I am looking at fitting coilovers to my mini as it was one of the best mods I did to my old Williams Clio.

Over here in the UK we have a kit that looks exactly the same as the BC RM called the MeisterR Europa:

http://www.minitorque.com/forum/f661...9-offers-9712/

So on doing my research it seems a lot of different make coilovers come out of this BC factory. How they differ I do not know...

So to have allegedly better than standard top mounts, camber adjustment to prevent excessive tyre wear with negative camber, dual perch design (never heard of before but I believe means full travel even when lowered) and adjustable damping all sound good.

Yet for same money I can get the Bilstein PSS B14 kit. I get a lifetime guarantee, a recognised manufacturer and inverted design but lose the camber and damping adjustment and teh better top mounts.

Not sure what to do.

Then I see the RM model my BC which seems the same as BR and Meister but of inverted design.

I am concerned that if I do not go for adjustable damping I will be stuck with a firm ride on the Bilsteins. If I go for the BC or Meister would their durability not be so good?

Anyone expereienced either the BC or Bilstein and can comment.

 

PS I am thinking Powergrid end links front and rear and Hotchkis Control Arms and Competition rear sway bar to complete the set up.

Just fitted the Factory JCW airbox and ITG panel filter and soon to fit Milltek Turbo back exhaust, JCW Brembo brakes and get remapped.

And I promised the other half I would not spend money on the Mini like I did on my old Clio

 

Something I've always thought about is that I would rather 1 preset damping setting that is very good, instead of 32 clicks of adjustable damping where all 32 suck.

Meaning I would highly prefer the Bilsteins.

- andrew

 

Thanks Andrew.

The MeisterR are apparently tuned for UK roads. Which is what is swaying me as the top mounts are better than OEM and camber too. I would have thought the Bilstein would be a compromise for all countries roads.

The chap from MeisterR had the following to say:

Regarding MeisterR, the damping specification are bespoke to us. We design them specifically for the uneven roads in the UK as most dampers you found are over damped.
This is why MeisterR have been doing well as owners are finally getting a set of coilovers with all the adjustment needed, but without the harsh ride for daily use.


Regarding inverted dampers... it is actually not all that to crack out to be.
We used to use inverted dampers but we move away from it because of it isn't worth the hassle really.


Inverted dampers are upside-down, they provide better damping characteristic as there are more friction, and also reduce unsprung weight as the damper body are so close to the chassis that it will effectively become sprung weight.


However, the inverted damper have to "fit" within the coilover package, you have to decrease the size of the damper piston in order to make it fit.
So you gain damping by being an inverted design, but lose damping characteristic by reducing the size of the piston... so you end up where you started.
But the down side of the inverted dampers is due to the higher friction the piston faces, it will have a shorter life span than a normal upright design.
It also will make noise about 6 month into its service life as the grease will leak out and require you to re-grease the piston shaft.
So in the end, you get more hassle and upkeep, but don't gain that much performance.


Unless you are going to go rallying with your suspension where there will be alot of force place on the damper, inverted dampers isn't really worth it.


Obviously Bilstein are designed slightly different and therefore their inverted dampers are one of the better one out there, but some of the principle above still applies.
I can say for sure the upright design of MeisterR damper will be using a much larger damper piston than the bilstein, and therefore offer much more sensitive damping.


As far as damper adjustment, what it can do is that you can adjust the quality of the ride and the overall balance.
It also mean you can stiffen the suspension up for odd track days where you want to limit body roll as you know the surface will be flat.

 

One minute I am thinking Bilstein for their reputation and the other I am thinking MeisterR for the extra features.....

At least I have settiled on Hotchkis competition rear sway bar, control arms and powergrid end links.

 

And searching the web provides no feedback on the non adjustable PSS Bilstein kit on the mini. I can't find any comments other than 1 set for sale secondhand where the owner deiced to go fully adjustable instead.

That makes me wonder why.

 

BC BR coilovers with swiftsprings are hard to beat for the money

 

Thanks Graham. I am presuming the MeisterR shocks we have over here are the same as BC in that they come out of the same factory. However damping is supposed to be different as they are allegedly designed for UK roads.

For similar money to these I can get hardly used Bilstein PSS10's.

Bilstein offer a lifetime warranty and IIRC can be serviced. With the MeisterR's, you buy a new shock rather than service them.

 

meister and bc shocks have the same specs