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I posted this on the 1st Generation by mistake, so here I try for some ideas here. I will be purchasing a 2010 Mini this next year, but am kind of in a dilema on JCW or Mini S and add performance equipment. I realize that Mini has improved the transmission and strengthened the engine some, but is it all worth $3K? That's about the difference in cost, from the dealer, that it would be. $31K for the mini equipped JCW or a more equipped Mini S? I like performance, so I wouldn't be able to leave anything alone, so what would those, that maybe had a 2007 Mini S and then got a 2009 JCW, what are your ideas? Was it worth the cost? Thanks guys. Oh yes, I am not a young guy, but I never grew out of performance. First new car? 1965 Dodge 426, made streetable.
Try to drive them both if you can. It is all personal opinion. If you are a performance guy then I think you would like the factory JCW but it all depends on our personal priorities.
The factory JCW also has better brakes and a cooler sounding exhaust. I would have bought one as well if it was available as a 2008 model when I bought mine. BTW, I am a "older" guy as well.
Bottom line, my opinion, you need to drive them back to back, if possible, and then decide what you prefer.
__________________ 2008 MCSm JCW, DS/B w/ Silver Bonnet Stripes, DSOC #293, JCW Sport Suspension, LSD, BBS RV-F 17" Wheels, Mini Rally Lites and a few other JCW bits...
Thanks for your reply, but in my area, the nearest Mini dealer is 140 miles away, and they aren't very cooperative in letting people test drive the JCW's. I asked about that and they said that they couldn't let every Tom, **** or Harry test drive the performance models. But that they would allow to test drive the Mini S. Omaha Mini isn't the most cooperative dealer around. That's why I'm thinking of a fly in, drive home to the Dallas Tx area.
I too would have gotten a JCW if they were available when I got my '08. I think the price difference is worth it, especially if you're looking to upgrade to 4 pot brakes. The price difference between a base S and a base JCW is much more than 5k, but you get some extra base equipment like the headliner and dtc, so it narrows the gap if you were to get the same stuff on the S.
I think there aren't too many aftermarket options for engine internals for the R56, so you'd probably be better off just going with the JCW and starting from there.
Depends on you price-pain point. I chose to go with the dealer added JCW kit and get some of the other goodies I wanted that i could not afford had i goen the Factory JCW. Its al personal chaoind and there is no worng answer as long as you can make the payments and are hppy with it
i used to say get the s w/ the jcw tuning kit 'cuz it was still available w/ mechanical lsd and the premium of the jcw is just too high. now that [stupid] bmw decided to annoyingly not offer mechanical lsd anymore, i'd say get the jcw if you can swing it
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'04 cr/w jcw mcs
...
-freeway? what the hell's a freeway?
-eight lanes of shimmering cement running from here to pasadena. smooth, safe, fast. traffic jams will be a thing of the past
Kind of what my question is you've mentioned here. I can get several options with the Mini S, including the JCW tune kit, Cold, Convenience, Sport, Sport suspension, throw in the LSD and still be under $29K. Or, go the JCW and get the Cold, HID, white taillights, rear fog lights, just to fill in the rear empty spot, the MF/S which I hear is going to be standard next year, and you're at $31K. So, in my mind, that's $2-3K difference in what I'd go for. The more I think about it, well I'm back and forth on this. Good parts to each side. The recommendation to drive both is a real winner, and if I do......I'll probably just have to save up more for the down payment on the JCW. Oh yes, Red on Red with strips on both hood and roof to match. That's the idea anyway.
Well you can't get an LSD for 2010, so that's not even an option unless quaife or someone makes one for the R56. I think a more base JCW would be more engaging than a loaded S.
I just went through this same thinking,and wound up ordering A JCW for around $33 1/2 and change. With 3 or 4 JCW dealer accessories.. I have a post on this site about it. If you plan on keeping your car for 5 years or so,get what you really want. In the long run you will be happier.
Ron
I recently looked at trading in my 2007 MCS towards a new 2009 JCW. I love the configuration of my car, but when I priced it out it was too much to move to the JCW at this point. I went with the JCW tuning kit.
Like many folks on this thread, if the JCW was available when I ordered mine in 2007, I would have bought the JCW. The extra Pep is nice!
