R56 Sumint - '11 MCSa Build Thread (PW/PW)
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3rd Gear
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 152
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From: Orange County, CA
Sumint - '11 MCSa Build Thread (PW/PW)
(I'll come back and update this thread as I continue the build...I already have a handful of aesthetic and performance mods in the works\\\Nothing real crazy as this is my daily driver, but just a few little things to make it mine.)
How did I get here?
So, I've been considering a MINI since the day they were first introduced to the USA back in the early 2000's. It just never seemed to fit my life, or at least I didn't think it did?! Now I have sold my SUV and moved onto life in a MINI. I'm looking forward to the MPG, fun, styling, mod-ing, and oh yeah just in case you didn't read it right...FUN!
I didn't test drive the first gen. My first experience behind the wheel was in a 2008 R56. I test drove it and always explained this experience as being like a kid in a candy store, with a sheot eating grin pasted on my face ear-to-ear. As fate would have it I ended up in a V8 SUV that year. Fast forward 3 years to March 2011. While on vacation in a place previously devoid of MINI, I noticed a smattering of MINI's. I guess they stuck out more in my mind’s eye, given the remote location...heck back home in So. Cal. I see them everywhere, everyday. Yet it was in this quiet vacation spot that stirred that old interest. Maybe it was vacation joy, or maybe fate? I looked at my friend and said, I LOVE those MINI's, one day I'm gonna have to get one. Then he said, heck I bet you cold trade your SUV for one.
The seed was planted. I could not resist researching NAM, playing with the “MINI configurator”, and researching what I could sell my SUV for. In the end I basically was able to swap my SUV for the MINI. Not bad since I was able to sell my 3 year old 40k mile 4Runner for $4k less than its purchase price (less TTL).
I must have had 20 different builds. Anything from $25k-$32k. I finally settled on a build around $28k. Right in the middle, the sweet spot! It has everything I really want, and nothing I didn't want. The only thing I will miss is the in dash GPS, but to be honest it just didn't live up to my expectations at the dealer test drive, so I opted to not add it (plus I don't have the iphone, otherwise the Connected + NAV option may have been too hard to resist). As you all know it's all about balancing the build and the mods to hit the budget, right? So hit enter, and it was done. Oxford custom built, wait begins and now to join the NAM'ers to keep my mind busy while I wait for her to arrive.
2011 April 8th What I ordered
2011 MCSa - PW/PW
16" 6 Star Spoke (Black)
Convenience Package / Auto AC / HK Audio / DSC / DTC / Anthracite Headliner / Cloth Interior
Xenons / White Indicators / Black Headlight Housing
Now I should note, I did not buy my car through an MA. I actually used a personal friend of mine that brokers cars, so the whole ordeal was done by the broker and I was able to get a great deal w/o having to be troubled with the sales process. It only really works when you know exactly what you want, and that fit me perfectly. (FYI- only paid a few hundred over invoice and got ~$300 in free accessories). If you’re in the So Cal area and need a broker PM me (my guy is actually a BMW fleet sales guy, but can help with many makes).
MINI Configurator Build Photo:
2011 Mar 18th Vessel ports in Port Hueneme and my car is at the VDC. MA tells me that the computer says a Mar 25th delivery, but expects it to be in earlier...damn the last few days are the longest. It's like being a 12 year old and waiting for X-Mas.
2011 Mar 20th I have installed a noise meter in my android phone called Sound Meter http://www.appbrain.com/app/sound-meter/kr.sira.sound
I plan on using it measure sound levels at stock and after certain mods, just as a way to see if I increase or decrease noise levels based on mods. For me this is a daily driver, and I prefer to not have a noisy ride…yeah I know it’s no Lexus, but still, I’d prefer not to make it any noisier than it already is. *NOTE: this app is by no means a high end piece of sound equipment, so I only plan on using it for comparison (i.e. are my mods making it quieter or noisier). We’ll see if this free app has any real world use or not. Stay Tuned.
2011 Mar 25th I get the call…MY MINI is ready to be picked up.
Too excited to type so here are some pics for now.
How did I get here?
So, I've been considering a MINI since the day they were first introduced to the USA back in the early 2000's. It just never seemed to fit my life, or at least I didn't think it did?! Now I have sold my SUV and moved onto life in a MINI. I'm looking forward to the MPG, fun, styling, mod-ing, and oh yeah just in case you didn't read it right...FUN!
