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Tire Trailblazer
I only get to a couple of track days a year, and for the most part the OEM brakes are good enough. The JCW kit costs AU$10,000. All up my performance related mods have cost me comfortably under AU$3,000. I'd say my car would be on par performance wise with a JCW car, if anything it may be slightly better. Plus, I've fitted all the parts with the help of friends, so that has been a good learning experience for me.
I have deliberately chosen aftermarket parts that are well tried and tested by countless others before me, so even though it is all aftermarket stuff, there has been a wealth of knowledge for me to draw upon.
The rear sway bar has had the greatest affect on handling. It was the most recent mod completed and it should have been my first! Understeer on the MINI was always there, but still pretty good. The RSB has dialled most of that out. At the moment, most of the understeer in the car is due to my tyres being old and due for replacement!
No more plans for any further mods to the car. I'm saving for an S3.
JCW parts are ridiculously expensive. Nice equipment though, but just as you said you're better off coming up with your concoction of mods and saving the money while getting equally stellar performance. The upcoming JCW factory car (showing up at Geneva in weeks time) should prove pretty interesting though it will still lack many of the regular JCW upgrades, such as suspension (a must for any MINI).
Now this is completely OT, but a toast to another fellow MINI fan....
