Which has the better gains? sound? reliability? Will both fit and function properly on the '09 factory JCW? Any experience or feedback you guys can provide would be very helpful?

 

96 views and not one response? Somebody out there has to know something, no?

 

I've been researching this question for some time now, reading all the posts in various threads. Many provide anecdotal evidence supporting this CAI or that one, the manufacturers have their dyno tests boasting X amount of HP increase with their product, there is a faction that claims the JCW setup is the best setup as it is developed by the MINI engineers to work with the factory tuning.

Then there is the question of how to test the CAI: on the dyno, on the track, or in the quarter mile - each will give different results. Then there is the "cool" factor - which setup looks like a "tuner" intake system begging to hit the track?

The bottom line, for myself and many others, is whichever we install we don't want to lose HP/performance or have to deal with frequent CELs. One thing I'm still analyzing is my 07 MCS is 174 HP and tho 09 JCW is 208 HP. That's an almost 35 HP gain! I don't know of any aftermarket setup that can provide such a gain without any of the drawbacks that accompany the aftermarket items.

The only drawback to the JCW setup is the price. I recently built an 09 JCW online and the price was 39k - that's 15k more than I paid for my 07 MCS with sport suspension and LSD. Fifteen thousand dollars is a chunk of change. One might argue that's a lot of money that could be spent on aftermarket parts and tuning, but the results are not certain.

Personally I like the M7 AGS-R for the cool factor and the fact that is seems more efficient and productive to take cold air fom outside thru the scoop rather than from inside the engine compartment, but this is just a subjective preference loosely based on a "common sense" approach to comparing the two. I'm certainly in no position to contradict any manufacturer's claims to the contrary.

I'm sorry I have no definitive answer , I haven't found one anywhere I've looked.

 

And all the more impressive that that's all achieved thru ducting, engine & exhaust with stock restrictive filter box in use...!

I like the idea of the M7 AGS-R myself. But I also wish I had a pressure meter to have actual quantitative figures. I'm quite sure that scoop is in a much lower pressure zone than the stock intake scoop location, but area is larger. ... Vs. the higher pressure of the stock location but much lower area. The two combine result in what's important, airflow. I'd like to know indeed, whether the stock intake location will or will not provide more airflow into the engine than the M7 AFS-R aside from the filters that are used.

Aside from that, any option that does not have a sealed housing to the outside an pulls from the engine compartment is out of the running for me, especially with a turbo sitting in that compartment too.

 

I feel your pain. As a new owner of a JCW, about 4 months, I have read many of the reviews for the aftermarket add-ons to "S" models, and wonder should I have spent $35K. And, recently ALTA publishes how they can improve the Factory JCW. Although ALTA mods to the factory JCW seem to be extremely high $/HP ratio, not justifiable expenditures. I have yielded to some extent and intend to replace the stock air filter with the ALTA; for my personal comparison. One very noticeable plus for the Factory JCW are the Brakes -- without a doubt, the most impressive feature, to me. It is not all about going fast, stopping fast is extremely important too.