Any advice? I am considering trading my much loved 2013 MCS in for a JCW Countryman? I really need 4 doors with my kiddos and dogs, as well as a car that can make it up our HORRIBLE driveway here in the winter. (If it's not plowed my husband's 4 wheel drive truck can't make it up.)

Is this a possibility for the Countryman? How much fun will I be missing when I'm driving in Texas... :( I'm hesitant to get rid of my 2013 because I love it, and I'm not a huge fan of the look of the new ones.

Other cars I'm considering... maybe?
BMW X1 (boo, no manual trans)
Audi Q3 (also no manual :()
VW Golf R (the 2016 w/ the manual)

Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

The Countryman is a lot of fun, but go out on a test drive and see for yourself. The manual is good fun but takes some getting used to. I drove the regular non S countryman and I would not use the word fun to describe that drive, so I ordered the S.

The best way to describe the Countryman is it is a very balanced blend of fun, practicality and utility in one great package.

Oh and as far as the 4 wheel drive, its one of the best systems around and you will make it up the driveway with ease. I tried to get mine to slip last winter in Ice and snow, and it performed perfectly.

 

why are you interested the JCW CM As opposed to the S ?

why didn't the range rover envoque make your "considering" list ?

 

As long as you get non-summer tires for the winter, it should be more than suitable. The stock Bridgestone w/runflats that came with mine from factory were terrible in ice and slush (I'm in Wisconsin), so changing out the summer tires is absolutely a must if you'd prefer to have your car stop when you hit the brakes during a snow storm.

As for space, that's actually one of the main reasons I went with the CM over the hatch. I drove an old hand-me-down 3dr Saturn SC2 for a good four years before I bought the JCW CM (my first brand new car), and I don't miss being cramped up like that one single bit. Even compared to the 4d Saturn SL I had before the coupe, it's surprisingly roomy. It's no Ford Excursion, but it's no clown car either.

Performance I feel could be a little more snappy from factory -- it's certainly capable of it -- but it should be comparable to your MCS (though admittedly the JCW CM would be a fraction of a second slower). That's one area the VW Golf R would definitely have the upper hand as well, but I'm not familiar enough with that car to know how it stacks up elsewhere. I've added quite a few bolt on mods to mine to accommodate, but even I'll admit it's completely unnecessary -- the JCW CM is by no means slow. I just have to make sure it'll beat my buddy's Mustang

By and all though, it's still one of the funnest, most enjoyable cars I've ever driven, and better yet -- it's actually practical. And that's how I've always looked at it.

 

JCW Countryman FTW !

Go and test drive one, some dealers have some on lots , others don't have them in stock due to the ~40K+ price.

The Steelies / 16" wheels will fit the JCW Countryman as the calipers are not much larger if any at all. Get some snow tires and you will be fine.

 

I can't speak on behalf of the JCW CM, I can tell you that If you're thinking that the CMS will be on par with the MCS, you'll be disappointed. I love my CMSAll4, but it's nowhere near the performance of my MCS.

The AWD system is nice in loose surfaces and in snow, but I don't think it's significantly better than the FWD on the Coopers. You also might want to consider the new 2015 4 door Cooper and I just got an email today from MINI on the 2016 Clubman that's coming. It was a sneak peek and they didn't show much, but I could see that it had 4 doors and the dual doors at the back like before.

The other thing I would consider is the gas mileage... I drove across the country in my 2009 MCS and it showed 38mpg... I did the same drive the next year at the same time in the same weather in my Countryman and the best I could manage was 23 mpg. These are all interstate miles at 4 miles over the limit. Compared to every other car I've owned, the mpg is pathetic and nowhere near what they advertise on the maroney sticker. I'm completely baffled with my fuel economy...No matter how carefully I drive in the city with smooth shifts at the right RPM and casual take offs and stops, I cannot get better than 21 mpg.

 

I from everything I've read about the two cars (JCW vrs S) I thought the JCW might get closer to the driving experience I'm used to?

The Range Rover is too expensive once I have everything I want on it, and my husband is not a Range Rover fan. He is a much more practical car person, and he knew he was getting a girl with a Mini obsession, I don't think I can get him to go for a Range Rover.

 

The other cars on my list just don't seem as fun. The VW may be fast, but I don't know as much about them as I would like, and while I really like in interior the outside is BORING.

 

I had blue which was an S Clubbie for 5 years. I have 32k on Lucy and she has been awesome. She has 19 inch rims, run flats were worthless on slick roads. I have Falken all seasons on her now and she run awesome on them. She will pull a 90 degree rolling corner with just a drop into third. The all wheel drive makes a huge difference, you will really notice the zero torque steer. I enjoy the drive to work every morning almost as much as the run home in the evening. High points of the day.

 

I had blue which was an S Clubbie for 5 years. I have 32k on Lucy and she has been awesome. She has 19 inch rims, run flats were worthless on slick roads. I have Falken all seasons on her now and she run awesome on them. She will pull a 90 degree rolling corner with just a drop into third. The all wheel drive makes a huge difference, you will really notice the zero torque steer. I enjoy the drive to work every morning almost as much as the run home in the evening. High points of the day.

