JCW Tuning Kit impressions

callahan00 · #1 10-14-2009, 08:38 AM

Well I just picked up my 2008 R56 with the JCW kit installed yesterday. Of course, it was ready just as rush hour kicked into high gear so limping along at 25mph, I had no chance to see what it can do. And of course we are in the middle of a rain storm on the way to work today so no chance to see what it can do.

I was however able to open it up a little bit on the way and I wanted to post my impressions of it.

vvvvvvrrrrrrrooooooooom, [shift] vroooooooooom [shift] vvrrrooooooom.

. Get it? My impressions. I know really bad joke.

While before it would sometimes feel as though it were running out of steam at some point, it keep s pulling and there is no lack of power.

It must be good because the first thing out of my wife's mouth was "I's kinda of loud..."

I'm looking forward to some clear weather to go out and trrorize the countryside......

thevelourfog · #2 10-14-2009, 10:39 AM

Sounds good, i'm looking forward to hear what you've got to say. I'm debating between this and a RMW tune right now.

btw, limping along at 25 mph sounds like a dream to me, I was limping along at about a 3-5 mph average this morning. People in Los Angeles cannot drive in the rain...

Jeremy1026 · #3 10-14-2009, 11:06 AM

I ordered my R57 with the Tuning Kit. So I really have no baseline S experience to compare it to, but wow is it FUN! The power is always available, only exception is below 2500 RPM in 1st. 0-60 times feel much faster then what MINI advertises. I don't ever even use the sport button, just because I always have the power available to me.

xphiledan · #4 10-14-2009, 11:35 AM

we got our kit installed a few months ago, the power really makes the car feel right. there's no more power drop off or laginess. my only complaint is the exhaust drone. it isn't too loud. i guess i'm too used to my 2004 R32 with a flapper bypass (similar to the corvette sport exhaust) and i love the throatiness of the sound. the mini in comparison just drones too much on the highway. i read on this forum somewhere that a fix is to install the resonator from the factory JCW (stage 2).

Jeremy1026 · #5 10-14-2009, 11:38 AM

I don't notice any drone, but that might be from the wind from the top being down might over power and drone.

**scottab36** · #6 10-14-2009, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xphiledan

we got our kit installed a few months ago, the power really makes the car feel right. there's no more power drop off or laginess. my only complaint is the exhaust drone. it isn't too loud. i guess i'm too used to my 2004 R32 with a flapper bypass (similar to the corvette sport exhaust) and i love the throatiness of the sound. the mini in comparison just drones too much on the highway. I read on this forum somewhere that a fix is to install the resonator from the factory JCW (stage 2).

That is correct! I have installed the full 2009 JCW exhaust from the first joint to the tailpipe. It's a really large resonator and one less CAT. Better flow, less drone. The exhaust sounds great. I kept the original resonator/CAT piece incase I need to drop it in to pass emissions.

xphiledan · #7 10-15-2009, 12:48 PM

wouldn't the large resonator and single cat be sufficient to pass emissions?

tattedXB · #8 10-17-2009, 10:40 PM

I'm Curious, to stay within warranty, could I get the JCW intake and exhaust but NOT the tune, in order to get the Jan tune? (He's in irvine, so am I - perfect!) Still new to the turbo'd car thing, so bear with my n00bish question. Would that work? From what I heard, and please correct me if i'm wrong - jan uses a modified JCW tune, so it keeps it within warranty?

Can somebody PLEASE clarify? Thanks so much!

**scottab36** · #9 10-18-2009, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tattedXB

I'm Curious, to stay within warranty, could I get the JCW intake and exhaust but NOT the tune, in order to get the Jan tune? (He's in irvine, so am I - perfect!) Still new to the turbo'd car thing, so bear with my n00bish question. Would that work? From what I heard, and please correct me if i'm wrong - jan uses a modified JCW tune, so it keeps it within warranty?

Can somebody PLEASE clarify? Thanks so much!

You can buy the JCW intake online from a couple of places, You can get the 2009 Factory JCW exhaust from the dealer. Then get the RMW tune from Jan. You will save a F#&k ton of money this way. However, MINI might not honor your warranty with the RMW tune if that is what caused the warranty issue. This will only happen if they discover the RMW tune.

I have done a ton of research on the R56 RMW tune and have not found one case of there being a problem with the RMW tune or a problem induced by the RMW tune. Everything I have researched indicates that the RMW tune is a very safe tune. All that aside, it's not MINI warranty approved.

Also the RMW tune is a custom tune, not a modified JCW tune. The RMW tune is putting out more power to the wheels than the JCW tune. I have the JCW tune but I'm "chomping at the bit" to get the RMW tune from Jan even with having about 6,000 miles left on my warranty.

