Hi everyone,
This is my first post and I have been scouring the internet for several weeks so forgive me if the answers to my questions are obvious. I'm in the market for a new car in the next several weeks, and I have been seriously considering a Mini Cooper S. I have always liked the look of the car and the fuel mileage is ridiculous. I do about 50-60 miles of commuting/day on the highway so I have to take mileage into account.

I am no stranger to tinkering with cars; I used to have a Mustang with a supercharger on it that made over 430 horses at the wheels. That car was a monster, but I learned some valuable stuff with it. For one, over about 350 at the wheels stops being fun on the street. Traction is too limited on a 2wd car (maybe AWD is better). Second, when you modify a car as much as I did, it always has little bugs and problems. The car gets more delicate the more you deviate from stock.

I am attracted to the R56 because it has a stock turbo and can be tuned easily. I see the results from the accessport and they look very attractive. Also, I like the torquey nature of the turbo motor, which makes the car feel much faster than it is.

Here is my question: What mods are considered "safe" on these cars? For example, is it limited to pretty much the stock configuration before the reliability becomes sketchy, or can you get pretty radical (bigger turbo, etc) and still have a reliable driver? I've seen some stuff that says anything over 250whp is basically a grenade. Is this right? Subjectively, does a mini with an accessport tune and an intake "feel" fast?

Lastly: I learned today that the hood stripes on the mini are vinyl (I thought they were paint + clearcoat). Is there any problem with discoloration in the white ones? I watched a review that said the white stripes yellowed a little after a year.

Please feel free to share any links or material you have. I'm sure these questions have been asked before and I'm not afraid to do my reading. Thanks in advance.

 

I say go for the R53 due to the fact that it is more of a "raw" driver's car, but I may, in fact, be biased, owning an R53 and all...

 

Thanks for the advice. I considered the R53 and I may go that route if I find a nice pre-owned one when I start looking, but from what I read the R56 is more refined and easier to tune to a mild state of tune. For example, you get greater gains on the R56 with accessport (which can be reversed in minutes for dealer service) whereas with the blower car you're changing pulleys and such.

 

I can't really comment on this, due to the fact that I have a 15% pulley that I'm waiting on the right day to install. My R53 was an impulse buy...I needed a car...loved the way it looked...took a test drive...loved it. And it only ended up being $4000 above my price range!!

I have heard, from an R56 owner, that I lucked out buying an R53. He has had a lot of trouble with the driveline from what I understand...

 

I don't know if your Stang was front wheel drive, but I find even our 08 S has too much HP at the front wheels. I just don't know how people keep from driving into the ditch with these things if they're going around a curve. When it gets over 4K in 2nd, I find it nearly uncontrollable. Something to consider with even more HP. Other than that, it's good and comfortable on the highway.

 

Understeer vs. oversteer...most people find understeer more easily manageable.

 

All mustangs are RWD. With FWD cars, you're really asking the front wheels to do a lot, particularly when accelerating and turning at the same time. It doesn't surprise me that it loses traction the way you describe. With a RWD car, if you give it too much gas in a turn it may oversteer or "drift," but many are set up to understeer or "push" because the average person gets off the gas when they lose traction. With understeer, the car will just get back in line. If you jump off the gas when oversteering, you can snap back the other way and get into a rough situation.

 

On the 2007 - 2010 N14's, using an AccessPort is a no-brainer.
But the 2011+ N18's don't have that luxury... yet.
The coding was changed on the ECU and N18's are currently benched flashed and not serial port flashed.

The best bang-for-buck modifications are a ECU flash / programming, a front-mount intercooler, and an exhaust downpipe.
Those modifications will give you a rocket of a ride in a 2800lbs vehicle.

Partly yes, because tuning a direct injection engine with a big-turbo application hasn't been perfected on this platform.
Many are still using traditional fuel-port fundamentals that are not working well.

