. My first attempt was not so good and as soon as the weather warms up I will give it another go.
Anyone know any tricks to make the application process easier? I would love to hear from you if so.

Door Handles: this was an easy fix. There are snap on handles which have two rows of sticky tape inside which you literally expose by pulling off the plastic. You then put them in place and hold them firmly against the metal for a few seconds so that you know the tape is in contact with the handle.
Tips? Clean the handles with rubbing alcohol before you start. The tape will stick better to a clean surface.
Make sure they fit well by clicking them on before you expose the tape. You will be surprised at how difficult it is to remove them, even before they have the security tape. While I think the tape is most likely not needed, I did use it because why take the chance?
Make sure you order the handles that match your car. If yours has access features you will need to purchase the ones with a hole already cut out so as to not interfere with the workings of that feature.

Clubman barn door handles and Other Models trunk handles: Several companies now set black covers for those areas as well which are fabulous to make the car look uniform throughout.

Grill Trim on Clubman: There is a chrome grill trim which runs across the face. Black and red covers are available to cover and work just as the door handles do. If you are going for the JCW look I would suggest the red. If you want uniform black go with it instead. I choose the black. As the grill is black, you do loose a bit of definition, but still like the way it looks personally. Again remember to clean the chrome with rubbing alcohol prior to installing the trim piece.

Window Washer Covers on Hood: On my Clubman the washer covers were already black, but not realizing that I had ordered a set of glossy black covers. I ended up liking the way they looked better than the original ones so did cover those as well. For the Clubman you need a set of 2. Other models have only 1.

Bonnet Scoop: The Clubman S came with a bonnet scoop which was the same color as the car. I purchased one in black to carry the white/black theme where possible. They are also available in carbon fiber.
Tips: -There are 1 or 2 screws under the hood which must be removed before you can take off the scoop. In order to not drop the screw down into the engine bay, lay a blanket or large towel over the engine to catch anything that falls.
-Purchase a set of trim removal tools before you mess with any trim on your Mini. A set of plastic trim tools will cost less than $10. and will protect your paint from being scratched.
-Take masking tape around the bonnet scoop on the bonnet to protect the paint. I don't think this might be required if using the plastic trim tools, but again rather safe than sorry.
-Watch how to videos on YouTube, they are a lifesaver on practically everything you want to do. I recommend Petrol Ped and the Mini Vlog as they both have done a lot of trim removal and provide clear, concise details on how to get it done.

Bumper Guard: This one was made for the Clubman and affixes with tape just like the other trim cover pieces. This was done for function. I know from owning other cars that I will eventually move something from the rear which will scrape the paint on the bumper.


Barn door handles cover and bumper guard added. Purchased black badges at time of purchase.

Covered chrome trim across grill. Could have gone with red, but really going for stark white/black overall.

Beltline chrome covered. Black door handles added.

 

Truly I didn't feel like I would be able to tell a difference between run flat and regular tires. I assumed only trained drivers or serious car enthusiast might feel the difference........I was wrong. From the first day, the ride felt funny. There was a bit of skittering over the road instead of feeling planted. The ride was uncomfortable to add to it. I can accept less comfort if it is a result of a performance enhancement. But without one, what is the point?
Yes Minis are small and run flats allow you to eliminate the need for a spare. But they are used on all models, not just those which have issues fitting in a spare. I had opted to purchase the spare when building my Clubman. It was only $100.00 which is considerably less than purchasing it with the items needed to change later.
I had ordered the all weather version when I built figuring that I could use them during the few months when you actually need a cold weather tire in Ky, So the tires are saved in my garage and may be used next winter,
I wasn't planning on buying wheels, but I wasn't crazy about the wheels offered by Mini and wanted either a darker color or black to match the trim elements on the car. After more research than I want to admit to, I ended up with the OZ Aero in graphite color. This is a new style for OZ and are both fabulous looking but also serve to introduce cooler air over the brakes.
Universally the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S were recommended for summer/warm weather use. I absolutely love them and would recommend them highly. You really feel planted on the road. There is no skitter feeling in curves or on changing road conditions. They are quiet. Check with Michelin before you purchase as they run promotions

New O.Z. SUPERTURISMO AERO HLT STAR GRAPHITE Wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S.

constantly and you can get a good rebate back if you wait until a promotion is offered. On mine I am getting $75.00 back as I purchased a complete set of four tires.
These tires are rather limited in smaller sizes. There are only a few 17" ones offered, but more are available the larger size you get.
If you have them what do you think? Anyone have a bad experience with them? Anyone think there is a better choice in the market. Anyone a fan of the run flats? What is your favorite tire and why is it your favorite?
Answers to these questions will help others who are just starting the process of switching tires.

