What did you do to your MINI today?

If I was wo

If I was worried about that, I wouldn't have posted the video.
I can definitely recommend using a polarising filter on a Garmin dashcam. Mine now has multiple small chips. Unlike the lens...

 

I'll be putting a 918 bar on it soon, with extra holes for a stiffer option.

 

Yeah, I can make it.

 

Is there a post that documents how you got real fog lights? (or were those standard with the earlier models?)

 

LCI2 in 2022 eliminated the fog lights (in favor of slits to create air curtains past the front wheels, thus apparently contributing to 4 mi increase in estimated range).

 

Mine is a 2021 and they were standard on all US trims as far as I know.


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In 2019, I wrote a letter (I'm old and know how to do that) to MINI's head designer, Oliver Heilmer, begging for a hood-scoop delete option. To show how much I liked other parts of the SE, I included in my letter a photo of the right fog light and the beautifully sculpted front fascia around it.

I laughed when the scoop-yes, foglights-no 2022 SE was unveiled because when Mr. Heilmer received my letter, he knew that the beautiful and tradtional foglights would be giving way to a pair of aerodynamic gashes.

Mr. Heilmer's reply (also in a letter), "I'll take up your suggestion with marketing," gave me hope but in the end I had to buy a scoopless hood and have it painted and installed locally.

 

My '22 SE is sadly lacking real foglights. If I recall correctly, they were eliminated for better airflow. The cornering lights are no substitute.

 

The 2020-2021 model has cornering lights as well, but they must be different from the 2022+ model "bad weather" headlights. I swear the light comes from the scuttles (probably not), but I can't tell because I'm driving when I see them in action.

 

Worked on the Mini last weekend. First time dropping a vehicle. I ended up putting on ST XA coilovers. I only dropped the Mini by about an inch. Thinking about going lower before I take it in for an alignment. Big shout out to @JonR for the virtual help throughout the weekend!

 

I have new autocross wheels. I wasn't expecting them to look this good! It was time to flip my Falkens.
BBS RG-F 16x7 ET48.
VW RG403 fitment, but swap the hub rings, and they fit perfectly.

 

Awesome, how is the ride with the XA's? Have you played with any dampening settings? I have been eyeing them since I lowered with the H&R springs. The springs are a bit too stiff and bouncy when I am hitting undulations on the freeway going 80mph.

 

I've found the F56 to have very little bump steer at the front. So once alignment is set for your new dampers, tweaking the ride height should make little difference to toe. I haven't checked the back.

 

I have ST X coilovers and noticed that when I went lower, the ride would suffer. The springs are progressive so as you go lower, you are adding more preload and making the ride stiffer. But the bigger issue I saw with going lower was shock travel being reduced. On long sweepers and really pushing it, the car would get unsettled and almost felt bouncy. I tried so many ride heights before I settled on what I have now and that is what I gave to @amtrucker22 to use.

I tried Eibach springs with stock struts and the ride was too bouncy when the road had big dips in it. The ST coilovers are really good at dips or big bumps. I'm very happy with my coilovers now.

 

Yesterday on the way to the Smokys, I persuaded Fiona to drop to 7 yellow power bars. A long steep climb. I was going up around 60% power for a couple of miles. I may have been a little over the 55 limit . Battery was around 60%. It took most of the climb to drop bars. I suspect the battery hit its power limiting temperature. Today, we are doing a mountain road run. Let's see if she can keep up with the ICE cars.

The motel owner is fine with me charging from the 6-20 AC outlet. I like my Tesla outlet adaptor set.

 

Going lower brings the bump stops into play earlier. That is what is stiffening it up. Increased preload would be from raised ride height, not lower. As long as the shocks aren't on a soft or hard stop, their stiffness for a given load is independent of how the height has been adjusted.

Some aftermarket shocks have altered travel and can benefit from trimmed or alternate bump stops. ST are the people to ask about for your shocks, not some random internet expert, like me.