My hubby decided to get me this car even though we have 2 kids (6/3) but he is driving a Jetta. And glad he didn't get the G35 since the payment was much more and a larger deposit too
We are new to the area (Va) and we have never owned a mini before- I imagine he is looking for parts to buy as we speak. I have an 04 mini cooper s- green and white- pics to come- love to here your advice on parts to get

THANKS
Hubby is active duty AF for 9+yrs and I work management

 

Welcome to NAM. Any questions, just ask. This is a very friendly group willing to help

 

Welcome Holly's Mini!! I do hope you enjoy your MINI...a truly fantastic little car. Families and MINIs go together quite nicely, I think!!

 

Thanks- I believe that hubby plans on keeping this car for some time-
What mods should I start looking for- best bang for the buck? and which brands should i go with.... Different scene since we are usually driving Vduds

 

The initial performance mods would be, air intake, smaller pulley (15% is most common), cat back exhaust, sway bar, springs, new wheels/tires.

Pick and choose from above.

As far as exterior and interior there is a lot you can do to youify your MINI, but my favorite recomendation is get a Euro parcel shelf asap, because it is a wonder for storage space.

Congrats, and happy motoring.

 

fuzzy dice for ur rear view mirror is a NiCE 'first Mod'

 

Welcome to NAM.

I too have an '04 MCS. I first installed an Alta cold air intake. I didn't feel a huge improvement in power, but man, I heard one. Aftermarket intake solutions can be divided into two basic categories:

1.) Better flow, slightly more noise (Alta Panel, K & N panel, JCW)
2.) Much better flow, much more supercharger whine (Alta, ProMini, K & N, Pilo, etc.)

If, like me, you love the supercharger whine, and can't get enough, I'd recommend not just replacing the stock panel filter, but going with a whole cold air intake kit, (which replaces your stock box altogether). I'm kinda partial to the Alta, but I've heard good things about ProMini and K&N, too.

But, biggest bang-for-your buck is a reduced supercharger pulley, by far!

I just had one put on a couple weeks ago at a "pulley party". This is a weekend event where the foremost authority on replacing MCS supercharger pulleys, (Randy Webb of Webb Motorsports), comes to a different city around the country each month, to mod people's cars. He's the master of these pulley swaps. Mine was number 648 for him, so yes, he knows what he's doing. It is quite the involved process, needing specialized tools, so I didn't want to even attempt doing that myself. I went with a 15% smaller-than-stock Alta pulley.

You can go with 17% and 19% smaller as well, but with each, you're sacrificing more and more. The increased RPM's of these smaller pulleys start building so much heat, that the it counteracts any benefit. Plus, they tend to shred belts, which isn't good at all.

My MCS was a totally different car after the pulley mod. That was a truly noticeable gain in horsepower. Most MCS's get an increase of 16 to maybe even 20 horsepower from just a 15% pulley. And it even further enhances your supercharger whine, which I like.

The main issue new MCS owners have with the pulley mod is, will it void your warranty? It is a bit of a leap of faith, some think. If the pulley itself was the cause for your engine to blow (so very unlikely), AND your dealer can prove it, then, and only then, can they deny you warranty coverage, (search NAM for the Moss-Magnuson Act for more information).

What I like about Webb Motorsports pulley parties is, Randy warrants his work for 2 years/24,000 miles, should your dealer deny you. So, you are covered either way if he does the work for you. You can check out the forums at his web site, there's a section on upcoming Pulley Parties there, to see when he might be around your part of the country next...

So, like most MCS owners here at NAM, I recommend a CAI and a pulley.

 

Welcome, Holly! Risu mentioned lighter wheels/tires. If your car has the 17" S-lites (like the ones in johnnieoh's sig picture above), you can lose a lot of weight in a hurry by going with lightweight wheels and tires from Tire Rack, which will improve acceleration, braking, fuel economy, and ride. I'm not sure how many miles are on yours, or what the S-lites and runflats sell for these days, but switching might not break the bank.

I look forward to seeing some photos of your car!
Chris

 

Check out this thread, too: Favorite first mods

 

Yes, I still have my S-Lites.

They are S-Heavies, actually. Somwhere around 50 lbs. per wheel/tire. You could probably cut that weight in half with some aftermarket wheels and non run-flat tires, BUT, don't forget this: factory rims are built like tanks, so they can take the potholes and bumps without bending or warping.

Just use caution when buying a set of aftermarket rims, because they can be more prone to bending if you live in an area with rough roads.

I live in a very snowy portion of the country, where potholes are a daily occurence. Constant variation between freezing and not-freezing temperatures, along with an ample use of road salt to melt snow and ice, means that potholes are very common. So I've been a bit leary of changing my wheels for that reason.

 

Loving the great info- I need to find the parcel shelf, I was also looking at getting those dual gauge pods. Of course I want to get a CAI, pulley (15%) and then eventually a catback system and chip (GIAC?).
I had NO idea that those wheels were actually that heavy but being in Va, we might wait some time before getting new wheels


Thanks for the great info- And WOW this site seems much more civilized than the others (honda and vw sites)

 

Welcome from another MINI owner in VA

Congrats on the MINI! It's quite a drive to get to the Richmond (River City MINI) meets, but i'm sure you already know about the Hampton Area Club In the RCM club we have quite a few tech days with alot of very knowledgable members, great time for installs.

Although i don't have an S, i hear CAI and Pulley as great first mods all the time.

 

Didn't know if there was a local club or not- haven't had the chance to search for one on the net- Busy reading the great info on this site!

 

The Hampton Roads club is on Yahoo groups (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRclubMINI/ ), but i couldn't figure it out. I have their posts emailed to me, but i never respond.

The RCM site is rivercityminis.org.