Can’t speak for R56 but I’ve had bilsteins B14 on the R53 and they were certainly not an everyday car set up, far too harsh for my liking

I’ve now got Tein street advance and they are like chalk and cheese, so much better, a smoother ride but I do need to adjust the rebound on them as they are a little bit too soft at the moment

I like them so much I also bought a set to fit to my 2007 R56 (when I get a chance)

 

Appreciate the reply big jim.

I admit I have been leaning in the Tein direction the last few days.
Seems to be a lot of praise for the street advance z on youtube etc.

 

Ok.
Bilsteins ruled out - too many posts saying they are harsh and crashy.
Meister r ruled out - overkill for what I need I think.
Between the Tein's and the ST X's.

 

I like the Tein, the set on the R53 were 2nd hand but the ones to go on the R56 are brand new, I got them off eBay so if your not in a rush it’s always worth looking out for offers on there, mine worked out at £420 with an eBay discount code, nectar point offers, TopCashback etc so almost £100 off the normal going rate

really need to get them fitted!

 

So.
New front control arm rear bushes, outer ball joints and drop links replaced. Also had front laser aligned.
Ordered a pair of these for the rear end as front end now feels so much better.

TEIN EnduraPro PLUS High Performance Shock Absorbers R55 R56 R57 R58 R59 (VSV70-B1DS2) | Coilovers For Road Use1 - Orranje Performance Ltd: MINI Performance Parts, MINI Tuning, MINI Styling

TEIN EnduraPro PLUS High Performance Shock Absorbers R55 R56 R57 R58 R59 (VSV70-B1DS2) | Coilovers For Road Use1 - Orranje Performance Ltd: MINI Performance Parts, MINI Tuning, MINI Styling

orranje.co.uk

 

Liked the Tein Endurapro so much i decided to go for Tein Street advance z coilovers.
Has taken a while to get them dialled in how I want them.
6 clicks from stiffest on fronts and 4 clicks from stiffest on rears.
Took it out for a test drive yesterday after the rain and coming off a roundabout, the Merc who was trying to keep up with me totally lost back end and backed right off

 

Dropped front end by another 5mm this morning. Steering was feeling a bit light as back end was lower than front so shifting weight off front wheels
Also evened them up as they were a bit lopsided.

Both sides now at 20mm at the front.

Also gone to 6 clicks from stffest front and rear.

 

As she sits right now.

and stock

 

Looks good.

 

Very nice height

 

Thanks fellas.

 

I also instalked the Tein Flex Z on my R55 JCW. The quality is great, but I'm absolutly not hapoy with the height adjustabel.

TEIN say you can go down to 47mm at the front. I'm at the maximum low (full down) and my Clubby is just about 25mm lower than befor at the front... WTF!?! I can go lower with some H&R springs!

Befor: 350mm (wheel center to arches)
After: 325mm

Btw: the rear is perfect, you can go really loww there...

 

My fronts are lowered 10 mm at the moment and I have a further 25mm I could lower them.
So I have 340mm wheel center to wheel arch at the moment ( probably going to go 5mm -10mm lower at the front at the weekend).
Mine are street advance z though, not flex z so may be different.

 

Now got bigger spacers on too.
12mm front, 15mm rear courtesy of @big jim. Loving how it looks atm.
Still very much a (slow) work in progress though.

 

this is how it looks right now. And I also have the Street Advance Z coilover. Got it from Lohen.

I think I will go with some biger tires (215/45/17) so the wheelgap will be smaller.

 

agreed, tyres would make some difference there in 215/45, personally I'd lift the back a touch,

 

The back does look like you’ve got a dead body in the boot already, could go up a touch 👍

 

Droppped the front another 5mm this morning.

I am happy with ride height now. Stil clears the dreaded bump.
No rubbing or anything that I can detect.

Getting back windows tinted on Monday 😁

 

That sits really nice 👍

 

looks alright there

 

Feels better too. Could be my imagination. Turn in feels sharper and steering feels more precise.
Thought the floaty feeling under braking was down to the spacers but I think the weight must have been too far back.