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Just got my hands on my first r56!! 2009 Mini S, Dark Grey with Black. First glance its a great car! Lots of power, lovely balance and great milage.
As I dive through the forums and read about other experiences with the vehicle and the personalization of each, it got me thinking. I have noticed a few things since I got the car. What are some of the first things you noticed and wanted to change / improve?
For me; ( I spent many hours per week in the car ) I am eager to upgrade the sound system, make a few aesthetic changes to the trim (never been a fan of chrome), add a more aggressive stance and a little power.
Initial thoughts on sound are to replace the factory speakers ( factory standard speaker set up ) but not sure which would actually fit and provide a better sound without having to swap out the underpowered head unit. My research has lead me to believe that replacing the factory speakers with component speakers and adding a powered subwoofer would accomplish a rich and full sound in the small cabin and not exceed $1000.
Second, I find the ride of the mini to be really nice, but want to improve the stance. Are there suspension / coil over kits that will improve the overall stance ( want to lower front by 0.5 inch and back by 1.0 inch) without making a major sacrifice to the ride quality and cornering ability - but also won't break the bank? I'd like to pick up the kit for $1000 or less.
I have also come to realization that small gains in power ( +10-15 bhp) would be close to 10% improvement in the power of the vehicle, which is significant. My question is how to best achieve this without reducing the drive-ability or adding costs to daily driving ( other than being a little more thirsty ). In the past, my gut has always lead me to more airflow first, then fuel, then tune. I am finding some really great exhaust systems that boast 15 or more bhp increase as well as a more resonating sound. The prices vary wildly so I wanted to punt to the community. I already know that $250 ( ish ) for the K&N is going to deliver about 10 more bhp. Thoughts on this?
One thing that needs to be replaced, and provides a nice opportunity to upgrade are the rotors. They aren't bad by any means but within the threshold to replace. What kits have you found that give you added grip while breaking that fit within the 16" wheel? Would consider a full rotor and caliper replacement for ceramics but not willing to spend thousands as this could just be straight swapped with factory replacements not issue.
As I mentioned above, I am not a fan of chrome trim. I am currently debating on buying genuine carbon fiber trim to replace the factory pieces or getting them wrapped. I have wrapped vehicle trim before and it looks fine... but not as nice. My concern is getting parts that have the same type / color / pattern of carbon fiber to replace the chrome. I would rather keep the chrome than to have non-matching carbon. Has anyone else dealt with this dilemma? Major cost differences at play.
I want to have the car for years to come. And yes, I know many of you are probably wondering "why I don't just save my money and get what I want". I have done this in the past with bmw's and have decided it's time to make a change. Plus they just don't make what I want and you only need to buy one lemon that has been dressed up in fancy aftermarket parts to learn your lesson... This is something that I enjoy doing, despite the cost. Thank you all for your time, I will post some images if people respond!
Just got my hands on my first r56!! 2009 Mini S, Dark Grey with Black. First glance its a great car! Lots of power, lovely balance and great milage.
As I dive through the forums and read about other experiences with the vehicle and the personalization of each, it got me thinking. I have noticed a few things since I got the car. What are some of the first things you noticed and wanted to change / improve?
For me; ( I spent many hours per week in the car ) I am eager to upgrade the sound system, make a few aesthetic changes to the trim (never been a fan of chrome), add a more aggressive stance and a little power.
Initial thoughts on sound are to replace the factory speakers ( factory standard speaker set up ) but not sure which would actually fit and provide a better sound without having to swap out the underpowered head unit. My research has lead me to believe that replacing the factory speakers with component speakers and adding a powered subwoofer would accomplish a rich and full sound in the small cabin and not exceed $1000.
Second, I find the ride of the mini to be really nice, but want to improve the stance. Are there suspension / coil over kits that will improve the overall stance ( want to lower front by 0.5 inch and back by 1.0 inch) without making a major sacrifice to the ride quality and cornering ability - but also won't break the bank? I'd like to pick up the kit for $1000 or less.
