Greetings everyone!

Every week or so, I find myself back on Mini.com, building up another Cooper S! I am certain that this will be my next car but I am planning on making it through the CT winter one more time with my faithful and beloved Miata...

I have a couple of questions about some of the options and I would love to hear your opinions on any of the following:

1.) Hypersport or not?
I see that you get the more agressive nose, "sport suspension" and thicker sway bars. I like the regular nose just fine...and how does the uprated suspension compare for cost/effectiveness to comparable aftermarket pieces? Is the Hypersport suspension really that agressive?

2.) Stability control?
Any thoughts on how well this works? I'm used to having exactly zero electronic help with keeping my car on the road (or autocross course)...is it that important of an option?

3.) Seats
Leatherette means no leather...and that they're actually vinyl, right? This is what I want! ..how do they compare for durability, comfort to the all cloth option?

4.) I wish the rooster red/black seats were available leatherette...but do the red door/dash panels look okay with black seats? (totally subjective...)

5.) Wheel$?
I love the "R99 Anthracite" wheels!!! No way can I afford them. $2700 can buy you forged wheels! Why are the wheel options so ungodly expensive?! Anything special about them? What is the bolt pattern/offset? I think my fat wheel/tire combo from the Miata might look good on there!

5.)JCW goodies?
Which are the pick of the bunch? Is the Chasis brace worthwhile? Are the regular brakes all that lacking? Again...are they a good value compared to aftermarket equivelant?

6.) AUTOX!
Finally... as you can see, I am zeroing in mostly on the performance options. When trying to keep the car at the $25k mark, how would you best option one to do well as a STOCK autocross car?

Thanks so much for your time and input on any of the above topics! This is one great forum you have going here.

 

I'll take a stab at a couple of these.

#2. DSC is a really nice feature. 99% of the time, you won't know it's there. But when you do some aggressive motoring or when the roads are wet, you'll appreciate having it. And since you can turn it off manually, you can enjoy your rear end slipping out from under you if and when you get in that mood.

#3. I have a car with leather, one with cloth, and one with leatherette. I prefer the leatherette to the other two options. Yes, even over real leather. The leatherette looks and feels like the real thing (everyone who has ever had a ride in my car thinks it's real). It's also easier to maintain and wears better. This is not your dad's vinyl seats, that's for sure. They are state-of-the-art, IMO. And I find them much more comfy than the cloth seats. I have back issues and they flare up in the cloth seats... can't get enough support in some places and too much in others. The leatherette seats... no problemo !

Hope that helps.

 

Nice! Thanks for the feedback. The DSC sounds like it might be worth it...but I am guessing that all out lap times ona track would be better with the DSC off, right? So its not technically a performance option?

I am definitely sold on the Pleather over the cloth. That's great info!

Its amazing that you have three, by the way. I thought I was crazy with two Miatas. :p

Thanks!

 

You're welcome.

Right... I would not consider the DSC to be a performance-enhancing option. More of a safety option. And yeah, if you're going to run it around the track, DSC "off". Well... maybe some of the other NAMers should answer that one.

Don't count yourself out as being crazy. I might just be a small bit crazier.

 

Does the DSC reduce brake life noticably? I assume that's what it relies on, right?

So I will probably be going for the base 16" wheels... but does this limit tire options? It seems that 15"s and 17"s have way more high perf tire choices.

 

Hypersport would be sweet It's a relatively cheap aerokit basically. From talking with some other customers at my dealer and also driving a sprt-suspension equipped car myself, I would forgoe the sport sus. unless you go with the hypersport pckg (which truly IS a good deal)... The MINI has such a well damped ride that is still relatively agressive as it has been, though admittedly the R56 has gotten a tad softer.... :/
If you're thinking AutoX and sporty driving stuff, it couldnt hurt to go with the better sway bars (sport sus.option) but also remember that IT IS A MINI )) and will still kick ***
-I would recommend DSC !! Might as well get it in the sport package anyway IMHO... The electronic nannies will be there in the "S" anyway with ASC, so when it's not turned off, having DSC will be nice, and when you're at the track, turn it off anyway

-I went with gray/black leatherette and it's much more comfortable than cloth.. Though the cloth would probably not get as hot on crazy sunny days.
-You don't have to go with red lined/cloth seats and still go with the rooster dash line. LOOKS GREAT!!!!! it's a beautiful addition to the dash regardless of the seats And if you're sitting on the seat, you'll be looking at the dash more anyway!

-all the JCW goodies are fun things to do but none of them really fix any problems as there aren't any. MINI brakes are amazing and 99% of us on here will never be able to out-brake our cars anyway. The only upgrade with the R56 anyway is Rotors, which unless all you do is pound the car, won't get enough gas-build up TO release it through the drilled holes anyway..

