ECS News

The best oil for your MINI? Clean oil. Regular oil changes with a quality filter cartridge are cheap insurance against costly breakdowns, and the best way to keep your MINI healthy. Now you can perform this essential service yourself and save big with MINI oil change kits that contain an OEM filter cartridge with drain plug & crush washer, plus your choice of name brand engine oils that meet BMW LL-98 and BMW LL-01 standards. Spend a little up front and head off major repairs, down the road.

Companies that dedicate themselves to a specific industry niche have a head start on large, excessively diverse manufacturers. A familiarity with the challenges of making superior products is gained through the sheer time spent within a more narrow market. Sonax produces car care products. Each release by the company is a leader in its category, & their catalog is growing every day. ECS offers a staggering array of Sonax products, from the highly effective acid-free Wheel Cleaner, to deep-cleaning & odor-eliminating Upholstery/Carpet Cleaner and Premium Class Carnauba.

Genuine MINI steel wheels are arguably the best solution for the enthusiast looking for a practical, affordable winter wheel setup. The strong metal construction and 6.5” width make for a rugged, highly serviceable arrangement capable of withstanding the rigors of winter weather. MINI silver inner center caps with MINI logo are yet another option, giving your steelies a slick OEM appearance.

The specialty tool experts at Schwaben have released a series of superbly engineered, exceptionally reliable car ramps, ramp extensions, wheel stands, & wheel chocks - now available from ECS tuning. 30" to 67" Low Profile Car Ramps are specially made to accommodate vehicles with low bumper clearance, eliminating the risk of body damage & sliding ramps. Schwaben Wheel Stands feature a cradled wheel support for superior stability compared to jack stands, supporting up to 3000 lbs. And when lifting your vehicle or placing it on an incline, Wheel Chocks are a wise investment.

The most popular spring in H&R's line-up, Sport Springs will lower your Countryman average 1.4" front and 1.4" rear, Paceman average 1.3" front and 1.25" rear for a lower center of gravity, improved handling, and a more aggressive appearance. Sport springs are an excellent choice for street and occasional track use, featuring a spring rate that is firmer than the OE Sport spring but still comfortable enough for daily use.

Schwaben's latest additions to their catalog of excellent specialty tools, the Automatic Battery Charger and Coiled Cord Circuit Tester are professional-quality, highly convenient tools that belong in every home mechanic's toolbox. Utilizing short circuit protection, 8 LED indicators, charging voltage auto-select, & selectable charging current, the Schwaben Automatic Battery Charger is designed to work on 6 or 12 volt Lead-acid batteries. Featuring an easily visible high-intensity LED bulb, the Schwaben Circuit Tester is a superb example of one of the most useful electrical tools.

Genuine MINI 'Black Line' Headlight and Tail Light Trims bring a subdued black look to your factory headlight chrome or black housings and tail light red housings. The kits include both the left and right side tail light or headlight trims, allowing you to refresh look of your MINI R61 Paceman in a single kit. And because the parts are genuine MINI, fitment and quality are guaranteed.

Owners of European automobiles often find that alongside the pleasures of driving a more refined, tasteful vehicle exists the very real challenge of finding the correct tool for these cars' unique fasteners. Featuring swivel-head triple-square bits, Torx screwdrivers, one hundred specialty fasteners, and the exceptionally sturdy go-through screwdriver set, the Schwaben European Essentials Tool Kit allows you to approach any project with confidence. Each tool is secured in a molded case, helping you keep track of your investment.

Features of convenience and versatility define this latest group of industry-standard hand tools from Schwaben, the European specialty tool experts. The 24-inch long, flexible Locking Hose Clamp Pliers make removing metal or plastic self-tightening hose clamps an infinitely more simple and quick task. For oil & fuel filter removal, Schwaben's 4-position adjustable Swivel Jaw Filter Wrench Pliers feature Sure-Grip teeth to provide the right amount of clamping force for the job. The superb 12-piece Metric Socket Set completes this latest new and exciting Schwaben product release.

Schwaben's reputation for producing highly reliable, finely crafted specialty tools is growing rapidly - consumers are beginning to see the extraordinary value behind the Schwaben name. Nowhere is the dependability and security associated with the Schwaben name more important than with their latest 3-Ton Aluminum Jack Stands. The all-aluminum stands feature heavy-duty flanged bases for exceptional stability, while the over-engineered .584" diameter load pin rigidly secures the post in six different positions for convenience and peace of mind.

