1467 miles in 96 hours, 1 Track day and a whole lot of fun....
#1
05-13-2006, 01:39 PM
Join Date: Feb 2006
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1467 miles in 96 hours, 1 Track day and a whole lot of fun....
I picked up my MINI on Monday in San Diego, and proceeded to drive all over California, then had a track day at "Big MINI Day" and finally made it home. I just wanted to share a few thoughts on my MINI, trying to give back to the boards that gave me such great information before I purchased....
My car has the JCW package, JCW suspension, JCW front strut, R99's with Goodyear F1's and a few other cosmetic things...I used to have a VW R32.
On the highway, the JCW suspension is very good. Its firm, and rides tight, but its not abussive. Its got enough give in traffic to make it an easy ride and over bumps, its not too bad. On the track, the suspension is good, but there are areas where it could be better. Theres a bunch of understeer present when there shouldnt be. This is expected though, and can be fixed. There is a need for a rear sway bar if you plan on regular track/autocross use. The M7 under suspension thing would help too.
The gearbox on the MINI is brilliant. Just brilliant. With a shorter throw in the shifts, it would be perfect.
The JCW brakes are not what I expected. They are "sport" brakes, meaning better than stock, but they are not up to long term track work. I came from RS6 brakes, and well, these are not there. I think SS lines, fluids and new pads will make for a much better experience, and should be required by all who plan on using them long term on the track. I experienced big fade after 1 15 min session. They came back though, and after adjusting my braking points, I was able to get them to last whole sessions.
Supercharges are fun. Plain and simple
The seats suck. Plan and simple
The headlights are excellent.
The AC sucks in the Mojave...but then again, most AC's would in 102 F'
Visbility on the road is great, much better than I expected. BUT jerks can find blind spots to hide in if they try really hard.
There is a lot of plastic in the cabin, and its the type of plasitc that screams "Im trying to be something else, but Im really plastic". Its not a bad thing, just one of those observations.
That giant cup holder MUST be taken out, immediatly.
Big MINI Day is a must attend, just to see all the MINI's
Bretch MINI is an excellent dealership.
MINI is now in my blood, and Im really 100% happy with my purchase. The people that I have met are very cool, and I look forward to more fun with the MINI.
2 DINAN prepped cars, driven by very fast cats...
LIAM after a hot day....
My car has the JCW package, JCW suspension, JCW front strut, R99's with Goodyear F1's and a few other cosmetic things...I used to have a VW R32.
On the highway, the JCW suspension is very good. Its firm, and rides tight, but its not abussive. Its got enough give in traffic to make it an easy ride and over bumps, its not too bad. On the track, the suspension is good, but there are areas where it could be better. Theres a bunch of understeer present when there shouldnt be. This is expected though, and can be fixed. There is a need for a rear sway bar if you plan on regular track/autocross use. The M7 under suspension thing would help too.
The gearbox on the MINI is brilliant. Just brilliant. With a shorter throw in the shifts, it would be perfect.
The JCW brakes are not what I expected. They are "sport" brakes, meaning better than stock, but they are not up to long term track work. I came from RS6 brakes, and well, these are not there. I think SS lines, fluids and new pads will make for a much better experience, and should be required by all who plan on using them long term on the track. I experienced big fade after 1 15 min session. They came back though, and after adjusting my braking points, I was able to get them to last whole sessions.
Supercharges are fun. Plain and simple
The seats suck. Plan and simple
The headlights are excellent.
The AC sucks in the Mojave...but then again, most AC's would in 102 F'
Visbility on the road is great, much better than I expected. BUT jerks can find blind spots to hide in if they try really hard.
There is a lot of plastic in the cabin, and its the type of plasitc that screams "Im trying to be something else, but Im really plastic". Its not a bad thing, just one of those observations.
That giant cup holder MUST be taken out, immediatly.
Big MINI Day is a must attend, just to see all the MINI's
Bretch MINI is an excellent dealership.
MINI is now in my blood, and Im really 100% happy with my purchase. The people that I have met are very cool, and I look forward to more fun with the MINI.
2 DINAN prepped cars, driven by very fast cats...
LIAM after a hot day....
#3
05-13-2006, 07:25 PM
Originally Posted by katmeho
The M7 under suspension thing would help too.
Originally Posted by katmeho
The JCW brakes are not what I expected. They are "sport" brakes, meaning better than stock, but they are not up to long term track work.
My MCS now has EBC Greenstuff pads and Motul race fluid and they feel much better than stock (and produce _less_ dust, but still plenty). But I'm salivating over the Wilwood kit for smaller wheels (I'm running 15" Konig Rewinds and want to keep them). The mods I've made do help, but the pedal gets noticeably closer to the floor near the end of a session.
Originally Posted by katmeho
Visbility on the road is great, much better than I expected. BUT jerks can find blind spots to hide in if they try really hard.
Welcome to the club!
#4
05-13-2006, 07:37 PM
#6
05-14-2006, 09:55 AM
6th Gear
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#7
05-14-2006, 02:41 PM
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