If I were to install "Eibach Springs" on my 2008 MINI Cooper, would the warranty be effected in any way or should I just go the JCW route???

 

warranty COULD be affected, doesn't mean you'll have any problems.

 

I want a lower ride but I think the JCW suspension might be overkill for my MINI...I'm planning on my MINI being a daily commuter. Eibach or JCW???

 

I just wanted to note that I am getting a Cooper and not a Cooper S...is the JCW suspension overkill for a regular Cooper???

 

Well the JCW springs will only lower the car by about .4" where as Eibach will probably be aroun 1.25"...I'm sure the Eibach springs are progressive, so the ride would probably be better.

 

If you dont mind me asking but what are progressive springs???

 

The JCW ones are linear, meaning that they have the same spring rate throughout the entire suspension travel, no matter how much the spring is compressed. With progressive springs, the rate is not constant, and depends on how much the spring is compressed. So under hard cornering, the progressive springs will stiffen up a lot because some of the coils will touch each other, but will soften up for normal everyday driving. The JCW springs have the same rate whether you're cornering hard or casually driving in the city.

 

Thanks for the info...what about strut braces, I see in your sig that you have front and rear strut braces...how would that effect the suspension??? They have a rear strut brace from JCW? I plan on getting a front strut brace from JCW....what should I expect???

 

Your warranty will not be void, unless the springs you install directly cause a problem that you need fixed under warranty.

 

Front strut brace is great for steering response. Really helps to tie the top end of the front suspension together.

 

How about the rear strut brace??? So a front strut brace would be useful on a regular Cooper, and not seem like overkill...I have a long daily commute and want to make sure I have a nice looking ride but at the same time have great control....living in the Los Angeles area the highways are always full of surprises and it sounds like these braces might help.

 

What is recommended...Eibach or H&R??? Any other springs??? Would a 1.25 inch drop be too much with the JCW aero kit???

 

Eibach pro-kit or sportline for daily commuter???

 

-rear strut brace is supposed to reduce chassis flex in the rear of the car. It isn't anything you would notice the feeling of unless you always tracked the car and knew every little difference in feeling.

-The front brace wouldn't cause any difference in ride quality IMHO, it will just make your steering feel more responsive and precise when corner/turning.

-Eibach and H&R are both good brands, I like H&R as I have their RSS coilovers.

-I wouldn't think that a 1.25in drop w/ a JCW aero kit would be a problem in LA. All the roads out there are pretty smooth right? You may just want to be careful entering/exiting parking lots and such with steep bumps.

-I only see the Pro-kit or Pro-Street available for your year Mini. Of those, I'd go with the Pro-Kit because it is just the springs, while the Pro-Street appears to be a coilover setup; and it sounds as if you want the less sport oriented of the two.
Ultimately it comes down to what you are comfortable with. My 06 is my only car and daily commuter also, but I have it stiff as can be and low, because that is what I like.

 

JCW only makes the front strut brace, which is used to stiffen the chassis, maintain the front suspension geometry under hard cornering and also help handling on bumpy roads. The rear brace I have is from racing dynamics and is carbon fiber. Just like the front, it is there to stiffen the rear portion of the chassis, and made a big handling difference for street use, helping the car turn from the center of turn all the way through corner exit; plus it looks really cool.

 

Thanks for all the help guys...this MINI community is awsome...everyone is so helpful!

What do you think of your JCW suspension "scott48"?

 

I definitely love my entire suspension setup. I have the JCW shocks and sway bars, but have Mach V springs. The Mach V springs put my car at the perfect ride height for handling, looks, but without sacrificing daily drivability. They're also stiffer than the JCW springs and are progressive. It handles really good, and straight line acceleration was improved dramatically due to waaay less weight transfer to the rear. For some reason though, after I added the rear brace, it really seemed to bring everything together and simply handles ridiculously good.

 

MCS with Mach V and SS.... very nice.