Aite...with my recently purchased [used but in incredible showroom like luster/quality] 09/MCS/R56 /n14 --- i had flipped my lid,tore apart this guy to the point of being almost unrecognizable . As i start on one mod [only to have the seller reply that said parts r on backorder,ect..] , i find there are other mods that may as well be done considering the mount of time/work/dismantling involved in having to do all this AGAIN vs 'ah lets just wait n do what we can afford w/o jacking up the debt on our paypal credit-line...[ya...riiite..*braaaaaaaah* wrong answer!].

Problems that need solving: [replacing the sun-roof"S"...]
1. where to purchase acrylic , lexan,plexi,pvc,abs [im thinking arcrylic to be the safest vs. aesthetic value but correct me if need be..] to replace that ungodly/useless set of frikn -UV-ray-lens accelerators that are on top of my roof that do nothing but add weight/solar radiation at an unacceptable amount !!!!

2. choice of which mod chip? my head/heart at this point seems to be directed towards the 'VOLO FS2' [again considering im not adding a cam/head job/serious race gear just typical cold air // new intercooler // 3" catbak exhaust // weight reduction . [again if there's a better choice lemme know]
3. a serpentine tool that isnt just a pure shanghai/rip off on price OR another way to remove/replace the serpentine belt w/o the need of those 2 cheap-a$$ tools they advertise for 65$ that arent worth it any way u slice it [ok if there isnt another choice then i guess it's worth it but i HATE having it stuck to me just because i was stupid enuff to buy a hipster car that every company wants to stick it to you just to be 'coool',,,]

4. WHERE to put BOOST/VAC T-adapter w/o having to buy a mini-piece of aluminum for 90$.... i.e. i realize ya want to get it as close to the intake manifold as possible [albeit...mine is made of stupid thin plastic which blows the idea of drill/tap the intake out of the question...]

5. Can you delete/get around those TPMS w/o the car misbehaving? (i.e. i have a 2nd set of tire/wheels that i dont think u can put TPMS sensors on ) . In the event of inspection i will just put the factory wheels back on prior to inspection.. That said is this 'doable' w/o problems from the ECU or whatever other nifty monitors said mini has on it??

6. WIDE BODY - After installing big-brake kit on my mini the 2nd set of wheel/tire combo was my only salvation for being able to DRIVE the car with any room between the caliper and the wheels --- IF/CAN/SHOULD i get wheel spacers [my guess .5 - 1" ] and if so after going this far should i try to find a big body kit as well? [yes ..its a choice but my thinking is i have to put in break vent/ducts anyways and this would allow more room in the rear which is amazingly tight after the new wheel/tire combo..] im looking for an 'affordable kit' that has a rear vent type of ..well..VENT so you can use it to channel wind to the rear rotors to help with dust/cooling. any soffrdable ideas? :D

7.Seats : grrr...most seats for less than 800$ each are NOT up to track/whomever reqs... do any of the cheap-0/nifty looking recliners actually offer much as far as weight reduction to warrant buying them?? --- IF you buy them are we talking major modding in order to put the lovely cluster of wires under yer mini-seats in place of said new 'kool-io' seats?? [er by the time ive finsihed typing this.i think i answered my own question...it just aint worth doing..] prove me wrong i hope :D
I know a real race seat / roll cage would be needed [or does it for autocross,ect type of what would u call...not dead serious racing events??]. Just for now im looking for something to get the butts to the lowest point possible w/i reason...

*personal note* realize that im being as cheap as possible not because im inherently cheap-a$$ [ok maybe i am n dont know it..] but sadly im disabled/live alone / no friends-family,bla bla bla and live on a very tight budget! [sure i could just opt for doing nothing to the car and affordability would be at a minimum ...but basically if i dont have something to stimulate my mental (or lack thereof..) faculties. i for the most part consider cement walking shoes in a large pond to be a viable solution.. i.e my hopes are to build said car so one of my grandkids [albeit my guess is my surviving son will grab it instead..] can have it & hope it gives them something to remember what their gramps 'was about / his mindset/ability or lack thereof yada yada yada..
and god forbid : put a smile on my face when going around a corner faster than the typical hot-rodder on tha highway can pull off.*

** if all this is too verbose , doesnt seem to follow any logical explanation that would deem your worthy reply , only instills cynicism in the reader --- dont reply-- neither of us will suffer the less/more because of it **