What is the best intake for an 05 mcs convertable? It is my girlfriends car and she does not want it too loud, I know a used promini intake for sale for $90, is it worth it at that price?
Thanks

 

I love my Alta and it gives great performance gains, but it's loud.

 

They're pretty much ALL loud(ish), except for the JCW - which is $$$...

Biggest question is WHY do you (or does she) want an intake? Most folks do it on the MCS for the sound - because performance improvement is negligible unless you have other mods requiring more air...

 

You can go with the Dinan intake. Fully enclosed and it only gets louder when you floor it -- $199.
http://www.dinanbmw.com

I think it's similar to the JCW at a much lower price. Alternatively, Mymini enclosed CAI or Minimadness enclosed CAI. I have the Minimadness and, although a bit louder, is not anoying even at WOT.

http://www.minspeed.net/products.php?cat=7&pg=2

 

Everything's relative I guess... my opinion having heard them all (and having run stock, Dinan and JCW):

Open sheetmetal CAIs = REALLY LOUD

Sheetmetal CAIs with a top = LOUD

Dinan CAI = not quiet (especially if you have a bad throttle whistle like me)

JCW CAI = quiet except at WOT and over 4000RPM - then still not loud

 

I have only heard the stock mini's....personally don't think they sound good at all. My MA told me that my JCW will sound similar to the regular S that I test drove, just a little more throatier. I like a car to rumble, not whine (ever hear a turbo RX-7 whine out at high RPM's ? -- I'd hate my mini to sound like that). I figure once I get my mini and hear it I would post if I need to change something. when you say the Open Sheetmetal CAI's are really loud - in what way are they louder? Is this the intake noise only? or do they alter the sound in some other way?

 

This thread is referring to the "First Gen" "new" MINI MCS - the supercharged (not turbocharged) variety.

What *most* owners of those cars are going for is the "Italian Job" sound - audible supercharger whine at high RPMs. Most "performance" oriented MCS owners consider the SC whine to be a "good" thing (this is the "jet engine" sound). Add to that a "throaty" exhaust, and you have a symphony of performance audio.

If you're talking about a new JCW car (the turbo variety) then it's a pretty different sound...

 

I dunno what I am talking about....I just talk :-)

My JCW is a 2008 thats stuck at the VDC waiting for EPA certification. I thought it was a supercharger tho??

 

if it's a cabrio - supercharger
if tintop - turbo

 

Oh yeah.... this IS in the cabrio forum, isn't it? Doh. My brain has truly rotted. My apologies...

Yeah - what eager2own said...

so - cg1 - is your forthcoming JCW a cabrio or a coupe? If a cabrio - then it IS a first gen car still...

 

I've got the Alta v2 CAI with no lid. It's pretty loud. I like the SC whine, but the teakettle whistle and "gasp" from the throttle body can be a little annoying since there's a slight delay when punching it. (damn drive by wire)....

 

Why is there a difference between the tintop and cabrio?

 

2007 is a platform change for the coupe - switched from the supercharged R53 platform to the turbocharged R56

The cabrios lag the coupes in model changes by about two years - the cabrios will switch to the new body style and turbocharging with the 2009 model year (during 2008).

 

Hey Blimey, thanks for the info. Do you find the steptronic is faster than manual. I am a stick guy through and through but my girl refuses to try and learn (so stubborn), so Needless to say I was very dissappointed when she was going with the auto MINI. But after driving I am very suprised and pleased with the 6 speed paddle shifting. Have you found it gives you an advantage over the stick MINIs?

 

Heh, heh.... this is a topic with vigorous debate...

Personally, I believe *I* am faster in technical twisties (like the Dragon) with the auto - because it gives me more viable options off when I can shift, while keeping two hands on the wheel always. The typical racer type response is "well, you should never shift in a corner anyway, and I can shift my stick really fast" - OK, fine, but in the 318 corners of the Dragon, I occasionally find myself in the wrong gear - the paddles help correct for that - and frankly, so does the torque converter...

I KNOW how to shift a manual - owned several over my 30 years of driving - but the paddles are cool and very effective. You DO lose a bit of the raw "connected to the engine" feel - no doubt. Wish MINI/BMW had the dual clutch sequential... but not yet...

 

Wish MINI/BMW had the dual clutch sequential...

And LSD Then there would be some serious fun

We too have the paddles and I've come to enjoy them. Now hopefully Mini will take the previous suggestions seriously.

 

I assume you mean standard? 'cause MINI does offer the LSD option.

 

Not on the automatic...

 

ahhhhh...