Someone on Craigslist is advertising a 2004 JCW Mini with 54,000 miles. After talking to him, he emailed me two pictures, but the pic of the exterior is corrupt; therefore I've only seen a pic of the interior (attached).

Now, as you can see, there's no JCW badge below the steering wheel. I asked the guy if there was any JCW badging, anywhere, and he said no. What makes him think it's a JCW, then? I guess that's what he was told by the previous owner. Anyway, a friend told me that there should be JCW somewhere on the exhaust pipes (unless they've been changed), so I asked him to check that.

Pending more pictures, which I should receive tonight, can anyone advise on any other ways to identify exactly what this car is/isn't? It's a 2 or 3 hour drive, so I want to be reasonably sure what to expect before going to see it up close. Thanks!

 

You need front pics, rear pics, close up exhaust tip pics, and a few engine pics to be able to tell. Nothing in interior that would identify a JCW.

 

Here are the latest pics.

 

those are the exhaust tips from the Works exhaust system.

a photograph of the top of the engine should show an acrylic plate on the top of the intercooler, right hand side, with prominant Works emblem

 

Use caution.

1-no red caliper
2-no badges
3-the exhaust tips indicate that he has an exhaust or tip which can be purchased seperately
4-the photo is hiding where the badge should be on the front
5-if he has it flaunt it does not seem the obvious mentality for the seller

just my five sense.

 

Doesn't the JCW's come with red stitching on the seats and console posts too?

 

Neil,

you might be thinking of the GP as pictured in "howsoonisnow1985" post above.

 

1. Only the factory JCW made in 06 came with the JCW brakes

 

As other have mentioned you REALLY need a pic of the engine bay. It should look like this:

Normally someone wouldn't just remove the JCW badges off the front and rear either.

 

The door sills should sport the JCW logo and there is a small JCW logo badge on the hatch. The exhausts are stainless and have "Works" stamped on them. The intercooler, as the picture shows, has the logo, and something else in the engine has the serial number of the addition on it. (Mine is at home in the garage and I am at work)
Remember in '04 the works was pretty much an engine and exhaust upgrade, and not much else.

 

There is a "works" logo and a serial number just by the upper left hand corner of the intercooler. VERY OBVIOUS!!

 

Those exhuast tips look too big. Almost looks like Miltek or Invidia.
There should also be the JCW logo on the air intake. (although this year, it was installed by the dealer ,if at all).

 

Get the vin and run it at a dealer and they will tell you. At least they will if it's factory or dealer.Also you can use the vin to get carfax.Also like the bmw you can call the 800 number and they will tell you alot about the car right downto when it came of the line date time options etc.

 

I have 2003 mini s JCW:
FRONT AND BACK BADGES,
EXHAUST WITH STAMPS OF JCW
Top of the engine has the name and the serial number of the kit.
plus the cover of the intercooler has the name of JCW.

 

I have a 2004 JCW MCS ditto as above. If the car has none of this then it is just a plain MCS.

 

The JCW kit was a whole lot more than a tune and exhaust!

New cylinder head

New intercooler

New Supercharger

New exhaust system, head to butt

New ECU

New injectors

New intake

Badges front and rear and on intercooler

 

How I can differentiate between the MCS and the JCW inside the engine or the intercooler?

 

JCW


MCS

 

I doubt this is a JCW MINI.