So, tomorrow morning I pick up a shiny new F54 JCW.

I'm new to this forum, but not new to MINI ownership. I had a 2004 JCW in Dark Silver with a White Roof. I bought it new back in April of 2004 and loved it for nearly 11 years. When I was drawn to a BMW 328ix SportWagon. The 8 speed auto seemed wonderful, and it has been. I hadn't had an Auto in 13 years and traffic had gotten the best of me. BUT 6 months later, and I wanted a manual again.....So I bought a used Mazda Miata, a car the was great fun for what it was, it lasted a year with me and I traded it away for an R56 Mayfair that lived on with the Wagon for the last year or so. Neat car, but it had issues, that I had to address and the R56 failed to make me really love it.

I attended the launch event for the F54 about 18 months ago, and thought it was really nice, but I knew a JCW was coming and my wagon was still new feeling. I said to myself that the JCW version would be something I would want.....well I wanted it so I was right there. After debating order or take the one they had on the lot the decision was easy.....

The on eon the lot ticked all the boxes I would tick. I would've ordered Rebel Green, but would I wait and pay more for it, NO. So I am scheduled to pick up a White Silver, Red Roof JCW Clubman tomorrow.

It's a Manual (a must for me)

It has the Cold Weather (Michigan resident so a must have), Tech Package, Premium Package.

It has the rear fogs, the roof rails (an option I would've skipped but I think are probably worthwhile and don't look bad).the Piano Black MINI Yours trim, Sat radio, the MINI Yours Steering wheel (softer leather than the JCW wheel).

Once in hand I just need to figure out what I add to it. The Dinan tuner box seems like a good and safe mod. Do I need a phone holder? Do I need a shift ****, the stock one seems less than terrific, we'll see if that's my biggest complaint. Looking forward to longer with this car than my past purchases.

 

Congratulations! Hope you got a great deal on what will surely be a great MINI.

 

Congrats!!!!

Keep as updated about your impressions!!

 

Spent the day figuring out what does what, and how it does it. So far it's exactly what I wanted. My BMW, which never gave me a problem and was by all rights a wonderful car, felt bigger to drive and somehow more cramped on the inside than the Clubman. At the same time the Clubman has a level of refinement my R56 just couldn't come close to.

I've got no complaints. I'm not going to push it too hard till it has some break in miles. It has 250 miles or so on it, hopefully the dealer and potential customers didn't push it either (though I can't blame them too much if they did).

Anyone have comments on their cars loosening up after breaking in a bit. I see 2017All4 has the Dinan box and I'm strongly considering it after I get up to 1200 or so miles. The power it has is plenty of fun but for the small price (relatively speaking) its hard not to make that jump.

I'm ecstatic with the seats and overall comfort of the car so far. The HK is a very tight system, and makes good sounds. The new voice controls are terrific. It's almost like google for in car settings. Ask it to turn the volume up, which it can't do, it will tell you to use the buttons on the steering wheel. It's the best system I've used yet, the touchscreen is nice too but I prefer to not use it while driving.

I haven't kept the last 2 cars I bought for more than 2.5 years, the first MINI I bought in 2004 I kept for 10.5 years, I could see keeping this one for quite a while (of course I said that about the last 2 too).

 

Without pics we really can't believe you have your JCW...sorry...

 

I've had my 2009 mini for longer than any other car; at least partly because I got what I wanted, not settled for what they had. But the mini is just that much fun to drive, too.

 

I tried to get the dealer to give me the pics they took, they were so bad I can't use them and it's always dark here when I get out of work......but I'll see what I can do tonight.

 

Awesome, congrats!!

 

He's really driving a 2003 Toyota Tundra lol.

 

Here are a couple of pics. Nothing great, I'm no photographer. It's not even that clean anymore. I was checking out the rear fog lights, not sure they are worth much in retrospect. First fill up last night, the gas tank is smaller than I thought it would be, but I got mid 20's in almost all around town driving.



First Pic supplied by the dealer<br/>



Here it is living in my garage.

 

How about that, certainly isn't a Tundra

I was simply busting your chops a little about not having pics of your new ride in a 'fun' sort of way, nothing malicious about it. The white silver/red combo looks nice, great choice! Interesting that your dealership gave you a photochopped pic, kind of strange, but I guess that is their gig.

 

I also opted for the rear fogs for $100. I knew they were to provide more visibility of your car to drivers from the rear. I know they work as my wife was following and thought my brake lights were staying on, it was so noticable. I quess it they keep someone from rear ending you in low visibility, it was worth the $100.

