Thanks a lot. XP Some of both. I'm looking for around 220bhp and some light handling mods (Just some coilovers and wheels+tires), but this car is to be a cruiser that CAN go fast, not a fast car that CAN cruise. Even my performance mods are more focused on the aesthetics of it all though (Mainly sounds, and also an increase in throttle response for a more peppy feel). I just want a car that looks great, sounds great, and feels great, which the R53 does, but it just needs a little more of everything. Haha. But this is not a track car, or a number's chaser car, or anything like that. It will never see a racetrack in it's life, just lots of driving, and the occasional spirited burst from a red light/some tight cornering through twisties. This is just a daily that is to be fun and reliable.
That is doable, I wouldnt go with KW suspension stuff unless its their really high end lineup though. Go to Greene Performance (greeneperformance.com) and look into Colin's custom coilovers... They are decently priced, and with the custom valving and spring rates, they are good performers! Ask Savvy for a review, he has had them since before the Dragon. The 220 HP goal, also doable but will take a bit more work to get it there... You've got to figure we are not at sea level where power comes easy!
Thanks! I appreciate it! I get most of my coilover advice from the guys at MT, so I appreciate a local's opinion. I'll shoot him a PM. I only use that number for sake of shortness on the post. Haha. Again, I'm not a number's chaser. For more power I have a pretty short list. Exhaust-wise I just want a new manifold (What's recommended on that, sateside? Janspeed is the go-to for the Euro guys, what's good from here?), de-cat, and JCW exhaust system (Loss of power on R53 with straight pipe, I found). The rest is pretty normal stuff: Alta CAI, 17% reduction pulley, Meth kit, and bigger injectors and a tune if necessary.. I read most people are looking at about 220-250 with that, so I gave a low estimate. Whatever power I get from that is enough for me. Haha. And you think you have it bad, my house sits at 7,440 feet elevation. XP
In reality you are looking around 190 with that list, still be a fun car though. When the time comes, get an RMW shorty header... Expensive, but thats the cost of the best on the market. If you hold out long enough, I will be selling my shorty, and going to one of RMW's long tube race headers. Coupling a shorty with the JCW exhaust system is good, just be sure to take the kink out!
If you buy a JCW exhaust you don't want the kink in the pipe at the end of the straight section before it splits or is it after it splits??? I forget but you want a round exhaust pipe or the OEM kink choke's the exhaust.
190?? Ouch! There are guys in Europe getting dynoed at 220 or more with just a cat-back exhaust, 15% reduction pulley, and CAI!! Either that or the MT guys are full of it. XP Oh well. That'll do. Haha. I'll just take a trip down to L.A. to get it dynoed. Ohhh yes please. I can wait for that to come up for sale. I call ultra-early dibs on it. As long as it's not a droning mess, I'm all for it!! Kink? What? Explain please. 1320 MINI ran a bunch of tests and found that you're loosing a few hp when you straight pipe an R53. I'll see if I can dig something up on it. It had something to do with lack of backpressure. Basically the exhaust works kind of like a vacuum, and you loose that with a straight pipe. **EDIT** Looked through their blog and couldn't find anything on it. I swear it's true though! Hahaha
In the Spring (MOTD) I run a custom 2.5 SS straight back exhaust and do not believe I have any power loss at all. My custom exhaust is connected to an RMW shorty header and only has 2 small straight through Magnaflow resonators to quite it down a just a little. Nathans car is louder but then again he has blown mufflers, or at least did have them.
The kink in the JCW exhaust was put there to accommodate the extra bracing for the convertibles. They squished the pipe down to make the braces fit. I will be using my shorty for a little while, but I dont mind holding on to it for a little while when it gets changed out.
To each their own, sir! I don't doubt you. Oh ok. Cool beans on a rice cracker. Much appreciated, kind sir. I'm so stoked.
Hey all! It's been a while for me, but after having to switch jobs, I now have the funds to pick up a MCS! YAY! Haha. I have a few questions for your well-trained eyes though: Is this car JCW/Checkmate? I don't know how to tell without the checkmate decal stuff, and I'm not sure on the JCW either, as the exhaust and intake are new. Any ways to tell? Thanks in advance, gents. 2006 Mini Cooper S
Oh, and the current owner doesn't even know that mods (Beyond the exhaust) have been done. So she's not too helpful in that area. She just knows she wants to sell it for something else and that it goes fast. Haha. I'll try and drag the ModFather down with me so he can tell me what's been done, but no way of knowing quite yet. At least CAI and exhaust, wheels and tires, cc'd headlights, Aero grille, and then possibly a JCW body kit (If it's not legit a JCW). BTW, if this is a JCW, I almost don't want to know, so I don't have to feel bad trying to buy it at normal R53 prices (Looking to get for 8k). Hahaha. Cheers.
WTF kind of hacked up intake is on that poor thing? Plus the price seems a little steep. Quickest and easiest way to tell if it is a Checkmate is to lookup the VIN Decoder link that Nathan posted on here somewhere and run the VIN. If it was ordered as a checkmate, it will show up in the package coding.
After reading, it apparently will have two-tone interior, and this is all solid black leather. The silver mirrors just threw me. Thanks Savvy. Haha. I know and I know. The poor lady who owns it has no idea what it's worth, I'm going to have to talk her waaaayy down. With the mods in it, and the two sets of wheels+tires, I'd be happy to pay 8k. But not 10k. Lol. And I'm not sure what's with the intake..... I may just have to replace it with a more normal one (Alta), and that's fine by me.
And as to JCW, I think he just has a different front bumper piece. It has no other JCW markings (That I can find). I emailed her back requesting the VIN, I'll let ya'll know what I dig up when I get it. Cheers!
You "ALTA" know better then to do that. And you should offer her 6k and throw an extra grand if she can show you the 'turbocharger' that it has.