MCS - Ltd slip & sport suspension options

[minihim]

Hi - newbie here. I'm in the process of speccing my MCS and I've run into a dilemma about LSD and the sports suspension option (no cost with chili pack).

The brochure has no details of either, and the very nice girl who took me for a test drive didn't know about them, so I turn to you chaps in the hope of some enlightenment...?

I'm guessing that the lsd may be useful given the fairly torquey engine and FWD, but does the sport suspension add anything to the handling, or just make the ride too harsh (I'm not fussed about a hard ride, but would like to avoid piles and more importantly, bouncing off into the scenery on mid corner bumps..)

Basically my question is - one, both or neither?

Thanks!

[Paul]

I'd go for both, and I where I live you get roads in the potholes, not the other way around. (Trying to say the ride isn't too harsh).

Oh, and welcome to MINI2.

[Jimboe89]

I have the sports suspension on mine and would recomend it highly. I ordered my car november before the LSD option was available and do wish i had waited just a few weeks.. I had the LSD on my 2005 MCS and it made the front end feel very very gripy.

[Arnbut]

It's nice to have both.
If it's one or the other, decide based upon your terrain. DSC can save your hide in the mountains. And LSD is great for the fast guys in high-precip areas...

I just have dsc on both of mine and am happy with the choice(s).
And the '07 is so much smoother than the '06...

[caesar]

I have this dilemma as well. I ordered a new MCS today with the Chili Pack and LSD.

As a result it will have 17" wheels and the run-flat tyres. Because of this I did not order the Sports Suspension because it would be too hard.

My current car - Honda Civic Type-R, has 17" wheels and the suspension reflects any imperfection in the road. However, I do find that driving the Honda over speed bumps I do not need to slow down as much as I would using previous cars.

It's not too late for me to add Sport Suspension to the order. Is there a definitive answer to this ??

[spiney]

I got mine without the sports suspension and am comfortable with my choice.

I had an '03 MCS with the sports plus or whatever it was called, and on the roads round here (Boston, MA) I needed to see a dentist regularly to get my fillings replaced. As a result of this my wife insisted that I did NOT get the sports suspension on the '07. True, it's not quite as pin-sharp as it was when going at 8/10ths or above, but I spend the majority of my driving just going to work and back, and the ride is so much better than the old car that I'm willing to give up that last little bit of handling in return for not feeling the brushmarks on every white line in the road like I used to.

Both cars were/are on 17" + factory runflats. I can't talk to the sports suspension on the '07, I ordered mine in November '06, well before the dealers had any cars to try out.

[FergusM]

i have the LSD and 17" wheels and Sports suspension...and I love it. Trouble is I've not been in a car with anything different so have no idea what anything else is like..

[shiyan]

I'm wondering if LSD, SS + 16" would be the best compromise?

[Paul]

That would be my ideal OEM choice, it's the one they fine tuned/developed the suspension and ride for primarily.

[scotland67]

I've got sports suspension, LSD, strut brace and DSC. I deliberately waited for the order point when LSD become available in UK on R56 S. LSD is well worth it considering how cheap an option it is. I love my car and especially blasting along B-roads! When pushing, it's not quite same as my old E46 M3, but it definitely puts a smile on my face in same way the M3 did (and gets my heartbeat racing as drive close to lmits of car... within boundaries of personal safety on public road of course!).

What I would say though (esp. regarding sports suspension) is that if you do a lot of "town" driving, then give it a miss because ride quality can be a right pain in bumpy town/city roads! I'm very rarely in town in my car, so that isn't an issue for me.

[minihim]

Some great replies, thanks chaps. I'm reassured by those who have the sports suspension that the ride isn't unbearable as a result, and also that the LSD does seem to make the difference I thought it might.

I've emailed Mini along these lines to ask for some sort of description of both options (sadly missing from their brochures), and will post their reply here if and when it arrives. Without driving the car with and without these options back-to-back, I don't think there is a definitive answer - as ever it comes down to personal taste and a bit of luck / good judgment.

I might go for both though, screw the passengers

[Lordy]

i dont have the sports suspension , and i feel the ride is better , as they say the cooper handels better than the s, but i batter mine, and if i was you , and you are going to batter yours get the LSD defo, ( batter means drive within a miges of my life allows )

[Japper]

I'm a little surprised that people are finding the SS on the R56 too harsh. Surely anyone who has driven a R53MCS with SS+ knows what harsh ride really is. I was amazed at how good the R56 ride was on my test drive over familiar roads compared to my R53. To the extent i got my dealer to prove ( with spec sheet ) that the demo had SS. It was that good i just had to have the 18" wheels

[Paul]

Quote: Originally Posted by Japper (original)

I'm a little surprised that people are finding the SS on the R56 too harsh. Surely anyone who has driven a R53MCS with SS+ knows what harsh ride really is. I was amazed at how good the R56 ride was on my test drive over familiar roads compared to my R53.

Agree completely with the harshness remark. It's like riding naked on a cloud compared to the first gen's SS+ option. (Which I still liked though!).

[Japper]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

It's like riding naked on a cloud .

Is this an expensive option