Hi everyone, my name is Erica and I recently purchased my first mini a few months ago! I have a 2013 Cooper s manual transmission that was previously owned, but kept in great condition (practically new) I love it! I would like to start some modifications I just have no idea where to start nor do I have the knowledge to do so.. Anyways, I would like to level it out, since it is higher in the rear. Any suggestions??

 

The MINI like most cars have a slant/tilt towards the front. You could buy lowing springs but that will just drop the whole thing the same in the front as the rear. If your dead set on just lowering the rear the only thing I can think of it coilovers to do that but not really cost effective if that is the only reason you want them... Cheap set might be as low as $700 but install would run another $300 and up probably.. They do make some clamps to put on the springs to squeeze them together some to lower it but may give it a rougher ride by doing so.. No easy/cheap way to do it.. other then buying someones highly used rear springs and hoping they have sagged alittle over time/mileage..

 

This may sound stupid, but what are the primary purpose of the coilovers? I've heard the term before I just never asked for details on it.

 

All kinds of different coilovers out there ( $700-$3700 ) with a wide range of features, but at the end of the day they give you the ability to adjust the height of you car at each wheel..

 

idk that i'd get coilovers for your car unless you're gonna be racing.. jcw springs lower 1/2", maybe you could get the just for the rear. pretty much anything you go aftermarket or otherwise is going to make the ride stiffer. i don't know that i'd really be too concerned with that though...

 

High in the rear, just a little.
Did the previous owner do suspension mods?
Our 2014 is barely an inch higher, if that, in the rear
It is designed that way for a reason.
Typically you cannot just do front or rear.
The suspension needs to be balanced, for a myriad of reasons.
Suspension changes typically dictate a stiffer ride!

START of mods:
Wheels and tires can be a simple cosmetic and performance change.
Mirror caps?
Interior rugs?
Has it been detailed so the paint is protected?

 

Same thought here.
BMW/MINI suspension specialists/engineers designed it that way.
For what good reason, would any of us change that?

 

They designed it that way while being neutered by laws and regulations. There's lots of room for improvement.

 

And would you mind sharing with us what improvment exactly would be on this particular subject?

 

Amazing how a topic can go "South" so quickly, when positive suggestions might be more productive.

Erica, the biggest improvement many people can make is learning to drive their sporty car more effectively.
Have you thought about enrolling in a driving school?
Learn the limits and potential of your Mini in an environment designed specifically for that purpose.

 

Is this a serious request? There are countless things you can upgrade in your suspension to get better handling. Off the top of my head
- Lighter / wider Wheels
- Shocks with damping adjustments
- Camber plates
- Stiffer springs
- Sway bars

The stock MINI is designed to handle as good as it can while keeping costs manageable and staying within regulations for every market it is offered in. It is far and away not the best it can be or the best the designers would make it if they could. For that, look towards the Challenge Cup cars.



All of that being said (getting off track, sorry),

A little rake is a good thing aesthetically for MINI's, it helps it look sportier. Are you sure you want to completely level it out? The rear wheel arch is a slightly different shape than the front, and if you level the car off at the rockers it will result in much less wheel gap in the back than in the front. Coilovers are always the best option when compared to lowering springs. You can adjust coilovers at each wheel to dial in the perfect height for whatever your purposes are. The downside is that it will cost more than just springs.

 

^ agree with vicskimmr. not just law & regulation, also $$$

to me it sounded like she just wanted to change the aesthetics, hence i suggested just changing the rear springs to jcw's, which i believe are 1/2" lower. shouldn't have too adverse effect on the ride, while improving handling (stiffer rear springs). it's not going to snap oversteer, it will still understeer far and away

you don't want to do coilovers on something you drive every day.

 

Examples (Extreme examples, I know)

A Clubman with a little rake. The wheel gap is equal between the front and the rear (but the you can tell from the rockers that the rear is higher than the front)


No rake. You can see that the rockers are flat, but the rear has much less wheel gap than the front.



Either look can be pulled off, but I think MINI's tend toward a sportier look, which to me means having some rake.

 

Good Post Vic.
Nice pics as well.

 

Erkuhface - Firstly Welcome to the forum.
You are however posting in the F56 Forum and you have a R56. You should really post in their as most here own the F56 model.
I would recommend one thing that gives you the most "bang for your buck" on an R56. That is a 22mm rear sway bar. These cost less than $200 and completely smooth out the handling on the R56 and get rid of all understeer. The car will look the same but it will be so much nicer to drive. I put one on my R56 in less than 4 hours. It's a great Saturday project!

 

Don't forget that when you have the parking brake on it will raise up the rear end a bit.

There is a little rake and that is normal. On my car the rear is about 1 inch higher when measuring from the ground to the arch of the wheel well.