Haven't been on these boards for a while--Hello to all

Can somebody tell me the advantages of the JCW Mini (R53 or R56) vs the S2000 --in terms of fun factor? Had my mind set on the S2K due to reliability--but it is a bit small inside for me (fat man in a little car). The Mini has much more room and w/ the price of JCW's coming down, I'm tempted to buy a JCW.

Honestly, I fit ok in the S2000--just seems a bit claustrophobic--

I've always wanted a Mini and have never gotten one. Myabe I should just break down (no pun intended) and buy one. Biggest issues to be aware of w/ these cars??

I have a 4dr GTI right now so I put off the Mini because I thought it was too similar of a car.--but i'm on the fence.

I have to say i think the Mini community is one of the biggest pro's of buying one. .I know there would be lots of different events to go to--

I want the car (whatever I buy) to have some level of collectibility and it HAS to be fun to drive.(was looking @ the CR version of the S2k)

help me out. . .

 

I have driven a S2k, and happy to say i would rather own a Mini for how well they hold the road. I think the S2k is too small to actually be fun for very long. We love the Mini so much we are a two Cooper family... a R56 JCW and a R60 Countryman. Both are possibly the most fun cars I have ever driven! In the end it comes down to what you decide you like the most.

 

I have driven a s2k and unless you spend a lot of time above 6k rpm it's not really that fun of a car. the mini especially the R53 with it's punch at all rpm is a lot more fun to drive. Even on a long highway trip the mini just feels more enjoyable to drive. And the mini community is definitely the best! which ever you choose will be a fun car though.

 

my brother has a cr s2000 and my jcw hardtop is about 2 weeks away from being delivered, so i will let you know hhahah he pushed me to get the jcw more then a s2000 but i wil see for my self soon

 

I really like the S2000 except for one thing. I HATE long hoods on cars. Overall, I prefer the hardtop.

 

I would disagree. I had at least one Miata in the garage for an unbroken 15 years. A small convertible is a *lot* of fun, and I considered the S2K before I got my last Miata. The biggest problem, if you're a big guy, is whether or not you're going to grow tired of climbing *up* to get out of a car. A Stook makes you feel like you're dragging your wallet everywhere you go. Even more so than a Miata.

 

I own both cars so I will try to help you decide.

Honda S2000 owned for 8 years till August 2011 when I totalled it and nearly died in a Hollywood-roll over accident!!!
Thank God the Japs built it properly. It is a very well designed and built car which looks fresh till today. It is a beast in terms of reliability, and the power is there, but over 6000rpm, with the most exhilarating engine noise you have ever heard. You can rev it nonstop everyday @9000rpm and it will still feel tight. A little dangerous if you are not above the average driver, cause you will be plugged to thrash it all the time. Certainly fun to drive and own one.
I already miss it.

Mini Cooper S JCW kit with loads of aftermarket bits owned for 4 years and still. Not so well built, but the design is very nice as well. In terms of reliability it has its problems, no comparison with the S2000. Maybe mine is Monday-built. The sound of the exhaust is very nice with the pops, cracks, burble but the engine noise is awful. Low end torque will make you king of the road with one of these torque-beasts. Overall when stock with JCW kit, it is as fast as the S2000. Both cars are very tunable as well. The Mini IMHO is more fun to drive and own despite the reliability issues.
I hope I helped you.
The decision is yours.

 

I have both - '07 S2000 and a '11 JCW. Short answer....overall, the S2000 is better IMHO. However as a DD, I'd choose the MINI due to more room/space comfort, but as for handling and performance, I'd choose the S2000. Over the same roads and on the track, S2000 wins out for me. Plus the S2000 is more reliable - I've already had two issues with my 6 month old MINI and none with my almost 5 year old S2000. Let me know if you want more info.

 

Previous s2k owner here as well.


If you FI the s2k be prepared to spend money on axles and diff's (not relevant to driving style) as they are the weak point in the drive train. Great cars and im happy i owned one for a decade almost. In the 2.0 which i had you are either driving a civic below 6k or an s2000 above it so the driving style will have to change if your coming from a torquey car. Super fun, great to rev to 9.3k and when i boosted mine running a gt35r... anything about 6300 was a mind blowing experience.