So the real question is "How bad do you want it?"

tattedXB · #10 10-18-2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottab36

You can buy the JCW intake online from a couple of places, You can get the 2009 Factory JCW exhaust from the dealer. Then get the RMW tune from Jan. You will save a F#&k ton of money this way. However, MINI might not honor your warranty with the RMW tune if that is what caused the warranty issue. This will only happen if they discover the RMW tune.

I have done a ton of research on the R56 RMW tune and have not found one case of there being a problem with the RMW tune or a problem induced by the RMW tune. Everything I have researched indicates that the RMW tune is a very safe tune. All that aside, it's not MINI warranty approved.

Also the RMW tune is a custom tune, not a modified JCW tune. The RMW tune is putting out more power to the wheels than the JCW tune. I have the JCW tune but I'm "chomping at the bit" to get the RMW tune from Jan even with having about 6,000 miles left on my warranty.

So the real question is "How bad do you want it?"

Thanks for the response, Do we know how much HP the RMW tune would add? One of the dealers at crevier claims he's got the alta exhaust and intake, and a rmw tune and has a weight to power ratio of between an m3 and 335i, has anybody documented this or know what kind of HP we're looking at with this type of set up on a clubby s?

Thanks again btw, and I want it - but ugh, I've got the 100k warranty too and dont want to mess that up, lol.

**scottab36** · #11 10-18-2009, 11:10 AM

I have seen around 205 on HP and around 240 for TRQ. Again these are general numbers I have seen on NAM.

With the JCW Stage One Kit and my bolt-on mods I am at 188.5 HP and 204 TRQ at the wheels. The RMW tune will be a world of difference.

tattedXB · #12 10-18-2009, 11:12 AM

Very nice, hopefully you'll get it soon. My mccs is just 2 months/4k miles old...so i'm locked in a stalemate here, lol

ATCQL · #13 10-18-2009, 02:17 PM

I have had the stage one upgrade to both my R56 and R55.The R55 has less of a throaty sound and not much drone,but the performance is the same.The R56 exhaust is all one piece plus the tips,the R55 has the following parts,midpipe,mufflers,and tips,i don't know if because the installation is different,the sound is different as well.Q

Dr. Pepper · #14 10-20-2009, 12:18 PM

The JCW Tune will hold it's value in the used car market. The aftermarket mods don't fare as well in the pre-owned universe.

thevelourfog · #15 10-20-2009, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottab36

However, MINI might not honor your warranty with the RMW tune if that is what caused the warranty issue. This will only happen if they discover the RMW tune.

I think that's why a lot of us are waiting for Jan to come out with that gizmo to switch between maps. Sure is taking a while.

Augie05 · #16 10-21-2009, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Pepper

The JCW Tune will hold it's value in the used car market. The aftermarket mods don't fare as well in the pre-owned universe.

great point. I also wonder what happens to an aftermarket tune if the dealer has to install a flash upgrade. Does the tune get wipped out by the dealer?

Jeremy1026 · #17 10-21-2009, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Augie05

great point. I also wonder what happens to an aftermarket tune if the dealer has to install a flash upgrade. Does the tune get wipped out by the dealer?

You get the tune on disk with the install. So if they accidentally wipe it, you can give them the disk to re-flash the ECU.

Augie05 · #18 10-21-2009, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy1026

You get the tune on disk with the install. So if they accidentally wipe it, you can give them the disk to re-flash the ECU.

I was referring to the aftermarket tune. Is that what u mean?

I know that the dealer gives u a disk for the jcw tune.

tattedXB · #19 10-23-2009, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thevelourfog

I think that's why a lot of us are waiting for Jan to come out with that gizmo to switch between maps. Sure is taking a while.

I'm a total n00b at turbo and t00ning, but is this basically an on/off switch for the tune for when you take it into the shop, etc?

thevelourfog · #20 10-23-2009, 11:48 PM

There are a couple of posts on flash tools so you could have a tune until you take it back to the dealer and reflash it back to stock.

http://www.northamericanmotoring.com...next-week.html

http://www.northamericanmotoring.com...rks-tuner.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by tattedXB

I'm a total n00b at turbo and t00ning, but is this basically an on/off switch for the tune for when you take it into the shop, etc?

darmog · #21 10-24-2009, 06:55 AM

WOuld it even matter if you could switch between tunes or not when dealing with a factory warranty claim? Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't the dealer tell when the car has gone beyond the factory specs of boost/hp in its history just by hooking your car up to their computer? Pretty sure I read that here from someone who just brought their car in. So, if they can tell that, then they'd void your warranty anyways even if you brought back its factory tune.