R50/53 More Mods at Steve's Auto Clinic (L.A.)...
More Mods at Steve's Auto Clinic (L.A.)...
Well, since my buddy got his Rear Sway bar upgraded, I've been itching for an excuse to do the same. Pulled the trigger yesterday and dropped off the MCS at Steve's for the day while we went to the Getty to check out the cool architecture and art (it's 11 miles south of Steve's shop, about a $30 cab ride if you can't get a lift).
Normally, I am in complete control of my impulses, but Steve's awful good at tempting me. In addition to the H-Sport Comp rear sway bars, he mentioned that he had one set of JCW Sport Brakes in...the ones that he'd ordered for himself, but he'd put them on my car if I wanted to (he was pretty sure he could get another set before the end of the week for himself and wasn't going to do anything to his car for a few more days anyways)....
Well, for those of you who have seen Steve's enthusiastic grin (no, Steve DOES NOT do the pushy hard sell, I was just feeling soooooo weak), you'll know it is pretty much futile to resist and you already know what happened next...I mean, the man was gonna give me HIS brakes even!!! How could I say no?
Before you know it, I had the JCW Sport Brakes with stainless steel brake lines, the H-Sport Rear Sway Bar, Denso colder range spark plugs, cooler thermostat, would have done the Alta IC diverter too but he was out of stock of those.
To top it off, Steve had a surprise for me when I came to pick up the car. He had changed my brake fluid to a higher grade of racing fluid and re-painted my rear brake calipers red to match the shiny new front JCW units...gratis and on his own initiative!!! He said that it just didn't look right without having the rear calipers painted red and didn't consider the job done until they matched the front. I had the same thought occur to me, but hadn't even mentioned it to Steve.
What an attention to detail, that's service and that's why people go to Steve's Auto Clinic. I was bowled over and VERY happy with the work he did for me that day. The fact that he treats each Mini he works on as if it were his own is exceedingly rare. I WILL be back again and again.
Tested out the handling on the way home (went out of our way to take some extra curvy roads) and the handling over stock is incredible, no more body roll with no added harshness to the handling. Turn in is much quicker and predictable, no understeer, turned like it was on solid rails when I flipped a U-Turn at 35 mph, no shoveling at all. Great stuff. The brakes are still breaking in (the manufacturer and Steve both suggested going easy for the first 250 miles or so until the rotors are properly broken in/surfaced and the pads properly seated) but they feel much more powerful, more responsive and easier to modulate. Will see how much better the braking power and fade resistance after we get a few more miles under them...and at Laguna Seca in December.
If you think this is another plug for Steve, you are right, it is unabashedly so. For good reason too, the man takes extremely good care of you and your Mini and the cost is VERY reasonable. I just wish he wasn't so far away, but then again, that may be a good thing as I'd be broke already
DaveC
Normally, I am in complete control of my impulses, but Steve's awful good at tempting me. In addition to the H-Sport Comp rear sway bars, he mentioned that he had one set of JCW Sport Brakes in...the ones that he'd ordered for himself, but he'd put them on my car if I wanted to (he was pretty sure he could get another set before the end of the week for himself and wasn't going to do anything to his car for a few more days anyways)....
Well, for those of you who have seen Steve's enthusiastic grin (no, Steve DOES NOT do the pushy hard sell, I was just feeling soooooo weak), you'll know it is pretty much futile to resist and you already know what happened next...I mean, the man was gonna give me HIS brakes even!!! How could I say no?
Before you know it, I had the JCW Sport Brakes with stainless steel brake lines, the H-Sport Rear Sway Bar, Denso colder range spark plugs, cooler thermostat, would have done the Alta IC diverter too but he was out of stock of those.
To top it off, Steve had a surprise for me when I came to pick up the car. He had changed my brake fluid to a higher grade of racing fluid and re-painted my rear brake calipers red to match the shiny new front JCW units...gratis and on his own initiative!!! He said that it just didn't look right without having the rear calipers painted red and didn't consider the job done until they matched the front. I had the same thought occur to me, but hadn't even mentioned it to Steve.
What an attention to detail, that's service and that's why people go to Steve's Auto Clinic. I was bowled over and VERY happy with the work he did for me that day. The fact that he treats each Mini he works on as if it were his own is exceedingly rare. I WILL be back again and again.
Tested out the handling on the way home (went out of our way to take some extra curvy roads) and the handling over stock is incredible, no more body roll with no added harshness to the handling. Turn in is much quicker and predictable, no understeer, turned like it was on solid rails when I flipped a U-Turn at 35 mph, no shoveling at all. Great stuff. The brakes are still breaking in (the manufacturer and Steve both suggested going easy for the first 250 miles or so until the rotors are properly broken in/surfaced and the pads properly seated) but they feel much more powerful, more responsive and easier to modulate. Will see how much better the braking power and fade resistance after we get a few more miles under them...and at Laguna Seca in December.
If you think this is another plug for Steve, you are right, it is unabashedly so. For good reason too, the man takes extremely good care of you and your Mini and the cost is VERY reasonable. I just wish he wasn't so far away, but then again, that may be a good thing as I'd be broke already
DaveC
Oh yeah, the Getty...
Yeah, I guess from my post I didn't say much about the Getty, and I suppose that it sounds a bit like I used going to the Getty for the day as an excuse to let me leave the Mini at Steve's which is only like 11 miles away...
No, I really do like museums, I do. Not necessarily the frilly/Baroque/Rococo stuff at the Getty mind you, but they did have a great B+W Photograph exhibit and some really cool old Illuminated Manuscripts (one book was from 1025 AD, almost 900 years old. I mean, I'm pretty sure that nowadays we don't make stuff that'll last 20-30 years much less 900 years!!!). The room of French Impressionist paintings is always great to see, can't believe we're allowed to be so dammed close to such valuable/unique pieces as we were. And nary a sniper in sight...
I do really like the architecture of the Getty, just extraordinary and so many interesting textures, spaces and vistas. I probably like the buildings and grounds better than like 95% of the fancy schmancy art that is there.
Oh, that and having the Mini spend the day at Steve's auto spa was a cool side effect too...
DaveC
No, I really do like museums, I do. Not necessarily the frilly/Baroque/Rococo stuff at the Getty mind you, but they did have a great B+W Photograph exhibit and some really cool old Illuminated Manuscripts (one book was from 1025 AD, almost 900 years old. I mean, I'm pretty sure that nowadays we don't make stuff that'll last 20-30 years much less 900 years!!!). The room of French Impressionist paintings is always great to see, can't believe we're allowed to be so dammed close to such valuable/unique pieces as we were. And nary a sniper in sight...
I do really like the architecture of the Getty, just extraordinary and so many interesting textures, spaces and vistas. I probably like the buildings and grounds better than like 95% of the fancy schmancy art that is there.
Oh, that and having the Mini spend the day at Steve's auto spa was a cool side effect too...
DaveC
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