Hey guys,

Just wanted to get some feedback on some recommended upgrades. I have a 2008 Cooper s with a 122k miles. This is my daily driver that I drive about 90 miles a day back and forth to work. I love this car and have a lot of fun driving it but am looking for have a little more fun.

I am the typical weekend mechanic and have been able to do a lot off my own maintenance so I am not afraid to get dirty.

Thanks
Kevin

 

Don't do anything without getting a corresponding tune. Just a good tune will make a nice difference. And, don't be afraid to "overbuild" this thing --- I'm driving "one of, if not the BADDEST mini's in Northern NV" as a daily driver, and still can easily get 40+ MPG!

I've also built this into a serious PITA, so I don't recommend going overboard. Reliability really suffers with mods, and it isn't very good to start with. But, it is a blast to drive!

 

Thanks for the advice I don't want to upgrades to the point that I lose reliability. So just trying to think of what are some minor upgrades that people op have done and recommend ( cold air intake, exhaust ....)

You mentioned to do a tune is there any tuners that you would recommend?

 

I'm locked in to the AccessPort, which is effectively discontinued. There are a few popular tuners out there that use datalogs and email maps. Similar to my AP. You might try a forum search. Both Battle and ECS contribute to this forum and are highly respected by most of us. Even the minor upgrades like FMIC, exhaust, and CAI have "canned" tunes --- stage 1, stage 2, etc. Since each car is different, you really want a datalog process to let the tuner know about your specific car. Ideally, a dyno tune is done, but this is usually only for the serious upgrades.

We all have our opinions on what's best to start with. Tuners probably have the best info, if you can get them to work with you. Check a couple and consider their suggestions.

 

In my opinion, these are the best bang for buck mods:

1) 22mm rear sway bar. Can be had for under $150 if you wait for a sale. Makes a huge difference in reducing understeer. You can install this yourself in a couple of hours.
2) Get a good alignment that maximizes front camber and matches in the rear. Search for "free camber mod." You'll need camber plates front, and adjustable control arms in back to get beyond about 1 deg. I got mine done at a race shop for under $200. I'm set at -2 deg. all around and the difference is astounding. I also installed coilovers, camber plates, and rear control arms but you don't have to do all that to get some of the benefit of increased camber.
3) Good tires. I just put on a set of 215/45-17 Michelin Pilot Super Sports, $585 out the door at Costco. Huge improvement over the runflats in both ride quality and cornering.
4) A set of coilovers with adjustable height and damping, camber plates, and control arms. This starts to get expensive, but there are lots of price points on the coilovers and you don't have to go for the camber plates and control arms unless getting the additional camber to maximize handling is a priority. Lots of options discusses on the Suspension forum. Of course if you're going for the new suspension, hold off on the alignment until after you get everything installed. Installation is pretty straightforward to do yourself.

Those are all aimed at improving handling, which may not have quite the same payoff in enjoyment if you're driving mostly highway miles.

 

If you choose mods for power, look at the tunes available. Mod the engine parts, to match the tune you choose. DONT, go outside that tune. Or you'll end up with a mess like mine was a year ago. And when dealing with getting a tune, select a tuner who has good customer service. I'm going to use manic. Nick always answered my emails with thoughts and suggestions. Also, I sent my ECU to eurotechs in Arizona. There very polite, informative and give you examples and experiences of do's and dont's based on real world experiences. Not guessing or opinions. That's just my experience. Now there is another guy who does tuning, but he's so wrapped up in racing, once he gets your money, you add the tune, you'll prolly never get him on the phone again.

 

Figure out what you like about the car and what you want to improve. If you want more power, than a tune is a great thing. CAI and exhaust are largely ineffective in increasing power (except if you go with a catless downpipe), but can make some sounds if you prefer that.

Handling is pretty solid with these cars. Adding an adjustable rear sway bar is nice, because you can tune the handling to your preference.

Simple mods are good as well, like the NM engine mount stiffener (there are other brands to investigate). There is also a free camber mod for the front suspension that helps front grip.

Lightweight wheels and performance tires are also a good idea (even though I prefer factory wheels).

I have an accessport and am happy with that upgrade. Other guys are more serious and get into turbo upgrades and engine rebuilds, if that is your thing.

Figure out what you want to improve, then we can give more guidance.

Mike

 

How about a short shifter? Several are available for less than $100 that reduce your shift throw by about a third.