I am mainly looking for a fun little bugger. I am getting 6MT if I end up with a mini that's not a question for me.

I am just thinking to keep the price as low as possible while at the same time get as much as I need.

About the sport pack? It's got the firmer suspension which can also be ordered as an option.

Also part of sport pac is the EDC which can alsobe an option.

Also the 17" wheels

-

not part of the sports pack but an option is the LSD


do I get all some or none?

take them one at a time..

LDS worth 500?

Sports suspension worth 500?

DSC worth 500?

17" wheels worth 500?

I don't really mind the 16" wheels, I could get the 17" not sure if 10 mm either way is a big deal and I prefer the style of the 16" wheels. I could skip the 17" wheels and use the money for the LSD. Or if you think they are too well priced if I goe the rest of the sport pack rather than just options for suspension and DSC

About the DSC is it something that is worse to have? I drove a rental car a chrysler 300 which the stability control was way to eager to kick in and it was a Pain it the ***. But I know some systems allow you to drive hard but only come into paly when you need it not all the time. How is the Mini S with DSC?

I don't want the bonnet stripe so if I got the sport pack I would opt to not get the stripe any way so that's not saving me anything.

I wonder if you guys have or don't have the above options could say if I should go all the way or just part of the way.

If you could rank them in order of what is most desirable.

I don't mind a stiff ride, I have a S2000 so I like tight handling etc...

Thanks.

 

Depends what you're using it for.

Autocross or track days in your future? The sport suspension and LSD are well worth it. LSD also helps in the snow/rain. DSC's O.K. if you want electronic help to drive but I'd skip it if any track type stuff is in your plans. Cosmetic stuff like the sport package body plastic and 17" wheels won't increase performance, just cost.

 

does the LSD make wheel-spin or TQ-steer better or worse?

One thing I have kept away from FWD cars b/c of wheelspin (esp on a damp road) I am sure you can't get away from it entirely especially with the turbo engine but would LDS help or hurt more than non-LSD?

 

Yes. All MINIs come with ASC (All-Season Traction Control). This uses the ABS system to monitor and control front wheel spin on acceleration. When one of the drive wheels starts to spin, it will apply the brake to that wheel and/or cut engine speed. On slippery pavement this can result in acceleration bogging down. LSD will transfer power to the wheel not spinning so it is more efficient at getting power to the road. It will reduce the interference from ASC.

Edit: There is significant torque steer with LSD. I don't know if it is better or worse than without. It may be worse because it allows the car to put more power to the ground.

I have no idea. Never drove one with it.

From another thread, you seem to be concerned with safety. DSC is a very worthwhile safety feature. It can mean the difference between avoiding an accident, and being in one. It is very well behaved in the MINI. It isn't over aggressive. The better your tires' grip, the less it will come into play.

DSC can do things no human can, and at reaction times beyond human capability. There was a good video from Top Gear linked to in another DSC thread. It showed a very experienced driver go through an accident avoidance test at 70 mph on ice with and without a DSC-like system. It made a big difference in his ability to avoid the obstacles.

No. OEM wheels are very heavy. If you are serious, get the cheapest factory wheels you can and replace them with after-market wheels that are much lighter. Sell the OEM wheels to someone who needs them for a set of snow tires, or keep them for that purpose yourself. For about $575 you can get a set of Rota RB 16x7 wheels that only weigh about 14 lbs. The OEM 17" wheels weigh about 22.5 lbs. I'm not sure about the 16" OEM weight, but it wouldn't be a lot less. Rota RBs are also available in 17". I'm not sure of the price or weight. There are other good, inexpensive, lightweight wheels available.

There is much debate over whether 16" or 17" wheels are better for performance. You can get lighter weight 16" wheels, but the shorter sidewall will give you quicker turn-in. 16" wheels will give a softer ride.

I have an MCS with LSD, DSC, and two sets of wheels. One set is 16x7 Rota RBs. The other are CenterLine RPM 17x7, they are light weight and have been fine so far, but because of reports of CenterLine wheels cracking, and an F rating from the Better Business Bureau, I can't recommend them.

 

thanks for the info, you guys are very nice and one of the reasons (sound silly?) I like the Mini is the community. I have the same thing with the S2000 (S2ki.com).

Some forums, I see a lot negativ remarks, like do a search etc..

you guys are very easy going it seems.

I do plan on a set of winter wheels/tires so maybe best thing is to get the stock (free) 16" wheels and after replace the tires with wintersport tires and get a second set of wheels like you say. more effective use of my money in a way.

