Ok, I just got a 2003 Mini Cooper (non S) about a month ago. I flippin LOVE it! But, I want to do some modifications to it of course, but I don't have any experience in modifying vehicles, but I know what I want to do. I do know that I want to do whatever it takes to increase horsepower. I'll try to attach a picture to this post. Does anyone have any ideas on what I need to do and then where would I buy the parts and finally where would I go to get the parts installed in my Mini? If anybody can help me, I'd greatly appreciate it!

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THe photo showed up as a bunch of code (no html on this site). To increase HP on the cooper you options are more limited as it is already factory hot rodded. Any idea of just how much HP you were looking to gain?

 

I put the url in the window that appears from clicking on the mountains (BTW: Nice MINI!)

 

I'm not really sure. It does have the sport package on it. I'm not sure if that makes any difference. I'm just wondering what all I needed to do to increase horsepower. Everything on it is totally factory and I was just curious what all I should buy, where I should buy it from, etc.

Thanks,
Eric

 

Increasing horsepower in a Cooper is an expensive endeavour. There just isn't much available...

If you just want to sound fast, there are lots of really nice sounding exhausts for the Cooper. I have the Borla and it always gets good comments from people. Couple an exhaust with an intake, and you'll get a car that sounds really mean. But, it still won't be making that much power.

There should be a "sponsors" link somewhere here on NAM that will point you to aftermarket suppliers, or just click on various banners on the site.

A more fun thing to do with a Cooper is to do some suspension, brake, and tire upgrades then take it on a track and see why horsepower is not everything.

 

I'm far more experianced with an S, but the three main ways as I understand it to get more HP in a Cooper are CAI/HAI, a catback exausht, and ECU programing and that could yeild a 10-20 HP gain. There are also a few (1 or 2 I'm aware of) turbo charge kits for the cooper that claim upwards of 30 hp increases, however this is much more invloved and inredibly expensive. There is a JCW tuning kit avaible for the Cooper which gives an increase in HP and is factory approved and won't harm any warranty time you have left as well as making the MC sound real nice, and they are a limited edition. As far as what and who to buy from, I'd take a look at the vendors page here on NAM and browse through what each has availible for the Cooper and I'd know what you want for results before doing any work, that way you don't end up spending money on parts that will get in the way of each other, it seems those who start with a plan end up with fewer issues down the road. I'm sure there are many Cooper owners out there who can vouch for what parts they have on their MINI. Also remember (esp. if you are doing autocross) that one of the coopers strengths is its lighter weight and agility, a good driver will get more out of a low HP car than a less skilled driver in a high HP car, consider a Driving School as one of your first mods.

 

I don't want to play Debbie (or in this case, Danny) Downer, but you will not get much more HP out of your Cooper without spending an inordinate amount of money. If you crave HP, you really need an S. They can be modded relatively inexpensively with much larger gains for the buck than our Coopers can. There are no big HP gains for cheap on the Cooper. I am no expert, but here is what I have done to my 2003 Cooper:

R-Speed exhaust (no longer available, maybe look at Remus or Borla?)
BMP Promini intake
H-Sport springs
H-Sport rear sway bar

I think for me these mods are good and worth the money. The car sounds great, but I maybe added 7-10 HP at best between the exhaust and intake. I took the advice of many on here and tried to accentuate what the car already does well, and that is handling. The sway bar and springs enhance that alot, especially for the money. I will be switching to non-runflats once I wear those out, which should help alot too. I considered doing a header, but I have decided that if I do that, it will be further down the road. Given the somewhat...err...sensitive nature of the Midlands gearbox, I have been hesitant to try to add more HP.

If you are out strictly for HP, I would recommend changing whatever hardware (exhaust, intake, throttle body, header) that you think you ever would, and then go for some software to enhance all of these mods and maximize your HP. But I think even with all of these mods, you will not be at the HP of a stock S and you will have spent more than the difference in price. Plus, with the added HP, you might be looking at a prematurely worn gearbox.

All of this info is just my opinion, of course. Make your Cooper what you want.

 

A Cooper is not a lost cause, as long as you can keep some braking and cornering in the equation...

video of my Cooper following an MCS on the track:
http://homepage.mac.com/jtross/iMovieTheater46.html

split screen with my Cooper on top and an instructor (who admits to being consistent, but not super fast) driving their S on the bottom:
http://homepage.mac.com/jtross/CooperVsS.mov

driving school, brakes, tires, suspension... lather, rinse, repeat.

