and drive better (tires, sway bar, etc), what would you propose should be done?

Assume that the cost of labor will come out of the $5,500 and that these are the only mods that will be done for several years.

Main object: increase HP and Torque. Do whatever else you think should be done to compensate for increased HP. TRY to come in under budget.

Ready, set, go!

 

Little Gains for Lotsa Moola!

 

First Item would be new performance tires - in my opinion the weakest part of the car...and anything that adds hp will enjoy this...toyo t1s proxies, kumho mx, and yoko es100s are all great choices...the kumho and es are considerably more affordable then the toyos as well thus you might want to look at those two....wheels can make a huge difference if your on the stock 17s but they can be quite expensive for a nice light set so I've left that out.

Second I would do an intake since you can install this yourself this also keeps cost down.

Third Pulley and Software

Fourth Rear Sway Bar and Springs

Fifth Better brake pads

Sixth Exhaust

 

Hi Cat

If I was working with an "S" I would go with a Hartge conversion. Here's what you get for your 210HP

Supercharger pulley reduction
Re-mapped ECU
Modified Supercharger

Total cost tax and fitment $2700.00 (Not sure if this is avaible in the US yet)

Also I would send out the intake manifold and exhaust to be exturde honed adding about another $1200.00

A borla exhaust for what $700.00

Air induction kit for $245.00

Bag the suspension upgrades and go with Goodyear Eagle F1's on the stock 16 inch wheel. to buy tyres and mount and balance is another $570.00 bringing the total to $5414.00 Just under budget. Now I can get me a Pizza and some Minute Maid orange soda.

If you really want to do suspension upgrades, change out the stock struts for Bilstein struts when they finally come out. Other than that leave the car alone.

Now if your talking a Mini Cooper

A Janspeed Conversion that gives you 140 HP for $2700.00 (also not sure if in the US yet)

A sport maniford and catalyst for $850.00

Cat-back exhaust system for $525.00

Do the same with the wheels and tyres for $570.00 and your at a grand total of $4650.00

Steven

 

>>and drive better (tires, sway bar, etc), what would you propose should be done?
>>
>>Assume that the cost of labor will come out of the $5,500 and that these are the only mods that will be done for several years.
>>
>>Main object: increase HP and Torque. Do whatever else you think should be done to compensate for increased HP. TRY to come in under budget.
>>
>>Ready, set, go!


For all models of MINIs you can add for performance:

suspension- lowering springs, coil-overs, control arms (adjustable), front and rear adjustable swaybars.
wheels-light ones with sticky tires-non runflats are smoother. 16" are a good place to start, not too heavy or expensive on a budget. Good selection of tires at decent prices.
intake- cold air vs (drop in filter -limited benefit for MC but works)
exhaust- HP gains are modest in MC can do Cat-back or cut muffler. UUC or similar for MCS
headers- helpful but expensive at $650 to $900+
ignition upgrades- small gains with plugs (colder), coil and wires, plasma booster (a little)
ECU- some gains for high price, hopefully more improvements will be made for lower cost.
And for the wild ones- later on turbo. Expensive for both MC and MCS.


If you are interested in performance then you want lower overall weight so things like
NAV and sunroof, computer, big audio/video upgrades, and auto AC are not helping power to weight ratio.



_________________
ALOHA

 

Cat,

For that kind of cash, we could address every area to best set up Penny Lane.

I may make some tweaks after talking with you based on what you want from the car, but here is a good general plan:

Horsepower

Alta intake $260

Pulley with labor $400

ECU $690

Exhaust $700

Larger intercooler $990

Denso IK22 spark plugs $65


Suspension

H-Sport springs $225

Rear swaybar $200

Camber adjustment front and rear $660

Koni "yellows" $610


Brakes

Ferodo DS2500 front pads $139

Motul brake fluid $15


Labor

The pulley install was included above.
Brakes 1 hour
Suspension 3 hours
Engine 1.5 hours
The total cost if done here in Denver would be $357.50


All of the packages through Webb Motorsports carry a 12 month warranty on all parts.

This package would give you a big happy face, and run a total of $5311.50 with labor - under budget!

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Randy
720-841-1002
randy@webbmotorsports.com

 

Another $5,500 would have bought me an EVO! :smile:


--
Cheese

 

I guess that's why my MINI Cooper S is for sale.. I love my EVO - I like less my MINI.

 

Randy and other fellow drivers,

What if you were thinking of MC? I've got a Promini intake, helix exhaust, and I've been wondering "where do I go from here?". I want to go into autocrossing eventually, but I'm just a street racer right now, so to speak.

Can Magnacore or nology wires increase hp/tourque at all? Or are they just for show?

Thanks for your input.

Kazu.