 

I traded my 2010 MCS convertible (manual) for a 2015 CMS All4 (auto w/ paddles) for basically the same reasons. The dealer didn't have a JCW available to compare to the S, so I ordered the non-JCW. I'm sure it's in the eyes (or calibrated seat of the pants) of the beholder, but I've usually heard that there isn't noticeable performance difference between the two (S All4 vs JCW). I do like that JCW Aero Kit, though...

Feels big compared to the convertible, but makes my wife's X3 seem downright huge and spacious.

As for my "calibrated butt" feeling... (keep in mind this is in comparison to a convertible with H&R springs, Koni yellows, and more)... the CM doesn't have the zip and fun of the MCS. That isn't to say that it isn't zippy and fun, just not *as* zippy and fun. I'm still able to take all my usual fun turns on the daily commute at almost the same speed I saw in the R57. The All4 has also been nice when making quick u-turns with some loose debris in the road - could feel the front wheels start sliding for just a brief moment while the rears continued to push the car through the debris and the fronts gained traction again. It's also a lot quieter, but that's most likely due to having an actual roof!! Gas mileage hasn't been close to the ~29 I was getting with the R57: averaging 23mpg (measured by mileage and fuel going into the tank). Has been pretty much the same whether in city driving or on the highway. Some say it's the 19" wheels with wider 225/40 tires that's creating the extra drag. Maybe it's the mud flaps? Who knows... I'm satisfied with the gas mileage.

All in all, two thumbs up. Practical and fun.

 

I am getting 27-28 in mixed driving.

I added the JB+ for additional performance - excellent performance upgrade for $300!

 

I went from a 2009 Clubman S to a 2013 CM JCW with the 19in wheels. Wow! It is one heck of a car.

Over tha ALL4-s, you get a lowered and stiffer suspension. Way better brakes. And more poweeeerrrrr :-) (and I also added the JB+ - beleive me, no hatchback S can follow me

As someone pointed out, my only pet peeve is the clutch. I'v been driving manual daily cars for 25 years. But even after 2 years owning my CM, I still stall when taking off from an incline. Be sure to always be in Sport mode, it's better (but not ideal)

As for winter traction, it's the most fun I'v had in a car on slippery surfaces. I purchased used OEM 17in Countryman wheels and put snow tires on it. Amazing. You will leave everyone in the dust (or snow storm) behind.

 

A simple "clutch stop" will 100% fix the clutch start stall issue. The problem is too much clutch travel. Install it and stop back and let us know how well it works. It takes 5 minutes to install.

 

Thank you very much for the awesome feedback! One last question... Mini Connect? Worth it or no, my MCS is pretty basic (other than racing seats and wheels) should I spend the extra cash on the technology or leave it alone? Thanks again!

 

I have the clutch stop but have not installed it yet. Did you have to cut it in half for the countryman? I bought mine from Burger Motorsports...

 

Cut about 1/3 (30%) off

 

I live in the northeast and have a steep gravel driveway. I got theCMS all4 for that reason. It has been great and I never had a day I couldn't get up. I'm sure the coopers with good snow tires are great in areas where there isn't much elevation change but I've never seen a front wheel drive car successfully get up my drive. I had a Saab I had to park at the bottom the entire winter because of that. As far as fun it's true they aren't quite AS zippy, but it's still a hoot. Sway bar, JB+ and a SprintBooster and I think you will be gettin some grins on...

 

Oh and I don't have MiniConnect and don't miss it. I'm not much for playing with things while I drive. The phone hooks up great. I got a bluetooth gadget so I can wirelessly play tunes if I want (Tunes2Air) and use my phone for nav. I don't need anything else, really. Just a distraction, but that's me. You're best off looking at it at the dealer and see if it's worth it to you. Some folks love it.

 

If people need to find our house we tell them, it's the worst driveway in town and they all know exactly which house it is. :/ it's dirt, and due to snow melt has some crazy ruts that you can fix in the summer, and will be back next year. this winter we had to park one of our cars at the bottom and hike up with the kids in the snow and ice. My goal is to never have to do that again and still have a lot of fun.

 

BMW X1 is imho horrible, doesnt look good and the drive is as boring as it can get, driven it a few times for a couple of days and its blah.

Audi is decent all around, but lacks character and doesnt really outshine in any particular aspect compared to the CM.

VW golfR is the best contender imho, sportier then the CM, but lacks that extra ground clearance the CM has. Uses a very similar AWD system as the CM, so it would come down to which one you like best and which one makes more sense financially.

 

I think you will like the countryman then!

 

My wife would argue that her Mini Connect in her CM S IS worth it compared to the Non- Connect HK radio system in my Clubman... She loves being able to toggle around quickly on the large screen, and the Bluetooth Audio Streaming. I have to agree with her that if we'd being buying both cars new[ bought used as CPO's in Jan. of this year], we'd have upgraded both cars to Mini Connect.