I didn't test drive the first gen. My first experience behind the wheel was in a 2008 R56. I test drove it and always explained this experience as being like a kid in a candy store, with a sheot eating grin pasted on my face ear-to-ear. As fate would have it I ended up in a V8 SUV that year. Fast forward 3 years to March 2011. While on vacation in a place previously devoid of MINI, I noticed a smattering of MINI's. I guess they stuck out more in my mind’s eye, given the remote location...heck back home in So. Cal. I see them everywhere, everyday. Yet it was in this quiet vacation spot that stirred that old interest. Maybe it was vacation joy, or maybe fate? I looked at my friend and said, I LOVE those MINI's, one day I'm gonna have to get one. Then he said, heck I bet you cold trade your SUV for one.
The seed was planted. I could not resist researching NAM, playing with the “MINI configurator”, and researching what I could sell my SUV for. In the end I basically was able to swap my SUV for the MINI. Not bad since I was able to sell my 3 year old 40k mile 4Runner for $4k less than its purchase price (less TTL).
I must have had 20 different builds. Anything from $25k-$32k. I finally settled on a build around $28k. Right in the middle, the sweet spot! It has everything I really want, and nothing I didn't want. The only thing I will miss is the in dash GPS, but to be honest it just didn't live up to my expectations at the dealer test drive, so I opted to not add it (plus I don't have the iphone, otherwise the Connected + NAV option may have been too hard to resist). As you all know it's all about balancing the build and the mods to hit the budget, right? So hit enter, and it was done. Oxford custom built, wait begins and now to join the NAM'ers to keep my mind busy while I wait for her to arrive.
2011 April 8th What I ordered
2011 MCSa - PW/PW
16" 6 Star Spoke (Black)
Convenience Package / Auto AC / HK Audio / DSC / DTC / Anthracite Headliner / Cloth Interior
Xenons / White Indicators / Black Headlight Housing
Now I should note, I did not buy my car through an MA. I actually used a personal friend of mine that brokers cars, so the whole ordeal was done by the broker and I was able to get a great deal w/o having to be troubled with the sales process. It only really works when you know exactly what you want, and that fit me perfectly. (FYI- only paid a few hundred over invoice and got ~$300 in free accessories). If you’re in the So Cal area and need a broker PM me (my guy is actually a BMW fleet sales guy, but can help with many makes).
MINI Configurator Build Photo:
2011 Mar 18th Vessel ports in Port Hueneme and my car is at the VDC. MA tells me that the computer says a Mar 25th delivery, but expects it to be in earlier...damn the last few days are the longest. It's like being a 12 year old and waiting for X-Mas.
2011 Mar 20th I have installed a noise meter in my android phone called Sound Meter http://www.appbrain.com/app/sound-meter/kr.sira.sound
I plan on using it measure sound levels at stock and after certain mods, just as a way to see if I increase or decrease noise levels based on mods. For me this is a daily driver, and I prefer to not have a noisy ride…yeah I know it’s no Lexus, but still, I’d prefer not to make it any noisier than it already is. *NOTE: this app is by no means a high end piece of sound equipment, so I only plan on using it for comparison (i.e. are my mods making it quieter or noisier). We’ll see if this free app has any real world use or not. Stay Tuned.
2011 Mar 25th I get the call…MY MINI is ready to be picked up.
Too excited to type so here are some pics for now.
Last edited by sumint; May 25, 2011 at 11:52 PM.
Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 152
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From: Orange County, CA
JUNE UPDATES:
1) Installed ABF Spec MEGA-MINI Eibach Springs (installed at ABF in Huntington Beach, CA)
Here are some pics of the wheel arch height before.
FRONT BEFORE
REAR BEFORE
FRONT AFTER
REAR AFTER
At the same time I was at ABF getting the springs installed I had new shoes put on her in the form of 205/55/16 Hankook RS3s. The combination of springs and Non-RF tires was a nice upgrade. After ridding around on the new set up for about 3-4 weeks, and remembering that I only drove it bone stock about 1 week. Here are my impressions of the upgrades.
Springs:
-noticeably less body roll
-on uneven freeways the stock suspension would feel like the whole car was "see-sawing" front to back as you went over the repetitive uneven freeway. With the new springs that is completely gone and now uneven freeways still feel bumpy but it does not loose composure and "see-saw" back and forth.