__________________ Babaganoosh:2007 MCS Lightning Blue|White roof w/ Union Jack |Cold Weather|Sport Pkg|17" Web spoked wheels|Performance Run Flats|LSD|PDC |Comfort Access|Xenons| Rear Fogs|Punch Carbon Leather|Dk gray color line
Ordered: 07/20 | Born 07/28 | Shipped 07/30| Delivered 09/01||JCW Tuning kit Aug 2009|
I ordered a cooper s in june and ended up buying a JCW late july for only $500 more with 0.9% apr then the ordered cooper s msrp that would have had 1.9% apr.So the jcw ended up costing about $700 less over the course of the loan.
Once you drive a jcw a cooper s feels like it has a plug wire disconnected.
Thanks for your reply, but in my area, the nearest Mini dealer is 140 miles away, and they aren't very cooperative in letting people test drive the JCW's. I asked about that and they said that they couldn't let every Tom, **** or Harry test drive the performance models. But that they would allow to test drive the Mini S. Omaha Mini isn't the most cooperative dealer around. That's why I'm thinking of a fly in, drive home to the Dallas Tx area.
It's probably worth the extra $3k for the JCW. Lot's more performance/potential plus the brakes and better sounding exhaust (and it really sounds sweet!). I'd tell the dealer that it's not a freaking Ferrari and that unless you can drive them back-2-back, you'll purchase elsewhere. That's ridiculous!!
For the past 24 years I have worked in the Automotive Retail sector and I can tell you that if my dealership let anyone who asked for a test drive in the performance model that each car would have a few hundred miles on them.
Think about it would you purchase a Jcw with 200 to 400 miles ?
I would show the dealer that you are serious about purchasing the automobile by letting the dealer structure a deal before you test drive also be prepared to show that you are a qualified buyer.I would provide the dealer with credit information, have dealer appraise value of trade in and call for trade in payoff.
What you say is true. For the $3K you get the big Brembo Brakes ($2,000), the Anthracite and black interior, ($500), the wheels ($2500) then of course the engine modifications, (JCW tuning kit $2100) and more. Right, when you add it all up, it definately is worth the $3K over the loaded up Mini S. Plus the feeling, one month later, that you messed up. Thanks for the encouragement.
As for the test driving, I'll probably just have to settle for testing a new Mini S. Omaha BMW/Mini just doesn't, or won't be cooperative. That's probably why I'll do a fly in, drive home deal when I do finalize a deal. Now, just the wait for my lease to run out on my 2007 Miata.
A bit off topic, just wondering how you liked the Miata?
I hear good things about the 2009 models but I was left a bit cold after testing the 2007 and 2008 models. I just could not get excited enough to buy one.
__________________ 2008 MCSm JCW, DS/B w/ Silver Bonnet Stripes, DSOC #293, JCW Sport Suspension, LSD, BBS RV-F 17" Wheels, Mini Rally Lites and a few other JCW bits...
I traded in an '08 MCS with only 8K miles on it for a JCW when I made the mistake of test-driving one! Had I been more patient and more informed I would have just waited the few months from my original purchase and the JCW launch. My dealer doesn't let folks joyride the JCW's either, but being a repeat customer I got to take one out. I don't believe in flogging brandnew cars, even someone else's, but even at 3500rpms, the power difference was noticeable. This isn't the first time I've done this, back in 2003 I bought a BMW 330I and was back getting a M3 7 months later, it's an expensive habit. If you like power you will like the JCW plain and simple. If cost is an issue, skimp on the luxury items to keep the price down.
I had a very similar thought process, and wound up with an S with a tuning kit, and lots of other things that help me enjoy the car on a daily basis. I am VERY happy with my choices, because I really like the car, and I love all the add ons I got. The only thing I would do differently if I had the opportunity for a redo? I would get the JCW. Even if it meant I had to give up some of the other stuff I added to mine. It makes me nuts to know there is something even more fun that I could have had WITH the warrranty.
When I drove the S for the first time, I thought that was plenty of power for a car that is made for the turns, and I was right. However, having grown up during the muscle car era, I should have known that more power is ALWAYS better. Especially when it comes with more stuff that makes the turns more fun, too.
