Newbie with a dumb question

[boosbry]

Fell in love with and bought an '05 R50 a few weeks back. A friend asked me to sell it for her and after spending a few days with it I ended up selling it to myself... Now I can't stop tinkering with it. So far only cosmetic changes but I would like to improve the performance. I grade myself average to below average with regard to mechanical inclination so I am looking for advice on semi-simple things that I can change/add myself without having to drop large at Baron.

Any other advice is warmly welcomed!

[DA MINI]

Agood place to start would be browsing through the North America Motoring web site. Need to decide if you are wanting handling or performance. A lot of owners start with exhaust, CAI mods, rear sway bar, lowering springs, etc. Lots of used parts are available in NAM marketplace.

[boosbry]

Good stuff and thanks! Right now I am interested in performance and I will check out your suggestions. Thanks for taking the time!!

[Minidave]

If you bought an R50, the best way to upgrade the performance is to trade it in on an R53 or R56.

I know that sounds mean, but most of the "upgrades" add little performance on a Justa - for the money you spend you could buy a factory supercharged or turbo'd car, and the R53 and R56 are already upgraded - from the factory, and all of their performance parts work well together....

[LiLReD1]

I'd have to agree with Dave. I'd do simple upgrades like intake and exhaust (cause there's no way I wouldn't do that to a car anyway), and being an R50, I'd just do some serious suspension mods to make it handle truely like a go-kart, and look good doing it with a nice stance.

[boosbry]

Probably not going to trade. Not at this point anyway. This car is something to goof around with for the next year and then it goes to my daughter when she turns 16.

So if the only logical changes are suspension and exhaust then I will focus there. I am pretty sure I saw another forum here that gave several exhaust ideas. I am also interested in changing the wheels from 15" to 17". Will that effect speedo accuracy?

[ragtopday Johnna]

I have a Justa R52 that is pretty heavily modded, both performance and cosmetic. I think there is a little bit you can do for performance mods. I've done so much that my car almost turned out 100 HP last time it was dyno'd.

Here's some of the performance stuff I've done:
spark plugs and wires (lots of options, for me the wires were also cosmetic)
air filter/intake (I have an aFe, it's throaty, too noisy for some perhaps)
JCW Sound Kit (I am not running the air intake that comes with this, just the exhaust, software and on the cosmetic end, badging and engine cover)
I've also done suspension upgrades, but they are cabrio-specific so nothing helpful to share...
Auto-up window switch (my absolute favorite upgrade, definitely effects performance!)

There you go--an easy couple thousand dollars of upgrades to a Justa. And then there's all of the cosmetic stuff you can do, but I'm not gonna start on that. The amount of $$$$ to spend there adds up quickly!

[sweetlou]

Going off subject here so I apologize.

Recently got rid of our 05, justa and I have some cosmetic things I need to get rid of if you are interested, like checkered mirror cover (inside mirror), and a storage compartment thing attaches to the back boot cover and I am not even sure what else there is. I keep telling myself I have to get it altogether and put it on the market section here.

Personally I would go cosmetic and maybe beefer brakes because it willl be PLENTY fast enough for a new driver. I mean my wife ate up countless mustangs and such with the justa, spend some time with it they deserve more credit than they get. On Johnna's convertible the "justa" means just hauls ass, probably one of the fastest just a coopers around here. Oh check your strut towers for mushrooming.

Just my two cents.

Mark

[Hagar46]

Promini cold air intake and Borla cat-back exhaust are my main performance mods. Minidave's right however, only moderate improvement in performance but sure sounds fast. Still great fun to go to HPT and run on the track. I've had my Justa for 6 years. Maybe I'll get an S in another 6 years!

[boosbry]

I really appreciate the input. I found a K & N Air Intake kit ($224.00) and I have a Megan OE-RS Catback Exhaust ($365). Any opinion on those brands?

Mark, I am interested in your accessories. I just bought the mirror cover on eBay last week but like the sound of the boot storage. Let me know what else you can scrounge up and give me a price.

Thanks
Bryan

[Hagar46]

Can't go wrong with K&N. I have a used Magnaflow cat-back exhaust you can have for free (retails for around $450)! I think it''s a bit louder than the Borla but still sounds really good. PM me if you're interested.

[ksminiman]

Welcome! As for the wheels, as long as you stay with the correct size and profile the speedo will not be effected enough to notice changing wheel size. I may be interested in your old wheels if you find new ones. On NAM you will find all the different tire and wheel combinations you can think of as well as the ones that work and dont.

[boosbry]

Thanks Tom! Follow up question. When you say "stay with the correct size and profile the speedo will not be effected enough to notice changing wheel size" I get a little confused. Please define the first reference to size. Or, maybe the better way to ask the question is can you dumb it down a little more for me...

[LiLReD1]

In other words, whatever wheel/tire combo you choose, keeping the overal diameter the same as stock will have less effect on speedometer being incorrect.

My speedo reads high as it is stock. Then I went from 45 stock to a 40 series tire, and now I'm doing 70 at an indicated 76. Almost 500 miles of my car doesn't really exist. I see 18's with a taller tire in my future.

[Walnuts]

Going off subject here so I apologize.
like checkered mirror cover (inside mirror), and a \

Just my two cents.

Mark

Not to thread jack but I would be interested in this if it would work on my 04 r53

[Counterfit_Mini]

Going off subject here so I apologize.
like checkered mirror cover (inside mirror), and a \

Just my two cents.

Mark

Not to thread jack but I would be interested in this if it would work on my 04 r53

If it's all just cosmetic stuff (mirror caps) then it should work unless your mirror is an auto dimming and the mirror cap isn't.

[ksminiman]

Thanks Tom! Follow up question. When you say "stay with the correct size and profile the speedo will not be effected enough to notice changing wheel size" I get a little confused. Please define the first reference to size. Or, maybe the better way to ask the question is can you dumb it down a little more for me...

To expand on what LiLReD1 said, the factory tire size for your wheels is 175/65/R15 I believe. The factory tire size for the 17" wheel is a 205/45/R17. As LiLReD1 said, he is running one sidewall size smaller which will change the overall circumference of the tire. He is running a 205/40/R17 I believe. I am sidewall size larger than factory which makes my speedometer read slower. I am running a 205/50/R17 and I rub very slightly on the rear fender over large bumps in the road.

I would not suggest going any larger than a 215/45/R17 tire, which is about a 17"X7" wheel. I am running a little more offset as well which does not help my rubbing situation. If possible I would not run less than a 38mm offset with a 17" wheel. I believe the factory offset on the 17" wheels is 42mm.

I tried to present the information needed and none that is not. The tire size calculator on tirerack.com is a good tool for deciding on tires and wheels to buy. Hopefully this helps.

[boosbry]

I think I get it and thanks! This forum has been great and I really appreciate everyone taking the time. I look forward to meeting and learning more on one of the upcoming road excursions!

[LiLReD1]

I would not suggest going any larger than a 215/45/R17 tire, which is about a 17"X7" wheel. I am running a little more offset as well which does not help my rubbing situation. If possible I would not run less than a 38mm offset with a 17" wheel. I believe the factory offset on the 17" wheels is 42mm.

Factory 17x7 is a 40 offset, and the factory 205/45-17 squares off the wheels pretty good. 215 is definitely doable, but to keep the overal diameter the same as stock as possible, you're better off with a 215/45-17 because if it's anything like my car, it was already 3mph off from GPS. This will raise your true speed ~1mph to help close that gap.