 

>>You'll have to limit this discussion to the MINI that you have coming so I think you ordered an MC not an MCS. You have a manual not the CVT.
>>For $5000 you are better off with an MCS for the power but you can't get the CVT in an MCS.
>>

I'm getting an MCS. MC's don't come in Electric Blue. :smile:

I wish there were more great mods for the MC, everything I've read about the differences between the two, esp the drivetrain, and the remarkable difference less weight can mean, makes me think a modded out MC would make better use of the mods for relatively more HP gain.

But since there are more options for the MCS, I'm thinking I've got to spec out my own, cut out the expensive options that don't make the car go faster, and then mod it to my heart's content.

I stuck with the 5500 guideline because it doesn't make sense to me to let the car get over 30k and it illustrates how much more you can get by not getting JCW.

 

Randy,
I noticed you mentioned a larger intercooler rather than an exhaust header for roughly the $900 range. Do you think that for the money the intercooler is that much better- what is the estimate of what it adds.

Some other things are also missing from the list:
rebored throttle body
ignition coil upgrade
wires
plasma booster
exhaust header
tower strut brace

Also one thing that is not quite taken into account is with your totals you have used up the budget and left cat with stock wheels! Oh well there is always next year's upgrade budget.

 

I think intake temp is critical to the MINI. It's a tough call between the header and the intercooler, but the intercooler also looks good :smile: .

I'll talk about the MC later when I can type with both hands again - I have Caitlin while the mom is taking a nap before the long night begins...

Randy

 

Hi Shelly,

If you want to keep the price of a Cooper S down, I would delete the sport package that you have listed in your sig.

The one thing you can do without is the 17 inch wheel and tyre package. Get the stock 16 inch V-Spoke and change out the run flats to 205/50-16 Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. In this size you get the same contact area as the 17 inch tyre plus your getting a lighter and better performance tyre. This is just one example.

It's your car and you can equip it anyway you like to, but if you save some money at the beginning, you can spend more later on.

Steven

 

>>I'll talk about the MC later when I can type with both hands again - I have Caitlin while the mom is taking a nap before the long night begins...
>>
>>Randy

Please do! I'm anxious to hear your input on this matter. I'm thinking of either plugs/wires/plasma booster???

Kazu.

 

Kazu,

I think you are in the right boat with the Helix Exhaust and the PROMINI filter kit (which seems to be the Moss with a heat shield).

I wouldn't bother with plug wires or a Plasma Booster. I would look at a different plug such as the Denso, or the entire ignition upgrade kit from MINI Pilo.

Powerchip Group has a Cooper upgrade for the ECU as well, but look for only modest gains (which can really be said for most of the Cooper upgrades).

A MINI Mania header with the cat works pretty well on the Cooper due to its smaller collector size compared to the LS/Milltek header, and it is a bit cheaper to boot.

The forte of the Cooper is the handling, so I'd try to capitalize on that. Do a nice set of springs and a rear swaybar (maybe even a front swaybar), get some light wheels and tires, and dial in the set up with some camber adjustment.

The brakes on the Cooper are adequate for the lighter weight (they are the same units used on the S). I may just bleed the system with good fluid. PROMINI sells a good power bleeder that makes it relatively easy.

Hope that helps!

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Randy

 

I would have to agree 100% with randy on that the best way to tune a Cooper with a reasonable budget is suspension and wheels and tires....plus it seems to fit in well with what most owners want out of their cooper...most owners seem to have bought the cooper since that is enough power for them and what they need....they didn't need the power of the S...but enjoy the power of the Cooper and the handling of the car...so capalizing on that seems to be the best route.

 

I'd probably get the JCW kit for my MCS...

 

>>I'd probably get the JCW kit for my MCS...
That is one approach. It is roughly $6000+ with warranty from MINI.
You do add to power (HP and torque) in a big way but only up to about 200 HP range.
But it is missing in other ways:
No suspension mods
No wheel mods
No brake mods
Not much of a cold air intake mod
No exhaust header
No rebored throttlebody
No intercooler mod
Upgraded plugs but stock coil and wires.

The difference is the warranty and peace of mind. Another way to think of this all is that the stock MCS is not bad and that with the JCW kit is still stays roughly in balance and not beyond the limits of the stock wheels and suspension/brakes. I bet if the kit was 240 HP there might be less balance of handling with power.

 

Randy, your "Pictoral Package" is total Eye-Candy!

Is that the ALTA cat-back pictured above?

 

Ok, here's something to keep in mind with all this heavy upgrading and a budget of $5000+ whether for MCS or MC.

