I am starting to believe that NO it is not. I mean for a 15 hp bump for what a few grand more and a badge that says you have a WORKS edition?! All it is, is an ECU flash and a muffler. What are others thoughts on this?

 

Actually it isn't just an ECU flash and a muffler, it's also upgraded engine internals as well. I believe (but don't have the info handy to post/link to) that it also has an upgraded turbo and upgraded clutch.

[Edit] While I can't confirm that this is all correct, here's a MotoringFile post about what's upgraded in the JCW: http://www.motoringfile.com/2008/02/...kit-in-detail/

 

There's a parallel thread going on here:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...yesterday.html

Bullitt44 in post 17 outlines the engine chances. The JCW stage 1 (~$2k upgrade) is basically just what you say, ECU, Intake and exhaust, but the factory JCW is much more.

 

Just realized that maybe MINI THIS! might be talking about the JCW stage 1 kit, and if that's the case then I'd say it's the intake, exhaust and ECU plus your car is still fully warrantied.

 

stage 1 not worth it in my opinion, factory JCW FTW!

 

So the JCW from the factory comes with stronger engine internals, reflashed ecu and stronger clutch and its all factory warrantied? HMMM...that sounds a bit more level now compared to what I thought it was before. I mean, thats how it was explained to me when I went for a test drive in a regular Mini S base model. Perhaps the lady didnt know what she was talking about....figures.

So...The JCW is not just a package, the car comes from the factory as such? I was able to drive a JCW Clubman...which is truly wasnt allowed but it was late and the salesperson was bored..lol... Quite peppy and the ride was very nice. It had the upgraded brakes, 17 mesh wheels, exhaust, ECU tune, internals, stronger clutch, sexy steering wheel and I believe that was it. This was 2 months ago mind you but I still remember ripping it after a turn and man that little car surprised me! And I am coming out of a beast of a Mazdaspeed3 with all aftermarker internals, GT turbo, Tune..the works...must be the almost 900lb weight loss the mini has over the Mazda! lol.

I was also told I have to wait to have the car built in England or something or other and will take approx. 2 months. Whats the truth to this....it was a very small dealer. They have maybe 20 minis out front and thats all.

 

It's 17hp from the JCW Stage 1 kit. If you don't think it's worth it, save your money. Of the options I looked at, I did, and I like it.
If you want the fastest MINI you can get and have money to throw around, get the factory JCW.

 

There are two options to have a "JCW" cooper. The first is ~$2k and is an upgrade of the standard Cooper S. This is done at the dealer. This adds 17hp.

The other JCW is a car built at the factory with upgraded components. It comes in the Clubman (which you test drove) and the standard Coupe body styles. A factory JCW Cooper starts around $29k. This adds 36hp (along with all the rest of the upgrade to internals and trim as mentioned).

As for taking delivery, if your dealer doesn't have a JCW on the lot that you want (or can't work out a swap with another dealer or something) then yes, it could take 2 months.

 

A HAHA! Makes sense now! Thanks for shedding the light!!! I would want the factory JCW which has all the internals, exhaust, ecu upgrade, bigger turbo that adds 36hp! Now thats more like it! And 2 months is nothing for me. I waited 10 months to have my car fully built and tuned and another 9 months waiting for my WORKS rims to come from Japan!

Man oh man....why am I so damn picky! haha...at least I know now I can get whatever I want and it will be warrantied by any dealer!

1 more thing. The JCW suspension....is that worth it? What kind of suspension comes factory on the JCW?

 

Yeah, the factory JCW is (to me) a pretty good amount of kit for the price (depending on what you're after and how you option it anyway). If I'd been willing to wait another 4-6 months I probably would have gone that route.

As for the JCW suspension option, there's not much I can add there. You can check out http://www.motoringfile.com/2007/08/...rt-suspension/ though.

 

For $30K+ (bare bones factory JCW) I'd take the BMW 128i or add few Ks and get the 135i . Rear wheel drive, much more power, etc... Even with 208 hp, upgraded engine, clutch, etc...it's still a front wheel drive Mini Cooper and it's way overpriced for what it is.

I'd say not worth it.

 

That's why I said it depends on what you're after. Personally I'm not a fan of the look and character of the i135. If you are after straight speed though, sure, the i135 is going to beat a JCW.

