Here's a question, would it be possible to get even more power out of your MCS if it had a works package along with an aftermarket intake, ECU upgrade, and/or anything else that might add to the performance of it?

Also, how much do you think it would gain me in HP?

All this said, being that money is no option.

First post by the way. :smile:

 

Welcome!

Sure it would, but this defeats the purpose of having the JCW kit in the first place. Warranty, that is the only thing better than aftermarket to begin with. Aftermarket parts can get more power cheaper.

Those who have JCW who want more should not have done JCW.

Now to really answer your question yes:

Intake would give you 10-15 more hp. Generally it would only give you 7-9 on a stock car but that is a bottleneck on the JCW cars. The ECU has already been optomized but no one really knows how far they went in the works kit.

I would also be looking at a water to air intercooler. The larger intercooler offerings out currently are disappointing loosing boost to gain efficiency.

A 63mm Throttle body to increase your flow and maximize your throttle response.

Lightened flywheel and better clutch. The mini’s flywheel is over 25 pounds. I went with the Spec 9.5 pound with a 6 puck clutch. Amazing results.

Finally I would get some lightweight rims to reduce the rotational mass being spun thus increasing wheel torque.

 

I would not get JCW if i was gonna put aftermarket parts on because that defates the hole warrenty thing with JCW...
Just spend all the money from JCW on a better kit...


nick

 

>>Here's a question, would it be possible to get even more power out of your MCS if it had a works package along with an aftermarket intake, ECU upgrade, and/or anything else that might add to the performance of it?
>>
>>Also, how much do you think it would gain me in HP?
>>
>>All this said, being that money is no option.
>>
>>First post by the way. :smile:
Joelite,
Aloha and welcome to MCO.
Yes, you ask a good question. Most people look at all the options before going for the $6000 JCW kit for the MCS. Yes it gives you 200 HP and a warranty that stays intact, but more than that it gives you peace of mind that you are doing upgrades that are well thought out and stay within the limits of design so much that BMW is saying they will upheld the warranty for 2 years even if you drive the car hard. For some there is collector status and so for them it is important not to venture to far from the stock JCW kit.

For those who want as much HP as possible then the kit isn't the best option for once you mix and match different upgrade parts then who is to say that in the event of an engine problem, which of the upgrades if any was the culprit. No one knows for sure with so many variables. Some dealers are friendlier in allowing for upgrades along with the kit while others are not.

So the answer to your question is yes you can add anything you want- any you will likely void your warranty for the kit in the process in the eyes of some dealers. For the most HP add a cold air intake -Alta with Hose is popular, ECU- probably something that gives about 10-12 HP more would be better than the JCW kit ECU (+2HP maybe-hard to say), Add an exhaust Header for more mid range power maybe 6-9 HP, change out the JCW kit exhaust for one that gives more HP- UUC gives about 7 HP and 7 ft lbs. torque but also more exhaust noise (your option to keep the JCW exhaust- kinda nice and quiet but not much for HP).

Then without voiding warranty you can do lots of suspension upgrades- coil overs, lowered springs, shocks, rear and front swaybar, camber plates, control arms, links, etc. Also lightweight wheels in 16" or 17" will be a big improvement. Add a short shifter with aftermarket ****- whalen is good. Anything is possible. We've done it or seen it done. Aerokit and custom paint job if you like.

 

How bad of an idea would it be to get a MCS with the JCW on it add front and rear sway bars (it won't void the warranty right) and then wait two years. After two years the warranty is voided then add mods, lots of them! By then there should even more mods out for the MCS.

What do you guys think?

 

Just a point that should be made:

The Magnusson-Moss Warranty- Federal Trade commission Improvement Act of 1975. Under the Magnusson-Moss Act, aftermarket equipment, which improves performance, does not void a vehicles manufacturer’s original warranty.

Some dealers are easier to deal with than others but though that this point should be made.

