Does anyone have any input for improving gas mileage on the R53? I have a 2004 MCS 6 speed and I am averaging 30 mpg.

Has anyone used a performance chip to improvement gas mileage? I have found this particular performance chip vendor to boast improving gas mileage 4-7 mpg. Any thoughts?

http://www.performancechipsdirect.co...oper/Cooper-S/

TIA,

Tony

 

To average 30 mpg in a r53 is darn good. The average on these cars on the highway is ~ 32 if i'm not mistaken.. Check your tire pressure regularly, lighter wheels (stock 17s are about 23lbs each)

 

agree with the tire pressures (picking low friction tires too) and lighter wheels (unsprung weight).. some things i would add
- Shifting - learn how to use the engine in both accelerating and slowing (engine braking is gas-free, but you need to know how to use the ol'air pump and dont damage the clutch\drive train
- making the engine breath easier - i have an intake, pulley and full headers back exhaust.. so it makes more power, but also has to use less gas to keep moving - this plus your right foot are the magic combo, but it gives you POWER when you want and effeciency to hug the planet
- Wash your car and keep it waxed so it can slip through the air
- No uneccesary weight - all the junk in the car is dangerous and burns gas
- DONT sell your mini and get a prius.. hybrids need to get 2x as effecient to make a difference and right now its more of a way to make people feel green. Best thing about them is that it's pushing innovation and our mindset forward.. we got a long way to go and I think that our next big leap is lighter weight cars through things like carbon fiber. With electric cars we are only shifting the pollution to powerplants and they need improvements as well!

that's enough of a rant from me. i love my fuel effecient racing mini

oh, one more.. building a new car has a LARGE carbon footprint.. the cheapest car you own is the one you own the longest!

phil.

 

You are doing fine for mpg....
Any chip that is said to improve mpg can only do it one way...leaning the car out...and as a canned tune, this can be dangerous, especially with a forced induction motor...can anyone say "boom"! Tradeing relilabilty for mpg is a short term $ saver, since you may need a new head or other motor work costing a few thousand $$.
A custom tune might get you a bit more mpg safely, but at about $450 the payback would take a long time...
you could switch to stock cooper 15's...light, narrow rims, get low rolling resistance tires...drive carefuly..get a mpg or two...but loose most of the fun of driving a S.
maybe trade you S with a just-a-cooper driver with a couple $$ tossed back to you would be best..

 

PS
mini coopers cannot be "chipped"....the computers can have files reprogramed...it is more advanced than car computers that require a e-prom be removed and replaced...so anything they sell you is likely what will amount to a resistor to fool the o2 sensor into making the car run leaner...an old trick to sell a fancy black box with fancy looking junk in it for $100, that costs $2 to make...just sayin...

 

Their website has a graph that shows the stock torque as being 350 - you would think that they would at least tell a believable lie plus "increase in power - up to 60 HP". At least the similar rip-offs on eBay only want $10 and not $70.

 

Here's the best secret I know on this matter.

Kind regards,

Charlie

 

Hahahaha Does the egg trick work to save brake pads too????

 

Bet it works great....
but it must be tough on bumpers and airbags!!

 

LOL WINNINNNNGGGGG!!!