I have also come to realization that small gains in power ( +10-15 bhp) would be close to 10% improvement in the power of the vehicle, which is significant. My question is how to best achieve this without reducing the drive-ability or adding costs to daily driving ( other than being a little more thirsty ). In the past, my gut has always lead me to more airflow first, then fuel, then tune. I am finding some really great exhaust systems that boast 15 or more bhp increase as well as a more resonating sound. The prices vary wildly so I wanted to punt to the community. I already know that $250 ( ish ) for the K&N is going to deliver about 10 more bhp. Thoughts on this?
One thing that needs to be replaced, and provides a nice opportunity to upgrade are the rotors. They aren't bad by any means but within the threshold to replace. What kits have you found that give you added grip while breaking that fit within the 16" wheel? Would consider a full rotor and caliper replacement for ceramics but not willing to spend thousands as this could just be straight swapped with factory replacements not issue.
As I mentioned above, I am not a fan of chrome trim. I am currently debating on buying genuine carbon fiber trim to replace the factory pieces or getting them wrapped. I have wrapped vehicle trim before and it looks fine... but not as nice. My concern is getting parts that have the same type / color / pattern of carbon fiber to replace the chrome. I would rather keep the chrome than to have non-matching carbon. Has anyone else dealt with this dilemma? Major cost differences at play.
I want to have the car for years to come. And yes, I know many of you are probably wondering "why I don't just save my money and get what I want". I have done this in the past with bmw's and have decided it's time to make a change. Plus they just don't make what I want and you only need to buy one lemon that has been dressed up in fancy aftermarket parts to learn your lesson... This is something that I enjoy doing, despite the cost. Thank you all for your time, I will post some images if people respond!
For performance mods, do your lower engine mount and upgrade your intercooler, one helps put the power down the other cools down your intake temps. Go with an AEM or DDM works intake that makes the hood scoop functional, any of the other ones are just going to bring warm air in from the engine bay. Some others mods that will help are the turbo muffler delete, helps spool up quicker, and noise maker delete, will give back a pound or two of boost. Another tip get a scanguage to keep track of those temps.
Your suspension is definitely toast by now if it has not been replaced. Just by sitting all those years, things wear out. I put the Bilstien Sports on my son's car and it made an enormous difference. Although the originals were not leaking and the car was not bouncing. As for stance, I am not into that stuff so I would not know.
My journey below. I'm happy with the outcome and still doing some interior stuff. In summary:
-Belt line kit Outmotoring
-Door handles and gas cap Outmotoring: covers. They fit 9/10 but look 10/10. I thought about CF but it's tricky, I'm of the opinion that too much CF goes into tacky territory and it's a Mini, not a Koenigsegg
-More aggressive air scoop (mine broke) Outmotoring
-Black trim for headlight/taillights and grille OEM
-Driving lights (recently) OEM
-Silver stripes OEM
-Union Jack black tail lights ECS
-Stubby antenna
-GP2 diffuser ECS
-JCW exhaust (not tuning kit)
-Orranje wing
-Eibach springs (rides OK, does scrape rubber guards easily)
-Stage 2 RPM tune (very reliable) which requires cold spark plugs, intercooler and Downpipe (potential for inspection issues though)
-Rear sway bar
-Koni yellows
-GP2 steering wheel
-GP2 floor mats
-Will try this weekend to DIY dashboard red stitching (red nylon thread and curved needle)
-Red mirror caps and brake duct inlets OEM
-Removed Cooper S badge recently
For performance mods, do your lower engine mount and upgrade your intercooler, one helps put the power down the other cools down your intake temps. Go with an AEM or DDM works intake that makes the hood scoop functional, any of the other ones are just going to bring warm air in from the engine bay. Some others mods that will help are the turbo muffler delete, helps spool up quicker, and noise maker delete, will give back a pound or two of boost. Another tip get a scanguage to keep track of those temps.
awesome! Thank you. Am I going to need to get the hood scoop ram separate from the intake? Can I mix and match intake and scoop
I’ve seen a lot of people talk about scanguage but I’m not familiar. Will it also show boost?
Your suspension is definitely toast by now if it has not been replaced. Just by sitting all those years, things wear out. I put the Bilstien Sports on my son's car and it made an enormous difference. Although the originals were not leaking and the car was not bouncing. As for stance, I am not into that stuff so I would not know.