Make a big plan. Have a budget. See how things work together and fit.
Then choose to create your upgrades by stages or steps to see how your MINI performs before charging in to create your final ideal. In the case of a JCW kit it is all planned out and you get it one shot. Then you can add to it in other ways so in one respect it is like a stage 2 kit. Then you add a stage 3 suspension/wheel upgrade or whatever.

What I am saying is that you can add everything all at once or do a stepwise improvement.
The advantage to a one time upgrade complete package is if you are traveling to Randy or other tuner or shop the downtime for the installation is reduced. Labor costs are coordinated and reduced. You get all the gusto right away. Not for the faint of heart.
The advantage to a stepwise approach is:
You can stop along the way and enjoy what it is that you are doing. Are you more interested in the process (the means) or the product (the ends).
You can save money if at some point you feel you have adequate power or enough handling for what you need. Not everyone needs the kind of mods we are discussing here. Some of that left over budget can go to something far more important which is- driving school tuition.

And we didn't really budget anything for appearance mods and comfort and convenience mods.
$5,500 is a start but won't get as far if you have big eyes for MCS upgrades. Now $5,500 per year might be good.
I think I might have used up my mod budget for 2 or 3 years though.

_________________
ALOHA

 

Cold air intake, Nology Wires, Devil muffler, lighter tires and that all will not be TOO expensive, but I hear there is a TURBO in development for even the CVT Minis.

 

I have to interject here about the Plasma Booster....

I have had mine on for two months and about 1000 miles.

It is worth it.

Take it off and the peddle is pudding.

It's proven technology that works. I've spoken to other PB owners, one guy took his off for an inspection (i did not, MINI Service was impressed by it) but he is putting it back on immediatly. It really made a significant change in the feel and pull of his MCS. I have a MC and I felt the change immediatly. I only wish I could get one for my other vehicle.

I wish I actually was offering this product, I would put up a challenge or something.
I however feel the Exhaust upgrades are minimal as well as the Intakes. Exhausts and Intakes available are overpriced and misrepresented.

I hate to sound like a sour grape, but the PB is one of the first mods I believe in. And it is a great compliment to all other mods. Especially when your new mods suck more fuel.

If I were technically more informed, I would post more, but I am posting on the product as I feel it deserves.

Hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes with this post.

Just my thoughts and a nickel.

 

For any performance mod you have to ask yourself what are you trying to do. Does the benefit (perceived or actual) justify the expense and effort? You decide if you need the hard data (objective dyno numbers recorded on the same machine from the same source-on the same car plus or minus the tested products) or will you settle for your own subjective impressions? It's strange how human beings will think that something is good if they only believe it is true. In medicine we are often struggling how to figure out what is the best thing to do. Without hard evidence the way is often clouded and muddied by opinions (mostly with positive intent).

Clearly it is easy to see what the sticker price is for each upgrade. How well they function for your use is based on your priorities. At some point when you have exhausted most of the big gain mods there are fewer good choices at ever increasing cost. That's when it pays to choose wisely and be cautious or skeptical.

The MC and MCS are quite good in stock form and most don't need the full transformation to be very fun to drive and enjoy. If you are happy with driving your MINI then that is what counts at the end of the day.

 

>>Randy and other fellow drivers,
>>
>>What if you were thinking of MC? I've got a Promini intake, helix exhaust, and I've been wondering "where do I go from here?". I want to go into autocrossing eventually, but I'm just a street racer right now, so to speak.
>>
>>Can Magnacore or nology wires increase hp/tourque at all? Or are they just for show?
>>
>>Thanks for your input.
>>
>>Kazu.
Driving school will make you faster in any car. A great driver in a MC will toast an average driver in a Works MCS.

 

>>and drive better (tires, sway bar, etc), what would you propose should be done?
>>
>>Assume that the cost of labor will come out of the $5,500 and that these are the only mods that will be done for several years.
>>
>>Main object: increase HP and Torque. Do whatever else you think should be done to compensate for increased HP. TRY to come in under budget.
>>
>>Ready, set, go!

1. Enroll in a Driving/Racing School - This will make you a much better driver and you will get the most out of any mods. Even if this uses up half your budget it's totally worth it. A trained driver in a totally stock car will out drive an average driver in a totally modified car, period. You won't believe how much faster you can drive your totally stock car after graduating from a Driving or Racing School. I raced a 95 Vette for years and spent about $20,000 in mods to make it into a race car. The biggest performance gain was going to Racing School. It you want the car to handle better, that's the way to go.

An average driver probably only uses about 20% of the car's capability on the street. A driving school will teach you how to use the other 80%. Learning how to drive your car at the limit will be better than any tires, pulley, exhaust or JCW kit.

2. Air Intake (install yourself)

3. Pulley

4. If anything is left over an exhaust or Chip.

Good Luck!!!

RaceCarDriver