 

Nice, I like that JCW body kit on the F54 so much more.

We just came out with some F54 Leds, might want to check those out.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...clubman-2.html

 

Nope not a Tundra. Don't know why but I never take pic's of my cars. I have no pics of the 04 JCW that I had for over 10 years.

However: If I need to make a career change, I KNOW I can manage a dealer website much better than the guy who manages my dealers website. It takes them forever to put up pics of cars AND they for some reason photoshop all of their photo's (exteriors at least).

I just have to resist buying accessories I don't "need".

 

So a little over a week in, and I have made a discovery of a foolish oversight. When I test drove the car, I was told it was running on All Season tires. It was a cold day (January normally is) and the car performed well so I thought nothing of it.

Over a month later, I buy the car I had driven that day. I've put 400 or so miles on it myself, but all in good weather (well good for Michigan in March). But today I woke to a blanket of snow. No worries All4 and all. Well I made it to work, and home (30+ miles round trip) without incident. But parked home in the garage, tire tracks in the snow, it didn't look very aggressive on the tread. Sure enough they are summer tires.

They performed well, roads were snow covered to some extent on the trip in, and I never even saw traction control kick in. BUT now I know. Where does one even find a set of wheels to fit over the brakes? ECS? I see the NM wheels have versions that fit over the brakes, and they look great. Even the 17's?!? What to do.....be brave (foolish), or spend lots of money......I will definately need them come fall and winter.

I'm a bit put off that the dealer didn't say anything, or know the difference.

 

Window sticker shows what tires?

 

JCW models usually come with summer, though if told all season would be quite peeved. I'm a fan of winter rubber regardless, and with All4 it's hard to put a wheel wrong

 

We fitted new aftermarket alzor aggressive and non aggressive wheels on the F54 Clubman/ Al4 / Clubman S / Clubman S All4. That were fitted on the F56. We have not tested wheels on the JCW Clubman but the Clubman in general can handle bigger and slightly wider wheels than the F56 in the wheel well. So, my bet is the JCW F56 NM Eng. wheels should fit the JCW F54.

The new F60 Countryman and F54 Clubman share the same wheels on the non JCW platform, have not checked the JCW platform. By my guess the F54 and F60 have the same bolt pattern(as the F56) but just have bigger wheels from the factory. So MINI did not cross them over to the F56 because they might have clearance issues( as far as going past the fenders (poke) with the larger wheels. No so much getting close to the strut or rubbing. MINI likes to play it safe on wheels.


Also we have wheel spacers so if a wheel comes close to the JCW caliper and has room to go outward, we have wheel spacer kits that can fix that.

 

Well if you got the same summer tires I did they'll last about 16,000 miles so it won't be long til you'll have the option of all seasons. Right?

 

Good point, maybe I just wear out the summer's and replace them with Winter's on these wheels and then shop for new summer wheels.

You are 100% right, and I should've known that. When I went to test drive I asked because it was quite cold out and was told they were all season, but it was a passing comment a month before I came back to do the deal.....I can't hold them more accountable than I hold myself.

I don't have that handy, its in the car and it's cold, and I have a cold....but the build sheet doesn't mention tires. JCW's don't even offer a tire option on the configurator. I knew that.

On the bright side these runflats are the cheapest I've ever seen according to TireRack ($137) so if I like them I may get another set. That doesn't seem to be the consensus though.

ECSTuning and NM's website have specific part numbers for JCW specific versions of their wheels. They have 17's and 18's that are JCW specific, and NM has a good rep. I've had winter wheels and tires for a MINI in the past and the wheels were pretty meh. Looks weren't the problem they weren't good hub specific wheels so when they got snow in them (at all) they went out of whack and caused awful vibration.

Since I drove already in the snow, and it handled well, and we are at Winter's end (ha ha, like anyone can judge or predict that), I should survive with brand new tires at max depth. I'll be shopping though, now might be a good time to buy snow tires, end of season sale?

 

I'm running the NM RSe Lights 18" in Gunmetal (for JCW) shod with/ Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 non runflat winter tires. They look awesome with the Melting Silver. My factory rims are the 19"

 

Those look terrific on the car. I had seen that picture before on the forum but didn't put it all together.

 

they are the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 P225/40-18 non rf winter tires. My 19" factory JCW Course Spoke rims came with Bridgestone Potenza S001 P225/35-19 runflats

 

Thanks 03mini-S

 

Those look soo good.