The R56 is not as easy a nut to crack...... What mod on an R56 can you get the same gain of a smaller pulley on an R53 for, for the same price?

 

you're just now noticing this? You're smarter than that

When the Mad Modders thread became an argument about whether or not badges, front plate delete, painted trim and such silly things were to be counted as 'mods', it was clear there's a contingent (perhaps the majority) that wasn't serious about actually improving the performance of their cars.

Sadly...the performance minded set is but a tiny fraction of NAM. I blame MINI's marketing....the whole "you-ification" thing.

 

Above is another reason. The little jabs. Now if it's a back and forth between a group that know each other it's worse then a barb when out with a beer with your buddies, but that gets lost in text. This tends to exclude others that don't want to get jabbed in same jocular way.

 

You mean viper stripes won't shave 2 seconds off my lap times???

 

I used to love some of the good threads that we had.

I don't like the R56. Period. I don't want to contribute to that car, but nobody wants to build new parts for the R53, so why bother?


I would rather keep all my cool one-off parts to myself these days. Too much bickering going on to make it worthwhile.

 

Only pink ones with a floral print....

 

Whew, just what I ordered...

 

what.................you never dyno'd car wax?

 

The car(MINI) has become too mainstream and soft. You don't find the social networking threads on the Suby or EVO forums. Nowadays this place would fit right in in the Prius forums.

At least in the mad modder thread people were still talking about cars

 

You have to remember too, Scooby and Evo forums are probably a majority of people 30 years old or younger.

Most of the people here are older. I don't know of alot of younger MINI owners on this site. I think that until these cars get cheaper and get into the hands of younger people easier, it will always be like this.



You could always come over to the darkside...

 

there is even less technical discussions over there
I guess if you like cake pictures

I'm sure Nitro has another 5 coats of red on his calipers and end links by now

 

Don't forget bags, tuck and poke....

 

^

 

**** your right! I almost forgot.

 

 

Seriously I think the lack of a good series with different classes to compete in (at least on the east coast) hurts the Mini with looking to compete. In the back of my mind I would like to race some and don't really see a good place to go... Leading me to think of something like a ick Miata if I want to race eventually.

 

but you are right. There are so few Minis that hit the track in anger, so to speak, that racing is a hard sell for our cars. It doesn't help that while the Mini is getting a bit better from the factory, the competition is making progress in leaps and bounds.

Matt

 

Guess what I'm trying to say is that if folks are leaning towards racing, how long are they sticking with the Mini before they are forced to move on to something else? I'll always love my Mini for the twisties and it's a great car for me to learn to drive better in and learn what mods do what and when, but I don't want to race a car in a class where I haven't any chance of winning..... How many vendors and tuners would be working their tales off to come up with new things if there was a series to market to?

 

the cost to track a MINI is many multiples of other cars. if you're looking for a track rat, you really have to WANT to be different and own a MINI vs. a prepped Miata, Civic or fox body.

 

'Zactly. So the modders that the MINI does draw tend to be "hobbyists" (like me) versus "hardcore".... there are definitely some hardcore MINI performance enthusiasts - but it's a TINY percentage of the total MINI ownership base, and that's a pretty small base compared to many of the higher-production cars.

My MINI has taught me to love cars again (after a long hiatus)... and I want a dedicated track car someday... but it probably won't be MINI for this very reason... my MINI will remain a hobbyist's street car that goes to car shows occasionally and can best most of the other MINIs at a MINI-only track session... and out-corner quite a few others...

BTW... for the bucks that I've spent on my car by now (and, unlike many, I haven't spent anything that I've later taken back off) I could have gotten a MUCH more powerful car by starting at a different place...

 

exactly. I just bought an STI for less than the base cost of an R56 JCW Cooper or Clubman. $700 for a Cobb Accessport and I've got 340hp, Brembo's, Alcantara seats, AWD with active cente diff etc. 3300lbs....not as light as a MINI, but not a pig either. The only thing I miss on my MINI are the Recaro's.

 

Sounds verrrrry nice

And seats are easy... I think you already know how to do that mod...

 

oh yeah room for 295 width tires is a nice benefit, especially for the track or auto-x

in a perfect world, I'd have kept the MINI and left it in the garage for Sunday drives and auto-x (it was paid for).

 

But the look on someone's face in a much more powerful car as you pull away from them in the twisties IS PRICELESS!! Might have another car but it'll be hard to ever give up the Mini for that alone. Can't count out the Mini people and gatherings too. When was the last time you saw 25 Corvettes going up the Dragon or down the Blue Ridge Parkway together? The fellowship is a lot like motorcycles...

 

Agreed, brother... but that's not what the stereotypical automotive gearhead is about... just fruitcakes like me and you (and the other 700 people in our club in NC).