Can someone please help me?
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi i havejust bought my first mini and it has a totally standard 998cc engine and i was wondering what performance upgrades i could get that would cost to much i am on a tight budget as i am only 16 i am only wanting performance upgrades because the bodywork is in goodcondition as there is now no rust on it at all so could someone pleaase tell me of some low cost performance upgrades until i can afford to put a turbo in.

Hello and welcome Jon...

Try a stage 1 kit from minispares :)

Alex

AlexF

hi jon and welcome to TURBOMINIS

if you are on a budget i would suggest going down to your locall breakers yard and source a metro A series engine out 1275cc

preferably a MG normall aspirated engine (none turbo)

you may pay "around" 60 quid for one compleate engine gearbox carb get the whole lot!! the lot

this may well be the best way to go for you jon

this will more than bring a smile to your face if you fit this in at 16

also look learn read and listen go for that buddy

Thanks alot if there is anymore ideas please carry on posting i am concentratingon the performance side of things also because i need to keep up with my girlfriend (she will be my fiance later this year!) She has a mini mayfair the same as me apart from mine is red and hers his blue. she currently has a stage one kit on her 998 and in the summer of 2006 when we go away wit a group of mates she has challenged me to a race there etc and i cant afford to lose (male pride mostly!) so if you get anymore ideas carry on posting thanks.
Jon.

What would the 1275 engine do to insurance would it cost much more than the 998 or wouldnt there be much difference?

From experience when I was 17 I think you will find that the insurance cost will stop you from having a 1275cc engine. In actual fact, I think you will struggle to insure a completely standard car for sensible money, let alone a stage one kitted or 1275cc engined one.

Not what you want to hear I am sure but I am afraid that is how it is, I was in the same boat once, I am sure nearly every young bloke with a car has to suffer a slow car for a year or two.

Well it aint standard any more because my dad sent it away to our mechanic the other weke and he told him to tune it and make it sound better but he has only put on a performance exhaust and he has left theengine alone which is good. i will just have to borrow my dads car occasionally he has an audi 80 quattro sports and it has been modded so it is pumpin roughly 300bhp so i will just have to borrow that occasionally (if he will let me!)
Jon

fiance? christ at your age

Yeh i have been with her for about 2 years we will be getting engaged when i turn 17 that is even more of a reason for me to get some performance upgrades in my mini!

Jeeeeezzzzzzz....

christ, sum1 pls edit the original message incase my missus gets n e ideas lol, the stage 1 kit is def the way to got + with your performance exhaust should sound quite nice.

tip: get it set up propely when fitted, coz it cocks the mpg up a treat if u dont lol

also beware of speed bumps- the downpipes are a bit longer then standard, so hit speed bumbs easier.


oh and finaly DO NOT buy it from hudderfield spares

Andy

Edited by Mini_Andy on 26th Apr, 2005.

For some reason when i go over speed humps atm i some times hit them but only some of them so my dad has taken to going over them diagonally which stops it! how much power increase should a stage 1 kit give me and what is the cheapest they can be bought for?

the reaso you only hit some is because of the height of bump and speed of car (im persuming you car hasnt been lowered). you should expect to gain 20% power increase- or so they say.

i would got for minisport:

http://www.minisport.com/classic-mini-shop...rb-product.html

Thanks alot ofor the advice i will start saviing up for both now i might just get a 1275 engine and then tune that

Start saving for the insurance cost

When you've got a grand set aside for that then start getting the go faster bits...........

He He its great having a car obsessed family my grandpa and dad say that they will foot the bill for the insurance so all i have to think about is the 'go faster bits' which is good!

Edited by Jon on 26th Apr, 2005.

a grand??? and the rest, when i was 17 on a standard 998, on my own tft £968 i think, so a modded 1275................

well i can keep my 998 for now and for a bit longer then i can put in a modded 1275

wot was that insurance an 3rd party fire and theft?

yea- with direct line, the cheapest i could find at the time

ok why didnt you go on you parents wasnt that cheaper

yea thats always cheaper but i wanted the no claims bonus

Thats true how old were you when you went to fully comp insurance and wot was the spec on your car

Edited by Jon on 26th Apr, 2005.

i havent gone fully comp yet, it wasnt worth it, although throughout this year (my 2nd year driving) i have changed my car for a diff mini- still 998, astra 1.4, escort 1.3 and the insurance didnt really change that much. but im about 2 change for an escort 1.8 diesel, then it would g up a bit, i imagine

i say drive the 998 with stage one kit for now, then fit 1275 later on, sort a stage 1 kit out second han, buy parts seperatley if you have to, i did and it came to about 60 quid for the lot of it and all in good enough condition too
check ebay and shows and so on.

Dan