Hello Everyone. My first post. I purchased a 2010 Mini Cooper last Friday to use as a daily beater. One thing I am greatly disappointed in is the ride height of the car in it's stock form (I do NOT have sport package). I was wondering, is there a general consensus among forum members about which is the "Best" spring set to use for modest lowering? I will NEVER track the car, and want to sacrifice as little ride quality as possible. I just want to modestly lower it so it doesn't have such a 4x4 ride height. Any answers?

I did a search, and found literally hundreds of threads, but could not glean useful info for a modest lowering. Most of the discussions centered on performance handling, which I am not interested in for this car. Now my OTHER car on the other hand....

 

From all the time spent on NAM and other MINI sites, it boils down to 3 options.

NM or TSW/Way Motor Works R56 springs.

NM gives a bit more drop and the TSW/WMW only a modest drop.

Or you can go with fully adjustable coil overs. Which can be expensive, since you don't plan to track your MINI.

I run the TSW springs and have been very happy on long trips, around town and on the track.

Btw, welcome, show off some pictures of your beater.

Don

 

Hmmm. I've looked at the NM and also at MiniMania's in house springs, but haven't heard of the TSW, Is there a website or link?

And sorry...didn't mean to offend with my beater comment, but that's what it is to me. I just want to keep the Mileage off my M Roadster, and wanted to "stay in the Family" so to speak. That's why I didn't get an S...gas mileage and puttering around town is what I want, and I knew with an S, I'd start down the performance modification road. Again.

I'll post some pics as soon as I figure out how.

 

No offense, just us sensitive MINI owners.

Here you go: http://www.waymotorworks.com/

 

Thanks. I'll give them a call. Anyone with experience on the MiniMania springs?

 

My advice is to just wait a little while before you decide to lower the car. I felt the same way after I bought my 2010 last spring. After a few weeks I started to get used to the "look" and decided to live with it. The Mini may look tall but there really isn't that much room to spare under the car. Some owners have complained of a compromised ride quality and problems with speed bumps and curbs (when diagonal parking) after lowering their cars. If you still feel the same way after a month, the folks at Way Motor Works will treat you right when you order your springs.

 

A little late. I've ordered the springs already. I expect to lose some ride quality on lowering springs, but these seem to be just a modest lowering, about 3/4 of an inch. Shouldn't be too bad. Obviously, if I have trouble with curbs or speedbumps, I'll just take it back to stock. Simple enough.

 

Do NOT do springs only - you need shocks too if you're gonna lower it. A few whiners will chime in and say I'm full of it, but don't listen. The stock shocks are absolute garbage, and if you drop the car on them, they'll wear out even quicker than they do in the first place, which is VERY quickly. And they'll do a crappy job in the meantime. They should be the first thing to go (right after the runflats, another abomination, but I digress!).

I have an H&R touring cup kit on my car. Very happy with the appearance, ride quality is actually far better than stock, but I'd like a bit more control from the dampers and not quite so low in front. But a good economical solution (I paid $600 for the full kit on sale last holiday season from Alta).

 

Funny, I have not had any issues with my stock shocks with my TSWs.

I may change the shocks at 50K, just to freshen the ride, but keep the TSWs.

YMMV, but to each there own.

Don

 

I don't think I would ever call the ride heigth of MINI SUV-like. I don't see where 3/4 inch is worth the effort, but then thats why Way and others stay in business, so who can say nay on minor mods.

 

I got to drive another owner's car last night. He's had TSW springs only for 54,000 miles on stock shocks. Seemed perfectly OK to me. Again, I just want MODEST lowering. This is for cosmetics only, and not a performance enhancement.

 

One question for you Don...
Did you also get different rear control arms, or have you been able to get a decent alignment without them? How's your tire wear in the rear?

 

Here we go again Vic...lol You are going to find out that the Mini is like the M roadster in terms of suspension travel.