* also, the R56 brakes have been upgraded from the 1st generation, and are currently equipped with the 1st generation variation of the JCW brake kit. This is the bigger rotors and slightly(if at all) better calipers, just, they're standard and disguised under MINI OEM clothes...



CR&PW&JB : I agree... DSC would be just for kicks if you're only looking performance-wise at the car....

 

No. The aero kit is ugly unless you are going to paint the fender flares. Get the sports suspension and JCW Aero Kit.

I like DSC on the road/highways. I turn it off on the track.

Right, they are vinyl. The 06 leatherette compared to the leather was so good I wouldn't have gotten the leather in mine if I ordered an 06. The leather in the 07 is much nicer than last years. Leatherette vs. Cloth? To me it's a maintanance issue. I put dogs in my car and the cloth is harder to clean.

No opinion on this one.

MINI wheels are ridiculously expensive. But keep in mind when purchasing wheels you need to make sure they will fit the 14mm bolts and will accomodate the TPMS. See the Wheels & Tire forum for more info.

I like the JCW stuff because it's designed specifically for our cars. They are more expensive but you pay for that specificness (?) and that they don't void your warranty.

I'm a track day guy not an autox guy, so no opinion on this.

Good luck!

 

Let me put my $0.02 in...The Hypersport package is only worth it if you want the body kit changes. The suspension it adds is exactly the same as if you simply chose the sport suspension on its own.

That being said, don't rule out the JCW Suspension instead of the sport suspension... it's even better. Absolutely 100% worth it for multiple reasons. First of all, when you're driving casually and not really trying to "push the envelope", it can and will help you out if something unexpected happens. Clearly this is emphasized in rain and snow. However, since you have the ability to turn it off with a switch, there's no harm done at those times that you don't want it intervening (the track or autocross course are good examples of that). Secondly, even if you don't opt for DSC, you still get ASC anyway, which is standard on all MINIs now. ASC can be very annoying and intrusive, which is why many people turn it off (at least in good weather). DSC doesn't replace ASC, it adds to it... but all of the extras that it adds are "good stuff" that is not intrusive, yet will truly help you out in an unexpected slide or spin. If you're stuck with the annoying technology anyway (ASC), why not upgrade it with something more useful (DSC)? Thirdly, keep in mind that government regulations are going to require electronic stability control features on all new cars in a few years. If your car has it already, it may help you at the time of resale. Think back about trying to sell a car that is several years old right after airbags became mandatory... yet your car didn't have them. Harder sell, right?Leatherette = vinyl, yes. Some people love it. Sure, it's durable, but I hate it. Why? It doesn't breathe. Whenever I drive or ride in a leatherette-equipped MINI, I almost always come out of it with a sweaty back, at least on a warm day. Yuck! Both leather and cloth (of course) breathe much better. I chose leather for my MINI for another reason too though... at the time, only the leather seats included adjustable lumbar support. The leatherette & cloth did not. That was important to me. I'm not sure if the R56 seat options make lumbar support standard or not.If you're buying a R56 MCS, the brakes that come standard with the JCW brakes, they just don't have the logo. The R56 MC however comes with smaller brakes. The upgraded brakes are very good for a factory brake, although of course the aftermarket always takes things further. Most people consider the chassis brace more "bling" than function... but it might make a slight difference. I have it on my MINI though. First and foremost, don't forget to get the LSD option. You didn't mention that above, but unlike DSC, which is really a safety feature, LSD is very much a performance feature. Nope, it only applies the brakes when it has to (what it deems an out-of-control situtation), so it doesn't have any effect on brake life.Don't forget, this is only true for the R56 MCS, not the R56 MC, which does not have the upgraded brakes.Or even better... get the JCW suspension and the JCW Aero Kit.

 

Wow... you guys are great! Thanks so much for all the insight so far!

Where can I find a pic of the new JCW body kit? Is it posuerish to get the JCW aero parts without the other JCW stuff?

Yes... LSD is a given.
Unfortunately, the cool sunroof is out... too much weight at the highest point! :(

 

To add on to Edge's comments re: seats.

1. Lumbar support did become avail with leatherette with, or before, the 2006 models. Mine has it.

2. Leatherette doesn't breathe ? No worse than leather !! I sweat equally as much in either on hot, sunny days (and why pay so much to sweat when you can sweat for less money?) . Cloth is slightly better, IMO, if you're only worried about the sweat factor. But cloth has many other drawbacks. Sticking to my guns... leatherette is the best option.

 

My car from the dealer was $25K...I went with LSD(A MUST for the $500), regular sport package with 17" web spoke wheels, standard leatherette seats(like alot), JCW drilled/slotted rotors(R56 stock calipers are the JCW ones, so don't get the full JCW brake kit), JCW strut brace, and JCW carbon fiber dash.

 

I love the sunroof, and as I've no plans on tracking the car as you might be, the higher CG isn't an issue for me.

 

Here's mine:





Better pics on Motoringfile.com.

