Cooper S & Modify or JCW

[VEX]

Looks like I am going to be doing something fun (car related, no ph smut please) in June '18 and need a mini for it.

It is going to have a fair chunk of miles put on it in one go and a local dealer has suggested a late R53 rather than an early R56 as the Peugeot Engine and its Turbo isnt brilliantly reliable.

So I have narrowed it down to either a cheaper Cooper S and then a minor layer of mods to bring it up to JCW power (GTT 220 kit looks an option) and maybe bigger brakes or a full JCW car ideally with a limited slip diff and the bucket seats (Hens Teeth?).

Ideally I would then like to keep the car and use it at weekends and for track days, but will have to wait and see about that.

Obviously with not needing it till June 18, I can bide my time to find something special, but ideally would want it in place April / May time for any mods to be carried out.

What suggestions / observations or ideas are out there?

V.

[CarsOrBikes]

GTT220 doesn't mean 220hp but the supercharger pulley they fit is the best version.

[MrC986]

You need to lay yourself some parameters I.e, budget, bhp & spec before you start looking. I've got a modified R56 & I've several friends with modified R53s whose cars are now solely track cars that aren't run at all on the road.

I suggest you have a gander on the Minitorque forum as there's a number of partly/well modded R53 & R56 cars for sale via the classified section, though be prepared for some very frank responses on the forum & an obsession with coilovers, though they genuinely have a great knowledge of the models & what tuning mods work best. If you can buy a well modified car, in most instances you'll save a pretty decent chunk as you inevitably don't get back the cost of all the mods when reselling if you've added the mods during your ownership.

I suggest if you haven't done so already, that you get yourself a passenger ride in the R53 & R56 cars as it might change your mind on a possible leaning towards an R53 - for all the criticism of reliability woes with early R56s, a modded R53 can't get close to a properly tuned stage 2 R56 Cooper S /JCW. It might also be worth, depending on where you're based, going to something like the Lohen Dyno Day/evening as they normally get about 40 cars turning up at the Staffordshire based Mini specialist & it's a great opportunity to chat with owners & see what they've done to their cars.

[VEX]

Thanks.

My budget does limit me a little to late R53s or Early R56's so can't really go past 08/09 plates hence the dealer comment.

I have seen Minitourque site and I actually had a Cooper S on order 1year before launch. But cancelled it (just before it got built) when I drove the demo on the beautiful 17" wheels but the horrid run flats it came with. Actually ended up with a Vx220 so silver lining and all that.

Will have a poke around there tomorrow and maybe is it's few mod'ers in the new year for a chat.

Many thanks.

V.

[eatcustard]

Get the R53, its much cheaper to mod than the R56 and more reliable.
getting 210 BHP is easy and cheap, as long as the engine is not shot you will be fine with it

[mark seeker]

MrC986 said:

I suggest you have a gander on the Minitorque forum as there's a number of partly/well modded R53 & R56 cars for sale via the classified section, though be prepared for some very frank responses on the forum & an obsession with coilovers, though they genuinely have a great knowledge of the models & what tuning mods work best..

I couldn't agree more with this - coilovers and the 'frank responses'

[VEX]

Opps!

This appeared on the Pistonhead for sale and without much thought, I went to see it, and now own it!! A few month early, but I think it is a stonking buy.

2004 MINI Cooper S
Electric Blue – White Roof
One Lady Owner from new
68,000 miles – MOT to March 2018 - Full Service History
Chilli Pack
15% Reduced Supercharger Pulley
GRS Intercooler
Dave F hybrid Performance air box
Magnecor Ignition Leads
Eibach lowering springs – Koni FSD Dampers
Goodridge Braided Brake Hoses - Drilled / Grooved Brake Discs
GTT Top Front Strut Brace - OMP Lower Front Strut Brace
Miltek Cat-Back Exhaust
Remap – 226 BHP
JCW Rear Spoiler
M7 Carbon Fibre Radiator Diffusor
JCW Leather Sparco Front Seats
Spot Lights - White “Y” Spoke Alloys
Body Coloured side skirts – Black Belt Line – Stubby Aerial - Carbon fibre wrapped door mirror covers
Sun Protection Glass
Excellent Condition – Well Cared For – Many Smiles Per Mile
Original standard white bullet wheels, front seats, rear spoiler & intercooler included.

Wife is slowly coming round to the idea!

[MrC986]

That saves a lot of work OP - just make sure the chain tensioner is checked, although for peace of mind given the cost of the part, have it changed if necessary. Welcome to the Mini club

[E-bmw]

I managed to get one of the later ones with the "standard" aka runout LSD.

[VEX]

Just found a how to on the timing chain tensioner, looks very simple to do that myself.

How unreliable are they? Is it a mileage / wear thing?

V

[mon the fish]

VEX said:

Just found a how to on the timing chain tensioner, looks very simple to do that myself.

How unreliable are they? Is it a mileage / wear thing?

V

So-so. I wouldn't worry unless it goes, and it's really obvious if it does - rattly at cold idle as the chain slaps around. It's oil-filled so can go away once the oil warms up.

I wouldn't leave it if it was gone, but there's probably a load of cars around with knackered tensioners and they've not blown their engines

[VEX]

Thanks for that.

I need to check what it's cost would be, if it's £50 or so when fluids are being done it's worth it when there's a spanner under the car.

[VEX]

So all sorted and ready to collect on Thursday evening.

Have to give a big thumbs up to Brentacre for insurance, excellent pricing with all the mods on.

Photos once she is with us.

V.

[df76]

Sounds a good spec, and will be interested to hear how you find it. Especially interested in the Eibach spring and FSD dampers. Tempted to put these on my R56 Cooper S.

Hope it's good!

[VEX]

Here she is, and she is a temptress, could not get enough of her over the weekend! lol.

[Mannginger]

I'm just going to jump in here as am thinking of making the switch to a MINI myself.

Need to put more money aside for a house deposit so thinking I'll sell the MX5 but still want something fairly fun. Initial googling around has led me towards an R53 Cooper S JCW. Budget around £6k or so.

Belts and oil seems to be the main things to look out for and I'll probably look to get one fairly near standard to start with. Anything else I should really keep an eye out for?

[VEX]

Deffo fluids and specifically oil, mine was running really low and they are known for drinking upto 1l every 2 / 3K.

But it isnt a worry (apparently) if they dont level little deposits on the floor.

The gaskets also weep, again not an issue (apparently) even new ones do after a year or so.

If it rattles then it could be the timing chain tensioner, which is not as easier fix as I thought in the R53 engineer, the head needs to come off to re-prime it once a new one has been fitted.

HTH

V.

[turbojay555]

VEX said:

If it rattles then it could be the timing chain tensioner, which is not as easier fix as I thought in the R53 engineer, the head needs to come off to re-prime it once a new one has been fitted.

HTH

V.

Changed the chain tensioner on mine few months ago, no need for the head to come off, Just fit new tensioner, crank engine a couple of times without starting the engine and it primes itself, took about 20 minutes to fit.

[VEX]

Found the rattle!

The pulley dampener was hanging on a single bolt bouncing around on one of the pullies.

Got it booked in to a local performance garage next week for some fettling with Lohen parts and upgrades.