Oh good advice. Are those adjustable? If not, knowing that the suspension is likely needing some rejuvenation is good to know.
My journey below. I'm happy with the outcome and still doing some interior stuff. In summary:
-Belt line kit Outmotoring
-Door handles and gas cap Outmotoring: covers. They fit 9/10 but look 10/10. I thought about CF but it's tricky, I'm of the opinion that too much CF goes into tacky territory and it's a Mini, not a Koenigsegg
-More aggressive air scoop (mine broke) Outmotoring
-Black trim for headlight/taillights and grille OEM
-Driving lights (recently) OEM
-Silver stripes OEM
-Union Jack black tail lights ECS
-Stubby antenna
-GP2 diffuser ECS
-JCW exhaust (not tuning kit)
-Orranje wing
-Eibach springs (rides OK, does scrape rubber guards easily)
-Stage 2 RPM tune (very reliable) which requires cold spark plugs, intercooler and Downpipe (potential for inspection issues though)
-Rear sway bar
-Koni yellows
-GP2 steering wheel
-GP2 floor mats
-Will try this weekend to DIY dashboard red stitching (red nylon thread and curved needle)
-Red mirror caps and brake duct inlets OEM
-Removed Cooper S badge recently
There is more but I forget.
love the journey! Looking to do something similar but slightly more understated. What wheels / tires are you running?
where did you source your black trim pieces? They look nice and not dead set on the CF
Thanks. I wanted understated originally and then went a bit more aggressive towards the end. Grey cars need some contrast!
Wheels are 17" OEM JCW R112s and tires I believe 205/45.
Trim pieces are OEM too, ECS, Outmotoring, Minimania, Way Motor Works, and the like carry all of these. I prefer ECS honestly, very good inventory and shipping. Also bought a few things for my F80.
I've been on the lookout for JCW gauges but they are no longer available. Scanguage looks too aftermarket (Ultragauge also) in my humble opinion; you can get a Bluetooth OBD2 adapter and buy Torque Pro or OBD2 Fusion apps and see a ton of info on your phone. I like the P3 gauge that looks more OEM but it's kind of pricey at $400.
The AEM or DDM works come with everything needed. You can purchase the DDM works hood scoop separately but it is almost 200 bucks, so not really making it any cheaper. I’ve tried a Bluetooth obd2 and dash commander, which is ok, but won’t give me oil temps and didn’t seem to be as accurate as the scanguage. The scanguage you are able to read and clear trouble codes as well so it staying.
Welcome.
Definately de-chrome that bad boy!
A good set of adjustable coil overs will do it. Do the lower motors mount bushing, it makes a huge difference in response. (Think more direct power delivery without the squishy feeling.
I certainly did most of the things being recommended above.
with these turbo motors, an intake and exhaust with certainty help it breathe, you may not really notice much power difference.
For a power upgrade, you can get a plug in like the JB+ for a boost of around 10-15hp
If you want more, look at getting an ECU remap. I like the RPM tune I’ve had for a few years now. Mariokart’s my guy there.
you can go with a stage 1 on a stock car. Stage 2 and up you need to add a few more mods, like a bigger intercooler and a catless or hi-flow catted downpipe. Bigger turbo for stage 3.
As for gauges....good luck, ha ha
I don’t care for the boxy look of the scanguage, but it works really well. The P3 is awesome, but really pricey!
I ended up installing a Prosport EVO digital boost gauge right by the tach. And I use a dongle and Dash Command for monitoring everything else with some custom gauges I made for it.
It works pretty darn well this way. The only reason I don’t use it for the boost pressure as well is the tiny bit of lag in the connection. I’m a little bit **** about that, so I like a hardwired dedicated boost gauge.
Wow everyone, thank you so much for the advice. What a lovely community, definitely reinforcing my switch to the mini sect.
It seems like what I'm seeing is that I should / could improve the power and torque application with a lower mount and get more cold, clean air for the engine and turbo through the hood scoop.
I loved the 17" OEM JCW R112s on the black and grey mini, mine is basically the same color. And I agree it needs a touch of color. I like what you did with the red.
