I am having the R53 Aero kit installed next week. While researching, I noticed that a majority of cars with the Aero kit do not have bonnet stripes.

While there is no right or wrong answer (we can all customize to our own taste), I was curious about peoples opinions. Is it because the stripes draw your attention away from the Aero kit?

Pics found here on NAM and shamelessly borrowed for this thread. What do you guys think?

 

Stripes make it go faster. So does the aero kit. You DO want to go faster...dont you?

 

I've been thinking about getting the aero kit recently and having my hood repainted and clear bra'd as it's taken quite a beating with rock chips. One of my friends suggested it might look better without the stripes, but my wife quickly scoffed at that idea, stating it just wouldn't be very Mini-like without the stripes!

Looking at the two pics above, I have to agree, I still like the stripes!

 

Yes indeed I've got the "fast" part taken care of. Just installed JCW intake/exhaust, and going to Helix on Monday for a 15% pulley and 19mm RSB

Get ready for sticker shock if you want the hood repainted. I was planning for exactly the same - repaint the bonnet at the same time and install a clear bra. To do it right (strip the hood down to metal, blend in the surrounding panels, remove everything) it will cost around $1700 just for the bonnet paintwork

 

Opinions are like nipples....everyone's got 2.

I go with less is more...meaning stripe-less.

 

personally i think your car looks better without them. i would skip the stripes and black out the little bit of chrome you have for one BADA$$ look. the strips take away from the "mean" look it has with the Black and Blue with the aero kit. That is if there is such a thing as a "mean" look for the mini.

 

mmm, black on blue stripes... sounds (and looks) painful. BRG/W stripes, that's different.

 

some people have 3!!

 

I didn't think I'd say so but your HB MINI almost looks better without them - this coming from a HBB MINI owner with front AND back stripes. Last year NAM members jeffc and MissMoxie and I removed and installed the bonnet stripes and rear stripes; I thought my MINI looked naked w/o them. But yours... I dunno it looks pretty good... what about that single stripe that goes behind the air intake?

 

I kind of like the stripes I feel it is part of MINI's personality butthen again everyone like something different hence why there are millions of ways you can have you MINI

 

My vote goes for no stripes, I think they are sort of silly.

Clean ftw!

 

white stripes make your car go faster. or solid blue stripes (no pin stripe) on a white car. anything else doesn't have the same aerodynamic qualities.

 

I solved the problem by having white stripes on one, black stripes on another, and no stripes on my classic. The car with the black stripes goes fastest, but that could be because it is my track modified R53 and the one with the white stripes is a Justa. I think the hood looks naked without some adornment on it. I like the idea of the single broad stripe down the middle for your car.

 

if i ever wanted stripes, id plasti-dip them on so i could easily remove them if i felt like it. just a thought. you could try that and decide if you really want them or not before you spend $$ on stripe work

 

Stock ride height - Stripes

Lowered - No Stripes

 

Unless you're going to use them on the track for getting your bearings during a spinout, then they're really just a matter of opinion.

FWIW, my JCW R57 came with both the aero kit and stripes. To me, it was a bit much, so I had them peeled off. You can always put them back on again if you like - I think it only costs about $100 or $200 at the dealer.

 

Update to original post. Had the kit installed last April, along with a few performance mods. Kept the stripes on, and happy with the result.