If you’ve been following my Mini adventure, you’ll know just how much I love the Clubman. It’s almost the perfect car for me. In fact, it’s a car I could see myself keeping forever. That’s why I’ve spent so much time (and money) upgrading and tweaking it to make it even more perfect.
But I’ve recently hit the pause button on a few planned modifications. It’s got me thinking: Can you go too far with modifying a car? Just because you can, should you? At what point do you stop enhancing and start compromising the essence of the car? Could you end up spoiling the very thing you love about it?
Why Do We Modify Our Cars?
For many car enthusiasts, modifying a car is about more than just aesthetics. It’s about personalisation—making a vehicle truly their own. Some people chase performance, squeezing every bit of power out of their engines, while others focus on visual upgrades, giving their car a unique presence on the road. There’s also the satisfaction of problem-solving and improving a car’s weak spots, whether that’s better handling, improved aerodynamics, or a more aggressive stance.
Yet, modifications can sometimes take a car away from its original charm. A car that was once an easy-going daily driver can become a chore to drive, losing the comfort and usability that made it great in the first place. That’s the fine line enthusiasts walk: enhancing a car without ruining what made it special.
These questions have been circling my mind, especially as I’ve found myself re-evaluating one particular modification—the Maxton Design body kit.
The Maxton Design Body Kit Dilemma
A while back, I bought a Maxton Design body kit, including a front splitter, rear splitter, and side skirts. At first, I couldn’t decide whether to fit them. I even attempted to sell the kit while it was still sat in storage. When that didn’t happen, I figured I might as well fit it and see how it looked.
At the time, I reassured myself that if I didn’t like it, I could always take it off.
Fast forward a few months, and the reality of living with it has set in. The front splitter has suffered a crack and even lost a chunk, thanks to some unavoidable encounters with speed bumps and a ferry ramp. The side skirts haven’t fared much better, taking a few knocks along the way.
Speed bumps—those inconsistent, unpredictable obstacles—have become a source of anxiety. Some are fine, while others make me wince as I hear the dreaded scrape. That’s not how I want to feel when driving a car I love.
De-Modifying the Mini
Rather than replacing the damaged parts, I took a different approach—I removed them entirely. Time to see how the Clubman feels in a more stripped-back form.
This week, that transformation became a reality.
First impressions? It’s definitely a change. The car looks chunkier and somehow shorter, losing some of its sleek, street-smart styling.
- The sides? Surprisingly, I don’t mind them at all without the skirts. In fact, I quite like the cleaner look.
- The front? That’s going to take some getting used to. It feels like it just drops off now—no sharp, pointy aggression anymore.
- The rear? You might not notice much difference, and that’s intentional. I kept the central bar because, without it, there’s just an empty void that doesn’t sit right with me.
Overall? It’s… okay. The front is the biggest letdown.
So, the big question—have I actually paid money to make my car look worse? You tell me.
I’ll let the photos do the talking. Does the Clubman look better without the kit?
Scaling Back Further?
This small but significant change has got me reconsidering other modifications, too. Are there other tweaks I’ve made that I should reassess? Have I been trying to turn the Clubman into something it isn’t?
For now, I’ll leave that thought for another day. But one thing’s for sure: sometimes, taking a step back can be just as rewarding as moving forward.