 

If you have a black Roadster are you a fan of blacking out the chrome? Initially thought to leave it but as wheels were black thought I would try it first around the beltline with the extra tape I had. I loved it. Although my skills on the beltline trim need improvement which means I need to redo both cars, I ended up:

-Beltline trim in piano black (hairdryer, extra pair of hands and watching a few YouTube how to videos strongly suggested)

-New grill trim and grill: In this case I had the choice of purchasing completely new grill and trim or just purchasing grill trim covers as the grill was already black. I decided to purchase the complete set. Issues? Oh yes big ones. There were no instructions provided and the only instruction on the listing was to remove the 4 screws from the top piece of grill trim which affix to the bonnet. Needless to say that was far from complete and when I called to ask about the little tabs which were in each slot across the grill trim, I was told to go down to bare metal as otherwise the new trim piece would not work. In order to remove them I ended up breaking most of them. Unfortunately if not the original clips, some clips are necessary for the upper grill trim to be secure. While mine is being held in place by the 4 screws, it will wiggle and it will drive me crazy, which means I will have to come up with a fix. I purchased this from NorthAmericanMotoring. The owner is great about answering questions and providing information where needed.
Next tip on the grill/trim removal: put a large blanket or towel over the engine bay. That way if you drop a screw it is not lost somewhere inside. It also provides a shelf of sorts to hold both tools and a flashlight to aid in seeing what you are doing.
The new grill was shiny black in contrast to the the original one which was more matte. As I had also removed the bottom grill trim incorrectly (you don't just take it off with trim tools like you do with trim around the headlights for example), I opted to replace both the bottom trim and grill. It looks so much better so that was a lucky outcome.

-Door Handles: the boot already had a black handle so I just purchased clip on door handles from the same UK company who had sold me the ones for the Clubman. (KillAllChrome) Other choices for sale werre ones in Carbon Fiber. Simple and easy install. Clean handles with rubbing alcohol, remove tape over sticky parts in the handle interior, press onto handle and hold firmly for a bit and it is securely in place.

-Headlight and Taillight Trim: If you have plastic trim tools which I strongly recommend to protect the car from scratching, these are a breeze to remove. The first "crack" made me jump but as I was moving slowly, I tried to not freak out. There are a few places where there is a clip that must be released and it will crack as if breaking. Watch YouTube videos to see how to do this easily and without risk to the clips. Some recommended taping around trim before removal to protect paint, but at this juncture I had removed so many trim pieces that I felt confident with the plastic trim removal tools and didn't do so.

-New Union Jack/Flag rear lights: I purchased mine from ECS for less than $300. and love them. Again NO instructions were sent and I was left looking for a YouTube video which would show me how to do it. The hardest part was removing the screws! One YouTuber did it with a socket/ratchet which I have tons of, but none of mine would fit. It wasn't until I watched the Petrol Ped video that I found you need a torque screwdriver (the ones that have a rather star shaped bottom) in a 20mm size. Mine was 5mm smaller than what was used by PetrolPed, but the 15mm one did work and the screws were removed. Getting your hand back into the space behind the lights is tricky. I would do the driver's side first, if you are right handed, as it is a bit easier to manipulate and will make the other side which is a bit awkward to reach easier.
Tip: Check prices everywhere and make sure you look at them working in a video. Some have a progressive LED strip for the turn signal, others do not. They come in red or a smoke grey cover. I went with the red simply because there are elements of red trim on the JCW which I didn't want to completely eliminate like I did the chrome. If I had it to do over I think I would have gone with the smoke because of the side scuttles installed.

