Hello everyone. So I'm planning on ordering a set of coil overs today. My budget is $1,000. I'm not gonna track this car heavy, my main goal is to lower it so I need some coilovers that get low. I also DD my mini so I don't want something too stiff or too bouncy. What brands do you recommend, the brands I'm thinking about are Megan racing, BC, ST, or vmaxx. Thanks ahead!

 

$1000 is not realistic for a car you want to track. That's a good number for a car you just want to slam and not care about performance. Don't forget you also at least need front sway bar endlinks (rears not required until corner balance wanted) and rear adjustable controls arms x 2. You could probably get in around $1000 for a slammed VMaxx package with all the other necessary parts I just mentioned.

For a DD you should be looking at stainless steel bodies. IMO, you need to at least be looking at KW V1 coilovers. They are comfortable when lowered and also have a satisfactory damping characteristic on track.

 

Well....$1k is a starting price for n00b tracking. I tracked on Megans and they held up quite well. You won't enjoy the Megans as a daily though. Whether on it softest or hardest setting, it all felt the same to me.

 

Yea I thought of waiting perhaps another month and get a set of V1's. Now for the sway bar endlinks and rear adjustable control arms, are those required to get for any coilover setup on these cars, or just for tracking purposes?

 

How low are we talking here? Like completely slammed or just a mild drop?

 

If you're gonna rock V1, might as well go ST since they're the same system overall, only difference being V1's are stainless steel, and ST are galvanized steel. If you're in snowy regions, go V1, if you're in sunny SoCal, ST will fit the bill

 

Well not completely slammed but pretty low, like not on the rim but def on the tire

 

Yeaa I live in VA so we do get snow. But in the winter time ill most likely garage the mini and drive my SUV

 

+1 on what ra2fanatic said. KW V1 stainless vs ST galvanized.

We have the ST Coilovers right here for the R56 Model:

R56 Cooper "base"


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/90250/ES2130003/

&

Cooper S , JCW


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/90608/ES2130004/

And the R55 Clubman and the R57 Convertible have a different part number, that is shared for the base model and then the S, JCW.

Thanks

 

The front sway bar endlinks are required no matter what you do. The stock ones are too long and interfere with the front control arm when you lower the car significantly.

The rear lower adjustable control arms are required if you lower the car significantly too. This is to be able to get your rear camber set correctly. You can do a little adjustment with the stock arms, but you'll end up with too much negative camber in the rear.

If you're not going to make them exposed to snow and salt, the ST will be a good place to cut cost.

 

Ok thanks for the input everyone! So do the ST's get as low as the BC coil overs, like I said Im not gonna track this car a lot perhaps only once or at most twice a year...main goal is for it to get loww lol while also being comfortable for street driving. I noticed on ST's website it shows that it goes down to 2.2", should that be enough for the fender to be right on the tire?

 

I have h&r coilovers. They are very comfortable. I daily and I have pretty slammed. I haven't had an issue yet and they where about $1000

 

I have vmaxx coils and honestly they are pretty damn bouncy. I regret not waiting and getting Megan. I've gotten used to the ride but my wife doesn't appreciate it. I'll be upgrading soon.

 

ST's are a copy of the KW. My KW V2 equipped car is dropped very low and I have no wheel gap.

 

Megan can't be much of an upgrade over V-maxx can it?

I know the Flyin Miata V-maxx coilovers are excellent for Miata's. Don't know much about them for Mini's, not even exact spring rates

 

Megans have front camber plates and if I remember correctly they have adjustable dampening. V maxx is just low. Nothing more.

 

That's disappointing since they're capable of making quality coilovers

http://flyinmiata.com/index.php?dept...umber=13-16250

If I wanted to go STR with my Miata I would have gotten these.

BTW I called them.

They said they're working on Xtreme for the Mini, should be out early next year.

Rates on the regular one from what the guy said is progressive in front and 228 in rear. So its really soft.

 

That looks niiiiize



Ok so i'm leaning more towards the ST's but I noticed they don't have Camber/Dampening adjustments, but the BC's do. Since they're the same price isn't the BC a better deal??

 

Also will I need to get anything extra with the coil overs for "sport" mode on the minis. I know the suspension stiffens on sport mode so I was wondering if I need to get a module or something of that sort

 

sport mode doesn't do that. only helps throttle response and electric steering gets heavier.

 

Ok perfect. ST's it is then