aftermarket companies

[SilverBeam]

What aftermarket companies do you suggest for a cooper S? What place as the best deals and or reputation?

[Kyle K.]

Honestly, this forum isn't so great with tech advice, just not enough people here.

For some good MINI forums go check out www.minicooperonline.com and www.mini2.com they've both got a whole lot of members and a lot of threads about every kind of performance product out there. Just run a search and you'll find recommendations, feedback, impressions, etc etc of a lot of products.

[kapolani]

Lauren -

A Cooper S would be perfect for you.

Too bad you weren't around these areas. I'd let you drive it around and see how you like it.

You still thinking about an M3?

[SilverBeam]

I'd still want an M3 more than the Cooper S, but realistically, it's just not going to work. I can't get a good loan, affording maintenance and insurance will be too much, so I cut my losses and thought Cooper S. I'm still not sure if I'll get it, for the same first reason as the M. Right now, it’s between the S and the E36 328is. I want an S more, but it would also be more. See the dilemma?

I test drove an S this weekend. I didn’t push it as much as I should have; I’m still shaky on a manual, so I was paying more attention to that then the car. I need to drive it again and really feel the car.

[Kyle K.]

Where were you shifting (what rpm) when you drove the car?

[SilverBeam]

Low, about 4500. I was so nervous for that test drive, but the sales guy was pretty cool about me stalling right off the bat.

[Kyle K.]

You either need to take one for a drive and wind it up, or get somebody with an S to take you for a ride and show you how it moves. The supercharger builds boost all the way to redline, and 4500 is right around where it comes alive.... from there to redline I'll bet the car pulls like crazy.

[SilverBeam]

I think I'll like the car a lot more if I get to test drive it again. I got out of the car and just though: what the hell was I doing? I realized that I was shifting way to soon, Irvine will have a test drive S on lot next week, I'll go there and give it a whirl. Wanna come?

[Kyle K.]

Sure, we should roll up in the Cooper though.... you know how we MINI people are. :D I parked next to a guy on the street that had one today and we stood there talking for about 10 minutes... its the best club ever. :buttrock

[SilverBeam]

I know we should take the cooper up, but they know my car there. I think every salesman there has seen it... I'm there far to much.

When we are done, we need to take Live Oak again, maybe this time without the detour into the camp grounds. Lol.

[Kyle K.]

Hey, it was dark and I was going fast... and the freakin truck came in the other lane blinding me at the same time those shiney things in the road that I was following disappeared for a ways... and it seemed like a nice enough campground. :dunno ;)

[SilverBeam]

I thought it was pretty funny, but then we got stuck behind that truck when we left, and you changed lanes in a place that I would not have, but that's okay. For a second I thought you were going to loose it on that first hairpin coming out of the canyon.

And yes, it’s a great club. 7 series owners don’t wave to me. Actually, I did get one to wave back today, first time ever for that to happen. But I was checking out his aftermarket wheels and he was checking out my own. We caught eyes and waved. Nice guy.

[Kyle K.]

A little warning of the upcoming hairpin would also have been nice... we were going 70-80 through sweeping esses and then... bam blind decreasing radius hairpin :eek: Still my fault though... I'll have to drive that road a couple more times before flying down it at night again.

and congrats on finally finding a 7 that waved back... I know you've been waiting for that for a long time. :D I think I get 2-3 waves per day now :cool: Get a Cooper and you'll get more friendliness than you know what to do with.

[SilverBeam]

I was still reeling from that pass mid turn you made only a few seconds prior to the span of decreasing radius turns that brings you out of the canyon. I also knew that for the most part (minus the campground incident) that you had things under control, so I wasn't worried.

Plus, believe it or not, I wasn't looking at the huge circle with the speed that was right in the middle of the dash.

[Kyle K.]

Well, I don't look at that big thing in the middle too often either, but I'll tell you that we were going over 70 for most way in those S turns, because on the first one I downshifted into 2nd by instinct and the engine was at around 6500 (2nd redline is 67mph)... and when I started to just leave it in 3rd I was going faster. :dunno

I'm still not sure why you were reeling from that pass.... must have been because the cars massive torque kicked in and you were pinned to the back of your seat. :dunno

And yeah... we already covered the campground. :D

[SilverBeam]

No, I was reeling because I tried a pretty hairy pass on that road and when my back door was lined up with the rearview mirror of the person I was passing, a full size truck came from around the corner, right at me. Now, I probably could have pulled off the pass, but instead, I braked hard and got back behind the car, narrowly missing death. I say death, because I was going pretty fast to pass this car. That guy was such an asshole. For at least a mile I was honking, flashing my lights and gesturing, not to mention angry swerving and tailing. He was so stubborn! He wouldn't get over, and he wouldn’t go past 45, expect when I went to pass him. After the truck incident, he gladly got over. What an asshole.

My crazy ex took that canyon in a Lincoln ls holding about 75 the whole time… what a crazy bastard he was.

[SilverBeam]

oh yeah, I was feeling that mad torque :)

[Kyle K.]