S2000 to me = one of the top sports cars ever developed(sports car meaning traditional front engine rwd to me)


IMHO you cannot directly compare the two vehicles as one is a purposely built sports roadster, and the other is a factory modded base chassis. I feel a direct comparison in the USDM for the JCW would be the civic SI but by prices they cant be compared.

Both awesome vehilcles!

 

Look forward to the comparison!!

 

very good information--thank you.

GRIMNEBULIN and BIGPRFED22--thank you two also--great feedback!! This is what im talking about when I mentioned the community seems better. Could barely get a response on the S2K board.

There is a lot to consider and trying to find a used JCW R56 w/out too many mods will be a bit of work too--in the color I want. Thought I read a thread title talking about engine failures?? Have any of you all had problems??

I was also considering the R53 GP was not 100% sold on the looks, though--would want to keep it original--the JCW, prob new rims, exhaust, black-out trim and call it a day. I do like the WC 50 and Laurel editions but out of my $$$ range right now-

May ask some additional questions soon--

Thanks again to everybody for your help

 

Great write up.

Another thing I forgot to mention before is one major difference between the two cars - the stick shift. This is my main dislike about the MINI. Maybe I've been spoiled by the S2000's transmission, but I really feel it's one of the most precise, smooth, and best stick shifts I've driven in my ~25 years of driving. After getting out of my S, getting into the MINI and using the stick honestly feels like I'm driving a bus/semi, not that I've driven one, but what I imagine them to be. The clutch is fine on the MINI, but the stick itself feels like I am rowing a boat the distance is so far between gears. And the engagement itself is very notchcy and sometimes difficult to catch and find the right gear. I really wish it came with a short shifter! (Note - I am to lazy to do the 3 hour mod. ) That said, a lot of people have said the S2000 gearbox was one of the best made...so maybe I am a bit spoiled by it.

 

The shift "feel" is because the s2k has direct input, The trans sits in the channel and there is no linkage... +1 that was one of my favorite things about the S2k!


When i custom wired my stand alone though since the ecu sits in the kick panel a wrong move of the foot would make the car stumble lol i was too lazy to re wire it hahaha.

 

My main problem so far with the MINI was the failure of the HPFP (high pressure fuel pump) one week after I got the car. What a bad start and the way the service department handled it wasn't that great either. All covered under warranty but response from them was very poor and left a sour taste.

And in regards to S2KI, I'm a community organizer there. I feel it's a great place for info - I've learned tons from reading and from other members. That said, each local community is different, so if your local board is dead, you may be SOL. I'm having the same issue locally here in Sacramento with MINIs though - I can't find any active groups/boards except one. And even then it's far less active then the local S2000 board and community. So YMMV depending on where you live....

 

Lol us2bwrx was my name on s2ki, theres probably a few clutch install writeups still there from when i changed it out w/fly wheel while there was 1ft of snow on the ground... oh those were the days, axle swap in 15-20 min lol.


http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/3606...1#entry7070362

 

Ha!

 

Seems like there are a bunch of s2k converts/dual owners here. If anything, its making it more difficult to decide. Do the JCW engines need serious rebuilding after 60-70k miles?? I see a ton of them for sale in that mileage range as if people know thats the time to get rid of them.

I'm looking at a R53 GP w/ 44k miles right now but hesitant that the miles are a bit "high"??

I've test-driven 2 s2k's and am familiar with the short/snickety throws of the shifter--one of the best parts of the car. I've owned Honda's all of my life so I know those cars live in the Vtec range. But i also love the go-cart handling of the MINI, the interior cockpit, and have always wanted a MINI.

The other decision is to go with a R53 JCW GP or a used R53/R56 JCW that I can customize myself. Looking in the $19-24k range--I figure i should be able to pick up a decent car for that $$$--and it will be a weekend car only so the issues w/ a DD aren't a concern.

I figure on spending more on maintenance for the MINI as well--but how much more a year should I put away $$ wise?

 

I'm not familiar with the costs of older/used MINIs otherwise I'd give you my 2 cents.

