I am getting oh so close to ordering my MCS. I planning putting it on the track eventually. I was wondering if most people who race get the Sport Package.

It comes with some stuff that I really dont need or want and I am going to change the suspension anyway. What do you guys suggest?

Craig

 

Order it without options..if the sport is the same as the 04 then you would get xenons, 17" wheels, bonnet stripes, and dsc. There are no suspension components added or replaced by ordering the sport package in a MCS.

 

In semi hindsight... if I was getting a MINI for track duties I would order a MCS with NO options!

Think about it this way those 17" wheels weigh 50lbs with the stock tires. Might as well get two sets of 16" (more torque) lightweight wheels one with street and one with R compounds that weigh 35lbs or less combined. Save 60lbs (30 at axle speed so this is more like saving at least 100lbs) and you're in good shape.

My MINI is going to be el commuter car for a while with the BMW doing track duties. If I want a track mini in the future I might buy a new/used mini with no options save maybe some aftermarket wheels/ tires. I think my almost fully loaded JCW MCS will weigh at least 200lbs more than a bare bones MCS.

The sport package doesn't have anything to do with suspension. If you are ordering a track car go for LOW weight (read no options) from the factory. Not only will this save you money at the start (by not paying for the options) but also later on when you decide to do some mods. I bet if you spent $3k in aftermarket stuff like seats, wheels, tires, pulley, exhaust, etc. you would easily end up with a 2350-2400lb car with 190hp. Remember that it is MUCH more expensive to trim weight off a heavily optioned car than it is off a no options car.

Patrick

 

Patrick makes some good points.

I ordered mine with Xenon lights as the only option (I have them on my Audi and love them). But now I wonder if I should have skipped them to save even more weight.
Buying a used car, if you plan on tracking it anyways makes sense. I've already had mine into a tire wall and it cost $1600 to repair. I think the only advantage to buying new (if you can find a used MCS without any options) is that you know the history of the engine/drivetrain.
The only option that is now available that might be worthwhile is the chronometric gauges - having them would have saved me the cost of putting in my SPA dual oil pressure/oil temp gauge.

 

Buying used here or perhaps anywhere in CA is about the same cost as buying new except without the wait. From other posts I have read, the xenon weighs something like 8 lbs.

 

Order the mini with whatever options you want. If you are really worried about weight, the main option to avoid is the (roughly 75 lbs over your head) sunroof. Anything else is negligible. If you are anything like the rest of America (read me), you could probably go on a diet and shed those extra 15-20 pounds to make up for the Zenons & other little things like the leather & navigation screen.

If your serious about racing it, you'll do a lot of things that will shed more pounds as you do them, like the intake, pulley, & of course wheels mentioned before. Keep in mind big brake kits which actually help stopping distance & turn-in points while racing, weigh on average 3-5 pounds more than stock.

 

I think 75lbs is a little too much for the sunroof. Remember, that the metal that it replaces weighs something. I believe it's in the neighborhood of 50 plus pounds.

If you want the car to go on a diet check out grassroots motorsports.

http://www.grmotorsports.com/minicoopers.html

 

I have to say I would get the Xenons even with a 15lb weight penalty.

I think the min v max differential for full options v no options is something on the order of 200lbs.

If you could find a cheap used stripped MCS that would be ideal for the track. Save a lot of money to use for go-fast parts.

Patrick

 

And once it's on the track, the necessary rollcage will take care of any weight savings.

 

The only options I really want are the LSD, Aero kit and the 17" rims for the street. Oh, and rubber floor mats.

I was under the false inpression that the Sports Package had a different suspension set up. My mistake. Thanks for the help guys!

Oh, how did you know I was over weight?

I am editing this thread to add this: I would think that you would NOT want the Dynamic Stability Control on the track. Am I correct in thinking that?
Craig

 

I've never driven our MCS hard enough for the DSC to come on but I have read that it's not what you want on track because it cuts off the throttle under certain conditions.

 

For Track use, an MCS needs-
All the power it can get.
Better traction from grippy non runflat tires and maybe an LSD
No stock options will help it go faster so anything that weighs more isn't going to help.
The chrono gauge is a good thought-if you like gauges but doesn't help your speed.
Lighter is better. Remove all the seats except for the driver's seat.
No DSC- good for street use for the average driver. Turn it off for the track.
No 17" stock wheels/sunroof (the worst options)
No HK audio.

So if I were doing an autocross/track MCS I'd get one with no options.

 

Midlife,

I have pretty much what you're after. The ONLY option on my MCS was the bonnet stripes. And I'm tickled pink with it. I really wish it had manual windows and door locks as I'm not a gadget freak.

I have ASC+T rather than DSC. If you don't order DSC, you get ASC+T - doesn't make a whole lot of difference. There's a switch to turn it off for racing so get whichever one makes you feel better.

I added the GBMINI circuit with the DSC track-mode option so I can turn off the ASC and not have to worry about it again until I turn it back on. No matter how many times I turn the car off and restart it.

Bottom line - Order what you want - the car is great no matter how it's configured.

 

It really depends on the type of track driving you anticipate. If you're like me, you'll use the car on the road mostly, with some track time on weekends. My experience is that I get much more value from learing a line on the track, than taking off all the parts. If you intend to race competitivly, then you're talking about stripping the car to nothing, so it will go fast and turn well.
Other things to think about are things like camber plates, rear sway bar and the like. If you address the understear, you'll carry more speed through the turns, no mater what wieght the car is running.
Another comment on the DCS. It does really slow you down on the track, but you can use it as a driving coach. I live in the hills in the Bay Area, and I found that when I first got the car, and I was driving hard, the DCS intervened rather frequently. But as I improved my driving skills, I could go faster and deeper into turns without intervention. I can't reccomend this as a safe practice, but if you push it really hard and hold the proper line, the computer can't figure out anything to do to help you, up unitl the onset of 4 wheel drift, then your doing the "best" line, at least according to the computer. Now I know Mini can't claim this as a benefit of the system, but it sure helped me to drive the car faster, and more consitantly. And you can turn it off on the track.
I think I agree with the opinions above that say get the car you want, learn to drive it well, and that will do more for track speed than getting a car, stripping the wieght, and not working on driving skills. At some point, getting rid of weight may be in your best interests, but if it's on the street a lot, go for the things that will keep you comfortable when your in the car. Either way, you'll have a blast!

 

You've got to be kidding. The DSC in my MC kicks in daily. It took a little while to get use to. It stops firing the plugs and as the engine stops putting down the power, you naturally give it more gas. When the plugs start firing again your throttle is open even more and the car lurches forward. On an MCS this would be worse. If the turbo becomes a reality, this would be dangerous as it could mean spooling the turbo. It is possible for the DSC to cycle. The most I've seen it was 4 times consecutively. This was on an autox when I forgot to turn it off. Not a problem but it was difficult to know when it was going to come back on. Now that I've experienced it so often, it's easier to predict and compensate.

Bottomline, you'll disable it on the track but it's actually fairly effective and useful in daily driving.

 

Nope, never seen it flash although in our Lexus I've seen the light come on. In fact, this morning, I rev'd it up to about 4k and feather the clutch a little and lite the tires up...no dsc kicked in....no bog, nada. It's not very aggresive in our MCS...either that or I am pretty good at not engaging it.