-Side scuttles and turn light: My scuttle had a chrome insert into the black plastic housing. The light was amber in a clear plastic cover. I went with a smokey light cover with a progressive amber strip when the turn signal is activated. I had purchased new all black side scuttles but the black housing just didn't look right against the metallic black paint on my car. I decided to just tape off the housing and spray paint the part that had chrome. There are again a lot of videos but try to find one on chrome trim rather than on wheels.
Tips: Take a higher grade masking tape to mask off the areas that are black.
A coarse grade sandpaper was ineffective in roughing up the surface of the chrome, so I applied an adhesive primer intended for chrome. After you apply it will look rather like paste wax does before you polish it out.
Apply multiple coats if recommended by the primer/adhesive you are using and make sure to wait the recommended
time between coats. I used Dupli Color products for all of this project.
Select the spray paint intended for automotive use and note there are finish options from shiny to matte.
After you have finished your coats of spray paint, apply a clear top coat. I was looking for a shiny finish to match the
piano black and I think I was successful. Had I known how easy this process was I may have just spray painted all the trim (headlights, taillights, grill) rather than covering or replacing.

Antenna: There was nothing wrong with the antenna as it came other than I have grown used to smaller ones or have had seen cars with no antenna and instead had just the "fin" type. I bought mine from Craven Speed. It was so easy to install. It came with a couple different sized interior parts and was easy to pick out which one I needed for it to fit my Mini.

Overall TIp: Pack up and retain every OEM part which you remove! I padded everything and placed them in boxes clearly identified as containing the OEM trim. That way if the next buyer prefers another look or you grow tired and want the chrome reinstalled, it is simple matter to do so.
Photos show the car at the dealership where I purchased it. It only had 13k miles on it so was in very good condition. A friend said I was looking for a unicorn. My unicorn would be a JCW, fully optioned, low mileage and reasonably priced. No one was more surprised then me when after looking forever, I found her!
My Unicorn! Low milage, JCW Roadster, fully optioned and at a reasonable price as she looked at the dealership.

Spray painted chrome accents on side scuttles.

Replaced clear lamp for a smoked black one with an amber progressive LED light.

Replaced chrome around headlights, grill and complete new grill.

Door handle covers in piano black and new stubby antenna.

 

I am thrilled that I no longer live in a part of the country where snowfall, ice and the resulting sand, salt and yuck make keeping your car clean and looking good pretty near impossible in the winter months.
It was my resolution to keep the new Clubman S looking good and to protect it from the normal rock chips, scratches and bird droppings or bugs which typically mess up your paint.
As a result I have purchased a bunch of different products, primarily from Griot's Garage and Chemical Guys to keep the car as close to showroom condition as is obtainable year round.

I would love to know what you have found to be successful and what you think is junk. I always read product reviews before I purchase anything and the comments of others is a critical part of every purchasing decision I make.

I have scheduled the Roadster which I purchased used for paint correction and then a ceramic coating to protect. Worth it? I don't know but time will tell! I already have a small rock chip on the new 'Clubman so have decided to put a ceramic coat on it as well. Has your experience been that this will help prevent damage from the inevitable chip?

One thing I can say for certain, whoever came up with "washless wash and wax" was a genius! How easy is it to just wipe the car down everytime after you go for a drive.
Bug guts have been the most difficult. I purchased both Griot's bug remover and had an old container of one from a superstore I purchased years ago. My conclusion? Bugs are a bear to get off no matter what you use! If you have a product which works well I would love to hear about it.

 

I had purchased new JCW badges for the front and back. The back on is on the boot and is glued. I think the front one on the lower grill may be held on by clips and I have not tried it yet. I will need more information first.
The KillAllChrome video suggested you put hot water over the badge to loosen the glue. Maybe because mine had been on for 6 years, that was completely worthless. The hair dryer trick however worked great. It seems silly to leave this last chrome piece on when I have changed all the rest. I wanted all black, but that was sold out, so got black with red letters.
Getting the badge off took much longer than the video would have you believe. I had the hair dryer on warm/low for about 5 minutes and it wasnt until I increased the heat to high/low that I was able to get some movement. I had a trim tool that was suggested I use and you can see it in the photo. It was too thick. It worked, but was slow work and took awhile.
TIPS:
-Don't hurry! If you pull it off before the glue is soft you will damage the paint.
-Put masking tape around the edges of the badge. You will slip with whatever tool you use when loosening the badge from the boot and without it even the plastic tools can scrath the paint (and yes I scrathched mine even with tape, luckily it is going in for paint correction next week!)
-Other things you may want to try to get it off is a credit card or dental floss. Both are slimmer than any trim tool.
-Once you have slowly slid the badge off while holding the hair dryer on it and never forcing it but only applying slight pressure as you go behind the badge, you may have some or a lot of the tape from the OEM badge left on the car. This is a beast to remove. Heat wouldn't get it all. I tried hot water to no avail,. Then I went to rubbing alcohol which got some but not all. I then tried a tiny amount of Goo Be Gone applied to a paper towel NOT to the paint. I was really fearful about this last one because I feared damaging the paint and if my car wasn't going in for an extensive detail I doubt I would have tried it.
-If you are having a professional detail or paint correction wait until it is finished to apply the new badge. It is hard to work around the badge and this will provide a flat surface far easier to remove scratches or any remaining tacky smears.