Just the AccessPort makes the car worlds different.
Skip the intake if you're looking for power; it does nothing - unless you want more intake noise...

If the car sits in the sun 100% of it life, and the owner doesn't properly care for the vinyl, it can discolor.

If you do pick up a MINI, don't follow the recommend oil change frequencies set by the manufacturer... in fact, change it MORE often than recommended.
Most failures, problems, and issues are related to poor preventative maintenance from owners that the design of the powertrain.
If you keep good tabs on your engine oil, keep it up to level, and change regularly, you'll have zero issues.

- Erik

 

Not always, but often american muscle can gain serious HP gains from a more aggressive tune and some moderate changes... MINI's seem to have less potential for huge gains ..... might have something to do with the engine size ....

 

I am sensitive to your story. My first Mini was an '08 S. It had terrible torque steer in 1st and 2nd. My new '12S has the new "no torque steer" technology and the difference is dramatic. You can have this programed for a fee at a Mini dealer and, whatever they charge, its well worth it.

 

By no means am I trying to recreate the power levels I had with my mustang...I am mostly interested in having a sporty and reliable commuter car with a little extra oomph.

 

Bluefox, when you say "bench tuned" do you mean professionally dyno tuned? That's disappointing. I liked the idea of the access port and being able to reverse the tuning at will.

 

No, as in, the ECU has to be physically removed from the vehicle, and a new EEPROM chip is installed with the coding already loaded.

Then you're looking at an N14 fitted vehicle (2007-2010 'S'-models, 2008-2012 JCW models).

- Erik

 

Thanks. I will keep this in mind when shopping. Ironically if I get an older model that works with the access port it will probably be out of warranty...meaning I won't need to revert the tune and therefore can probably do just as well with a bench flash.

 

I own a 2009 r56 with AP stage 3 tuning and it's a blast to drive! I don't think I will ever get bored of this car's performance and handling. Buy one and you won't be disappointed. Even completely stock it's fun around the bends and power is enough to make you smile.

 

Is stage 3 considered safe? Or are you in danger of blowing your bottom end?

 

Sporty sure, but reliability isn't really the R56s strong suit. Especially when modified.

I have had mine for over five years and 70k without a single serious issue, but its about statistics the R56 hasn't done that well.

 

OK, thanks! This is the kind of information I am interested in. What is a common problem in these cars?

 

Off the top of my head:
Timing Chain Tensioner
High Pressure Fuel Pump (warranty extended)
Carbon build-up (not exclusive to MINI; a fault of direct injection)
Oil consumption (some eat oil, some don't--can't stress checking your oil enough)
Turbo lines clogging (a result of neglect/oil change intervals too long/heat from the turbo?)
Heat from the turbo causing hood scoops to warp


My R56 (2009) has been more reliable than my R53 (2005) was. **knocks on wood**

 

2.5 years and not a single issue.

 

So it seems like many of the problems can be prevented with good oil maintenance?

 

Yup. Even the timing chain. It uses oil pressure to provide tension.

 

EDIT - I thought you were being sarcastic; I just did some research and it seems that the tensioner is hydraulic. My bad!

 

Thought of another, what appears to be, a common issue...the plastic thermostat housing cracking causing it to slowly lose coolant that gets burned before you ever notice a drop on the driveway. Not a big issue and DIY-able.

These are good little cars and I can't imagine my life without one at this point. And, honestly, I was hesitant about them until I test drove my first one while we were car shopping for my wife, then girlfriend. Now I'm on my 2nd one and already wondering what a JCW Paceman might be like.

 

Also enough piston failures to be worth consideration. Some from stock cars some from modified.

Water/meth injection, is starting to sound like a really good buy for R56s looking for longevity especially at increased power levels. Helps to address some of the carbon build up and knock issues.

If it wasn't clear before, I love my R56 and I never plan on getting rid of it. The issues do exist however and as a person hoping to put hundreds of thousands of miles on his Mini they certainly weigh on my mind.