Let me learn the road a little and I'll hold 80. Then let me get some decent tires and I'll hold 85. :buttrock

And yeah... I figured it was from the torque.

[SilverBeam]

Yeah, run flats aren't the best on canyons. You need to run the canyon in the day, truthfully, taking a canyon (any canyon, even that little one) at those speeds for the first time at night... not the safest thing to do.

But we came out in one peice and had fun.

[Kyle K.]

Yeah... certainly not the smartest thing I've ever done. It's your fault though... you're the one that made me go on that horrid road. I always keep to the speed limit too when you're not there. You're a bad influence on me :(

[SilverBeam]

Originally posted by Kyle K.
Yeah... certainly not the smartest thing I've ever done. It's your fault though... you're the one that made me go on that horrid road. I always keep to the speed limit too when you're not there. You're a bad influence on me :(

You make me sound like such a bad guy, because, you know I start yelling; "faster! faster!" every time I'm in the car with you.

We need to do some crazy stuff in the E38 before I get ride of her, now that takes some creativity, not exactly a donut worthy, corner devouring car. But, she can take a lot of stuff off the line, so its fun to make people wonder why they are getting beat by a large sedan.

And that, ladies and gents is my 1,000th post.

[Kyle K.]

Crazy stuff in the e38? :devillook

Is that much fun in a car that big even legal? Wait... nothing we do for fun in our cars is legal.... nevermind :rolleyes:

[SilverBeam]

Originally posted by Kyle K.
Crazy stuff in the e38? :devillook

Is that much fun in a car that big even legal? Wait... nothing we do for fun in our cars is legal.... nevermind :rolleyes:

oh, its not legal, but its fun. The sound of the engine alone is fun. That car at 100+ is the smoothest ride you have been in.

[Kyle K.]

Yeah.... v8s sound far too good. Its really not fair that your car is twice as long as mine, has all sorts of luxurious stuff, and you're still way faster than me off the line. Your engine <i> is </i> well over twice the displacement of mine though... :dunno We should just trade cars and call it a day.

[SilverBeam]

I never dynoed her, but I estimate 300 hp and around 320 ft-lbs. Not far off stock (282/295), but no where near the likes of Simeon's 740.

Sad this is this: 0-60 6.9 seconds stock (I bumped that up by at least a thenth of a second) This is the same as a stock cooper S.

[Kyle K.]

There is certainly nothing wrong with 300hp.... and you've got the bling going :cool:

I wonder which car would start to pull after 60 mph. :dunno I'd imagine the MCS would since the 7 should get a better launch but pulls the same time.... any idea what the 1/4 mile time on the iL is stock?

[SilverBeam]

I've never seen the 1/4 mile time on a stock il, and I’ve never run it at a track to tell you what I can run it in. Find me a cooper S and we'll learn first hand. I take it that the S will win, I have that auto lag, which I try and compensate for as much as possible.

[Kyle K.]

I could take test drive in a MCS and meet you for some stop light bandito racing :devillook Thats not cool though... maybe Dave down in SD would be up for a challenge... :dunno It would be interesting.

[SilverBeam]

Yeah, and all I have to do is smile and he'll be up for it, right? lol, drag racing on a test drive... that'd be so much fun. Alright, time for bed.

[kapolani]

Go drive it and ring it out.

I doesn't come alive till 4000rpm. You'd be surprised at how quick the little car is. It's not M3 quick. But, this car really comes alive in the twisties. My buddy in his M3 has a hard time keeping up with me in the bends. He catches me on the straights of course.

Test it again and push it hard.

[Evan e21]

www.rogueengineering.com and www.supersprint.com

[snappermini]

here are a few.

www.rogueengineering.com
www.mini-madness.com
www.bmpdesign.com
www.monstermini.com
www.newminiparts.com
new.minimania.com
www.helix13.com
www.dinanbmw.com
www.rspeed.net/mini
www.mossmini.com
www.superchips.co.uk
www.newtoncomm.co.uk
www.johncooper.co.uk
www.hamann-motorsport.de
www.gotmini.com
www.turnermotorsport.com
www.acschnitzer.com
www.tirerack.com
www.1010tires.com
www.supertrapp.com
www.borla.com
www.remus.at
www.supersprintna.com
www.scorpion-exhausts.com
www.milltek.co.uk
www.digi-tec.de
www.dullinger-performance.de
www.kelleners-sport.com
www.minisportshop.com
www.pipercross.com
www.kandn.com
www.ronalusa.com
www.ozwheels.com
www.mini2.de.vu
www.tuner.at
www.revolutionwheels.de
www.mini-tuning.ch
www.carvogue.co.uk
www.maxi-tuner.de
www.ms-design.com
www.daehler.com
www.minimotorsport.de
www.breyton.de
www.chromdesign.de
www.moto-concept.de
www.special-car-center.at
www.newmini.nl
www.misterdotcom.info
www.mini-design.com
www.playmini2.co.uk
www.greystokegraphics.co.uk/screenpromini/
www.redlineoil.com
www.eibach.com
www.hrsprings.com

[SilverBeam]

WOW! thanks snapper