As for:
"But i also love the go-cart handling of the MINI, the interior cockpit, and have always wanted a MINI."

I honestly gotta say the S2K still handles a fair amount better (even without mods) than the MINI IMHO...the front wheel drive and understeer still drives me nuts a bit. I have the understeer mod discs(?) but have yet to put them on. I LOVE the space inside the MINI though. And as a DD, it's more comfortable car for sure and a better fit. As a weekend car, I'd pick the S2000 hands down though. Love both cars for different reasons though.


Jeckyl and Hyde! Crappy iPhone pic as the MINI looks a bit bigger here that it really is due to angle.

 

Out of the box handling hands down for sure s2000... after coil over's the short wheelbase gives the mini the agility card hands down. S2000 steering feel IMO is more direct feeling as at speed it cuts all power asist off.

Understeer discs? What are those?

A rear sway bar will cure your understeer

I miss my S2k every now and then, but once tuned up and quick i love the faces of folks as they see the mini pulling on them

always go for the underdog lol

I also miss the external waste gate scream I had on the S2k

Realistically both cars if left stock wont have problems, i feel the Mini has more issues though regarding the timing tensioner and a few other quirks, i havent had any issues but i am also meticulous w/my maintanence and also check up on things most dont like tensioner torque etc.

I will say once modded i broke things on the S2k once every few months lol "got to pay to play".

s2000 still in my book is one of the best made sports vehicles especially if you have an ap1 from 00-01.

The ap2's got a little more "convenient" but i wish i would have had a little of the comforts when i had mine, the transmission/clutch noise was annoyingly horrid.


+1 with the DD , it was my DD for almost a decade and it definitely did a number on my spine lol


Also, mod wise you can get WAY more gains out of the mini than you can the S2000 without going custom turbo etc. since the s2000 is tuned from the factory pretty damn well.

 

Agility-wise, I find it a little hard to believe a MINI w/ CO's would be hands down better than an S w/ CO's. Maybe similar...but I have yet to drive a MINI with CO's so I cannot even guess.

And the discs I think are for the bump understeer - my bad. I do need to get a swaybar for the rear though - 22mm? Recommendations?

And with a simple bolt on SC (Comptech), my S2000 now gets 373hp/255tq at the rear wheels. And you don't need to do any internal engine mods to get there as it's only running at 9.8psi. And it's CARB legal in CA...when using the stock pulley, which mine is of course.

Overall though, the MINI is great - really love mine.

 

Your a cheater , a supercharger isnt considered a bolt on. The f-series will definitely make more reliable power. my inline pro kit generated 427 with 270ftlbs at 18psi with the only engine mod being a head gasket. And inline pros shop is down the st from my house so i was there often scrapping a good tune.


DONT PUT ME IN THIS POSITION I LOVE MY MINI MORE!

Your right about the hands down bit, the course would determine the winner but i stand by my coop w /co's i sure do miss my 2k

 

Nice #'s!!!

And I might be a wee bit o' a cheater... ...but the SC was really not much work at all...it seemed bolt-on to me.

I'll still take my S with its Tein SRC Evasive Spec COs (or even some KW v3s - great value!) .....Mwaaaaahahahahaha

But again your S #'s are very nice. With CA emissions issues, no way I could go turbo here...unless I totally want to unistall and reinstall each smog test time.

Love both cars for different reasons. Kinda like parents and kids?!?

 

Are you just running the comptech/vortech FMU's? or a stand alone?

 

It's a Comptech/Vortech 1220SL using Hondata FlashPro for the EMU. It's a bit slow on the spool up compared to the MINI but it's a great improvement over the stock power. Would love to have had the quicker turbo spool up but too tough with CARB restrictions here.

 

NOM NOM NOM, hondata intake mani spacer?

I wish i would find a manifold with an external dump for the mini, super intimidating.

Looks awesome, the comptech stuff is always so good looking. I didnt want to install the flywheel when i had it lol.

Any diff issues? I went through 3 lsd's probably 4-5 axles and 1 diff carrier(after i used the comptech heat treated end caps.


I love the front " cobra hood " of the S2k , when you look at it from the front it looks like a cobra snakes hood almost with the front fender shape.