Is the Mini Sport Suspension worth it or should I save my money for aftermarket suspension mods? I get that I could spend thousands on suspension mods, but I was wondering if the $500 spent at time of purchase for the MINI Sport suspension is really worth the $500 or would I be better off just spending $500 on after market suspension mods?

 

Is the Sport Suspension just the stiffer rear sway bar and springs? If so you could get that stuff aftermarket from a vendor like Alta or WayMotorWorks for cheaper, especially if you can install them yourself. I got my 19mm sway bar (I *think* sport suspension is 17mm.) from $140 + shipping from Alta and I know Way carries TSW springs which everyone seems to love for something like $240, which is my next mod.

 

I ordered my mini with the Sport suspension. I now have Bilsteins and NM springs. I would save the money and go aftermarket. I know I would if I had to do it all over again. The Bilsteins and NM's are better riding and control the suspension much better than my Sport suspension did. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

On my '03 MCS, I had the sport package but not the sport suspension. I bought an RDR adjustable (I think it was 19mm) and installed it myself.

When I ordered my '10 MCS, I went with the sport suspension and have no regrets. I'm in the process of using up the runflats so I can put a set of Falken Azenis on next.

The '03 was a fine handling car (w/the bar set in the middle position), but the '10 will outhandle it any day of the week.

 

Sport suspension includes different shocks/struts, different springs and different front and rear sway bars.

 

^^ this

I also bought the crummy and overpriced "sport suspension". Not even remotely worth it. I now have an H&R cup kit - better handling AND ride and no 4x4 stance. I'll go with Bilsteins eventually as I'm not thrilled with the Koni dampers in the H&R kit. But anything is light years better than the factory setup and its cheeselog Delphi shocks that are probably good for 25k miles tops, and much less if you wind up adding aftermarket springs eventually.

 

That's often been touted, but only the slightly thicker sway bars have been documented. The problem with only 1mm thicker rear and front sway bars is that they cancel each other out in the handling. You want a thicker rear bar to lessen the understeer in the car. For about $300 you can get a 19mm rear bar installed. IMO that's more for your $$ then the sport suspension.

 

The ETK spring table clearly shows different part numbers for shock and springs for the sport suspension option. Additionally the springs change based engine (S or non-S), transmission and if you have a sunroof. Also the ETK shows different part numbers for the struts with the sport suspension option S226A.

Oddly the non-S car gets a 2mm increase in the sway bars versus the 1mm for the turbo, 16mm to 18mm in the rear and 21.5 to 23.5 in the front.

 

Yo KevinC,

Did you go with the Touring Cup or Sport Cup from H&R? Do you have a good side pic of the new non-4x4 stance w/ H&R? I too really want to make that one of the first mods.

 

I do not like the sport suspension's ride quality with 17" rims and rft (even without rft).

It has been documented to have different front and rear sway bars and different springs than stock suspension. Lots of differing views about this throughout the forums.

 

Why do some people keep trying to say it's not when it's listed right on MINIUSA? If you ever rode back to back in a normal suspension and sports suspension equipped MINI you'd realize the difference immediately - over bumps and around corners.

 

On the non-S models I really notice the difference because I have had many loaners! To me the $500 was worth it (but in 08 the sport suspension was part of the sport package) because no way could I upgrade both sway bars, struts and springs (and then get an alignment) even CLOSE to $500. And on a new car under warranty that has to serve as a high mileage daily driver I am not going to be ripping out stock stuff and voiding the warranty with aftermarket stuff that could be crap.

I had a very commonly recommended setup installed in my Probe GT, eibach springs and Tokicos 5 way adjustable shocks at the tune of $1000 and they sucked compared to stock (looked nice). So honestly I trust BMW over forum posters.

 

I have the sport suspension on mine, but kept the 16" runflats (Conti's). I find that it handles great and the ride is not bad at all, the wife does not complain and my son just says press the sport button and go faster Dad!

 

I have an 08 R56 MCS and the sport suspension is not in the sport package because both are listed separately.

I do have the 17" rims from the sports package and the ride is particularly jarring with RFT and sports suspension.

 

I see where I maybe confused, the S model sport package seems to leave out the sport suspension! Also, even though the sport suspension option is listed separately on the build sheet it shows N/C next to it.

I definitely have it on my non-S car confirmed by the big SPORT labels on my struts.


http://www.lotpro.com/cars/2008/mini...ardtop/options

Base model:
SPORT PKG -inc: dynamic stability control, sport seats, sport suspension, 16" x 6.5" 5-star blaster alloy wheels, P195/55R16 tires


S model:
SPORT PKG -inc: dynamic stability control, sport suspension, 17" x 7.0" crown spoke alloy wheels, P205/45R17 performance tires

The information I found is conflicting, some places show the S model having the sport suspension in the sport package, and some don't. Either way I know my non-S car came with the sport suspension as part of the sport package with the sport seats and the stripes.

 

Sometimes the Mini options list, especially for different model years, is confusing for me as well. They add, change or subtract options in their packages all the time.

Interesting that the sports package means different things for a "justa" a than a "S" for the same MY.

 

I'll say my piece and leave it alone: the reason that many don't believe the SS doesn't include upgraded springs is because the springs have been swapped out by suspension people and compared side by side with stock springs and found to be the same, despite the different part numbers. Same goes for the dampers. The swaybars are slightly thicker, that's been measured too. I have no way of knowing myself, but I'm skeptical that Mini would basically give you upgraded everything for $500. Heck, the white turn signals are $150 lol.

 

You do make a good point. Other than different part numbers, there is not a lot of objective info that it is different. Marketers may have had their hands in this for all we know.

On the purely subjective side, the sports suspension on my MCS does ride much harsher than one without. Could be many things including tires, roads etc. besides the shocks and the springs.

 

And my MC rides much harsher than the service loaners I have had!

Back to the actual question of is it worth it, it is mostly a personal preference of suspension style, whether you are going to swap it out, and what kind of roads you drive on. Sometimes I liked the ride quality of the non sport suspension as it absorbed bumps in corners opposed to getting the car bouncing causing instability and noticeably less control.

 

My '08 Build Sheet shows: Sport Package $1500
#210 DSC N/C
#226 Sport suspension N/C
#2RP 17" alloy wheels, crown spoke N/C

 

That's all you got? The ala carte price for the wheels is $700, SS $500, so that leaves $300 for the DSC. Not much of a discount there IMO. I bet the dealership pockets about half of all options on a car.

 

In 2008 the sport package included the sports suspension.


I bet you have no idea what you are talking about.

 

It's not really only $500 for the SS alone. Don't forget that its actually $500 plus what it costs for the base suspension since they don't put that on your car anymore if you go with the SS.

 

I just ordered an 2011 MCS earlier this month. I went back and forth about the sport suspension. So I test drove both back to back. I first drove one with Sport, not knowing it, and loved the ride. I then went in and talked to my MA and he gave me the keys to one without it. I prefered the Sport. I did not find it harsh or jarring. But I have always had sporty cars, so I have always had stiff suspensions.

My wife was with me and she liked the non-sport better. Her lower back was a little sore that day and she said she could feel the bumps more with the sport and it was less comfortable. She has been an SUV driver for many years now.

I ended up ordering the Sport Suspension. I don't know what is upgraded and what is not, but I could tell a difference and liked it better. It was worth it to me.

If you can't decide, go drive them back to back at the dealer and you can decide then.

 

get the SS option. i can feel the difference in mine compared to one without it. it's $500 plus whatever cost of 'regular' suspension (no one will buy used 'regular' one anyway since it's on all mini). road is not harsh at all but you do feel bad roads more since there's more feedback from SS.