Hey all,

I've been MINIless for about a year and a half now, having traded mine in 2014 for a 2013 Golf R. I find myself missing having a jaunty small car. Now that my kid is forward facing and more mobile, I don't really feel like I need 3 or 4 doors anymore. My wife has a Countryman All4, so we've got the extra space if/when we need it.

My R isn't exactly off the shelf. With an APR Stage III kit (including FMIC, exhaust, RFD, and LPFP setup), a Wavetrac diff, HPA competition Haldex controller, pilot supersports, etc. it's definitely going to be tough to part with. I'm certain the reduction in power will be extremely noticeable, but I'm hoping some mods and the good ol MINI fun factor will avoid leaving me wanting. I'm assuming getting more than an average of 25mpg would help too.

I have a few concerns with the car, for which I don't see much info, that I wanted to ask about.

Lack of limited slip diff:
Coming from a car with a serious amount of traction, I find myself slightly concerned about this latest gen of JCW not having a mechanical limited slip diff. Heck, it doesn't even have a viscous diff like the GTI with a PP. How well are these cars putting down their power during cornering and at the limit under power? I find few things as disappointing as taking off from into a turn at an intersection to find all the fun taken away by traction control. This isn't exactly the sort of thing dealers get thrilled with during a test drive so, I ask, how does this car do?

Dynamic Dampers:
I found the sport suspension on my prior MINI (Clubman with sport suspension) to be a bit ragged for daily driving on our crappy greater Cleveland roads, but really loved it when I made it out into the country. I'm happy to see the dynamic damper option showing up. Is it really good enough to have it all? Can I drive comfortably on my morning commute and have a tight/sporty road when I want it?

Sound system:
One huge disappointment I had in my Clubman was the fact that I didn't get the Harmon Kardon system when I ordered it. The stock stereo in the MCCS was pretty bad compared to the standard stereo in the GTI I had before it and the premium 8 stereo in the R I have now. Has the default stereo improved enough that I'm not going to be disappointed if I skip the HK option? I'm not looking for audiophile quality here, but crisp mids and highs and tight bass are definitely high on my list.

I see a healthy selection of mods, and love the look of the new JCW, so I don't think I'll be disappointed there. I'm hoping to hear some good news on these last few concerns, and hoping to move on to one in the summer/fall if all goes well.

--Matt

 

Greetings,
Power wise, maybe in the future with custom tunes, a JCW may compare to your Golf R's power, but I have just an exhaust and power module and I'm at 261hp and 281 ftlbs to the wheels on low setting, have yet to dyno high setting.
From a perspective of putting down the power, running my car at VIR with traction control off, the car did everything I asked for at "my limit" of driving. Went on 2 wheels unfortunately twice through the climbing essess because I was dumb enough to look at the speedo to read 100 mph and miss my turn in points. Course there are much better track guys out there, but for me, I was very happy with the electronic diff.
I have the standard sport suspension, and I'll be switching to the JCW coilover when I make enough OT. I prefer a stiffer ride and do VIR usuallly twice a year. With the new F56 chassis, bumps seem to be taken easier compared to my former 2010 R56. The dynamic suspension is I think 20% stiffer than stock and the Stock JCW sport is 30% stiffer than stock. The JCW coilovers are firmer still.
I also had the base stereo on my 2014 MCS and could never go back to it now that I have the Harmon Kardon large display in my 2015 JCW. The base never sounded great, just fair. My wifes 2011 R56 with Harmon was always much better. Especially if you like the music to sound full. There are more speakers in the F56 compared to the R56 as well.
Gas mileage, I average in sport mode to and from work at 29-30 mpg, but if on the highway to the beach in South Carolina in green mode I average 42-44 mpg! Pretty flat highway trip. Glad for that since the gas tank is only 11ish gallons!

 

If your happy dabbling in the aftermarket then you can add a quaife LSD

I'm very happy with my VDC, this car isn't so sensitive to run flats,
( or their getting better probably both)
but I have "upgraded" From 18 stock to BBS 17 x 7.5 to save weight

suspension is subjective, but having had a full race set up R53 I think I'm in a good position to judge and I think VDC brings a fair compromise

 

Thanks! Yeah, moving from a 450hp AWD monster back to an FWD car will definitely be a noticeable power difference. TBQH, the power is wasted on me most of the time. It's a blast when I have an opportunity to exercise it though! It's got a pretty good chassis too, which is helped some by the VWR springs on it, but it's no MINI when it comes to agility. The >500lb difference between it and my last MINI is definitely something that hasn't gone unnoticed and it definitely lacks the stiffness of even an R55 Clubman.

I think I'll probably have to hear both stereos for myself. It's just too subjective. I'm sure the dealer will have cars equipped either way on the lot that I can hear.

I'm interested in hearing more thoughts on the e-diff, and some on the dampers for sure!

--Matt

 

Adding the diff is a big expense that will need to be planned though, if the labor is anything like what it was to add one to my current car. I have reservations on doing something like that on a fresh off the boat car too. I added the Wavetrac to my R at like 20k miles, but the warranty on everything that makes the car go was already voided at 17 miles on the ODO by its original owner then the stage 3 setup went on so there was no big loss there once I got over the cost.

I've never driven a car with dynamic dampers, and haven't seen one in any form available to test drive for whatever reason. Maybe too expensive an option for the randomizer that must produce on the lot cars? Who knows :p

--Matt

 

Well, I took another step and dropped a line to our favorite MINI salesman to make an appointment to stop in. I think we need to drag the family up to verify family fitment and sample the stereo options. Who knows, maybe they'll have a variable damper car up there by a strike of luck.