Installing sway bars etc hold the same risk as any other mod. if something brakes as a direct result of your mod then it will NOT be covered but they have to prove it.

 

Rumor out of the UK has JCW selling more upgrades in 2004 (other than the already shown 18" wheels and new seats)..........we'll see. I might hold out if that's the case, however I'm thinking about getting the Alta intake for a few more ponies.

You could also do aftermarket headers and a big bore throttle body but these items would probably void the warranty (TF maybe).

 

I have to completely disagree on this one. Cold ait intakes on the S add 4-9 HP on a completely stock car depending on the intake. Add it to a MINI with an exhaust and that number cuts in half. Add it to a MINI with an exhaust and pulley, cut the gains from the CAI again. On a MINI with an ECU upgrade, exhaust and pulley (like JCW), I doubt the air intake would make more than 2 or 3 horses.

I think the CAI is a good first mod b/c you can do it yourself (which is fun to do on your car even if you've never done any work on a car before) and it is really cheap. So it looks "trick" under the bonnet, increases supercharger whine and adds a bit of power near redline. I love the Pilo intake! What a bargain at $140 something bucks! Though adding an intake to a modded car like the JCW makes little if any sense IMO.


Optimized according to JCW. I really doubt the JCW ECU does a whole lot. In fact, it's been posted on this site that people have test driven JCW's with the stumble. Also, it took many tuners quite a few tries to really up the performance with the ECU upgrade. And the best may still be yet to come. Upgrades done through aftermarket sources can get 205-210HP with similar mods to the JCW kit WITHOUT the polished head that JCW uses. All this tells me that the JCW ECU doesn't do a whole lot. In fact I believe one facility has dynoed a MINI with JCW software and it was found to give very modest gains.

All in all I agree with much of the above sentiment. Why mod a JCW kit? You'll be at $7-8k in no time and your warranty will be gone! Why not just go completely aftermarket, not have MINI service people messing with your MINI and save $5-6k? That seems like the best solution to me.

 

>>Here's a question, would it be possible to get even more power out of your MCS if it had a works package along with an aftermarket intake, ECU upgrade, and/or anything else that might add to the performance of it?
>>
>>Also, how much do you think it would gain me in HP?
>>
>>All this said, being that money is no option.
>>
>>First post by the way. :smile:

I had the JCW kit installed (love it BTW), then installed the Mini Madness intake. It definitely added an extra bit of kick to the already smokin' JCW package. The SC sound is great too. I don't think there is a problem with the intake voiding the warranty. I mean, it's letting colder air in, so BMW could never reasonably argue that that would damage something. Of course, if I do have engine trouble I'll just swap back the stock intake anyway (a 10 minute job), so it's a moot point.

I also plan on waiting to see how additional performance upgrades look in a couple years -- including those that JCW is working on to get the MCS to 250 hp -- before deciding what else to do. For now, though, my JCW MCS is more than enough fun. Intake makes it that much better.

 

I asked my dealer about additional work after the JCW install, specifically a cold air intake. He said it wouldn't bother the warrenty, so that will be my next tweek, which CAI to get is the question!

 

>>How bad of an idea would it be to get a MCS with the JCW on it add front and rear sway bars (it won't void the warranty right) and then wait two years. After two years the warranty is voided then add mods, lots of them! By then there should even more mods out for the MCS.
>>
>>What do you guys think?
>>

Joelite: not a bad idea at all, really. That's exactly what I did. ACtually, I'd recommend jsut adding a stiffer rear bar. Don't think the front needs upgrading. I put in an ALTA bar (similar to Madness bar) that I got from Webb Motorsports. IT definitely made tha car neutral in the corners vs noticeable understeer when stock.

BTW, cars with aftermarket mods are getting basically ZERO premium for having those parts when they go to sell their cars. So far at least. Don't know about JCW equipped cars because I haven't seen any for sale! So the savings you have upfront going aftermarket may evaporate whenever you go to sell it. Not a guarantee, but something to think about.

