Ride Comfort: Clubman S vs. John Cooper Works???
 

I have had a classic Mini Cooper for years and recently drove a MINI Cooper S and decided it is time to have 1 of each! I'm looking for a used MINI Clubman S for my daily commuting, driving kids around, and general transportation. I'll save my classic Mini for the fun weekend drives when I don't mind having my teeth rattling around….

So, after researching the MINI Clubman options and driving both a naturally aspirated and turbo S, I decided to go with a Clubman S with the 16" wheels to get the turbo performance but have a decent ride comfort.

But NOW I've come across a really good deal on a low-mileage Clubman JCW! I don't NEED the extra power of the JCW but I don't mind it either. I like most of the upgrades of the JCW but am concerned about the ride comfort as it is reviewed as being very very harsh. So, what if I downgraded it to 17" wheels? Would that give me equivalent ride comfort to an S or would I need to downgrade the suspension as well? I figure changing out rims and tires is not a big deal but it's not worth it if it is going to be a lot more than that. Should I keep looking for an S or go buy this JCW?

Thanks,
Paul

No, all else being equal, a 17" shod JCW is not going to provide as good a ride as an "S" on 16" wheels.


What model years, what suspensions (stock, sport, or after delivery JCW), and what type of tires (runflat)?

I hate to say but since comfort level is often a personal perception the only way to know might be to do a test drive.

Also, fitted tires will be an important factor in this.