So, there have been a couple topics on the sport vs. regular suspension on the MCS. While those mostly covered engineering details (sport suspension has different sway bars, springs, shocks), I'm curious to hear some honest opinions.

I don't plan on autocrossing or racing my car, but I do enjoy a nice tight ride (I drive a lowered Integra right now). If the sport suspension lowered the car, I'd get it in a heartbeat, but it doesn't. I don't plan on lowering my car because I just don't want to deal with problems down the road.

With that said, I test drove the stock MCS suspension and it felt pretty good. Is the sport suspension noticeably better when not racing? It feels somewhat wrong to be considering not getting the sport suspension, but to stay within my budget, I'm tempted to say NO on the sport suspension and YES to heated seats. Is that bad for a guy who likes to drive hard and fast?

 

If you have to ask you probably should.

 

If you are not going to replace the suspension with something aftermarket then I think it is a "no brainer" to get the sport suspension. The upgraded swaybars alone are worth the $500. There is a lot of labor involved in changing out the front bar.

The car has a lot of torque steer in 1st and 2nd gear. I am told that a stiffer, lower suspension reduces it quite a bit. I have the sport suspension so I can only imagine that torque steer is worse on the base MCS suspension.

I've not driven a R56 sport and non-sport suspension back to back, but driving them days apart it didn't seem like their was any difference in ride comfort. I have driven R53 MCSs with and without runflats and they do not ride nearly as well as my R56 sport suspended MCS on 16" runflats. I just changed from the 195/55/16 runflats on Bridgespokes to 215/50/16 BFG KDWs on much lighter 16" Rota Slipstreams. This improved the ride a little and reduced the torque steer somewhat. I'm thinking that I'll wait until there are more spring choices on the market. I think I'd like some that are a little stiffer and provide only a .75 or 1 inch drop.

Again, as Mini options go I think the sport suspension is a bargain. I also think the limited slip is a bargain and everyone should order it.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Mark

 

I'm having the JCW suspension installed on wednesday, so I'll have some comments on that on wed.

 

Your coming from a lowered Acura and like a tight ride?

Get the Sport Suspension. It handles great.

From your experience and desires, though... I would suggest a good set of lowering springs, too. It'll be more like what you're used to & probably looking for.

I'll be interested if it's worth the cost of admission. At 4x the price, I hope it's terrific and then some.

 

I tried to change my MCS order to the sport suspension at the last minute, but was too late. So, I have the stock suspension. I've not driven an MCS with sport suspension, but you can have lots of fun with the stock suspension. I live in twisty road country. I haven't fretted about not having a stiffer suspension. It feels like it is on rails with stock.

If you are going for track days or autox, the difference might be important. For fun, I don't feel I'm missing anything.

Before buying, I test drove an RSX, VW GTI, and a Honda S2000. The suspension on the S2000 very stiff, but throwing it around twisty roads, the only thing it had over the MINI was a harsh ride.

 

I have the stock suspension. It's ok. Under hard acceleration when I shift gears the nose of my MCS dips. Maybe I'm doing some thing wrong... but I suspect that the sports suspension would limit that a some what.

One suggestion - ditch the run flats asap! I put a set of nice summer tires (I have 17s) and it made a world of difference in cornering ability. The lean isn't so bad anymore because I'm confident that I'm going to stay on the road. It's sorta quelled my desire to install the sports or JCW suspension.

I do have to say that the standard suspension is very comfortable (but I still sorta wish I had the sports suspension).

 

+1

I took off the Crown Spoke 17" with Dunlap runflats, and replaced them with much lighter wheels and non-runflat tires. Huge difference in ride comfort and handling. However, it seems that 16" wheels are a good choice for the MCS. Easier to find lighter wheels and better ride with (so I'm told) no loss in handling. This may assume putting 205 or 215 tires on the 16" wheels, rather than the stock 195. Or, it may not.

 

Granted I haven't had my MCSa very long, picked her up last Friday and I haven't put many miles on her yet (just under 200) as I've been waiting to have the clear bra installed (I pick her back up tomorrow) but I ordered the sport suspension upgrade with the 17" run-flats. The ride comfort is much better than our R53 with stock suspension and 17" run-flats.

It corners exceptionally well (especially in sport mode with the tightened stearing response) and I have no complaints about ride comfort at all. For the cost, it is a great upgrade.

 

Thanks guys. I think I'll go Sport. If only to have the peace of mind that I went as sporty as I possibly could. Oh, and LSD and 16" wheels too. Too bad the JCW suspension is so expensive. I'll probably hold off on the DSC though, don't have one now and never wished I did.

 

The LSD is good.

If you find the sport suspension isn't enough, there are other after-market options besides JCW.

The DSC is something would want if you got into trouble. It is not over-agressive on the MINI and can do things a human cannot.

 

Suspension setups, to me, depend on how you drive the vehicle. If you are going to drive it very hard on a daily basis and don't care about ride comfort, then obviously you want the stiffer, 'sport' suspension. If you are going to use it as a daily driver, and you don't drive very hard and value ride comfort, then don't get it. If I were going to track the car, there's no way I'd get OEM suspension upgrades. Aftermarket is the way to go. Just my 2 cents...

 

My opinion: Get the LSD and DSC for sure. You don't think you need the DSC, but there's that time when you least expect it that you'll wish you had it. One moment on a tight turn in the rain, maybe someone cuts you off and you need evasive action... one moment you looked down just a second to turn the radio down.... Opinion: I won't buy another car without DSC... This won't be hard, though, since the gov is making it mandatory 100% on all cars in the next few years...

Anyways, I have the Sport Susp, 17" RF's... My opinion: The ride is NOT overly harsh. I've put 600 miles on it, not an issue for me at all- and it handles great! I have no plans to alter the susp aftermarket though, so Sport made sense for me...

LSD: Think you need it if you want to drive hard.... My minimum MCS order: Manual tranny, LSD, Sport, DSC...

Ps: this car is FUN to drive! Go cart or riding on rails are good descriptions!

 

I was in the same boat, but opted not to have the sport suspension.
So, I am on the stock suspension, downgraded to 16" wheel set up and love the comfort and performace.

Good luck !

 

Wow, since everyone loves both suspensions, I feel better about ordering the sport suspension without ever having driven one. The dealer I went through never had a SS equipped model on the lot. I just assumed it could not be worse than my pickup, and also assumed I would want it if I ever drove a mini equipped with it hard.

Now, I wonder if there is really much difference between them when you aren't at the limit. Any opinions from anyone who has driven both?

 

The Mini is my DD so I went with the standard suspension, not going to win any races with the car.

 

I went with the sports suspension on mine having only test driven the SS. It seemed to control body roll really well, and I didn't notice any harshness (though coming from the suspension I am used to, the sports suspension was downright soft!). It wasn't bouncy at all.

 

I'll add a variance to this ...

So if you could only have one... which option?

LSD or Sport Suspension? (Given Sport and Premium packages are already chosen)

-s

 

LSD, harder to change out later

 

LSD for sure... as stated above, can't really change it out later. You could update to sport susp aftermarket..

 

Yea, definitely LSD. There are many aftermarket choices for suspension upgrades. You may even find some non-factory options fit what you want more closely that the factory sport suspension.

Don't forget DSC though. That should be in your options as well.