Massive rotors, multiple-piston brakes, and advanced pads are glamorous, eye-catching upgrades to your vehicle. But experienced enthusiasts know that all that stopping power relies on adequately bled brake lines. Your brake fluid is incompressible, like a metal; but air is compressible, so ridding your lines of this gas is imperative for fully realized braking power and response. ECS has an array of solutions to tighten up your braking system, including a Power Brake Bleeder, multiple synthetic Brake Fluid options, and a premium Schwaben Brake Bleeder Wrench.

The average home mechanic might not even realize the benefit of having a sturdy, hand-height shelf to place tools on in the heat of a project. Instead of carelessly leaving tools on the ground or mixed up in a pile, Schwaben Service Carts bring the professionalism of a reliable mechanic's cart to your own garage. Three series of carts are offered, each featuring a stunning, durable high-gloss powder-coated finish, chrome plated steel handles, and large 4" casters. Heavy-duty Deluxe units are also available, with a third product adding a locking top lid and drawer.

Hella Twin Supertone Horns are now available for your MINI. These horns are characterized by their strong penetrating and concentrated sound, making anyone within a sizable distance aware of your presence. All of Hella's horns are constructed with durability in mind from impact resistant plastic and feature a 400 Hz low tone and 500 Hz high tone horn. All kits include the horns, relay, and mounting brackets.

The R125 Tunnel Spoke Wheel was designed for MINI by Ronal, an OEM wheel supplier recognized for unmistakable design and innovation. The dished, wide 5-spoke design is an excellent fit for the R60 Countryman and R61 Paceman, complementing these cars' styling perfectly. The entire exposed wheel surface is painted matte white while featuring machined turned edges, giving your MINI a sporty look reminiscent of the GP-type style 4-spoke wheel.

There are tools that any serious technician will regard as essential to their work - tools that make so many projects faster and simpler that access to a quality set is critical. Schwaben Specialty Tools recognized the need for better designed, more fully-featured puller tool kits; this variety of tool is so frequently used across such a wide variety of projects, mechanics deserve the best engineered product possible. Schwaben Pry Bar and Twin-Arm Puller Kits are highly adjustable, exceptionally durable sets of some of the most versatile tools in any home or professional garage.

Over time, the plastic windshield cowl fitted to your MINI Paceman will fade and show signs of weathering. The part is critical to your car because it covers the brake fluid reservoir and battery, sealing them from debris and fluids. ECS now offers the genuine MINI Windshield Cowl Kit, complete with all required installation hardware. This smart part replacement keeps condensation away from your battery terminals, extending battery life and protecting vital electronics.

ECS GEOMET® premium brake rotors start with quality materials and precision ECS machining. That would be enough for most of us, but it is only the beginning. To prevent brake pad deposits for better braking, select a slotted ECS GEOMET® rotor. Slotting cleans the pads by moving water, gasses, and contaminants away from the pad/rotor contact surface. To prevent rust pitting and corrosion damage, ECS GEOMET® rotors are sprayed with a special water-based solution, then heated to cure the coating and remove all oil residue remaining from the manufacturing process.

For track-ready cars like the R60 Countryman and R61 Paceman, suspension adjustments yield huge gains in handling characteristics. SPC Performance Adjustable Rear Control Arms are an excellent investment for the MINI owner looking to dial in a more aggressive camber specification, keeping the tire contact patch more parallel with the road surface during hard cornering when traction is most needed. The beautiful silver-anodized finished arms coupled with SPC "Red" nuts provide a full +/- 4.0 degrees of rear camber adjustment, giving you needed control over this critical parameter.

The primary appeal of new wheels is in the new, shiny appearance they offer. The majority of the time, a different style, size, or color isn't really the ultimate goal. With such a deep catalog of staggeringly effective wheel cleaning and restoration products from specialists Sonax and Chemical Guys, getting what you really want from your wheel setup is fast and easy - and it's all available now from ECS. Acid-free and pH balanced rim and wheel cleaners effortlessly dissolve grease, brake dust and dirt, while safely preserving your wheel's finish.