I'll do the install and see how it works with you, before I go down that road.

 

Jeez...I hope not Rich. NOTHING can be as bad as the shock travel on the M. And no long roads to go down this time...this either works or it doesn't. I'm not investing that kind of money this time around. Slightly lowered with springs only, or right back to stock. Promise.

I swear.


Really

 

As they say, 10th time is the charm...

 

I did not find a need to change out the rear control arms. All is still good.

My local dealer did the alignment at about 600 miles of settle in time.

They dialed the 07 into 09 JCW specs, which are a bit different that a stock non-lowered MCS.

I don't know the diffs, but the alignment has held up over the past 18 months and some very long and spirited drives. Dragon, MITM, etc, etc....

Don

You will like them, I find them more comfortable (drive-able) than the stock springs.

 

My "other" car is an E86 M Coupe, so I'm basically on the same suspension. I don't find the shock travel to be bad at all. Then again, my "other" car is an MCS!

To those who claim that 50k+ miles on stock shocks and lowering springs, and the shocks seem "fine" - compared to WHAT? I would bet an entire year's pay that if you pulled those shocks and put them on a shock dyno, that they'd be proven to be completely SHOT. Hell, even on stock springs, those crappy dampers are long gone by then. You don't know if they're actually "ok" unless you either a) test them (i.e. shock dyno), or b) have a baseline to compare them to - i.e. an identical car on the same springs but with a quality proper shock, aka Bilstein.

 

Since I am at 32K on my stock shocks, I can't argue your point.

I have already stated I'm thinking new shocks may be on the list for Spring.

Just don't have a shock dyno, not many folks do. But I may check with one of the race teams around here when I replace them, just to check.

How is Jethro holding up, still have those fine wheels?

Don

 

Kevin:
Shock travel on the M coupe/roadster is severely compromised by lowering. Rich and I have basically tried every aftermarket suspension ON the market, including a Dinan prototype. Anything more than half an inch in front, and you're riding on the bump stops full time. The only way to go is coilovers, and I, personally, haven't found a coilover system yet that I feel is livable for 100% street driving. My teeth are chipped up enough already.

I'm back to 100% stock on my M, and am now realizing how much time, money (!!) and effort I wasted trying to out-think a whole team of BMW engineers.

As for factory shocks on lowering springs, of course they won't last as long. I expect that. When replacement time comes, whether it's 50,000 miles or 10,000, I'll look into an upgrade then. But probably only to Bilstien HD's, if they're even made for the mini cooper. Koni if they're not. The Mini is a daily beater for me. Puttering around town and highway driving. It will never sniff a track, so I want to keep the ride as supple as I can, while getting rid of what, to my eyes at least, looks like a lift-kit suspension in it's factory form.

Don:
Thanks for the Info. I talked at length with the guys at Way Motor, and actually got to drive a mini in Annapolis with the same springs on it. I think you're right, and they will be what I'm looking for (Fingers WAY crossed)...just a little bit lower, a tiny bit less body roll, yet still smooth ENOUGH for daily driving. I certainly could feel the stiffness of the springs though, compared to stock. When I get itchy for S curves with changing elevations and some adrenaline rush, I'll just Hop in my M Roady.

And , oh my, since it's about 70 degrees here today, I think I'll go do just that!

 

Hope the ride was great.

I found that with the TSW R56 springs and a Hotchkiss 19mm rear bar, I had to back off to the softest setting.

This was to get the twitch out of the MINI, since it had the tendency to hop on moderate bumps in the road.

On soft it is fine and very neutral on track as well as our mountain twisties.

If I want rotation, I change the rear bar setting, it can be fun.

You will enjoy, but take the Cooper out to the twisties, you might not drive your M much.

Don

 

Hopefully, keeping my stock sway bar will work fine too.

As for the twisties....let's not get carried away. Mini's are fun, and Mini S's are even funner....but my M car is something special. My forever car.