Ok here is my dilema.. My 09 MC is leased and I want to Mod my car. I have already upgraded to 17" GP Reps with 215-45 tires and I'm waiting for my Air VIP 2 with K&N filter to arrive. Now I'm wanting to Upgrade the suspension. I'm reading probably way too much on these boards and confusing the heck out of myself. I THINK I want to upgrade to the NM Engineering springs and probably go for a 19mm rear sway bar but I'm concerned about the fact that my car is leased. I still have 2.5 years left and want to maximize what I can out of this car in terms of performance.
I'm afraid that if I stray too far from stock I'll have a tough time returniing to stock down the road when the lease ends? But who knows, I might buy it out by then.
WHat would you guys do?

 

I am in the same boat, so I went with the JCW tuning kit. That addressed the exhaust, intake, and tuning all under warranty. I did add a sway bar, too.

I am looking pretty carefully at the TSW springs, but will talk to my SA first. I really would not anticipate a problem.

In short, I am going to try to stay with MINI parts wherever I can, in order to not mess with the warranty.Plus, anything I add is pretty much disposable because it is more expensive to remove them than it is worth. I'll get my money's worth in added fun.

 

Glad to see I'm not alone here. Any idea if the standard jcw suspension is an upgrade for the non-s cooper or essentially the same? I'm not tracking my car just looking for more aggressive tuning and lowering to my stock non-s cooper.

 

Do you plan on having another R56 after? If yes, then go for simple bolt on mods. If not, I would shy away from mods since the parts' value depreciate so fast and you'll be screwed trying to sell all of it when the lease is up.

 

I'm not 100% sure what the JCW suspension, maybe 85%. I'm pretty sure the springs and sway bars are different/improved, but from what I have read, there isn't much drop from the springs. Someone else will have to confirm that for you. To me, the best part of a JCW suspension would be that it is a complete system where all the components are designed to work together. It may not be the most aggressive, but it is still very good and lots of people really like it for street use.

The cost of the parts is a write off, in my opinion. The hassle of putting the original parts back on isn't worth whatever price you will get for the used parts. If you don't go with JCW parts, they won't add much (if any) to the value of the car, and might actually reduce it. Not much of a consideration if you give the car back, though.

In my case the new parts will stay on if I return the car at the end of the lease, and I will figure I got my money's worth over the 2 or 3 years I got to use them. I do really enjoy this car though, and I am planning on keeping it after the lease.

 

If you couldn't afford to buy the car, how can you afford to mod it so heavily??

 

Did you ever stop to wonder if there might be any other reasons to lease a car, or did you settle on that one because it was the easiest answer?

Geez!

 

I wasn't trying to pick on the guy - it's a legit question.

What exactly are the other reasons to lease? The only one that makes any sense at all would be if he were using it for business use and could write off the lease as such. I highly doubt that's the case, since he's modding it up. It was almost certainly leased to keep the payment down, and that makes my question a fair question.

 

The setup of the suspension is pretty damn good straight from the factory. In my personal and brutally honest opinion, I would not mod your leased vehicle and invest the money. Even if you invest in a CD for a couple of years, you will come out better in the end. With that money you can use it to either purchase your current car once the lease is up or purchase the next generation Cooper S. It should be coming around 2012, just when you are getting out of the lease. Ultimately, it is your decision, but that's what I would do.

 

Don't waste your $$ on lease/rent and buy (finance) it now. Then you will feel good about modding it. Anyway you are willing to keep the car after lease why wait then. What is the difference between leasing vs buying, $100/month max. I am guessing, probably even less than that.

 

Thanks for all the advice here, but no offense I'm not asking to debate the Lease vs. Buy proposition. I'm sure there are others here who have leased and Mod'd their cars. For the OP above asking about the affordability factor of my decision, if you must know the MC is my 3rd vehicle. My other 2 cars, X5 and 328Xi coupe. I leased the Cooper for a better commute car. I have 26 mile stretch of awesome back roads. Love the car and this community. Thanks for all the input.

 

JUST DO IT!!!!

Not to disrespect anyone's views and opinions here... but who cares about all this mumbo jumbo talk about lease/buy, affordability or not... if it'll put a smile on your face, why not? You have to drive your car, not me or anyone else on this forum. You can always sell whatever you put on your car when the lease is up. Given you won't get back as much as you paid for it... but im sure you can re-coop some of the costs.

My name is dooky and I have aftermarket wheels and suspension on my leased car.

 

If you can afford to pay the labor twice.......why not!

 

Just save the parts and put them back on.... most things like springs, and the like are very easy to swap, even yourself. I wouldnt hesitate.

 

We mod leased cars for customers all the time, just save your old parts and then you can put them back if you don't buy it out.