We all know that the Stage 1 JCW kit is a dealer add on. If enough interior/exterior items are upgraded, a Stage 1 JCW can be made to look nearly identical to a Factory JCW.

I don't know if this has ever been mentioned but there is a pattern in the VIN number that shows up for Factory JCW's 2009-2011 regardless of whether they are coupe, cabrio, or clubby.

I've noticed that for all the factory JCWs I've looked at online on Cars.com etc all have one number in common. The number 9. Look at the VIN of your factory JCW. In the sixth position you'll find the number "9".

This may only apply to US bound JCW cars.

If anyone notices any exceptions to my theory or notices other patterns, please let me know.

 

Interersting...

Even though it is generally very easy to tell if a car is a real "Factory JCW" or not, a VIN confirmation would be very nice. At the very least it would simplify explaining to people how to tell the difference if they don't know the mechanical differences.

 

Agreed. I think the factory JCW is pretty distinctive. However there are instances where the differences can be more difficult to discern. For instance, I've come across a few Stage 1 and Factory JCW postings where the original owner had done enough modding to either make the stage 1 look pretty close to a Factory JCW or where Factory JCW owners had modded their vehilcle in a way that removed some of those obvious visual cues that indicate a Factory JCW. In these cases this VIN trick could be helpful.

 

Agreed, it could be a simple, foolproof way of determining whether a car is a 'real' JCW when other information (pictures, knowledge of differences, confusing mods) is lacking.

 

I couldn't tell you exactly what the combo is, but there is SOMETHING in the factory JCW VIN that denotes its status. When I first insured my '09, its VIN came back from my agent as "2009 MINI Cooper S." Then sometime before the next renewal it switched on all my paperwork to "2009 MINI Cooper JCW." No premium increase, but showing a different model variation. When I traded in for my 2011 JCW, it came up as "2011 MINI Cooper JCW" on the insurance request from the start.

 

You can generally tell a "Factory" JCW from a "Stage 1" by what it doesn't have more than what it does have.

"Stage 1" cars have a JCW logo on the air-box and the exhaust tips, plus a sticker on the engine with a kit serial number.

"Factory" JCW cars have none of these.

Bill

 

The factory JCW's have "MF93" in the VIN prior to '11 from what I can tell.

 

It seems that "correlates" to the Hardtop bodystyle. Other Pre-11 cars of different bodystyles have different letters preceding the 9.

 

Agreed. For example the first six for my 2011 JCW are WMWSV9

 

Here are real world examples that I've pulled from listings on Cars.com and other MINI dealer listings.

WMWMS93519TK19579: 2009 JCW Coupe
WMWMM93579TL04162: 2009 JCW Clubman
WMWMS935X9TK19595: 2009 JCW Convertible

WMWMS9C59ATK19785: 2010 JCW Coupe
WMWMM9C56ATL04223: 2010 JCW Clubman
WMWMS9C57ATK19767: 2010 JCW Convertible

WMWSV9C57BTZ96708: 2011 JCW Coupe
WMWZG9C57BTZ80016: 2011 JCW Clubman
WMWZP9C55BTZ80550: 2011 JCW Convertible

 

Now that I have these all lined up I also see that all nine examples have a "T" in the 11th position. I now know this denotes (apparently) the plant where the vehicle was assembled. This makes since as all are made in the oxford plant.

More info about VIN patterns
http://www.edmunds.com/driving-tips/...-your-vin.html
http://www.sjbaker.org/telamom/vin.html - some of this doesn't seem quite spot on...

 

Hi,

To tell what configuration the car left the factory look at the last 7 numbers of the vin number

Enter the last 7 numbers in the realoem website, and it will tell you what the configuation of the car was when it left the factory

This cannot be changed or faked

http://realoem.com/bmw/select.do

Cheers

Robbo

 

My 2011 JCW confirms the telltale V9 sequence.

 

so this is a factory car?

WMWMF93579TF96179

according to real oem, Coop S JCW built in 06/08 engine N14

 

No. that car has the wrong vin and has the dealer installed exhaust.

 

I believe it is. Here is the first part of my VIN:
WMWMF93

I have an original non launch car JCW. It was one of the first to hit the states and it looks like JPMM is agonizing over a very early production hardtop like mine.

 

The car JPMM listed is a factory JCW.