would it be worth getting stuff for my non S CVT MC? and if so what should i get? HELP and please no sarcastic jokes, like paint some flames or get a turbonator from ebay

thanks in advance for the help

 

CVT's take to the MTH ECU tune well, other than that there really is only intakes and Catback's availible (power-wise)

 

Biggest improvements you can make to that car are suspension - rear swaybar upgrade, perhaps springs can make a BIG difference in handling...

 

Modding how? What do you want to accomplish?

 

Oh yeah - I forgot - I usually preach that first...

Define objectives - develop strategy - plan - mod - enjoy

Or... mod - mod - WTF doesn't this fit - mod - mod - I thought this would be faster by now - mod - mod - why does your car run better than my car? - mod - mod - ad nauseum

 

celis checkmate asked a simple question. we dont need non responsive answers.

 

My '03 MC CVT is modded with a Helix 13 catback, EBC pads, s/s/ brakelines, 22mm adjustable rear swaybar, UniChip, '06 MCS springs, and a CAI. MY own best mod for my car was to take HPDEs, so I could better understand not only what my car can do, but what I can do for it as the driver. I chose not to go real heavy with more expensive [and powerful] mods, given that it IS a CVT. Still, I love the car with its added agility and pop, and I feel it was modded just about right for the driving schools I took, as well as the trips to the Dragon and other twisties.

 

I think an intake & a catback are about the only engine mods I'd do. The CVT's are getting a reputation as a very fragile piece. Many are dying just out of warranty.

I'd recommend brakes & handling. I agree with Jeff that seat time at a performance drives school is the best bag for the buck.

 

well thanks guys, i'll really take in consideration your mod's WELSHMENWILLNOTYIELD, yeah i heard some stuff about the CVT's but didn't they fix the problem on the 06's? i thought they did, well if you guys have any more sugestions please go ahead

and to the other posts, thanks and i am just trying to make mild mod's cause it's my Wife's car, she loves it but she also thinks it needs a little improvement, she loves the handling thou, she goes like 60-70mph on the off ramps haha

well thanks and keep them coming cause i know this would help other people too

 

I wasn't aware that they had fixed the problem in '06, but then, I wasn't aware that there ever WAS a problem til after my warranty had expired! That said, I'm pretty careful with it now, but the first 30k really gave the car a workout, what with the HPDEs and Dragonslaying with no significant problems whatsoever. The only tranny thing was the factory's fault, as they had installed the gasket wrong and I had a bad leak. I took it back to the dealer and after 2 tries, they located the problem and I've been worry-free ever since. Great little car!

 

another Qs'n, do you use manual mode on the cvt? and if so, about what rev do you shift?

 

Yea, My wife has done Borla Exhaust and AFE intake. As long as you don't go all out. Head cam stuff like that you'll be fine.

 

CVT's and lots of other things get tons of bad press....one or two failures that folks go online to find answers. Next thing you know everyone that doesn't have a CVT says theres a problem with them. Much like the Midlands transmission(which has been replaced in my car at 50k), the CVT has not been a big problem. I may have replaced 3-4 at my dealer since 02. Same with the Midlands, even with mine, probably only replacing 6 since 02. I'll admit, even though I work at a dealer, Iv'e come on here and heard all the stories and started to worrie about my trans, but when I look at the statistics of what I've seen personally, how can I say that the product is faulty.

Enjoy your car...

 

Not to flame or anything, but why the CVT...and why not dump it and put in a 05'-06' manual trans?...For me that would be the first mod.

 

Yeah, but you have an MCS with a stick. This is about an MC with a CVT, and there is NOTHING wrong with the CVT. Everyone has his/her own tastes in cars, and differences in opinions do not make that person [OR car] bad. And, as far as MINIs go...all is good.

 

Nothing wrong with having a Cooper with a CVT automatic. If you like automatics why not.

Thanks for your insight chadtoolio. It may not seem like a large problem to you, but it is to an owner who is out of warranty & is faced with a multi thousand dollar bill to replace their dead CVT. The fact that MINI has chosen not to use the CVT in the R56 Cooper says a lot to me.

The same can be said about the Midlands box. They had problems with them, so it was later changed to a Getrag box. Those changes were made because yes, there was a problem.

I think anyone who wants more power out of their Cooper with CVT is doing so at great risk to the tranny. Just my .02 here.

 

Good point. A former Gran Prix driver by the name of Danny Colins held the firm belief that the most effective modification that could be made to a road racing vehicle was a modification to the driver. He was able to teach me driving skills at Second Creek Raceway in Denver that stripped several seconds off my lap times making me extremely competitive in a very under prepared car. The driving skills took me from mid pack to a consistent placing in the points. Actual vehicle tweaking then determined whether that placement was 1, 2 or 3.

