I have had this car about a month now and have the bug. Its a 2009 MCS with what I believe is the basic suspension from the VIN sheet(but Sport Mode option?).

I love the JCW branding and always wanted one. I bought a set of 18" JCW wheels for the look, they came with Michelin Super Sports with pretty great tread.

I think I will eventually autox this thing. I am strongly considering upgrading the suspension and brakes if I can find some used JCW parts. I don't want to spend a ton of money so I feel like used JCW might be the best bang for the buck?

Suspension - I was thinking JCW springs, rear sway bar, and maybe shocks? I am already buying the JCW strut bar. If I were pulling these parts off of a parted out Mini what else would I grab?

Brakes - JCW Rotors and calibers? Would I need to replace lines and the master cylinder?

I'm sorry if a lot of these questions are already answered. I've been doing a ton of research this morning just to formulate these questions! I am very comfortable doing all this myself, it will just take time to learn my way. Clearly the answers are all on this forum though!!

Thanks in advance!

 

First, some questions for you:

What are you trying to improve with the car (handling, looks, ride)

Are you looking to lower the car?

What is your budget?

Will you be racing in a class (limited to factory parts, or are aftermarket OK)?

Generally, aftermarket parts are cheaper than factory, and are similar quality (or better). Do some searching on the marketplace on this site, there are usually some good parts available if you are OK with used.

Rear sway bar is normally one of the best changes. Aftermarket bars have multiple mounting holes, so that you can adjust the stiffness to suit your driving style.

If you are looking to lower the car, then you will likely need a pair of rear control arms to get the alignment corrected after installing the springs. The big thing is deciding if you want coil overs or shocks and springs. Higher priced options have adjustable damping, and coil overs have adjustable ride height.

I don't have experience with brakes, but I have read that some guys have had issues with the JCW calipers in racing situations. TCE is one company that has aftermarket options. Your wheel choice will dictate how large the brakes can be.

My recommendation is to figure out your budget, what priorities that you have, and partner up with an aftermarket dealer (Way Motor Works, Detroit Tuned, ECS Tuning, Pelican Parts, MINI Mania, or others that sponsor this site). They have experience and can recommend what the best way to spend your money is.

There are also options for tuning that add torque and HP.

Keep driving your MINI and figure out what you want to improve.....

Have fun,
Mike

PS. Don't forget maintenance. Check the car closely for leaks (thermostat, oil filter housing, water pump), change the plugs, get carbon cleaned.

 

Well some JCW stuff is worth it, but much of it you can go aftermarket for less money and get more gain. Finding used ones will be hard, and still costly.
Save your money and pass on the strut bar as you won't notice any gain except a lighter wallet.
For sure you want a Hsport Comp rear sway bar as it will give you the most suspension gain, and legal for AutoX.

 

I agree, some JCW parts are good and will be enough, but sometimes aftermarket is better and more cost efficient. When doing brakes, look into a good rotor/pad combination. I also upgraded to stainless steel brake lines and use an aggressive brake fluid, ATE Typ 200. For suspension, I prefer having the option to change the adjustability, which a shock/spring combo doesn't allow you to do. Look into the rules of the autox you are looking into. I know adding some of these aftermarket parts on will determine the class you compete in. If you want, take a stroll around our suspension parts in our catalog here. If you have any questions about anything, feel free to ask!

 

I realize my OP was not well thought out so thanks for everyone's patience. I will also say that the MAIN reason for this post is a part out of another '09 JCW over in the Marketplace that is enticing me to grab stuff while I can. But my wife will certainly want to kill me if I go to overboard.

With that said...

I would like to improve the looks and then handling of the car without sacrificing the ride quality. I am willing to lower the car but do not need to and in fact may not want to since I don't need to be bottoming out everywhere I go (risk of that twice on the drive into work).

For Auto-X, I really have only my experience on FSAE in college to draw upon. It seems like it would be fun but I would definitely want to leave my options open to STOCK for now, which seems convenient given the JCW part out.

From everyone's posts it seems that a rear sway bar will make a good first step, along with some routine maintenance (sure up a few small oil leaks). The rest of the suspension mods will realistically be to time intensive for the near term.

I am really just wondering if there are any can't miss mods off a JCW if they're being sold at a very reasonable price (where I would likely otherwise just remain stock).

I am still considering the Brembo brake kit for $850 and perhaps his rear sway bar and exhaust. Thoughts on these pickups?

 

The suspension on most JCW's are the same as most MCS's. Both come with 'Cooper S' base suspension, and both are available with 'sport' suspension, which is different springs, shocks, and sway bars. The JCW is available with a special 'red spring' suspension which has even larger sway bars on it and different shocks and springs. If he has the red spring suspension, then that may be worth the trouble. Your best bet is to measure your sway bars and ask the seller to measure his stuff.

Adding an aftermarket rear sway bar will help with any suspension that your car has. That is why having an adjustable bar is helpful, so that you can match the rest of your existing setup.

Mike

 

Hmmm. The way this owner described his JCW suspension was as a "slightly more aggressive R56S Sport suspension." That is to differentiate it from the JCW Sport suspension which may be even more aggressive? Is this not accurate?

While I have a "sport" button, I do not believe I have the sport suspension.