Right now, my main concern has to do with where to spend my money first, since this is just a matter of time and not desire.
Are most of you doing the work on the vehicle yourselves? something like a lower engine mount is beyond my skill but most other things I have done before on other vehicles.
Welcome.
Definately de-chrome that bad boy!
A good set of adjustable coil overs will do it. Do the lower motors mount bushing, it makes a huge difference in response. (Think more direct power delivery without the squishy feeling.
I certainly did most of the things being recommended above.
with these turbo motors, an intake and exhaust with certainty help it breathe, you may not really notice much power difference.
For a power upgrade, you can get a plug in like the JB+ for a boost of around 10-15hp
If you want more, look at getting an ECU remap. I like the RPM tune I’ve had for a few years now. Mariokart’s my guy there.
you can go with a stage 1 on a stock car. Stage 2 and up you need to add a few more mods, like a bigger intercooler and a catless or hi-flow catted downpipe. Bigger turbo for stage 3.
As for gauges....good luck, ha ha
I don’t care for the boxy look of the scanguage, but it works really well. The P3 is awesome, but really pricey!
I ended up installing a Prosport EVO digital boost gauge right by the tach. And I use a dongle and Dash Command for monitoring everything else with some custom gauges I made for it.
It works pretty darn well this way. The only reason I don’t use it for the boost pressure as well is the tiny bit of lag in the connection. I’m a little bit **** about that, so I like a hardwired dedicated boost gauge.
Okay got it. Seeing a lot of people get gains from lower engine bushing and intakes. Are you seeing any issues with the transmission after these improvements? hard shifts, etc
Wow everyone, thank you so much for the advice. What a lovely community, definitely reinforcing my switch to the mini sect.
It seems like what I'm seeing is that I should / could improve the power and torque application with a lower mount and get more cold, clean air for the engine and turbo through the hood scoop.
I loved the 17" OEM JCW R112s on the black and grey mini, mine is basically the same color. And I agree it needs a touch of color. I like what you did with the red.
Right now, my main concern has to do with where to spend my money first, since this is just a matter of time and not desire.
Are most of you doing the work on the vehicle yourselves? something like a lower engine mount is beyond my skill but most other things I have done before on other vehicles.
Its good to lay out your upgrade path, wants vs needs. I do all my own work, as much as I possibly can. If you can change the oil, you can replace the lower engine mount. Two bolts, and it basically falls out.
Its good to lay out your upgrade path, wants vs needs. I do all my own work, as much as I possibly can. If you can change the oil, you can replace the lower engine mount. Two bolts, and it basically falls out.
Jack car up on stands, remove 2 16 mm bolts, one of them you have to wiggle the exhaust just a little to get it out, as stated above it falls out, new mount in, torque 16 mm nut to 85 NM, remove car from jack stands. It’s that easy, could do it while doing oil change. Everything but the clutch replacement, I have done so far by myself with YouTube and this forums help. Really good how to section as well.
I'd say go first for some "easy wins" which would be cosmetic mainly and most you can install yourself. That way you fall in love with the car and increase your budget for the bigger engine/suspension mods!
I'd say go first for some "easy wins" which would be cosmetic mainly and most you can install yourself. That way you fall in love with the car and increase your budget for the bigger engine/suspension mods!
Share some pics, is yours Eclipse Grey too?
My vin shows Dark Silver Metallic (code 871). I am new to the niche but I from my research it shows to be the prequel to the notorious Eclipse Grey... From the naked eye its hard to tell the difference in pictures!
Will post some images soon. The weather has been atrocious and the car gets covered in road grime every time I leave the driveway..... that is unless you guys like a dirty mini ? :D
My vin shows Dark Silver Metallic (code 871). I am new to the niche but I from my research it shows to be the prequel to the notorious Eclipse Grey... From the naked eye its hard to tell the difference in pictures!
Will post some images soon. The weather has been atrocious and the car gets covered in road grime every time I leave the driveway..... that is unless you guys like a dirty mini ? :D
Thats a nice color, lighter than Eclipse Grey and black trim would contrast nicely. Many ways to modify.
01-05-2021, 08:25 AM
