I’m new to the MINI scene, but I am a car guy who owns 2 Miatas with over 150K on each. I go to the national Miata meets every year and notice that most all Miatas in attendance have been modified or customized. The last meet up in DC someone brought out a low mileage ’92 that was bone stock and people actually flocked to the car and stood around it reminiscing about their cars when new (stock).

So, with my new MINI (’04 MCS in Chili Red) I plan to keep it bone stock! That’s right no mods!

Anyone else part of the “keep it stock” move?!?!?

 

"Anyone else part of the “keep it stock” move?!?!?"

Not me! I replaced the R/C antenna with an S2000 antenna.

It significantly improved the performance thanks to the reduction in parasitic drag. Something to do with vortices...

 

As a recovering "miatamodaholic", I plan to attempt restraint with the Cooper. My miata had been modified to a point where it was no longer fun to drive...I sold all of the aftermarket parts (turbo system, standalone ecu, suspension, leather seats, etc.) and then sold the car.

I will do suspension work, but will leave the engine alone as I know where that can lead...I want to still have this car in 10 years!

 

It shows restraint.

There is nothing wrong with the MC and MCS that you have to go and mod it.
Keep it all stock if you can. That would be a rarity. My Maxima just made 10 years old and was bone stock for a long time until this year when I added a GReddy exhaust because my original rusted through after 110,000 miles.

I like the new exhaust but now my wife won't drive the car because it is too loud. Ha, it's the most quiet aftermarket exhaust for the Maxima. Just take your foot off the gas pedal and it will quiet down fast. Oh well.

If you can keep things simple and appreciate your nice CR/W MCS then great. You will be in the minority on NAM but in the majority for all MINI owners. When I was in the UK last year I'd say about 90+% of the MINIs I saw were bone stock. I'd say about 4 out of 32 (used or on the road) I did see had some mods.

After your warranty is over you can join the rest of us. But we will be on round three of upgrades. Watch out for flying spare parts.

 

I've got a '92 Mustang GT I bought brand new that is still bone stock. Still in great shape with 65,000 miles, and few days go by that someone doesn't comment on it. I enjoy the heck out of it even though it has much room for improvement handling and performance wise. It's the only vehicle I've ever owned that I have left alone. Every other car, truck, and motorcycle, I have changed to suit my tastes either asthetically, functionally, or both. Some just in minor ways, some almost unrecognizably . I think in the long run I have enjoyed those I have modified if not more, certainly differently. Not a day goes by that I don't think I should do this or that to the Mustang, and I'm probably going to do a few things to it after all this time . I keep my vehicles a long time, usually know what I'm after when I buy them, have it in my head what I expect of them and want them to be, modify them immediatly, and usually don't do much to them except take care of them and use them after the first year or so. My '94 pickup I've had only 10 years and I've owned it the least amount of time of any vehicle since I was a teenager, a long time ago, so resale value is largely irrelevant to me. My 04 MCS has already seen considerable change since I brought him home April, 24. There are a couple more things I have in mind I will probably do in the near future, and will likely be perfectly happy and content with him then. I'll probably keep him a long time and have lots of fun. ( Don't know why he's a he, just happened that way ). Whatever trips your trigger, do what you will enjoy with your MINI. Honestly the most fun car I've yet to own. Have fun!!
Phew, if you can read this and make sense of it, you need help!

 

I don't have any immediate plans to modify my mini, but I bought it mostly as an autocross car and I want to keep it in H-Stock. However, it handles pretty darn well, so I don't know if I'd change anything anyhow.

I did get some V700's for it, if that counts as a mod

 

I was in the bonestock club for about 6months. It was fun and great while
my car was still considered a commuter. But after doing little mods here and
there just to improve on the areas that I felt would make the car shine a tad
more, it really made a big difference for my MCS. I don't plan to do any
drastic mods, but areas that I felt were slightly lacking were changed. :smile:

...and now, it's considered my weekend car, so its even better.

 

Chris,

You know you want a pulley!!

Cheers,
-Justyn

 

I've also got two miatas - one bone stock ('92), one highly modified ('91). Love 'em both. Still can't get most people to understand why I have two. :smile:
MCS (when I get it) will be stock, at least for a while.

 

If it's gonna be bone stock, then shouldn't the exterior appearance be left unmodified as well?

 

I've always preffered the more subtle approach. My '91 Miata was not too subtle, but not real ricey either. The most obvious things were the stripes, driving lights, and quad-headlights (when they were up). Inside was things like black leather seats (original seats recovered) and updated stereo.


My next car, '94 RX7 was even more subtle. I added the rear spoiler, tail lights and Efini badging from the '01 Japanese spec model.




My '03 MCS is even lower key. The only mods i've done outside is the chrome mirror caps. Inside, just a few chrome pieces, glove box storage thingie, parcel shelf, and the downtube with entegrated phone holder thing.

I got to get some more pics of my little fella, this one stinks!

I like to make my cars my own, but still keep it pretty stock!