 

the 135i is almost 36K. base. that's a big difference from the base JCW that starts at 29K, no? I for one would rather have a nicely equipped JCW, than a bare bones 135. i would not be able to afford a 135i, at least not optioned the way i would like. that would easily be pushing into 40k territory, and once you go there, i'd rather have a used Lotus.

 

All depends on what you want. There's an exclusivity factor in the JCW as well as the factory warranty and nicer interior bits. It's an exclusive "package".

If you want speed and handling for less, get a base Cooper S and upgrade as you can. You will outperform a stock JCW, likely for less money, but it won't be a JCW.

If you want the package delivered with the go-fast-bits installed, engineered to work with each other, and don't mind paying for it, get a JCW. You'll have the JCW stuff whether you like it or not, and some of that is subjective (wheels). If you then change 'em out, you're making it a "modified" JCW - in my mind, then, just get a MCS and modify it. IMHO, YMMV, etc.

 

what grates me about the Factory JCW is that if you want the JCW sports suspension you have to option it and pay extra. seems to me that if a car is upgraded to JCW standards, then upgrade it all the way, not do it half-arsed.

I initially wanted a factory JCW, but since no automatic was (yet) offered (physical disability) I opted for the JCW tune kit on my 09 MCS automatic and love the hell out of it. Plus, I swapped out the regular 16mm rear sway bar for the 18.5mm JCW rear sway bar (a bargin at less than $100), put on the front strut brace, and the car, in addition to being sick-fast, tracks as true as one can get.

 

see my above post. I'm pretty sure it's the Sports Suspension that's an option on the Cooper and Clubman S's.

 

meh, i don't even want the jcw suspension, i plan on getting coilovers ASAP. I wonder if MINI thinks that most people that go factory jcw might make these sort of changes on their own. you still have 3 different suspension options right? in that sense, they are offering you more choice, rather than making your mind up for you? heck, i dunno!

 

See, I would much rather pay a little extra and get the JCW package where everything works together flawlessly!

 

Nope. The highest factory trim available, billed as the performance model, for a car that sells itself as a "handling" vehicle...

comes with the base suspension as standard.

That is beyond stupid, IMO.

The Sport Suspension is a $500 option, just like the regular Cooper & Cooper S, and the JCW Suspension is a dealer-installed option (MSRP: $1295 + labor), again, just like the regular Cooper & Cooper S. Exact same situation.

MINI should at the very least have made the factory JCW come with the Sport Suspension as standard, with the JCW Suspension as a relatively low-cost, factory-installed option. But they didn't. Lame.

As I've posted before, I personally believe that a regular Cooper S, with the dealer-installed JCW Stage 1 tuning kit, JCW big brake kit and the JCW suspension is more of a "true to JCW" car than the factory JCW with the base suspension.

This is coming from someone who has spent a lot of money on JCW bits (albeit 1st Gen), so I watch it closely.

 

The factory JCW car with all the necessary JCW accessories such as JCW Aero Kit and at least JCW suspension will pricewise end up in the category this car shouldn't be from the beginning (close to $35K). If it was at least all-wheel drive then it would've been a different story.
I think BMW should've came up with more distinctive JCW styling and included all options mentioned above from the beginning. They're just pricing themselves out....

 

... but having driven one in a closed-course non-public road controlled situation, I can say they perform and sound REALLY good. Soft, though, softer than my '06 MCS Sport suspension. Oh - and the seats don't fit me as well (I'm 5'10" and an avid road and offroad cyclist). Still, pretty sweet.

 

Hmm...I sat in a MCS base model and felt fine in seats and I am 6'2" and 230lbs. Actually the car feels bigger inside than it looks on the outside! I am not looking to track the car or race or anything...I just want something fun! The MCS JCW seems to be the ticket!

 

It's hard to say something is worth the cost without having experienced first hand what it is offering. If you want something to go chart/spec-sheet racing, the JCW Stage 1 kit isn't for you.

 

terminology clarification: if U opt for the factory JCW, that is what the car is called, either JCW (Coupe) or JCW (Clubman), no MCS anywhere in the name or badges on the car. Now if U go for the Tune Kit, then it'd be a MCS JCW or MCCS JCW, because it is a JCW-modified MCS or MCCS.

 

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