 

This is off of the thread post but, since posted...Why didn't they change out the CVT for a standard automatic if it was such a problem? Most of the reason that the CVT is no longer being used is because of the perception of what an automatic is. NO shifts equals something wrong with the transmission or just doesn't feel right.

As for the Midlands, maybe I'm in a low failure rate region...the 5 spd getrag too me is a much noisier transmission and only been out two years so the jury is still out. Guess what, I've replaced a few of those as well..about the same proportionally as the Midlands.

I don't just work at the dealer...I own JustACooper and drive it very aggressively. I try to keep an unbiased opinion in anyones favor, whether it be that MINI has to pay for a defective part or has a pattern of failure.

FAIR IS FAIR

 

I still don't understand all the hue and cry over the CVT. My MINI runs perfectly, and it is modded. True, it doesn't have a real lot of miles, but it IS closing in on 35k, and most are due to twisties, city driving, going to/from/at/and back home from the Dragon. HPDEs, etc. If the CVT is, in fact, BAAAD, then why do all the other big name auto makers persist in offering it, too? I know of at least one respected Japanese maker whose ads promoting it are on TV all the time. I'm sorry, but I just think that a few bad experiences...much like bad apples...are ruining it for everyone.

Just MY 3c [inflation, ya know].

 

If you shift into 1stgear and floor it to redline the car will shift on its own.Thats true for any gear. I find the car to be very responsive when shifting in the 5000-5500 range. 1st and 2nd come go pretty quickly though.

 

I wish you good luck with yours Jeff. I know how you drive, you are very easy on your cars. You have great mechanical sympathy for your machines & don't abuse them. That makes you a good driver & for sure that has a bearing on how your car does and anyones else's car too.

Yep Nissan uses them. More & more makers are starting to use them, but MINI chose to not use it in their R56 Cooper.
With all the new tech that is being put into our MINI's it seems just a bit odd that they would drop the more advanced CVT for a conventional torque converter automatic. Hmm

As far as replacing Getrags go, well if it is mechanical some of them will fail. The fact is the Midlands was dropped. Makes me wonder why. Hmm

I'm not saying all CVT's will fail, we all know that isn't true. All I'm saying is....

Back on topic.... If you manage to get a lot more power out of a Cooper engine it will stress the CVT. Do what you will, but IMO that's asking for a CVT failure.

My idea of safe Cooper mods are, intake, catback, handling bits & brakes.

It's really the owners choice. Just my .02 here.

Motor on

 

Quite a lot was written a year or so ago on how much the CVT could take as far as add-ons go. It was determined that even a chip upgrade in addition to a catback and a cai would not hurt the tranny. As for me, I stopped there, although I know of a few people who have also added a Schrick cam and headers. That's just a little too rich for my blood, and I would be really leery of doing that and expecting the tranny to last a long time.

As Chuck said, I don't abuse my cars. I want them to last a long time, especially because I do not care for the new styling. I still take them to twisties and have one I take to HPDEs as well as drive daily. I have the MC CVT and an MCSa, the latter has been pretty well modded, but again, not excessively.

A new tranny in either car is just not in my "modification" plans.

 

I read somwhere {thread or magazine} that Mini went to the Getrag trans. because Midlands quit making the trans Mini used. As for not using the CVT in the R56, I'm sure production costs ,inventory costs and space considerations all came into play in that decision.

 

As an owner of an '06 Cooper CVT who has modded the heck out of I'll tell you what I have learned. 1st-your not going to squeeze a lot more horsepower out of a Cooper so enhance its strengths. Add a sway bar and springs to improve the handling. Then look to upgrade the brakes with better pads with less dust, and consider new slotted rotors or a big brake kit on the front brakes. 2nd-you can squeeze that little extra horsepower out with a CAI, ECU remap and exhaust, but the ECU may run you into issues with your warranty down the road. Additional mods like a new cam can get you closer to that threshold of pain for a CVT. 3rd-new wheels and tires can save you considerable weight that translates into HP. Go to www.wheelweights.net to see the weights of different wheels you are considering. 4th-other performance mods won't give you the same bang for the buck. Finally-modding the appearance of a Cooper is every bit as fun as modding a S. Here's a picture of my modded MCa after 10 months.

 

Nice car it looks good and you are one of the few who has a wind deflector. Since I now own a CVT I will only be modding it with a intake, exhaust, rear sway bar, with several mods to the looks.


Art