 

I have owned my 03 MCS now for about 14 months. There is not a week that goes by that I don't think about different mods, but so far outside of the window tint and the shortie aerial, the chili red MINI is bone stock.

I have even thought about stripes on the bonnet and a flag for the top, but after I detail the car and step back and admire the MINI, it just seems to look find just the way it is.

I'm for sure no wrench head, so doing performance mods kinda concerns me also. I have read lots of posts about performance mods that seem to lead to more problems for the owner. A borla street might make its way on to the MINI, but for now, its pretty much all factory.

Minihune if you are reading this...the MINI has 6600 miles and still looks and smells brand new. The MINI tends to want to go WESTWARD:smile:

 

When you stated "bone stock," are you referring to mechanical and performance mods only? Does aero kit count (like the one on the CR/W)?

 

Like I've stated in other threads, the MINI is still a great looking machine in stock form. It has all the right style inside and out just as is. Compare it to something as bland as say a Cavalier or Accord.
Now as for performance mods, well, a little more 'umpf' is always good. But with what the MINI kicks out is still great enough to have a lot of fun.
There's quite a bit of stuff out there that is tempting me to put on and change for my MCS. I'll get to it in time. But I don't plan on going too nuts. For now I just changed my tires and rims.
Maybe sell the Miatas and buy another MINI. Keep one stock and have one modified.
Cheers,

 

Does "stock" mean only factory options, or does it include dealer installed options? What about personally installed OEM parts? I am just curious.

 

Think that's a fine line there.
IMO, anything that cannot be installed by the factory would be a non-stock part. Certain manufacturers have catalogues at dealerships where you can order parts and such made by the manufacturer, but are not covered by warranty even though 'they' made the parts. Crazy.
Kinda hard to say though. Even though dealer installed options are made by the manufacturer, they are still installed after tha fact, and made to jazz up the car. Hmmm.
I dunno. I'm done thinking for the day.
Cheerio,

 

Yes, I mean "stock" after the fact of getting all the goodies from the factory order program & dealer installed stuff like the Aero kit. Hey, gotta have something to make it stand out. :smile:

 

>Does "stock" mean only factory options, or does it include dealer installed options? What about personally installed OEM parts? I am just curious.


factory options are considered (in my books) stock parts. Like on my
car it has the aero kit and R90's but I considered it stock until I did
the springs and swaybar, aftermarket wheels, intake, exhaust, etc.

So, if you went by my way of thinking, the JCW is also stock; I consider
it a JCW Edition MCS.

 

There is some 17 year old guy RIGHT NOW, just lusting big time after an MC and he cannot afford it. He will pay BIG BUCKS in 2030 for a bone stock, well treated MC. He won't want a modded one cuz for sure it will have been abused by some nutter......fact of life....original cars are worth more in the long run......as I can't take it with me, I will mod mine to within an inch of its life and race the hell out of it......

 

Thanks a bunch for the quick replies.

Then my 04 PW/B MC is still stock. Although I changed the orange side markers to the OEM whites.

 

If you modify your car, save the parts required to return it to stock and, if you sell it, make sure you pass these on to the next owner and ask them to swear to do the same. You will be helping to preserve a small piece of industrial history and, down the line, others will be extremely grateful for your foresight and effort.

 

I think "stock" is a relative thing. JerseyGirl has done a ton of "mods" to her MCS, but most could easily reversed in a day. She has kept all of the OE parts except the OE blue grills and the S-Lites. I don't really consider aftermarket wheels or graphics to be a "mod".

On some items, I'll return some parts to stock before getting it serviced, like the ProMINI intake and the s.s. skid plate as they are fairly easy to remove. Some parts, like the recently installed Helix short-shifter, will have to stay on.

 

Gotta agree, "stock" is a relative term. Is a JCW kit with full factory warranty stock? Is a Dinan kit with its warranty stock? Is any aftermarket kit that falls under the Moss-Magneson Act's warranty stock? Well yes and no. The JCW is a "factory authorized" modification, as is the "aero" kit and to some degree the HK sound system. The Dinan kit is done under contract between Dinan cars and the BMW/MINI dealership. While not factory authorized, it's the next best thing, as the dealer will stand behind the parts and install for the remainder of the factory warranty. Other aftermarket kits are on a dealer by dealer warranty basis. Some dealers will install and honor aftermarket mods. Are these stock from the perspective of the buyer?

I think if we get into the "stock" v. "modified" p*ssing match I've seen on other car forums, we will degenerate into the "build sheet" "numbers matching" type of innane drivel popular on Corvette and Mopar sites.

I say NO to this type of reasoning. A MINI is a car that should be modified to suit the owner's personality. keeping it as per manufacturer's specifications goes against the spirit of the marque.

And as to the pulley, it is a must have. It was a terrible oversight on the part of the factory not to have offered the MCS with a reduced diameter pulley.

 

There is a reason some people spew that kind of inane drivel. In the vintage market, values for completely original cars are much higher than for cars that are modified or have been pieced together in restoration.

 

Yes, I am aware of that unfortunate reality.