Well what do you think? MC Sport Supension or Sport Supension Plus? Is it worth $500?

 

I'd say no

Keep the SS, and then spend the money on H-Sport springs and rear sway-bar. The slightly less harsh shocks will yield a nice ride, and the smaller front sway-bar will yield a Cooper that rotates like nobody's business!

 

Personally I'm planning on adding the Bilstein coilovers as soon as they're available, which from what I understand is any day now. It all comes down to personal preference. Listen to everyone's input, then choose whatever YOU want.

 

An MC with Sport suspension plus would be good for a person that wants a stiffer ride but doesn't want to add lowering springs and larger rear swaybar on his own for whatever reason including warranty issues.

An MC raced in H-stock class SCCA solo II would benefit from an SS+ upgrade. It's better than stock suspension and is factory installed so it's legal. If an MC does springs and rear swaybar then he'd have to go to STS class.

For the average driver it will not make sense to upgrade. For the enthusiast that doesn't want to go too far it might be OK or for a person autocrossing wanting the factory upgrades. For the other enthusiasts and for track driving then the more significant suspension upgrades offer more performance and not really that much rougher a ride. Springs cost about $225 to $260 for a set and rear swaybar about $200+.

 

I have the sport suspension,like the ride with non run-flats,and corners over 90 degrees are a hoot
I do a lot of transitions from pavement to gravel ,,,country living,,, and I find the MINI very predictable, even spirited turns
just have to check and make sure the black lab nav unit is in lie down mode

 

ninjamini, what kind of car are you switching from? Unless it's a 911 or something like that, I think you'll be so bowled over by how great the SS suspension is that you'll forget that the SS+ even exists! I recently had a friend in my car who drives a '96 Saab convertible, and likes to drive fast. We were on the highway and missed an exit, so I used one of those turnaround thingies. The speed that I took it at really freaked him out; he was desperately looking for something to grab onto, and he confessed immediately afterwards that he thought we were going to roll over. Made me want to do it again!:smile:

 

I am actually debating between a 05 MC or MCS. Cost is the issue as I am trying to buy a house. Now I drive an Accord (boring but family) I want something that is fun to drive everyday (gonna keep the accord for the family)

 

Save the $500 on the SS+, and put it toward the $3,000 for the supercharger, and all the related goodies.
Or if cost is REALLY an issue, an '02 MC just sold on ebay for $15,400.

 

I bought my Cooper with autocross in mind, so I got the SS+. However, I drove a Mini with the regular suspension, and if I wasn't autocrossing, I'd have gotten that. It still handles really well, and isn't quite as harsh.

 

I have an MC with the standard suspension and runflats. It rides quite well and corners great. I would think that making the suspension stiffer, as in SS+, would only improve handling on a very smooth road surface. There are virtually no very smooth road surfaces near my home. In spite of the fears of some MINI enthusiasts, the change in the shock absorber oil did not make the car ride like a Buick. Spend the $500 on something else.



R.E.

 

I currently have a 2002 MC with the SS suspension and have recently purchased the upgraded SS+ springs and rear sway bar from a MCS owner for under a $100. I think the MC with SS suspension is decent enough for some spirited driving and is loads of fun, but I find car to sway or have too much body roll on wide sweeping turns that are not completely level. I think the suspension should be better and so I've decided to upgrade. I ended up finding the SS+ springs for $10 and the rear sway bar for $50, so bargains are out there. I would make the switch.

 

Have you installed the parts yet? Notice a difference? I too, just purchased springs/bar from an MCS owner, but won't have the time to install tham for at least a month...