Hey guys I'm in the process of modding my 2010 Justa. So far all of my mods have been exterior, making the car look sportier. I've done 17" wheels, PD'd all the chrome, I'm having the windows tinted and the car lowered on h&r springs later this month. Now that I'm satisfied with how my Justa looks, I would like to start adding on some performance upgrades. Are there any upgrades that can be made that WONT void the warranty? I really would like to install a sprint booster, but I want to make sure my warranty stays in place. I still have about 7-8 months on my 3 years/30,000 mile maintenance free warranty. Should I wait until that warranty expires? Thanks in advance for your input!

 

Get rid of those 17s and put on the lightest 16" wheels you can find (or 15" if those fit over the R56 brakes, I can't remember. Instead of lowering springs, save up and do it right... get a good spring/shock combo (koni yellows maybe.) or coilovers. Those are the best bang for buck Justa mods. It'll still be slow in the straights, but it'll be faster in the bends.


Sprint Booster is a good upgrade and won't void the warranty, it's a 5 minute installation and can be removed just as easily if you're worried about what the dealer will say. Read one of the billion threads about it here for opinions, personally I like it.

 

When I bought my car it actually came with 15s but I was not a fan of how narrow they were, I like to have more rubber on the road. I drove it with the 15s on for about 4-5,000 miles before I upgraded to 17s and IMO it didn't slow it down that much, noticeable but not drastic. I can see where you're coming from though, there definitely is a difference. For me the aesthetics are a little more important than maximizing speed. I think if I were to upgrade the springs and shocks I would just go for a coilover setup instead. I've looked around and the Vmaxx look good enough for me (don't plan on going to the track). As for the sprint booster thanks for the info, sounds perfect for what I'm looking for.

My expectations for increases in performance aren't delusional....I realize a Justa is never going to be a "fast" car no matter what you do to it, I just want to improve throttle response, and maybe make it just a little quicker.

I love my Justa and wouldn't trade it for the world. It may not be fast but it sure looks good goin down the road

 

You can certainly get wider rubber on 15's, people do it all the time. Fair enough if you prefer the look of 17s, but you were asking about performance improvements, and smaller lighter wheels will help get you moving a little quicker. I've compromised with 205/50/16 on 15lb wheels, looks good and accelerates much quicker than the heavy stockers.

IMO the VMAXX are bottom of the barrel... you can spend a few dollars more and get Megans, BC's, or ST's which by all accounts are all better riding. VMAXX are good for going extremely low, that's about it. I saw a thread yesterday where someone had tracked down Megans for under $800, not too bad. I paid around $1k for my ST's and I like them.

I'm happy with my R50 Cooper. I like the S too, but if I get a fast car, im going to get a FAST car.

 

Just curious, did you install the ST's yourself or did you have a shop do them, and if so how much did they charge in labor? I know every shop charges different amounts just trying to get a ballpark figure.

I might consider going back to 16s, it would be such a hassle finding a buyer for my 17s...your r50 looks really good with your current setup, I can tell you put a lot of time and effort into your setup. And I totally agree about having a FAST car

 

I had a shop do them... I don't have the tools or skills to do it properly, so I shelled out. I had the shop do a few things at once... mount my summer wheel/tire setup, install the coilovers, install the lower control arms, and do an alignment. It was just shy of $500 if I recall correctly, somewhere in that arena anyway.

Thank you! I've tried to keep it sort of subtle and tasteful while still standing out from the Stock cars. I've been thinking about picking up a 90-00's era American touring car for going fast in a straight line... Trans-Am, Firebird, C4 Corvette, something like that. Huge aftermarket, cheap power, RWD, and I'll still have my MINI for tearing up the twisties.

 

That actually sounds fairly reasonable when you consider all the parts they installed. I guess I'll hold out for a little while longer and shop around for coilovers instead of just springs. I always liked how coilovers can be adjusted to the drivers preferred height. Thanks for all the info!

 

I'm with havok on getting coilovers and doing it right. I wanted to get lower and found a deal on H&R springs, rear sway bar and end links through Alta for a little over $500 and went for it. I was happy to get the RSB (something I would definitely recommend for our Straight Coopers) since the combination of lowering the car and stiffing the RSB makes it handle amazingly well.

What I'm facing now is that my OEM shocks need to be replaced - and the Koni Yellows run about $600 - for just a little more, you could be into any of the coilovers that havok mentioned. I'm currently leaning toward the BC's since I also hear that the Yellows are a bit harsh and why spend that money when I can be into a decent set of coils, be able to adjust ride and have a more comfortable ride.

Sprint Booster's competitor is the D1-Spec. I have it and love it for half the price of the SB. Both accomplish the same thing - increased throttle response. The other mod that helps with throttle response is an intake. I went with DDMWorks - it jumps out at you when you pop the hood and the growl is noticeable.

Enjoy!

 

That's for the tip Albie. I've never heard of the D1-Spec. I'll have to look into it. It's always nice to have options. If I decide to do an intake DDMWorks will be my first choice. I love the way it looks, and I've heard nothing but good reviews on it. I may wait until my warranty is up before installing an intake though.

 

Turbo.....Sorry, I had to. Seriously though if you have runflats ditch those and get some real tires.

 

1. Needed second set of rims for winter anyway (put winter tires on OEM Hoelys) so got 11 lb. 15" wheels and 195/50R15 summer tires (Yoko S-Drives) for a 10lb/corner unsprung weight saving (4:1 ratio?? e.g., like reducing load by 160 lbs.?) over OEM 16s. Cost = $0.00 (if you are in NE where you NEED winters). Actually would have been cheaper to get 205s.

2. Above combo actually lowers car COG by 1" (or more), so better cornering without purchasing costly springs. Cost = $0.00. (better "agility" immediate handling response that wiht wider tires/heavier wheels).

3.. Rear seat delete. Save 35 lbs.? Cost = $0.00.

4. Spare tire delete Save 20 something pounds with spare and jack gone. (Tear wiper too = minimal lbs.). Cost = $0.00.

Surprisingly, the biggest difference I FELT (seat of pants) was not acceleration from standstill, nor handling in corners (maybe cuz I had 215s before), but highway acceleration - 4th and 5th gear!

Still not like my 2007 turbo "S", but way better than day of delivery with 16' wide wheel/tire combo.

You can search for specifics on actual brands/procedures on other threads.

 

I have a 2010 justa and I consider the NM engine torque arm insert http://www.waymotorworks.com/nm-engi...nt-insert.html and Helix short shifter http://www.waymotorworks.com/helix-short-shift-kit.html my best performance upgrades. Both are reasonable and within the abilities of the average shade tree enthusiast.

 

Mine is an 08 Justa I've had since June. Installed a NM torque arm insert and AfE drop in dry filter recently and both put a smile on my face. Love driving this car!