Still no order placed. Can't wait for a solid commitment from.the prospective buyer of my R so the waiting can really begin!

--Matt

 

Bummer, got a solid no from my buyer :(. I guess it's down to seeing what dealerships will offer. I've had two bad experiences with private sales to strangers in the past (one minor collision, one gearbox damage) so private sale seems off the table.

--Matt

 

Well, got the ball rolling a bit today. I sold my R and am now the proud second owner of an 08 MCS, which I'll drive until the new car comes. Just got to get it ordered now! :D. This car is an auto, which isn't great, but seems to be well cared for and in good health.

--Matt

 

Hooray! I got mine ordered today. My dealership had to do some finagling to get one of the two remaining JCW production orders for MY2016 from another dealership, but they secured one and it's ordered!

Looks like, in 6-8 weeks, I'll be the happy owner of a 2016 JCW Hardtop in White Silver with Black roof/mirror caps and Silver Track Spokes. I'm not into much of the expensive gadgetry that's available, so no RVC, parking assist, screen, nav, DDC, etc. and no sunroof. I did opt for the HK stereo, LED headlights, and heated seats though (missed that one on my Clubby). Cloth is a non-starter with a 2-year-old, so i went with the ultra durable leatherette sport seats instead of the JCW seats.

Can't wait!!! I guess it'll look roughly like this:



--Matt

 

As you know minis you can make it uniquely yours in short order!

 

Word. Having had plenty of cars with cloth and a couple with leather, the leatherette just seems superior. Wears like nails, not too hot, light on maintenance.

I most look forward to gratuitous pop pop pop pop! Hopefully I can avoid modding this car to the point where it becomes intolerable. Seems like a solid platform, so hopefully intake/exhaust/piggyback/swaybar will do it.

--Matt

 

Well, for anyone that was curious. I love the switch to the JCW. The amount of power is definitely way down, but smiles per mile are way up.

I did find power delivery to be sorely lacking, but added a diff recently and feel like it really helped - and added significantly to the appeal behind the wheel. (See https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/jcw-garage/307903-anyone-add-an-lsd-yet.html).

--Matt

 

A piggy back chip and performance exhaust will give you about 270 in JCW. I went with the NM and take it off for service at mini and plug it back in when I get home. It only takes about 15 minutes. 20 more ponies for about $400 + or -.

 

I got the JCW Pro exhaust right out the gate. I'll probably pick up a Dinan box in the spring. It'd be wasted for the winter time anyways. It's definitely at or near the top of my list. Lightweight wheels for the summer, and maybe a suspension upgrade, are probably all I really plan to add at this point otherwise.

I'm trying to avoid modding this one to the point where it's DD friendliness is lost. The DD factor is very very strong with this car.

--Maty

 

True, but I found that the additional horsepower and torque did not change that for me. It is my favorite 4 wheel toy!

 

That's my hope as well . Just need to avoid hard poly mounts, bushings, big turbo, overly aggressive brake pads, etc. and I'm sure I'll be fine. This chassis really seems sorted and refined enough that I think I'll be fine without them. "Mod it till you can't stand it" seems to be a nasty historical habit of mine, so I'm taking modding glacially slow this time :D

--Matt

 

Matt!!!

I love your thread. I'm in a similar situation. I have the '15 Golf R. It's fast as f@#$ but it is soulless. My kid is almost 3, so he faces forward, and hardly rides in my car anyway. The DSG in the Golf I have could be great, but it's heavily crippled by awful shift software. Yesterday I went to my local MINI dealer and drove a Cooper S with the automatic which seemed to shift much faster, have less turbo lag, and all around felt more responsive. The R feels too luxury, not enough fun/sportiness.

I had previously a 2007 R56 Cooper S, and a 2015 JCW Coupe. The coupe was a great car, I used mostly for track and some back road driving.

Even though the coupe with OEM JCW suspension and the OS Giken LSD drove like a dream (and terrorized much higher horsepower cars on the track) I had to sell it to realize a dream to get another sports car.

The Golf R, 20k miles in and ZZZZzzz. Still not bonding. I am however still missing my MINI and was stoked after my Cooper S test drive.

Im thinking of building a fully loaded JCW hard top, but I'm torn about transmission. I've been a manual guy my whole life, and typically really dislike automatic boxes. However, with the traffic I'm in it's very nice to have the auto.

Any thoughts on the automatic in the JCW? Or how about stories driving the 6MT in traffic? (maybe 1-1.5hrs of bumper to bumper).

Oh and I sampled the HK stereo, it's a definite must. The regular stereo is not good at all.

 

I never had a problem with a MT in traffic. I would never buy a Mini with AT because it is a small engine and you don't have control about optimum performance.

All AT Mini I drove have been a disappointment.

 

I was a hard core MT guy until this mini. If you wonder about try the Miles Ahead Performance driving course at Indianapolis Speedway. It is too much fun, a great learning experience and you will be driving an F56 JCW with an auto tranny. Their instructors are all Indy car drivers and they unanimously advised us to go with the automatic. I waited to order the new toy until the manual was available, so June of 2015 I broke down and ordered it with the auto and I am not sorry. In manual mode the shifts are fast and smooth and your hands don't leave the wheel while shifting. It is not as engaging as the manual, but it is faster. 3rd and 4th gears are long and strong, doing the Tail, the Snake, Little Switzerland, et. al., 3rd and 4th are about all I use except in the ridiculous corners which require 2nd occasionally. With the JCW PRO exhaust and an NM chip it produces 270 hp and roars. The overboost is solid and exhilarating. Not as cute and nimble as earlier models, but it will outperform them all. And, not only is it quick, it is very fast and too much fun to be street legal.

 

it really is a disservice to us not selling a LSD as a factory option, I won't be able to replace my autocross car until they bring it back, I hate to have to switch to another brand for autocross

2 things left they need to do to get me BACK into a newer mini, fix the nose, and start selling an LSD again

 

Woa, posts! I wont buy a car without a manual until manuals stop being an option, especially after my brief stint in an auto 08. Yuck, just confirmed that autos are not for me. The clutch in this car is light enough not to be a pain, and the shifter is smooth and obvious. It's perfectly plausible for 1.5 hours of bumper to bumper.

--Matt

 

Awesome. Yeah I remember in my '15 the clutch was lighter than my '07. The clutch pedal in the '07 felt like I needed robo leg to press it after an hour of traffic.

I'm the same way, I like the idea of the automatic, but in practice I get bored.

 

My '13 was pretty heavy too, but not like the one on my Golf . This car is so easy and pleasant to drive, you can't not have fun in it

--Matt