Mu 2007 Mazda Miata is, probably, much like the Mini Cooper S in how it drives. Really fun to drive, especially hard. Gets great gas mileage, the top goes down. But then we come to the comfort level. Getting into and out of it is not fun, getting comfortable on a trip over 100 miles is not fun, the seat kills my back, not fun.
I tried to turn this back in, after I had taken a 150 mile trip for my class reunion, in the Fall of 07, but Mazda wouldn't hear of it. Tried to trade back but for a Mazdaspeed3. No go, so this is my last Mazda. Luckily, I am on a lease, so I can turn this beast in next year and I can say hurray. The main thing is that it has been a killer on my lower back, I think that it is on account of my leg position. 13,400 miles in two years, you do the math and realize that I don't drive this car for anything more than back and forth to work, and then it sits on the weekends, when a fun car SHOULD be driven. I'm hoping, and thinking that Mini will be a much more comfortable car to drive. I like sure and sport suspensions, but I guess that the Mazda is too much of a sportscar for me. That's it.
Me too, I had high performance cars in the 60's, and that's the reason for my question here. If I go with the S, on account of getting more extras, or limit my extras alot, and go with the JCW. Well, that's the question that I think that I have already answered myself. Back in 69, I went with the standard 440 4 barrel car. It was fast, but for $150 more I could have had the six pac, which was an entirely different breed.
I think that is the same thing here, and I've pretty much made up my mind on the JCW. I haven't driven one, but my impression is that it will drive completely different from the standard S. Also one forgets, that you get alot of other, especially mechanical things extra, that would cost a fortune if you tried to do all this after market. And......warranty. Although when I change to a cai system, that will probably void that. How do dealers react to after market add ons? Like a cold air intake?
Don't forget the one thing the factory JCW has that no other Mini car/kit can have: the bigger turbo. And don't forget it does not have a suspension upgrade. I wish you could skip the wheels, they're overpriced a lot. The rest of the car is worth it imo. I bet you could con the dealer into letting you drive it a short distance to feel the difference in the engine.
I don't think a CAI will affect the warranty unless it does something to the engine that it can't handle (unlikely). The mod has to screw something up to void it (like brakes ruin the rotors). People do all sorts of stuff under warranty.
__________________ April 07:MCS SS/B/Tuscan Beige/Cream colorline interior/Manual/Conv Pkg/Premium Pkg/17" Flame Spoke/LSD/Chrome Line/English Oak/Xenon/HiFi/Anthracite Headliner. African Blackwood/Amboyna burl inlay shift knob and ebrake handle by Robin Casady (see my gallery) 19mm H-sport rear asb, Bridgestone Potenza G019 Grid non-RF tires. HTC Incredible phone.
Those wheels are over priced, actually, I like the Sport package spokes better, and those are supposedly compatible with the Brembo brakes. If they took those wheels off, added the Sport package, maybe even the sport suspension, that would take, at least $1k off the price, maybe more. Those Challenger wheels, separately are over $2500. Oh well.
Other than the 208hp vs the standard cooper S 172hp and the electronic differential on the JCW what is the $6600 more buying you for a JCW? I am sure through a tune and a few aftermarket mods 208hp is more than obtainable.
I was set on getting a new JCW as my next mini but am not sure the differnences are worth the $. Are they?
2008 MCSm JCW, DS/B w/ Silver Bonnet Stripes, DSOC #293, JCW Sport Suspension, LSD, BBS RV-F 17" Wheels, Mini Rally Lites and a few other JCW bits...
2006 CR/B MCS JCW, RMW (Newman) Cam and RMW Street Header, JCW Suspension, H&R 19mm rear anti-sway bar, IE fixed camber plates, Mason Engineering lower strut brace, Continental ExtremeContact DW Tires, Red interior, Chrome, HK, RMW Tune, 223 WHP / 200 WTQ
2011 JCW Coupe
Laser Blue/White MCS delivered 3/8/07. Off lease 5/17/09.
April 07:MCS SS/B/Tuscan Beige/Cream colorline interior/Manual/Conv Pkg/Premium Pkg/17" Flame Spoke/LSD/Chrome Line/English Oak/Xenon/HiFi/Anthracite Headliner. African Blackwood/Amboyna burl inlay shift knob and ebrake handle by Robin Casady (see my gallery) 19mm H-sport rear asb, Bridgestone Potenza G019 Grid non-RF tires. HTC Incredible phone.