It's not poser to get just the aero kit. There's another thread where someone wanted to put the logos on his car. Now that's posing!

 

Really? That's news to me... we're talking about the same thing, right? The adjustable support? Not just the fact that it 'has' support, it needs to be adjustable... there's an extra rotating **** that gets added on the inside, near the center console/armrest area if you have it.

Scavenger lives 5 minutes from me and we hang out fairly often... he has a 2006 with the leatherette, so I'll have to look at it more closely... but I never noticed that the adjustable lumbar was there before or on any other 1st Gen MINI with leatherette. I disagree... it's a night-and-day difference between my leather MINI seats and any MINI leatherette seats I have sat in (including Scavenger's). A lot more sweat happens in the leatherette, that much I am sure of. I would expect nothing less - I'll stick to mine too. Nope, not poserish... you don't get the JCW logos without the JCW tuning kit anyway. Exactly!

 

Simply hawt.

 

Honest, Edge ! The lumbar adjustment **** is on the side next to the armrest on my driver's seat. It's a bit of a bear to get to because of the arm rest.

If Scavenger doesn't have it, maybe it was a mid-year change. My production date was May 06.

 

I've got an 07 with leatherette (love these seats!) and NO adjustable lumbar support. I don't notice it, so I guess I'm not missing its absence.

The sports suspension is nice, especially on a daily driver. Hypersport kit is basically a body kit, with the sports suspension thrown in for free. Good deal if you like the look, otherwise, buy a la carte.

 

hang onto those collector item seats as you are the only person in the US to have them! It is definiately not a US option on any year model.
(perhaps the dealer upgraded you to leather without telling you?)

 

Haha !!

Maybe it was a mistake in the factory ?? But nope, they are pure 100% leatherette ! With a **** on the right side, next to, and under the armrest. Checked it on the way home.

 

I know for sure that in early gen one MINIs (02-03 I believe) you were able to get lumbar support with the leatherette seats. MINI took the feature away though (and limited it only to the leather seats). I didn't know that they brought it back in 06 though??? Also, our new 07 gen two MCS with leatherette doesn't have lumbar support.

 

I drove 120k miles with leatherette in my 02 in Florida heat and ordered leatherette for my 07. Go with leatherette!
Check out the wheels from www.edgeracing.com - lots of great wheels at a fraction of the cost of the MINI wheels. You said you wanted to autoX - I got my car with stock 16" wheels and then bougth aftermarket 17" for street use. The 16" rims will get race rubber for autoX.
You have to skip these and the JCW aero kit if you want to autoX in a stock class.
LSD, sport suspension and manual transmission are a must. Not much else makes a difference other than a sunroof that puts a lot of weight high up where you don't want it.

Keith

 

Ill just let you in on what I did since I went to keep the price down and went for the car with autocross in mind as well. I kept all the options down as much as I could. You can add a lot of stuff to the mini but if you keep it under 25k its pretty much a killer car for the price. If you push it higher to me its hard not to go to evo/sti. I ended up buying one off the lot priced at 23,750 with only the premium package, warm weather packege, and auto lights/rain sensing wipers. I then dropped 1300$ buying a decent set of wheels and summer tires saving the allseasons it came with for the winner. Only thing I regret after getting to the autocross is not waiting and ordering LSD. It would probably help my times out a bit. So far im 3 for 3 this year against last model minis even with one on slicks. So i would say, yeah the new MINI is a killer autocross car. My suggestion would be are keep the options down, get all seaons and a second set of wheels and tires since the runflats will be crap and the wheels overpriced. Definately stock class is the way to go for the MINI. I am still amazed at how well the stock suspension handles during autox loads considering how the ride quality is still pretty good. BMW really did a amazing job with it. So I would say basic options plus LSD is what you would want all the other things arent that important. I would go cloth for seats, but thats just my preference, a trip to the dealer will help for that decision. Definately loving my descision to buy the MINI , and to think it was a close call when I bought it.

 

Hello MRGTX, I've seen you many times over at Miata.net.

If you keep playing with the configurator you'll end up with a MINI. Not a bad thing.

The plastic cow seats work well for me.

As far as DSC goes, it won't make you faster on the Auto X course or the track. My advice use the money to buy the LSD instead. Lots of folks around here love that Nanny, but I'm not one of them.

IMO the factory wheels are way to much money & most styles weigh a ton. The aftermarket is your friend.

For an Auto X or track day car I'd buy a MCS with, LSD, MFW, Xenon's, Fogs & CWP. That's it, nice & light on stuff, with a few creature comforts. That's very close to my R53 spec's.

Good luck with your choices.

 

I wouldnt worry about the sunroof weight unless you are planning on nationals or somemthing, Just learn to drive a tad bit faster and get the cool roof. Otherwise youll be at risk of making the car tough to sell when you are done with it.

 

My MA said the leather was the most durable, and I need the lumbar support, so leather for me. Easy to clean, too!