Will fill in on front JCW badge on lower grill later. Do you know any tips? Is there anything you should avoid? Know a good video? Please add because I was searching here and everywhere before I started and while the videos on YouTube are helpful, they rarely show the presenter having a problem or having to figure out something unexpected.

The OEM JCW badge in chrome, the new badge in black with red letters and the trim tool I used along with the hairdryer to remove it.

The backs! The OEM badge is dinky and thin the replacement is 3 times as thick and heavier. Was surprised at how much better the new badge was compared to the original.

Look at the difference in depth between the original and the replacement. I would have never guessed that the OEM was so thin.

 

When I purchased the 2015 JCW Roadster this year (2021) it had 17" wheels. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires that I have on my Clubman and love do not come in the size designated for the Roadster unless I move up to the 18". That would mean new wheels, an expense I didn't want to incur because I actually love the wheels on the car. Most importantly I asked for opinions from folks on this forum and without exception I was told not to go up in size, that any gain in performance would be small and would result in a loss of comfort. As the Roadster isn't a comfort ride, I thought all things considered to stick with the 17"
That led me the person who suffers from analysis paralysis spending days and days trying to decide what tire would be most like the Michelin that fit my car. (I am not sure that overly researching a topic is always to my benefit!). Finally after reading opinions here, reading tire reviews, watching videos and looking at comparison charts I went with the Continental Extreme Contact Sport tires. (Summer performance so no driving on them when the weather grows cold unless I change to something else. I plan to garage the Roadster during the cold winter months.)
Had them installed today. I know they need some miles put on them before I can truly gauge performance, but I couldn't resist taking the car down one country road near my home which has has tight twisty turns, no shoulder to speak of and big trees right up next to the road. Then there are the scores of bike riders who also like this particular road. It is hard to not be distracted by the beautiful stone fences, the horses and colts in the field and mansions that seem to be present on every single horse farm. Lexington, Ky has hundreds of them and if you want a beautiful ride come here in the spring and stay off the main roads. In other words a technically demanding road, with numerous distractions was my idea of fun.
I was shocked. All the skitter scatter that was driving me nuts with the run flats is gone. On some sharp curves I was getting this weird pull on the wheel part way through the curve regardless of the speed I was driving. That too was gone. I could no longer feel every bump, rock and rough spot. This was a surprise, I was not anticipating that they would also be more comfortable, but they are.
In short if they are this much better immediately after being mounted, I can't wait to break them in when they should be even better. If you are looking for a replacement for the run flats on your car and you too don't have an 18" or larger size (and thus so many of the higher performing tires are not made for you), I would recommend these tires without question. They are in the same price range as the Michelins. Honestly tires is one area where you should get the best tire you can afford. It doesn't matter what performance modification you make if you have lousy tires.

Would love to know what 17" or smaller tire others have tried and what they thought of them. I read all kinds of comments here and it really helped so any new updated information you have may be helpful to the next Mini owner who is ditching the run flats.

The only tip I have is to save the best tire. If worse comes to worse I can use it as a spare until I can replace the tire which is removed. (God forbid!) Well also I washed all the gunk off the wheel as soon as I got home (not sure what the gunk around the edges was but a bunch of it was left and felt it couldn't be good for the wheel). Then I decided to try the Chemical Guys tire satin dressing stuff that came in the kit I purchased. They were already new but it did add a bit more shine. I have two other products, one is more a cleaner/conditioner and the other says it is a "wet look" which scares me a bit.
Again would love to know what you use on your tires. When I was a kid, my brother and I used Coke (soda pop) to paint the tires after we cleaned them to deepen the black color. Makes you wonder what it does to your stomach.

New Continental Extreme Contact Sport warm weather tires....I ditched the runflats.

I cleaned up the best old tire to use in the garage should I need a spare. My Havanese was pretty tired of tires at this point and wouldn't get out of the picture.

A look at the tires from the back. Can also see the new Union Jack lights I installed.

Used Chemical Guys tire dressing (satin finish).