I'm researching getting my first mini. Currently I'm torn between a 1st and 2nd gen JCW but we'll see where it ends up. I've found lots of great info on this forum already.

 

You will get as many opinions as there are members here, and that is allot. At that end of the day, hope you buy the car that is within your budget and you like.

 

Hi and welcome to NAM. It is fun buying a Mini! There are many options to you and I hope you get the one of your dreams!
A few things:
Do you want economy, or power The S is either supercharged, or turbo charged, the base models have neither, but get up to 44 Miles per gallon (actual). The "S" models will not get you better than around 31 MPGs.

Fun factor: Although both the base and the S will give you great fun, you need to decide what type of fun you want. The base Ralley models are so fun to drive and carve the corners/twisties great. The "S" models depending on set up can really handle the twisties, with the added power to shame many a car. These are not 1/4 mile fast, but they are twisties fast like few other car can compare.

Special options: The John Cooper works models have a good package for power and handling, just don't expect it to be faster than many cars on the straight runs, but in the corners, they are hard to beat!

Automatic, or manual transmission? If you really like performance, I recommend the 6 speed manual trans, for driving in lots of traffic, the automatic is better. (the automatic mimics the manual trans operation, without the clutch.)

Then there are the Mods! Don't say you will not be doing this! We have heard this many times, but sooner or later this will happen to you!

Next: Tires, most of us recommend the removal of run flats, if you car comes with them. They make the car noisy and kill wheel bearing packs. With the "S" model, there is nowhere for a spare. Two wys to handle this are carry a mini spare, or like most of us, get a 12 volt compressor (around $30) and radial tire push in patch kit (About $6).
Lots to learn and here is where you will learn it!

 

Welcome.


SoCal, well if you jump onto Highway 1 and head north up the coast in a MINI you won't want to stop.


I prefer the Gen1s (R53 and R52) and a manual transmission. But get what YOU want. Another great thing about MINI, It is incredibly you.


Motor On!

 

Thanks for the great tips here. Definitely at least an "S" manual for me. The big question would be if I step up to the JCW and if I go first or second gen. I see no shortage of threads on this so I can definitely check it out.
I think I just need to drive a couple and see what suits me. I will say from what I've read so far a 2005 or 2006 JCW is in the lead.

 

Here is what to consider, between the gen1 and gen 2:
Gen 1: Has supercharger and pretty much instant power, without any lag.
Gen 2: Has turbocharger and slow to the power band and then look out! They can make real serious horsepower (with mods), but the lag time and power on in the turns, will need some serious practice.
Gen 1: engines are robust and will go 300K miles without a rebuild (I have seen a few with almost 100K miles more on them!). They can be made to make good horsepower, but cost with both, can get up there and reliability can go down. They both would need tuning, with these additions.
Gen 2: Many of the motors fail sooner. I think Pugot had not figured the hard use and high heat in the USA. This is not to say the engines are bad, but they really need to be maintained very well, to survive abuse. They can be built to make serious horsepower, with after market turbos, cams, pistons and the like.

Kind of a summery: Power/handling/stopping, should all be done at the same level, to get you the best all around performance. Read all you can here, because anything you can think up, most likely has already been done here and you will have known results!

All the best on your car and plan!
Itsme Wayne

 

Good luck on the search, I really like the 2005-2008 Gen 1 JCW as its more connected to the road, but I do love my Gen 2 JCW. Its less connected than the gen 1 but it has better brakes and a turbo. Tough choice, for me it comes down to price and options.

 

Three thoughts:
1. In the early days there were "Dealer JCWs"...not the same as the later "Factory JCW", but in reality, today it really doesn't really mean much because you're not going to pay top dollar for a car that is over 10-years old anyway. It's something to be aware of.

2. I'd avoid the early Gen 2 N14 engines, unless you're a mechanic. Too many probs.

3. There used to be a FREE VIN decoder online where you can enter a VIN and it would tell you the options, including the engine type. I think it's still around?

Good luck to you!

 

Thanks all. Ideally I'm sticking to '05-'06 if I go first gen. I'll dig around for the VIN decoder. That would be very helpful.

 

There are several VIN decoders to use. Here is one:
http://bimmer.work/