Hey guys,

First post on the board so be gentle...I've been really interested in getting a Cooper S as of late -- could have bought one when I bought my last car a 2003 VW GTI but chose the GTI as it was the car I had wanted since I was a young kid.

Anyhow -- thinking of picking up an 2005 or 2006 Cooper S in California somewhere and making a coast to coast trip back to New York. The plan is to find a decent mileage Cooper <70K and stop at as many MINI tuning shops along the way as possible and pick up a new mod or maintenance item at each stop.

First -- although I have read a lot of watch out posts and the pre-owned buying guide...I wanted to know if you had to buy a used one today and drive across country

a) would you do it - and trust the car to get you across

b) what are the things you would replace before embarking on the trip besides: plugs and wires, oil and filter

c) Favorite shops in the following states (Don't know the exact route yet)
California (Southern)
Nevada (Near Vegas)
Arizona (Near Grand Canyon)
Texas
Louisiana (New Orleans)
Alabama
Georgia (Atlanta region)
Florida (Northnern)
North and South Carolina
Virginia
Maryland
New Jersey
Tennessee
Kentucky

What mods would you get if your total budget for mods was $2,000 including maintenance

Thanks all -- look forward to motoring sometime soon.

 

a. Yes, provided you make sure your oil change is good, all fluids are topped off, and a shop diagnostic says everything else is good. That and just compare against any trips you make that are 50 miles or more. Judge how well your MINI responds and performs.

b. It's a loaded question, but the two best bang-for-the-buck mods are the 15% pulley and an upgraded rear sway bar. Pulley is about $110-150, but you will have to shill out another $250 or so to get it installed. Rear swaybar can be $140-240, with another $100 or so for installation. From there, I will summarize below what $2K can get you:

- Pulley installed - ~$400 (may also be as a kit, which includes belt and plugs)
- Rear sway bar installed (assuming the 25mm beast) - ~$340
- DDMWorks cold air intake - ~$250
- Invidia exhaust installed - ~$800 ($670 plus installation costs)
- Tune - ~$300 (can be lower)

Total between these is just above your spending at $2,090.

Way Motor Works is just outside of Atlanta. Grassroots Garage is near Thomasville, NC. Specifically for tuning, I recommend sticking with one shop in particular. Everyone has a different opinion on how your MINI will best perform when tuned (just like everyone used to have have a different opinion on how to tune a carburetor way back in the day). If you get one shop to do all these mods at the same time, you might be able to negotiate an all-in-one package to save a little extra $$$.

Happy modding and motoring! Post some pics of your trip if you can.