Mod Expert Alan Wei‘s lady’s Mini Cooper S has been in the shop here more than a few times, but today it’s back to be fitted with a set of KW Coilovers for Mini Cooper. Aileen, being Mod Expert Alan Wei‘s significant other, naturally knows precisely what she wants when it comes to tuning her Mini Cooper S, and we had very specific orders on exactly how to set the KWs to her satisfaction – of course, this is no problem for us – if we’re installing your coilovers, we’re happy to accommodate nearly any ride height request.
This Mini driving lady knew just what she was after – here’s what she had to say:
“Although the R56 is a great car stock, I knew that it could be even better with a few modifications. When I first got my car, I was completely against lowering it because I have seen many cars that needed to excessively slow down for certain speed bumps or driveways. However, after doing some research I learned that coil overs give you the option to adjust the height to each individual’s personal preference. After discussing my options with Alan, I decided to go forward with KWs because they are considered to be one of the best suspension manufacturers in the world. If I am going to spend money on such a large and important part of my vehicle, I should spend it on a quality product that I know I can depend on. I decided to go with the KW V1s because other than a more comfortable ride, which all KWs provide, I only needed the option to adjust the height. After the installation at ModAuto, I hit the road and immediately felt the difference. My stock suspension was very stiff and you could literally feel every bump in the road. With the KW V1, you still feel like you’re driving a sporty vehicle but it provides a more comfortable and enjoyable ride. I enjoy driving and I like to drive fast. The KWs provide more control compared to my stock suspension which makes me feel more confident when I’m making turns, especially at high speeds.”
The KW Coilovers come complete in this nice box and even have this awesome little toolkit, a marked improvement over the lower market ST Suspension coilovers.
Here’s how the stock rear coils looked.
And here are the front OEM coil springs. Kiss them goodbye!
Sr Tech Dave made quick work of installing the KW coilovers.
From this angle we can better see the KW Coilovers installed in the rear, as well as the Remus Exhaust for R56 Cooper S that’s been fitted to this S.
Once we had it back on the ground, of course we took the Mini back outside for some photos to admire our finished work.
Up front, you can see that this Mini is a whole lot more than just “cute” with that Brembo big brake kit peeking out from behind the JCW wheels. It’s one of this Mini Maven’s favorite parts of the build!
“My favorite modification so far is definitely my custom painted Brembos. Initially when I had them installed at ModBargains, they were factory silver. However, it was hard to tell (I had a big brake kit) because they didn’t stand out. I knew I wanted to customize them somehow. I decided to paint them along with my rear stock calipers to match, and chose BMW’s Atlantis Blue to provide contrast to my white wheels. They stand out and make my car unique while providing excellent stopping power.”
Interested in modifying your Mini like Aileen’s done hers? Talk to the Mod Experts like Alan – call us at 714-582-3330 (x8006 for Alan) to see how we can help enhance your Mini “Motoring” experience.
Thanks for reading and we’ll see you next time.
Story & Photos Nick Gregson & Charles Pages