Hey guys, long time since I've posted anything but it feels good to be back. I've been driving the MINI for a week now after a 2 month vacation and I'm thinking a little pampering is in order. My car is freaking cursed so I kinda neglected it since it hates me. It's got 45000kms and I feel it getting older. It's been ridden hard but has ahd oil changes and genral maintenance, it's almost been totalled 5 times and has suffered horrible mexican streets along with careless drivers.

I'm thinking of upgrading brakes, my pads are decent but my rotors are wearing out (25% life left?), for the price of new OEM rotors, pads and sensors in Mexico. I could order an upgrade kit and pay the installation and it would be cheaper. Was thinking something along the lines of the Stage 1 or 2 OutMotoring kit.

Was thinking about wear and tear on parts, maybe new radiator hoses, I live in Monterrey and it gets super hot here, wouldn't want a burst hose to kill my engine.

It also takes a little longer to start, maybe change the battery? or add one of those ignition packages with wires, plugs and coil?

I also wanna do something with handling, I feel it a lot tippier than before, don't really wanna lower it because our speed bumps look like tank stoppers, don't want a harder suspension as I can already feel every crack on the streets and don't wanna spend too much money on coils, somebody recommended a rear sway bar and replacing the worn suspension with OME.

As for odds and ends you might help me with, my backup sensors and my 12v outlet below the dash don't work (maybe a fuse?), oh and my honk went mute for a month then kinda started honking again but not so loud...

Any advice on the parts? suggestions as to what else to do?. I'm not expecting miracles, given it's history I know this thing wont handle like new but a little extra wouldnt hurt.

 

Hey welcome back.....two month vacation ? Must be nice.

For brakes, at 73K miles I was in same position, so I upgraded to JCW Sport Brake Kit, they are less expensive than before. They look great, it bolts right up w/o modification, are still OEM and work fantastic.

For Suspension at about same mileage, I looked at a few kits. All required additional components like adjustable control arms and end links....end links tend to rattle a lot, the knuckles get corroded and crapped up with sand.

So I went with the JCW sport suspension. Prices for them have come way down. Again, like their brake kits, this kit bolts right up, lowers the MINI only 1/2 inch for those monster speed bumps in my state, and the handling is best I have ever felt. The struts for this kit are made by Bilstein, and the springs are made by Eibach, so it is a high quality kit. And when you can, add in some powerflex front sway bar bushings, frt control arm bushings and a Hotchkis 25 mm rear sway bar.......you will turn circles around your friends MINI's

 

Thats true JCW brake kit is only $590.40 at Morristown If you get this you will still need rear rotors, if your rears are fine then ok. Morristown MINI: http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...catalogid=3751

As for ignition/coil pak and wires just save your money, stock is better, probably time to change plugs though, keep stock NKG plugs since you do not have pulley. (may want to consider 15% pulley)

Just add a 19mm rear sway bar, and keep stock suspension, or if you got cash to burn KONI FSD with stock springs. I hated my JCW suspension while in Philadelphia and streets there are similar to Mexico.

As for other Maint:
1) Change Transmission Fluid
2) Change Top Rubber Strut Mounts
3) Front Control Arm Bushings

 

I'm thinking of replacing the stock dampers on a '06 MCSc with Koni FSD. Can you give more details as to what kind of improvement they make in ride and handling?

Thanks!

 

So for brakes go with the JCW and add a rear sway bar to aid with handling, sounds like a start, I'll try that out. Thanks

 

So, I had the KONI Sport "Yellows", but have driven in FSD, I would say it was stiffish like the Yellow, but more "softer" on uneven rough patches of road they would roll over them whereas my yellows would kinda vibrate, bounce and jitter over them. They also seem to dampen potholes and expansion joints better that Yellows or JCW without throwing off the steering. The FSD suspension is a compromise between firm handling and comfortable ride. Just depends what you want stiff race bred uncomprimising coilovers or sport shocks or "softer" oem stock shocks or a comprimise between the two struts. Sure location probably play a big role in your selection, coil-overs with hard spring rates you can get by in CA without losing your fillings, but in Philly ir NYC might be masochist.

Yes, just saying its more cost effective and more of an upgrade too. Yes 100% on the 19% rear sway bar. Set it at the middle setting, and if it the roll is to stiff or not stiff enough you can later change yourself when you rotate tires. But do check your top strut mount for tears or cracks on rubber mounts or mushrooming towers, and check the play on your front wheels to see if you need front control arm bushings. I needed both after only a bit over a year in Philly. And some good tranny fluid like Red Line MTL.

 

Coilovers are out of the question.... can't tolerate the cowl shake.

With OEM dampers as reference, I'm looking for less jolting over expansion joints, pavement cracks and potholes while decreasing body roll in the twisties, curves and sharp turns. The JCW dampers are Bilstein (probably high pressure mono-tubes), which I have on my New Beetle. Great stuff... very firm and tractable in the curves but you feel everything.

Would you say the FSD are rougher or softer than OEM dampers on expansion joints, potholes, and rough patches/cracks?

Thanks for your input.

 

They are not rougher they are better but not soft either more of a dampened feel over "rough" surface, or it sorta dulls potholes and expansion joints, but remains firm at the same time. Kinda hard to explain in words a Kinesthetic proccess, but that was my best explaination. My advice would be to test drive a car with FSD, post in local MINI club or see who has FSD in your area and ask for a test ride or drive if your lucky. Your struts are of 2006 build so no real rush to replace. Not sure what area your in but Blimey has MCS Convertible with FSDs too.

 

It does sound like what I'm looking for. Thanks for the elaboration.