 

MGear: alot of the intakes are similar. ALTA and Madness are the ones I liked best after researching it a fair amount. I went with MAdness becasue it was much easier to swap in-and-out if I ever need to do so. Prices are about the same.

And I think the Pilo intake is about the cheapest if you want to cut costs.

 

Well, I have modded my JCW and the warranty is fine. I have intake, TB, header, IC, Hsport springs, wheels, rear bar, and other stuff. I changed things that are restrictive points on the MCS which didn't get fixed with the JCW, and you'd be amazed what it does for the car. Not very cost efficient, but lots of fun, and headache free. I had an Alta, but the intake noise was deemed too "ricey" by wife and son, so I have Rogue on it now. Dealer has driven it, worked on it, and loves it. Your mileage may vary

 

>>Well, I have modded my JCW and the warranty is fine. I have intake, TB, header, IC, Hsport springs, wheels, rear bar, and other stuff. I changed things that are restrictive points on the MCS which didn't get fixed with the JCW, and you'd be amazed what it does for the car. Not very cost efficient, but lots of fun, and headache free. I had an Alta, but the intake noise was deemed too "ricey" by wife and son, so I have Rogue on it now. Dealer has driven it, worked on it, and loves it. Your mileage may vary

You are lucky your dealer is so friendly with your mods on the JCW kit. True the dealer must show that the mod was the cause of the problem that you are complaining about but if the engine has a major problem and you have all these things added that are not stock parts, what do you think the dealer will say then? I don't know and I would hope for the best. My dealer wants nothing to do with any parts that have been modded in any way. All door rattles? See the people that did my stereo upgrade because they touched the doors last is what I was told. It all depends on your dealer.

If your car is away from your dealer on a trip and some problem happens then with all those mods you have to wonder what sort of reception you are likely to get from a dealer you don't know.

Joelite-
Adding a rear swaybar that is adjustable (pick a moderate option to start with) either 22mm or a larger lighter tubular one is not a problem and would improve handling depending on your wheels and other suspension setup. Front swaybar upgrade is not usually the first thing to do unless for some reason it fits in with your total upgrade. Lighter wheels also is a good option. Intake is easy and can be returned to stock as needed. Most gains of 10HP from an intake are inflated and don't expect that much difference. The Supercharger sound is louder and a nice addition. Watch the Italian Job movie and listen for the SC whine in the soundtrack when the red MCS is driven by Stella Bridger.

 

Coopertino mentioned Magnussen-Moss Act... they MUST prove it was directly the cause of a failure, period. If not, and you have your oil changed at Kmart, or use non-original oil, same SAE spec, then they could say sorry, you used non-original oil, so your warranty is void. It doesn't work that way, and you can check with SEMA, Spec Equip Manuf Assoc if you don't believe me. My Z8 needed new Vanos units, and I had K&N filters in it. BMW techline told dealer K&N's were cause of check engine light. I said BS, as they came out of my M5 with 30k miles on it, no check engine light, same engine. I called local tech rep(FSE) and they backed down.
Your dealer sounds quite lame, although the stereo thing is a different deal. All the parts I changed are PASSIVE, and in no way can contribute to a failure, unlike pulleys, cams, internal mods, flywheels, etc. which change operating parameters. Airfilter, same TB only bored out, header with cat and sensors which doesn't throw Check light, and intercooler cannot be proven to be cause of mechanical failure unless installed incorrectly, etc.
I'd love to see 'em try...SEMA would be glad to help
Guess your dealer is one of the few drawbacks to the islands, MH?
At least it doesn't snow

 

I like this thread, it goes to prove that my upgrade path is probably OK. First: Intake, then the Exhaust (headers & back-CAT), followed by: rear sway bars, and finally the pulley and the ECU. I thought the JCW kits was probably worth the extra $5,800 my dealer wanted. But, then I thought I would miss on all the fun of doing the mod work myself.

Cheers