1st time Mini Owner here. A colleague and great friend gave me his 2006 Astro Black R53 S JCW when he had to move up north. It has 148k miles and is in pretty good shape. I have started a "mini" restoration, pun intended. I am so glad I found this forum. Almost everything I have researched so far has brought me here, from key remote issues to performance part opinions and great advice to combine with my tastes on where I want to go with this Mini.

I'm hooked on this little speed demon.

I will have several threads to create for help as soon as I get my head together and can put my questions together with some initial research completed.

I'm a single Dad (kids are 20+) with a lifted Jeep JKU and now my little cart queen. I'm excited to get started with my new GF lol.

My first question is: From a parts procurement perspective, what is the difference between an R53 S and the R53 S JCW? Many parts sites have you pick your Mini and the only site I've seen that has something close to my car is ECS and that is the GP, which I do not have. Should I be picking R 53 S for most everything except maybe brakes and suspension pieces? I am swapping lots of interior parts that have cracked from old age or heat exposure and going from the light interior to Panther Black (try and find a lighted sun visor in panther black with the side visor. Unicorn I say!

Thank you for having me and forgive my giddiness and TLDR post!

 

I too have recently acquired a 2006 JCW. It got all new bushings and ball joints in the front end. New CV axels, power steering hoses, motor mounts, AC clutch, crank position sensor o-ring (with rtv), all fluids and tires. She drives great now!

The JCW differences are listed in the Bentley Manual. The JCW kit included flow work in the head, injectors, plugs, a tune, intake ducts and cold air box with filter, front brake calipers and pads, teflon coated supercharger vanes, silver Intercooler and badges off the top of my head.

Kurt