Hey guys, ive been checking out lots of random post on here for a couple years now and decided it was time i get involved.

I have a 2008 Mini cooper S, my first car, I got it about two or three years ago and im up to about 91,000 miles now, so yeah, to the questions!

Current mods:
K&N intake system
exhaust
catless downpipe and catless mid pipe

plan on getting a RMW tune very soon

So my goal with my Mini is 250 WHP

Questions:

what whp would I most likely be at with my current set up?

with this set up and a RMW tune about what whp would I be at?

Is meth injection as good as it seems? would it be better to get that now and a tune later?

Would having an intercooler before getting the RMW make a huge difference?

If so are the cheap $300 intercoolers just as effective as the $900 ones?

Is getting head work done worth it?

Turbo upgrades, I was orginally planing on going with a GT28rs turbo but after talking to Jan from RMW he said they normally are very hard to tune and do not run right, does anyone have any experience with this?

Is having time on the dyno worth it or is just the remote tune from Jan good enough?

Also anyone at 250 whp or above, please let me know your mods.

As said this is my first furom post and apologize for anything that I may have done inproperly in this post, please let know if I have.

(and please no flywheel hp numbers)

Thanks guys,
Ben

 

Welcome.. But damn another catless MINI.. The MINI will NEVER EVER be a fast car. the more Hp you add, the harder is is to use it.


Intercooler should be the very first mod you did. The stock IC is just tiny.


Cheap intercoolers are cheap for a reason. It's either a stolen design, crappy materials, and or workmanship. Will it work? Probably, but will it last? Will you feel bad that you are supporting some scum sucking ripoff country? Hope so...

 

Catless because I like to really hear the car, and yeah I'm not expecting big power but 250whp which is my goal would be no problem at all. As for the intercooler goes, I would love to go with something nice like a alta or forge but I'm a college student, I just currently have about $1000 from selling a bunch of stuff and I would like to put that all into my Mini. So am i right in saying that a RMW tune would be the best I can do in that price range? Also as I will be in upstate NY during these winter months wouldn't the temps be much lower then normal anyways even with the stock intercooler? then i could just get the tune now and save up for a intercooler and get that in a couple months?

 

Listen to Jan and Richardsperry. I'm pushing 300WHP and torque but have almost as much grief as fun. Big turbos won't spool soon enough --- go with a hybrid! Head work is serious $ --- and well worth it. Couldn't get 300 WHP or torque without it. I'm using 50 - 50 WMI for cooling / cleaning, not power.

I have a journal posted that details 4 years of my Mini mod experience. It's long, but might help you decide which mods to add --- https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...a-stuff-2.html --- check my last entry for the most current pdf version and dyno charts.

if you can get a Jan dyno tune, go for it. He should be able to do remote tunes as you add more mods.

 

Sorry but what do you mean by hybrid?

 

Hybrid turbos are usually OEM versions modified to produce more boost, and sometimes at lower RPM's --- depending on who modifies it. There's a few described in this forum, but I have no experience with them. The Garrett isn't controlled by the ECU, it's limit is set manually. And an OEM hybrid is still connected / controlled by the ECU. I suggest you do some research on hybrid turbos --- part of the possible "grief" I referenced earlier.

 

Intercooler first. Otherwise you are just heating the intake charge, and losing whatever power you could make by having the ECU pull timing and boost. No, intercoolers don't make power, but they let you make max power for a lot longer without heat soak.

 

Save your money. concentrate on studies. Be doctor.

(sorry...the asian dad in me compelled me to post)

 

LOL , fat chance of this advice being taken seriously!

 

Experience makes me agree with cambo. My college education got me the better-paying jobs, and that allowed me to earn enough to support my Mini habit while raising a family, etc.

Unfortunately, Minnie is probably right.

So far, all these replies are right on!

 

Honestly, before you go chasing after boosting HP I'd personally start with upgrading the suspension (rear sway bar, shocks, etc). You'll need it.