So far I am thinking:
Mini S
paint
Sport supsension
LSD (not sure)
DSC
Convenience package
HIDs

So the price is $25850 (with LSD)
or $25350 (without LSD)

 

If i had to do it over again (and I likely will in a few years), I wouldn't get the whole sport package 'cos I'm not a big fan of DSC; but I would get the sport suspension, 17" wheels, and LSD.

 

why do you not like the DSC?

This is one great thing about Mini we can pick our car exactly like we want.

Why do you say yes LDS but no DSC?

 

You definitely want LSD with an MCS. Adding it later would be very expensive and probably require replacing the transmission. At this time, there are no third-party options available.

The DSC issue is controversial. There have been a number of threads on it. A few folks are very vocal about being against it because they think they don't need it and/or can do better themselves. IMO, they are mistaken. Some of the anti-DSC feeling comes from experience with systems on other cars that are much more invasive to the driving experinece.

 

The only reason I got the sport suspension is that it used to be included with the hypersport aero package. I'd definitely skip it otherwise and go with an adjustable rear anti-sway bar and save a few dollars.

The LSD and DSC were both must-have options for me. LSD for the track and DSC for the street

I'd also skip the 17" OEM wheels and spend the money on wheels that you really like.

 

If I was getting another MCS and was trying to keep prices down. Here would be my options:

DSC, for safety
LSD, for performance and expensive to add later on
Rear Fog, for safety and fills up the toggle switches
Xenon Lamps, brighter than halogen.
MFSW, so you can control radio and have cruise control
White Turn Signals, It gives it that European look
Auto Wipes/headlamps, because it helps you turn on the lights and I am lazy.


I would get the aftermarket 17 or 18" rims, lighter weight and you can make your car more unique.

 

LSD provides more equal power to both drive wheels, which is a good thing in just about any driving conditions. DSC (and traction control systems) attempt to provide stability by taking power away from wheels that are losing traction either by adding brake or cutting engine power or both. These are things that some computer code is doing without my direction, which in my twisted opinion is taking some control of the vehicle away from the driver.

It's kind of like a stick vs. automatic. With a stick, I shift it when and where I want, while an automatic pretty much shifts when IT wants. Without DCS, I know when the car is going to break traction and how to respond; with DCS, it's kind of a guess as to what the computer is going to do to correct things. LSD, on the other hand, gives the driver a little bit better control by putting more power down to the pavement -- if he wants it.

I know that these options are proven to be safer in some emergency situations, but I have this bug in my butt about not having complete control of my car. Sometimes I may want the car to slide, or I may want a little wheel spin (or a LOT of wheel spin, depending on who's watching). Just my own very humble opinion and silly personal preferences.

And if I had my druthers, I druther not have ABS, too neither. But I'll defend to the death your right to have it if you want it. Ok, maybe not to the death ... but yes, that is a great thing about the Mini!

 

DSC is only involved when the car is moving in a different direction than the wheels are pointing. It has nothing to do with drive-wheel traction during acceleration. That is ASC which is not an option. ASC comes on all MINIs.

You can turn DSC off if you want to drift. People confuse the two because the button that turns off DSC also simultaneously turns off ASC.

 

I have LSD and Sport Suspention, I truly enjoy the drive, it is a stiff ride, but the body roll is reduced, and the turn in with 17" wheels is very good. You do get some torque steer, but you will get used to it. I am coming from driving rear wheel drive BMWs, so for me, front wheel drive still feels strange. hope this helps.

 

Either way you will love it!

 

I got DSC, LSD, and the sports suspension (not the sports package)... I didn't like either of the 17" wheels available with the sports package, and didn't want stripes, so ordering the sports suspension a la carte and picking up a set of aftermarket 17" wheels (with non-runflats) is what made the most sense to me.

 

IDK see you can turn the stability control off but if you don't have it you can never have it.

Here is a video of the M3 driven on the Ring in the wet. Guy is a very good driver (I would say) he leave everything on, the lights are flashing away at him, but you know what he's driving the car 80% max and it's slippery as heck so I think (at least the latest stability control systems are doing a good job).

_--->>http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5JSrm83uPKo&feature=user

 

I recently ordered my mini and ordered it with all those options .I also got the auto dimming rearview mirror .
good advice

 

One of the members here, Ryephile, reported that he found there to be less torque steer on the non-LSD equipped R56 he drove. Both cars I test drove had the LSD, as does mine, so I can't really help you beyond that.

 

IMHO, Definites would be:
LSD - due to the cost and labor of doing it later
Xenons - wonderfully bright

The rest is up to you.
I went with the whole sport package, although I replaced every bit of suspension that came with the sport suspension plus, by 1900 miles anyway. owell...
Also got the cold weather package because it is really nice to have in the winter.
and the premium package, just because I wanted it.

 

Yes on L.S.D. It is a have to have if you like to corner quickly.