 

I have an 03 Cooper CVT, and added a Helix13 catback, a CAI, H-sport springs, M7 Strut Reinforcement Plates, and a 22mm rear swaybar. I changed to EBC Green Stuff pads to cut the dusting, too. The best mod I have is the UniChip, however. While the catback and CAI add to the sound while giving some horsepower, the UniChip has added more, without wrecking the overall economy. It was expensive, but was worth every penny. About all I could do now is to add a Schrick camshaft and another header, but that would be even more money and the car would still not equal a base S. Therefore, I'm staying put...my Cooper is fast for what it is...more powerful than a base Cooper, sounds good and performs well. Total outlay of money was around $1800 to mod it the way I have it. Now, all I need to do is to ditch these runflats....

I also took two driving schools last year. For ME, it let me know just what my car can do in high speed and twisty driving as well as what I can do to maintain safety. It's the very best way to better understand your car.

 

Thanks everybody! I appreciate all of your help. I love my MC. It's a 2003 and only had 15,000 miles on it. I was in shock whe I saw that. I just had to get it. Now, I just want to "soop" it up a bit I guess you could say. Would racing wheels help?

 

So much depends what you want to do with the car. I have no immediate plans to track my Cooper and, frankly, I have enough trouble keeping the thing near the speed limit in stock form. Sure, I have to work the gears and go-pedal a bit, but hey, that's called 'motoring'.

More HP likely means more roadside conversations and that could get expensive!

 

Lighter wheels would elp the car feel quicker, but make sure you get something that will still be strong. Like I said before, intake Exhaust and ECU, will most certainly give the car the feel of going faster and the only time you'll porbably find a real differance is on the highway or in the stragihts, get comfortable with a little higher revs (if you have a manual) take a drivers school, and look into the amt. of torque the mods get, it sounds like you may be happier with intake, exauhst and ECU setup for a higher tourque if it means sacrificing an HP or two.

 

Here is our suggestion

1) Exhaust
2) Intake
3) Suspension

And just have fun, enjoy it
Victor

 

Just remember HP is not everything in a better performing car. You've been given several good ideas on upgrades. Exhaust, intake, ECU, though these may not give big HP gains you will definitely fell a difference in how the car feel, excelerates and responds. You could also add a throttle body like M7,high output coil, performance spark plug wires and spark plugs for better throttle response and reliability a high RPM's. You could go all out and get a cam and port & polish your head. But it still want be an S but It would be one great cooper. Witch is what I want. But do be careful because like what has already been said the pre 05 transmission have had trouble and more power could make it worse. Main thing though just have fun it's a great car just like it is.

 

welshmen. can you give us more details on your unichip I'm looking very strongly towards this mod. I would like to know more about how it affected the performance of your car and how easy was the whole process.
Also could someone out there tell me how to isolate just certain parts of peoples post for quotes

 

Snid -

Loved the videos. The first one really shows how a good Cooper with a guy who knows what he's doing can hang tough with an S. The most important mod is the wetware behind the steering wheel. Momentum is fun.

 

If this is out of your comfort zone, then dont bother, but I was trying to get an Idea on what to expect for a used cooper. How much did you pay?

 

snid: great video! What gear were you in for those turns? Just curious.

lashoe: to isolate parts of a post to quote, copy and paste the section you want into your post. With that text highlighted, hit the quote icon.

Eric3TBA: I'd agree with intake/exhaust/suspension route. My first upgrade was 16" Kosei rims with 205/50's, which DRAMATICALLY improved handling (now if I could just get a free weekend to install that rear sway bar!). Interior upgrades are a must, too (glovebox organizer, cupholder, etc.), and add to the day-to-day pleasure of driving the MINI.

flannelhippie: I paid just over $17k for an 03 MC with 24,000 miles on it almost a year ago. This was in NE Pennsylvania with no MINI dealer within a 2 hour radius, which may have affected the price.

welshman: How do you like the EBC GreenStuff pads? Do they accomodate the brake-wear sensor?

 

For the oval turns 1 and 2, those were fourth gear (speedo reading ~90mph going in, ~80mph coming out). Down to 2nd for the first right hander. Into third at the top of the hill and stay in third until the front straight where you pick up fourth.

I lose ground to the MCSs big time when the track goes uphill. And the really banked left turn with the uphill exit sucks for the gearing in my car as I have to really push it to get through there at around 4000 rpm in third, and downshifting to second is scary for my lack of ability and causes me to hit the rev limiter going up the next hill.

But, I've got smaller tires this summer, so that should bring the RPMs up everyplace, so maybe I'll be able to get up the hill out of that turn better in third now.