Squeak. Streak. Squeak. Streak. Tired of noisy, streaky wiper blades that chatter and don't clean your windshield? Restore your setup with new wiper blades in a minute from Valeo. This pair of blades is a driver-side and passenger-side pair. The driver-side & passenger-side pair match your MINI factory size and these beam style blades contain an integrated wind blade for added aerodynamic efficiency. Don't downgrade to a generic brand from the parts store; go Valeo and treat your MINI right!

Sharpened handling. Increased agility. Tactile responsiveness. A feeling of being one with car and road. Replacing stock bushings with Powerflex polyurethane components will deliver all that and more. ECS is proud to present the Powerflex brand of performance bushings. Powerflex is a world-renowned name in high-performance products, and they manufacture an array of quality suspension and chassis components. From subframe mounts to control arm and sway bar bushings and more, nothing overpowers the Powerflex catalog and their reputation for durability and quality.

Schwaben products are characterized by simple, clever designs. Their wheel storage solutions may be the best examples of these qualities. The Schwaben Wheel Tree holds up to 275lbs and allows you to safely stack your wheels without the risk of scuffing and scratching. Convenient locking casters allow you to easily move the whole set anywhere in your garage or shop at one time. And when saving floor space is the highest priority, the Schwaben Wall-Mounted Wheel Rack allows you to securely store up to four 11½" wide wheels and tires against the wall, away from your work space.

The most popular spring in H&R's line-up, Sport Springs will lower your MINI an average 1.3" in front and 1.25" in the rear for a lower center of gravity, improved handling, and a more aggressive appearance. Sport springs are an excellent choice for street and occasional track use, featuring a spring rate that is firmer than the OE Sport spring but still comfortable enough for daily use.

Avoid finding yourself without a key trim fastener - stock up for good with the Vaico BMW/MINI Fastener Assortment Kit. Designed with the DIY enthusiast or body shop in mind, this assortment comes stocked with clips for fender liners, interior trim, and body mouldings, all in a convenient storage case.

ECS Exact-Fit stainless reinforced brake lines provide more confident and dependable stopping by maintaining consistent brake pressure, long lasting corrosion resistance, and increased protection from failure. Even when new, factory style fabric mesh lined rubber hoses are prone to expansion under the pressure of hard braking, whether it be highway panic stops or threshold braking at the track. Our lines are braided with stainless steel mesh, affording expansion resistance. This resistance to expansion creates a firmer pedal, and more direct pedal feel.

Ziza LED bulbs are exact fit replacements for your original, yellow-tint incandescent bulbs, and bathe your license plate area in a cool, white light. Polarity sensitive; if your lights do not work when you first install them, rotate them and reinstall. Ziza LED lights will not trigger your bulb-out circuits. Keep your license plates lit and your car legal with these stylish upgrades.

Quit fussing with wood blocks, ramps, and the like with the Schwaben Low Boy floor jack. The Low Boy is low-profile, allowing you to sneak it under the ground-hugging rockers on your lowered car. Constructed of lightweight aluminum, this floor jack features a front central roller for increased ease of use and maneuverability. If you work on your car, you'll be doing some lifting. Get the right equipment with the Schwaben Low Boy floor jack, a great compliment to the other Schwaben tools in your arsenal. Atta' Boy.

Fresh coolant is paramount to safe & reliable engine operation. Unfortunately, the process of bleeding air out of your cooling system during a coolant refresh is tedious and therefore often neglected. ECS offers a highly convenient solution to the tedium & frustration associated with a coolant servicing – the Schwaben Coolant Evacuation Kit. The unique kit resolves several common cooling system issues: - No heat, overheating, or erratic temperature gauge readings after a cooling system service - Problems with coolant uptake or circulation - Cooling system leaks

Why a strut nut socket? To secure shocks and struts to their mounts, the retaining nut must be torqued to its proper specification with the use of a torque wrench. Strut nut sockets allow for the use of an Allen wrench to hold the damper shaft while utilizing a torque wrench on the socket to achieve proper torque. Schwaben, a company known for exceptionally crafted specialty tools, now offers 18mm, 19mm, 21mm, 22mm, and 24mm Strut Nut Sockets for your own suspension project. A superb addition to any home mechanic's tool arsenal, this latest Schwaben release is built to last.

For years, ECS Tuning has been your trusted source for original, aftermarket, and performance parts for your European car. Our team of enthusiasts have worked hard to build the best catalog in the industry, providing you with the knowledge and expertise to keep your car looking, sounding, and performing great year after year.