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If you need to choose one of the next options in a new MCS.. which you will prefer? The Tune Kit or JCW body kit? (I know the price difference..) and why??
I was thinking choosing the body kit, since I don't care to add more HP.. but I love the sound of the exhaust (also I will have the airbox and firmware), and the tune kit comes under warranty...
I picked go but that is just me. I love my JCW tuning kit but would not go with it for just the exhaust. I think there are other exhaust options on the market that are cheaper.
I might add the body kit one of these days.
__________________ 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...
If you need to choose one of the next options in a new MCS.. which you will prefer? The Tune Kit or JCW body kit? (I know the price difference..) and why??
I was thinking choosing the body kit, since I don't care to add more HP.. but I love the sound of the exhaust (also I will have the airbox and firmware), and the tune kit comes under warranty...
THANKS!
Interesting, I had same dilemma. I'd go for Aero Kit, it gives way more aggressive and finalized look of the car. Stage 1 is nice but honestly I'd have to test drive a stage 1 car to justify the 2K expense. If the 15 hp difference comes at high rpm only then I'll pass on it.
As far as tickets, you really don't have to worry about them since you can get them easy in any car.
I'm doing my upgrades in this order so far:
1. wheels and tires (got them this week, see my gallery)
2. Alta CAI and Turbo inlet hose (came today, installing this weekend)
3. JCW Sport Suspension (maybe June or so)
4. JCW Aero kit with brake duct kit (later in '09 or '10)
I'm tracking a couple weekends a year, so I wanted the wheels/tires/suspension (i.e. performance stuff) first.
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2011 WR Blue Subaru WRX STi 4-door
2009 JCW Chili Red/White (gone, but not forgotten) RaceTripper Photos
The '09 comes with the new JCW body kit (the front bumper), right?
No U.S. Market MINI comes with the JCW body kit, not even the JCW.
It's a dealer installed option, even for the JCW. If you order the car, you can have the JCW aero kit installed at the VDC and usually save a few bucks over having it installed at the dealer. I just got a quote for the kit, prepainted Chili Red. It's $1999 less my 10% club discount, plus labor to install.
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2011 WR Blue Subaru WRX STi 4-door
2009 JCW Chili Red/White (gone, but not forgotten) RaceTripper Photos
Style without substance. I prefer to have a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Meh, MINIs have more than enough "substance" to be fun to drive without the tuning kit. I guess if I was concerned about beating Honda Civics off the line at a stoplight I might agree.
Well I have to say 100% body kit. MCS is the perfect power for me, JMHO but anything more is overkill unless your tracking or AutoX a ton, but even then if you wanted more, going the aftermarket route is the far better way. JCW tune is overpriced for what you get, I mean the HP bump is really not that great, the difference between 170ish and 190ish is a marginal one to me. If you just want exhaust note, there are plenty of cheaper and better options.
Body kit is tempting me, it look fantastic, and the Mini is just as much if not more about show than go (after handling that is).
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2008 BRG/W MCS (retired 4/22/11)
2011 LW/B MCS CM ALL4 Ordered 3/5, Born 3/17, Bremerhaven 3/24, Loaded on the Faust 3/30, Port Newark 4/14, Delivered 4/22
2011 Mazda3 s Sport
For me, JCW aero kit is a MUST, and the JCW tune kit is a maybe (very expensive for its meager performance gain).
IMO, the R56 visually sits a bit too high, and I'm not keen on swoopy lines of the lower front & rear bumpers. The JCW aero kit brings the body color closer to the ground and offers a straighter (cleaner) line at the bottom of the front & rear bumpers. Plus with the JCW aero kit, you can get the carbon fiber rear diffuser
I will consider the JCW tune kit if I've got the $ for it before my warranty expires, otherwise I'll probably go with other performance upgrades. An extra nice thing about the tune kit is that it includes the JCW exhaust tips.
I'd get the suspension kit . I would pass on the tuning kit. I might get the aero kit and think about painting the wheel arches, I think that looks good.
__________________ 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.
I might get the aero kit and think about painting the wheel arches, I think that looks good.
Eww, not on the JCW Aero, the factory Aero should have painted arches, JCW should definitely not. (JMHO)
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2008 BRG/W MCS (retired 4/22/11)
2011 LW/B MCS CM ALL4 Ordered 3/5, Born 3/17, Bremerhaven 3/24, Loaded on the Faust 3/30, Port Newark 4/14, Delivered 4/22
2011 Mazda3 s Sport
Eww, not on the JCW Aero, the factory Aero should have painted arches, JCW should definitely not. (JMHO)
Some people have had the wheel arches painted on the JCW Aero kit. Check out the car of member Red Bull. My dealer has done them too, and asked if I was interested in having it done when I get the Aero kit.
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2011 WR Blue Subaru WRX STi 4-door
2009 JCW Chili Red/White (gone, but not forgotten) RaceTripper Photos
Some people have had the wheel arches painted on the JCW Aero kit. Check out the car of member Red Bull. My dealer has done them too, and asked if I was interested in having it done when I get the Aero kit.
Yea I've seen it, I don't like the way it looks, factory Aero is the way to go if you want painted wheel archs IMHO. JCW aero looks so good because of the lines, like in jasonite post.
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2008 BRG/W MCS (retired 4/22/11)
2011 LW/B MCS CM ALL4 Ordered 3/5, Born 3/17, Bremerhaven 3/24, Loaded on the Faust 3/30, Port Newark 4/14, Delivered 4/22
2011 Mazda3 s Sport
Yea I've seen it, I don't like the way it looks, factory Aero is the way to go if you want painted wheel archs IMHO. JCW aero looks so good because of the lines, like in jasonite post.
I like what Red Bull did to his. I'm not saying I'll go to the expense for mine, but I may consider it.
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2011 WR Blue Subaru WRX STi 4-door
2009 JCW Chili Red/White (gone, but not forgotten) RaceTripper Photos
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 would pass on the tuning kit. I might get the aero kit and think about painting the wheel arches, I think that looks good.
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.
