In my area I have seen MINIs with mushrooming. Usually not from driving normally but from accidentally hitting significant large deep potholes. The faster you are going when you hit a pothole the more you can damage a rim, a runflat tire, or your strut tower. You can damage all three. Moral of the story is that under normal use and on smooth roads you need not be overly concerned with damage to your strut towers.

However if your roads are really horrible and you tend to drive really fast or in the dark and in unfamilar places then all bets are off. You may risk damage so please be careful under those circumstances.

If you join a local MINI club you can ask the members if anyone has had mushrooming in your area and that is generally a good indicator of your relative risk due to poor road conditions.

On a tight budget- the very "best mod" for safety and for driving would definitely be an investment in driving school. Don't expect to learn everything in one session. Your MINI has very little lacking to allow you to do much more than almost any car out there in it's price range. This also means that to drive well you need to have some skill. Especially with the gearing and power of an MCS you will need to use some judgement when pushing your car around corners and through traffic.

Always remember that a skilled driver in a stock MINI will likely run circles around a less skilled driver in a modified MINI.

The reduction pulley upgrade is a common way to add more power for about $400 installed. While you do void your supercharger warranty, you get more boost. It's not very useful for street driving in urban areas or whenever the speed limit is 45 or less. If you do driving events or track events then it can be more fun.

Cold air intake has variable benefits. There are many out there and some are inexpensive and can work as well as some that are expensive. Some are easy to install and remove. Check with your local MINI club to see how CAI works on various MINIs, take them out for a ride then decide. Don't confuse loud intake noise with more power. Same with cat-back exhausts.

If you are ordering a new MINI with manual transmission and you want a performance/safety boost, the optional LSD from the factory is worth a look.
On a budget I'd recommend no DSC and order the LSD. The heavy S-lyte 17" wheels aren't the best choice for ride quality and cost savings. The stock 16" X-lytes are plenty good and a great way to save money. I have a MINI with the sport package and it would have been better/cheaper not to have it.

 

Wow, thanks for all that info. Actually, my MINI is already ordered (with sport package) and on its way (see sig). It's got LSD too.

My dad is practically a race car driver, although he's never done it professionally, he knows all the techniques and skills for safe/fast/smooth driving. So that saves money because he teaches me for free. hehe

I've just heard about this mushrooming stuff and thought it might damage the car in the long run. Maybe I used the wrong term originally, but I didn't mean getting the entire sway bar thing, I meant getting those little plate pads by M7, or whoever makes the best ones at the time. I'll just drive the car when I get it and evaluate how important the plates might be, and also ask other MINIs in Orlando, Florida.

 

Things don't seem too bad up here in Daytona or when I make a trip down to Orlando, I had far worse road conditions when I lived in IL. I'd sugest asking on SSM (Sunshineminis.org) in the Orlando forum, I know a few were looking into mushroom prevention. You could show up next weekend at Sebring to get a feel from people around the state and what mods they have made, it seems more people find tint to be the most important mod in protectingthe interior down here (MINI and non-MINI drivers alike). I down think any DAMM members have anything to stop mushrooming but I'll ask around at our meeting on Wed. (which you are Welcome to attend)

 

Teaching on the streets does not count. This is not safe or recommended. Get enrolled in lessons at a track, this is the only way to learn in a safe environment where you are not endangering others. Another thought would be to find a local Auto-X club and attend as many events as you can. Heck, you could even bring your father along and he could be your co-pilot during the event. You could even share the car and see who can post the fastest time in a safe environment. My son and I do this. It makes for a great day. Loads of fun with lots of like-minded people who tend to be very friendly and willing to help others.

I think in Florida the road surfaces are pretty good and potholes are not as big a concern as it is in regions of the country that have sub-freezing conditions during the winter. With stock height suspension and 17" wheels I do not think that you will have any problems with "mushrooming". Personally, I put 37,000 smiles on my '02 MCS including 3 New England winters and 20+ Auto-X days without any signs of "mushrooming". I now have an '06 MCS and I see reason to add anti-mushroom plates.

Strut tower braces are another waste of money. There has never been any proof that they do anything to improve handling in a MINI. Someone will post evidence to the contrary if it exists. But, to my knowledge there has been no scientific comparison that shows that they do anything.

