Hi everyone,

I'm looking to buy my first mini and just got done with a terrible experience at a Honda dealership selling a used 2005 mini S model. I pointed out several issues with the car including two big tears in the intake hose, passenger window motor was bad and a bald front left tire. All of which I haggled to have fixed prior to purchase.
I then decided to pull the car out of its parking spot to find a few drops of oil. I only ran the car for a few minutes. They decided to tell me that they would not put the repairs of the oil leak in with the price we agreed on before. They didn't even know it had a leak. Yeah right lol. That's when I walked. Figured I would share that first experience.
Now I am off to look at another mini claiming to be a JCW. Which is what I was originally wanting. Thinks to my first experience I am hesitant to trust anyone. Please tell me if this is a JCW. Keep in mind I haven't visited the dealer uet and will do so tomorrow. However I would like to know before I get up there and get lied to again. Here's a few pics. **edit** trying to upload pics via iPhone is proving more difficult than I thought. More pics soon sorry

 

Could just be a badge. Run the VIN here - http://www.bmwarchive.org/vin/bmw-vin-decoder.html

 

Don't believe badging.
Run the VIN

 

Looked it up. This is what I got. Could it be a cooper S with a JCW package? How can I tell when I get there?

 

Try this site, it'll list it there if it's a JCW from the factory in one of the tabs:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...vindecoder.php

Mine is a JCW from the dealer vs the factory

 

Great. Not a JCW. Oh well. Time to tell them lol

Thank you

 

1) The design of that particular badge is after badges used on the R56. The R53 badge is designed differently.

1st gen.



2nd gen.



2) I have seen knock off badges from China flooding the eBay sites and this one looks to be one of those stuck to the dash.....

ALL the 1st Gen JCW's have a badged/serial numbered plaque on the top of the valve cover like this one....No valve cover badge with serial number = Faux JCW



Good luck in your search !

 

According to the BMW VIN Decoder VIN TL21390 is indeed a "factory JCW" as it has the options 3AL (Tuning Kit and Sport Brakes) and 2TA (LSD).

 

Hmmm for some reason my phone didn't load all the details last time. Good catch. Thank you. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. Hoping I can talk them down in price

 

I am now a proud owner of a 2006 Mini Cooper s JCW. Thanks everyone for the help. I'm sure I will have a lot more questions soon.

 

Well done!! You'll love it. I Still miss mine, but the replacement R52 isn't too bad

 

The picture you showed in your first post shows the JCW badge on the inside of the car next to one of the dash vents? That shouldn't be there, unless they added that for some reason.

Does your new JCW have all of the JCW stuff under the hood ...JCW tag on the valve cover, JCW intercooler cover, JCW intake, JCW sticker on the DMW (computer)? What about JCW exhaust?

Just wondering. Hope you like your new mini

 

Has everything you just listed. Thought it was odd for that badge to be there as well. Definitely a JCW though.

 

There was a badge on the JCW carbon fiber dash in the MC40 ...



The JCW badge on the dash of your car isn't the correct one for a 1st Gen MINI.

 

I think I might take it off. I have the gray dash like the one in that pic. Not sure if it is carbon fiber. I'll post more pics tomorrow. Haven't had time to really appreciate the car since I bought it on a weekday. Here's one pic from the dealer. Already thinking about blacking out all the chrome. Not a fan of all white. But I'm not picky when it's a JCW lol. Loving the drive to work now.

 

According to the BMW VIN Decoder, your car has an Alloy Patina dash (option code 463).

 

Haha sorry. Still learning all the specifics. Just got done reading through the owners manual to make sure I take care of this thing correctly.

 

Get rid of that chrome!! and its hard to tell in that pic, but does it have the red brake calipers in the front?

 

Yes it does. I'll be getting some plasti dip this weekend and wait for good weather

 

Is the front license plate easy to remove?

 

should be. hopefully they didnt drill the front bumper, but ive never had one. have always used a tow hook (no holes) license plate bracket.