-the new springs ride "firmer"...I know adjectives for ride quality are extremely subjective and open to interpretation. I don't feel like the ride got "harsh" but when encountering little bumps and lane markers it is comfortable and i would say more pleasant than stock.
-over pot holes or significant dips in the road you can tell you have less travel on the new springs, these sudden changes in road elevations will give you a good pop in the seat, but I don't feel like they are bottoming out at all. The stock set up would absorb more of these imperfections but would induce some floaty type body roll. So I will take a bit more seat of pants feel in exchange for the nicely improved road feel and planted body feel.
-OVERALL
+ ride smoothness (before 4 out of 5 & after 3.5 out of 5)
+ composure (before 3 out of 5 & after 4 out of 5)
*NOTE: I'm sure some of this is due to adding the softer Hankook tires and the slightly taller side walls.
Tires
- OMG these sucker grip, and they are soft rubber compound. So we will see how well they wear, but the grip is unreal at the price of $100/each.
- Road noise is about the same as the Bridgestone RF.
The other upgrades I did were all cosmetic. I added some strips from Mighty Stripes and installed them with the help of my brother in about 3 hours. We had never done it before and did a wet install. We made a few error but nothing noticeable and considering we did it ourselves it only cost $150 + 3 hours of fun installing. Plus installed a GoBadges badge up front to add some red accent. Then did a Llumar CTX 40% tint job all around. Took it on a trip up the Sierras of California and got it past break-in.
Also did a DIY oil and filter change at 1.5k and boy was that oil dirty.
And now for the picture show...
With one picture to remind you of how she looked bone stock
1) Installed ABF Spec MEGA-MINI Eibach Springs (installed at ABF in Huntington Beach, CA)
Here are some pics of the wheel arch height before.
FRONT BEFORE
REAR BEFORE
FRONT AFTER
REAR AFTER
At the same time I was at ABF getting the springs installed I had new shoes put on her in the form of 205/55/16 Hankook RS3s. The combination of springs and Non-RF tires was a nice upgrade. After ridding around on the new set up for about 3-4 weeks, and remembering that I only drove it bone stock about 1 week. Here are my impressions of the upgrades.
Springs:
-noticeably less body roll
-on uneven freeways the stock suspension would feel like the whole car was "see-sawing" front to back as you went over the repetitive uneven freeway. With the new springs that is completely gone and now uneven freeways still feel bumpy but it does not loose composure and "see-saw" back and forth.
-the new springs ride "firmer"...I know adjectives for ride quality are extremely subjective and open to interpretation. I don't feel like the ride got "harsh" but when encountering little bumps and lane markers it is comfortable and i would say more pleasant than stock.
-over pot holes or significant dips in the road you can tell you have less travel on the new springs, these sudden changes in road elevations will give you a good pop in the seat, but I don't feel like they are bottoming out at all. The stock set up would absorb more of these imperfections but would induce some floaty type body roll. So I will take a bit more seat of pants feel in exchange for the nicely improved road feel and planted body feel.
-OVERALL
+ ride smoothness (before 4 out of 5 & after 3.5 out of 5)
+ composure (before 3 out of 5 & after 4 out of 5)
*NOTE: I'm sure some of this is due to adding the softer Hankook tires and the slightly taller side walls.
Tires
- OMG these sucker grip, and they are soft rubber compound. So we will see how well they wear, but the grip is unreal at the price of $100/each.
- Road noise is about the same as the Bridgestone RF.
The other upgrades I did were all cosmetic. I added some strips from Mighty Stripes and installed them with the help of my brother in about 3 hours. We had never done it before and did a wet install. We made a few error but nothing noticeable and considering we did it ourselves it only cost $150 + 3 hours of fun installing. Plus installed a GoBadges badge up front to add some red accent. Then did a Llumar CTX 40% tint job all around. Took it on a trip up the Sierras of California and got it past break-in.
Also did a DIY oil and filter change at 1.5k and boy was that oil dirty.
And now for the picture show...
With one picture to remind you of how she looked bone stock
Last edited by sumint; Jun 30, 2011 at 07:35 PM.
2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Bethesda, MD
Interesting build, and I'd say you checked all of the important boxes for a SoCal resident.
Like the springs, I'll keep those in mind. Honestly I like everything about it, keep the updates coming.
Like the springs, I'll keep those in mind. Honestly I like everything about it, keep the updates coming.
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