Good Morning Everyone,

I had a R56 mini a couple years ago and sold that for a C6 Corvette Z06. I have really been craving a mini again...I WANT ONE. What I have been wanting to try and find is a used countryman jcw. Does anyone know where to find one around Louisiana?

Also just a couple questions: Do you think I am going to miss that 7.0L V8 and HP or will that mini magic bring me back to life?

Once I find one I was going to do some work to it. What are some of the best mods to do first? I was thinking: intake, intercooler, chip, and maybe exhaust?

Any and all responses would be helpful.

Thanks!

 

First question really depends on your preference - do you like going in a straight line as fast as possible or taking corners at ridiculous speeds? As you know already, the MINI has quite a different personality than the Z06. MINI of course has less power but I find it way more fun to zip around twisties and feel those lateral g's. And I also like the fact that I still get ~30 mpg combined in my JCW, up to 35 or 37 on the highway. It also has more "usable" power, in that if I floor it on an onramp I won't be too much over the speed limit once I reach the merge.

Chat with MarioKart on this forum, he's well known for reliable Manic tunes and catless DP products. For stage 2 you need intercooler, exhaust, DP, colder plugs, maybe some other things that Mario can help you with. Full CAI wouldn't bring about worthwhile power gains but maybe just a panel filter replacement with K&N or aFe would be enough.

I was looking for a JCW for 9 months and eventually found it on craigslist in Seattle. Browse all the online car sales portals like cargurus, cars.com, autotrader, and R60 JCWs are rare so you might have to expand your search range a bit. Good luck!

 

Food for thought I already have a 04Z06 lightly modded. Just got an 06 R53 S perfect how I'd pick it, 1 owner, 60K and it has it's own major fun factor replacing a boring Honda SUV as my new DD. I did not get rid of the Z06 since it's not my DD. If your budget allows keep the Z06 lol!

 

Your not going to find what your looking for in an R60. It will be fine if you keep the Z06. Having owned all of them, the R60 is no R53 or R56.

 

It all depends on what kind of a "Car Guy" you are. I had a 71 Camaro that was making 400+hp, and it was a blast to drive........but my mini is also a blast, but for different reasons. You aren't going to win any drag races in a mini that's for sure....but if you like small, tight, little cars that handle like a gokart.....they are a blast.

It just depends on what you are looking for.......the mini sure isn't going to have the low end torque or power that the Z06 has. If it was me, I would keep the Z06...AND get a mini to play with.

 

I understand what you are going through. I went from a 12' Cadillac CTSV 650HP to a Mini and then a BMW M4 to a Countryman Tuning and downpipe will really help the Countryman mQubed Motorsport, Manic Tuning Dealer