I've been doing a lotta local driving with my MCS over the last few months - but yesterday drove it down to Santa Monica via I-10 from the Redlands area - so about 80 miles one-way.

The car didnt feel like a tight little go-kart. Just going through freeway curves at 80 the car seemed wobbly and had a lot body roll. Nothing's changed on my car's suspension or tires. No recent major pot holes hit and definitely if I push it through the twisty canyon roads it feels good.

But on the freeway it just felt like I was driving a tiny car - even slowing from 80 to nil (a common occurrence on our freeways) the brakes didn't like they were really set up to do hard, quik stops like one might expect in a performance car. Car has 10,000 miles on it right now.

Other drivers feel this way? Is it a situation that we really need the addition of stiffer, lowering springs, a thicker rear (and may front) sway bar, larger brake kit and perhaps spacers to widen the stance of the car? Or is just the crappiness of I-10?

 

I'm in Santa Monica and haven't noticed anything unusual with handling or stopping in my area vs other parts of LA. The stock setup is fine for tearing through Mulholland Drive and as for the I-10, the faster you go, the more wobbly the car becomes; the road isn't great right before the 405 (and after).

I've had to do a few 60-0 stops where a big brake kit would have been nice but my stock rotors and mintex red pads seem fine. If you go all out and upgrade, chances are the guy behind you wont be able to stop as fast and rear-end you.

The next time you're in LAish, go visit Danny @ minicorsa and have him put in a 15% or 17% pulley, one-ball exhaust and some of the suspension mods and then hit-up Jan @ RMW for a tune.

 

I drive on I-10 regularly, and your description doesn't sound quite right. As in, even on "sweeping turns" on interchanges and overpasses, I still experience the "tight little go-kart" feeling. I've had a rear-sway bar for the majority of the time I've had the MINI, so, maybe that's the difference. However, I also have stock brakes, which seem to hold their own in SoCal "who let these maniacs on the freeway" traffic.

I don't know if this is any help to you, but if I can be, let me know!

 

Danny actually put in my cravenspeed ssk. I'm definitely planning for the reduced pulley and RMW tune - i love my ac schnitzer exhaust though - so i'll pass on the one ball. the car definitely needs to be lowered and stiffer.

 

i'm fairly new here having moved out from texas 2 years ago. the first thing i noticed here is the quality of the highway pavement on some highways. seems in some places it is grooved or something. first time i drove on it i thought my alignment was all out of whack before i realized it was the roads. that may be the issue.

 

oh yea - i definitely agree with that - there's a stretch of I 10 in the IE where the semi trucks have caused major grooves in the road. i've experienced that problem with my sportbikes and other euro cars.

maybe we need a governor who would hire some german engineers to come and build our own version of the autobahn on I10 (since it is the most heavily trafficked stretch of interstate in the US - specifically the section between palm springs and LA)

 

The freeways suck!!!

There are huge ruts that you just cant really see.. the MINI because it is so narrow doesn't really fit... so as you are driving the ruts tend to wander a bit.. unfortunately... you are just along for the ride...

Nothing wrong with your car..

 

Yeah, the freeways do suck... but my car feels great, then again, my car is lowered, with the rear sway bar, 18's, and brand new stop techs, so i am spoiled.

 

my car feels mighty unstable at highway speeds (70-80) as well..
it drives just the way you described.. it feels dangerous sometimes..
I have no mods and i've got the alignment done and got 4 new run-flat tires and it still feels a bit vulnerable on the highway..

but the car sure does come alive when you get off the freeway though..
so i figured, the Mini's home territory isn't the freeway.

 

Runflats are horrible tires, that could certainly be a contributing factor in the unstable feeling. My car hasn't been stock in some time, so it's hard to tell.

 

I've got almost 76K on my second MINI, a 2003 MSC, which has the Alta 15% pulley, 2% crank pulley, Unichip, Milltek exhaust, rear sway bar, Brembo plain front rotors, OEM rear rotors, and Hawk ceramic brake pads. I have loads of power, fantastic handling and great brakes.

However, the tread pattern of certain tires, especially stiff runflats, can make a MINI feel a bit squirrelly, due to the texture on some portions of the freeways, which causes tramlining. And yes, much of I-10 is bumpy and in crappy condition. L.A. has the worst roads in the nation.