Until you have mastered the handling capabilities of the stock MINI there is no reason to modify it. Once the learning procress has advanced some, then modifications can be started.

1. Helmet (for auto-x and track days)
2. Preformance driving school and/or Auto-X
3. 4-point seat harness (to keep you firmly planted in your seat while cornering vigorously)
4. rear anti sway bar
5. lighter wheels (as light as you can afford, 16" rather than 17", there is much discussion about this on this and other MINI sites) with sticky tires
6. Brake pads, braided steel brake lines, and high temperature brake fluid
7. CAI
8. cat-back exhaust
9. underdrive pulley
10. ECU upgrade
11. More driving schools
12. Bling items such as Whalen ****, short shift, strut tower brace, anti-mushroom plates etc.

JOHO

 

I agree, teaching on the street isn't a good overall environment. While some things can be learned and practiced (smoother shifting, braking, etc) the best place to learn is in a controlled safe environment like driving school, track event or at autocross.

Jonathan, what is your father's competitive car racing background?

When I have driven in Florida the roads were reasonably good. You know your roads best. In the dark or in the rain, some hazzards can be hard to see, always be careful.

Strut tower braces are not for the average driver. If you do street driving then it's not the most cost effective mod. While some cars with not as stiff a front end will do better with some sort of strut brace, the MINI is already pretty stiff. A few MINI owners do notice/report improved stiffness with a strut brace but you'd have to really push your car alot to appreciate it.

In autocross or at the track I can't say that I notice much from my front strut brace. I don't think I would have faster run times due to the strut brace mod alone. I have it for the extra strength and to try to minimize overall metal fatigue in the front end over time.

I have never had mushrooming and I usually do a good job of avoiding potholes but not always. I've hit a few but no damage to any rim nor any tire.

A word on rear swaybars- this is helpful when cornering to reduce understeer. At normal driving speeds and for everyday use it doesn't really make that much difference but for on the track or at autocross it can be helpful. It's relatively cheap and you can install it yourself with some help.
Many are adjustable with three holes- pick the softest setting first and drive. Too stiff a setting isn't going to be better for most drivers. The goal of adding the rear swaybar is to make handling through corners at speed as neutral as possible but your driving style plays a major role in determining that.

Also Jonathan's first post in this thread stated that he is on a budget for now so maybe all those mods suggested will be down the road a bit. Good job on selecting the LSD as an option. It's working all the time to help you keep traction with the road.

 

A few basic things I would not do without:

* Clearbra for the bonnet front/scoop and forward facing lights (the bonnet catches the majority of the rocks and chips and it only takes one stone to crack any light which can be spendy to replace).

* Valentine1- has paid for itself times over by pointing out speed traps where just a mile or two over would have garnered a ticket (handy in lots of ways for us, personal preference obviously tho and also depends on the laws in your area).

* Tint, another personal thing, but we find that the cooling effect on the car and UV protection for the interior and occupants makes it worth it. Also I've found that the rear window tint has me not missing auto dim on the rearview mirror at all.

* Good sunroof covers (and front window ones of course). I found that the type of material and fit of the Stratmosphere set works amazingly well to insulate and shade the interior in the heat of the summer sun while keeping the glass itself nice and clear to enjoy othertimes (vs tinting it).

Those are pretty much the basic things we find essential for the Mini - perhaps not really mods but they are the first 'must haves' for us I'd say

Oh yeah, and a good tire gauge to keep in the glove box

 

Regarding Mushrooming.. all it takes is for it to happen to you ONCE then its you realize that its a worthwile investment (strut brace). I did NOt even hit a pothole. Low profile car, 17 inch tires, harsh ride on run flats.. don't take well to asphalt roads that have an intermittent drainage grate here and there. I take my Subaru on the same road and it was fine. Heck even my sister in her Corolla has no worries on the same road.

My vote, after spending 1,300 is for the strut brace first, or at the same time as the pulley.

 

Here's my top 5 mods:
1 - pulley
2 - rear swaybar
3 - intake (that supercharger's whine is so addictive!)
4 - stainless steel brakelines
5 - Good tires (non-runflats)