I was the first 2011 to have the Kit put on at Pensacola MINI. I'm glad I got the new exhaust manifold put on. My MINI sure runs allot stronger

 

No one has confirmed the hp numbers... what does MINI claim? If its 189hp, I say waste of money. If it's 200/197, as some have said, that's probably more like it. I would pay for an extra 15-19hp, but for an extra 8, no thanks.

I've already got a cat-back JCW exhaust, which sort of sucks, because I have to re-purchase it essentially.

 

MINI says 197hp & 200ftlbs torque. Feels like it to me

 

thats what the stage 1 euro cars made with the old engine.

 

Europe doesn't use the same HP scale we do.

 

thanks for educating me. i know mine was 197BHP.

 

I am interested in this mod, but am finding a rather large range in the price for the kit itself. Have any of you been able to purchase it for under 2K? The best price seems to Morristown Mini, at 1750. Anybody find it for less or the same anywhere else

Thanks
Spencer

 

You say you have the manifold as well?

Additionally, to get this completely clear for us all, the US JCW kit comes with...
.cat-back exhaust
.intake
.ECU tune
.exhaust manifold?

What is the average cost for the complete JCW kit in the US?

Thank you,
aaron

 

Yes, the kit comes with everything you listed. The price varies from $1,750- $2,199. Install prices vary from dealer to dealer. Sorry I can't say what the average cost is. I'm more than satisfied with mine

 

Thank you.

 

My JCW hardware kit gets installed on my 011 MCS tomorrow at Professional Auto in New Bern,NC. They do almost all of the special interest cars here in New Bern. Thursday the software upgrade will be done by a Mini dealer in NC.
Here's hoping it's worth it.

 

Who would've though that Mini would be able to break it up like that Capt. So it seems like the dealer can actually install only the software, albeit if one decides to have the parts installed elsewhere.
aaron

 

that would make it a lot cheaper

 

I had the JCW kit installed on tuesday, and the software installed yesterday. Some observations on the 2011 kit;
1) the intake parts are the same as the stock 2011 MCS, except for the filter. The JCW kit has a K&N instead of the paper filter. Even the part numbers molded into the parts are the same. The molded cover over the filter says "JOHN COPPER WORKS", but that is the only difference other than the filter itself.
2) the exhaust manifold is slightly different; not sure if it is better or worse, just different. And it is the most time consuming part of the hardware installation.
3) The new exhaust, which requires cutting the existing one piece system, is very loud at highway speeds. It's not bad around town, kinda fun, but at at 70MPH on the highway, after an hour, you will have had enough. Between 65 and 80, it has a drone that is very annoying. I will put the original system back on when I get a chance.

 

Do you think that with revised R56 engine, with already higher HP numbers, they were able to cheapen out on the intake? hmmm

I've also read some people complain about the drone on the JCW kit, whereas the factory JCW is not so bad. I'm hoping that is true...


According to an old MotoringFile article, revised JCW kit is rated at 195 hp / 184 lb-ft. Cooper S is 181 hp / 171 lb-ft so you get 14 hp for your kit.

Factory JCW is rated at 208 hp / 192 lb-ft. IMO pretty small differences between S / S JCW / JCW but I didn't order the factory JCW just because of the slight HP increase

 

Your numbers are a bit off. With the kit, that's an additional 24 hp, not 14.

 

I have the tuning kit on my 2012, and I experience zero of the "annoying highway drone" that you describe, whether in sport mode or not. It has just the right sound when you want it to, without any annoying side effects. But then again, for years I read countless complaints about every aspect of these cars that surprisingly didn't exist when I got mine, so I'm thankful for being lucky!
j

 

Looks like MINI made some changes, the numbers I provided were off by 2hp. The 2011+ JCW Tuning KIT added to a MINI Cooper S does NOT give you the same hp figures as the factory R56 MINI JCW.

This is from the US MINI website...

2012 Factory JCW :
208 hp, 192 ft-lb torque (207 w/ over boost) --> +27hp over MCS

2012 MINI Cooper S w/ JCW Tuning Kit :
197 hp, 184 lb-ft (200 w/ over boost) --> +16hp over MCS

2012 MINI Cooper S :
181 hp, 177 lb-ft (??? w/ over boost)

 

So subzero, was it worth it ???? Cause I'm seriously wanting to get it on mine. Even thought about trading for a new JCW but thats just gonna cost too much

 

seems my numbers were off. I stand corrected
However, coming from a 2010 MCS, which is rated at 172hp, the 25hp increase would be nice

 

It's MINIs own fault having so many different versions causing confusion. IMO they should have a factory JCW only, no kit, but offer JCW in auto box form as well.

 

In my opinion...no question about it!
The sound and grunt that the car has is totally different than stock. I had a loaner 2011 S while they were putting on my tuning kit. The loaner was the first MINI I ever drove, and it was of course great. Then I got my car and it was a totally different experience. 2 weeks later, I was having my windows tinted and got the same loaner again, and it was then that I *really* appreciated my car that much more!

The thing about the tuning kit is that not only is it awesome, it was designed exactly for your car, and you get it with full warranty. There might be other aftermarket options that may save you minimal cash, but lets face it...there is way more cache inherent to having a JCW tuned MINI with the JCW badges than there is by having 3rd party bolt-ons with white stickers on your window. Not that those are bad, but they aren't JCW!

There is a cool dude on here named JEdwards who just had his kit installed. Without speaking for him, I'm pretty sure his experience mirrors mine. So in conclusion, I say GO FOR IT!!!!!

Jon

 

Ii GOT THE KIT INSTALLED TODAY MINUS THE MANIFOLD, DUE TO THE COST OF INSTALLING THE MANIFOLD.IF YOU DO NOT MIND ME ASKING WHAT DID YOU PAY FOR YOUR INSTALL

THANKS,
SPENCER

 

Ordered mine today and will be installed next week along with them fixing a minor oil pump seal leak. I cannot wait

 

I guess I have been given some bad information. All of you guys are getting the JCW tuning kit for the 2011 MCS intalled and tuned by the dealer? I tried to buy the kit just last week but was waved off by my dealership; they said the calibration was not available yet. Was there a change by the factory that would make my car different? I believe it was built December 2010.

Any of you that successfully had this done care to PM me the telephone number to your dealership where they did the install?

I'm very confused.