Who can here can comment on having owned both now?

I have about 3k worth of mods in mind for my current 07. I want a turboback exhaust, ecu tune and bigger brakes. Now, I could just skip all that and go for the 09 JCW. Both options have their own certain appeal. Hmmm....what to do.

Here are my 07 Specs. Some of these mods will stay with the car.
PSRS Bushings (Sadly, these would stay with the car)
19mm Alta Rear Sway Bar (I might be to lazy to remove this!)
Alta Rear lower Control Arms
Vinyl Wrap Parts: Door Handles/Gas Cap/Side Repeaters
Joey Mod Headlights (would move over to the new car)
Cross Coilovers
Alta Intake
Whalen ****
Stubby Ant.
Auto On Sport Button Kit
Infinity Kappa Speakers

 

Have you put your 07 on the DYNO? You might be surprised and pleased.

Do the turbo back and brakes. Check out the MINI5280 dyno day thread.

Don

Of course, if you want an 09 JCW do it. Go with the Cross suspension, then it is done.

 

Depends on if you think you can take advantage of the JCW upgrade. You have a nice setup now. However the JCW is gong to give you some engine and tranny upgrades you can't "add on" easily . Is it worth it to you? That is up to you. Remember alot of the stuff you have done can be moved over to the JCW as I will do. Decisions, decisions......

 

I'm pondering the same thing, raw numbers & quarter mile times, a modded MCS may run toe to toe w/ a similar JCW, but the JCW's just got that bit of character in it's throttle response and engine noise.
I'll be waiting, at least until the climates a bit better for selling my MCS, for an aftermarket tune that goes beyond boost increases to re-enable the pop & burble.

Most of your mods, even the turboback (I believe), can be easily swapped over to the new car. Obviously parts like the bushings & speakers wouldn't be worth the trouble, but returning your mcs to mostly stock will likely increase it's value & save you money re-equipping the JCW.

The only downside to a new JCW is of course, the cost, and having to rationalize it to the wife ....

 

I'm also wondering if I might like my LSD better than the E version that comes standard with the JCW. Any thoughts on that?

I have to admit, that there is a certain allure to the new JCW. But at the same time I love my 07' it has had few problems, it's also my first mini, so that makes it hard to let go of.

Now, if only I could afford 2 car payments...

 

I'm limited by 1 parking spot at our condo...

It sounds like you haven't driven a JCW yet, I'd recommend that as the first step in making a decision. My factory LSD is alright under ideal conditions, but it's completely useless when the roads slippery, by contrast the JCW I test drove stayed hooked up the whole time .. I suspect the MCS will probably be first to get a real aftermarket mechanical LSD

 

If you can I would get the JCW. After I drove one I had to own it.

Good luck and you really can not go wrong with either decision

 

I modded my 07 as an after thought, and am pleased with the results.JCW power upgrade,JCW Suspension.Q

 

If I was ordering new, I'd probably want the JCW. The stronger pistons, brakes, and clutch being big sellers in addition to HP and torque improvements. I'd have to think hard about almost 7-8 grand over msrp for the mcs for a little more hp and torque.

But you alluded to the fact that you still have a car payment on the 07. In that case, I'd stay with what you've got. I don't care how good a deal you think you are getting either in trade or a private party sale of your car, you''ll lose money. I have only once got rid of a car before its payments were up and I'm sure I lost at least a little on the deal.

I also think given you have a MCS with turbo, I don't know if the performance upgrades are worth the money given what you already have. But only you can decide.

 

Well, I just had the Alta turboback installed on my 07' so I guess that sorta gives me a good hard push in the "mod my current car" direction

but who knows, time will tell...

 

If you can afford it..I would get the JCW

 

I've driven a JCW, because I was considering doing the same exact thing...and honestly it was fun to drive, and some things here and there were improvements...and it's right about the same price my MCS was because of the options I got on my MCS. But the amount I would lose trading in/selling or whatever with my current 08 and getting the 09 JCW it just wasn't worth it. For the amount of money I would lose, I could do a helluva lot more upgrades to my own. Or make quite a few more payments to be closer to paying it off.

So from a truly financial standpoint, it was just too big of a difference for me personally. Plus I have a lot of time invested in the mods i've done to my car...that's time I won't ever get back and time I would have to spend AGAIN on the new car. If I had waited and not bought my current 08, I would most certainly have gotten a JCW, but I couldn't wait any longer to get a new car and Mini was taking too long to come out with the JCW lol.