I'm pretty confident that the Diono Radian RXT I've got will fit fine, but it would be warmer and fuzzier to see it in one. My wife has one in her Countryman too and it fits by miles.

It's really too bad about the LSD, but I'm sure I could learn to live without it again :-P I think I've been a bit spoiled by the lack of inhibition that a car with no powertrain warranty has brought me. But, at the same time, the opposite of spoiled when something goes wrong every now and again.

--Matt

 

This may help

 

That is a particularly heplful video. I'm not sure how that hasn't popped up in my searches thus far, but thank you!

Boy do I like the sound of that exhaust. My current car has super gratuitous turbo spool sounds, but not that burble . Perhaps it's the kid in me, but that poppiness really illicits a smile.

--Matt

 

one of the better videos on the JCW, glad you liked it.

 

Well, this seems to have escalated quickly. Wife approves and were going to go drive an F56 to make sure the family all fits. It's just myself, my wife, and our 2 year old so I assume that'll all go well.

Thanks for the nudge all! We'll see how the stereos go and if we can find something (even an S) with VDC to play with.

--Matt

 

(Girl)Friend of mine in Golf R with Stage 1 MTM mod hates me in stock JCW:
:-)

 

Looks like fun. It's reassuring seeing it keeping a pace like that with an MK7 R with a flash!

--Matt

 

Oh boy, I think I stumbled on a yuck. It seems the DDC option results in a worse suspension than the default sport suspension at its best setup. Do my eyes deceive me? DDC is the same on the JCW as the S, and like 20% softer than sport?

--Matt

 

It depends on the setting, but it is nowhere near as stiff even at the tightest setting as the sport suspension.

I live in NH where the roads are crap. I drove both the DDC and sport suspension and I have to say that the difference is huge. The DDC is way too soft for me even with the roads around here, but I suppose it really depends on what you are looking for.

I was lucky in that I ordered mine before being able to drive one and got it with the sport suspension. So glad I did. Still comfortable, but so much better in the corners.

 

Thank you, that is very helpful. It sounds like DDC may need to be scratched off the list. I've got a date with a JCW this weekend. It's an auto, and I'm not sure how it is otherwise equipped, so we'll see how it goes

--Matt

 

Don't even think about the standard stereo unless you never listen to anything like my wife. She doesn't even know she has one in her car unless it's an audio book. Some people have gotten the DD and put a thicker rear sway bar on, sort of the best of both worlds. But you get the sport suspension for free with the JCW. Eliminating the DD buys you the HK sound.

 

I have a 2015 JCW lowered an inch with JCW Pro coilovers (non adjustable. Basically KW Variant 1s, but warranteed by MINI) on NM Engineers 17in x 7.5in RSE05 rims and Falken RT-615K tires. For the enthusiast who likes to rip up backroad twisties and the occasional trackday without sacrificing ride comfort too much, I'm very happy with this setup. In the Northeast with bumpy roads, it stays in contact but keeps me relatively flat in the corners as well. I have no trouble with the E-diff as well, don't miss or notice a difference vs. my modded R56 w/ stock LSD. The F56 only gives you -0.5 negative camber up front and there are no camber plates yet, I'd like a degree more for the street with sticky DOT tires. With adjustable bushings from Powerflex you can get -1.25-1.3 with stock knucks. -1.4/1.5 with the new knuckles that are an (expensive) OEM part you can have installed. But thus far with my MINI friends, I have no trouble going just as fast, if not faster than my old setup with all the goodies (custom valved KW Variant 2, camber plates, control arms, etc.).

HK stero is very good with the two 8in subs under each seat up front...but never heard the stock stereo to compare.

Only downside is that with the 215/45/17 Falkens on the car with coils and lowered an inch, I do rub. I shaved the plastic fenders and now clear them, but I rub on the felt liners... disconcerting, but not doing any damage. I occasionally rub when driving solo now, but if I throw in my 220lb brother and his pregnant wife, and I've hitting some corners....whoa buddy. Disappointing as NM said I'd be fine. *shrugs*

Vs. your Golf R, in a strightline the R will win every time, but what made me go for the F56 JCW is the community. I've yet to find a bunch of nuts to hit weekend backroads, events, etc. as I have with the MINI folks and I couldn't give it up.

Think of the F56 JCW w/ JCW Pro suspension as a very taught, small, fun BMW with that BMW fit and finish (sound deadening, interior materials, solid thud when you close the door) and slightly less go-cart MINI feel from an R53/R56.

GL.

 

Bster,

Not to hijack the thread, but I am looking pretty seriously at the RSE05 wheels. Do you have a picture you can post? I have not actually seen these on a car yet and am interested to see them.

Thanks.

 

http://imgur.com/a/Xz7dI

Be careful which RSE05 you buy... NM Engineering should have changed the model name but there are TWO RSE05s... one that clears the bigger JCW brakes, and one that does not.

 

Very aware of that but thanks for the reminder. They look really nice. I am probably doing the gunmetal ones if I do them. Might need to wait a while, too many expenses at the moment, but hope to do them sometime soon along with getting rid of the runflats. Now I have to decide too if I want to keep the stock wheels and tires as spares or for winter (which would mean I would need to buy TPMS sensors as well as I would leave them mounted) or if I will sell them. I do not drive this car much during the winter, but if I keep them I can do summer and either all season or snows. And if I sell both the wheels and tires I geuss I would need to buy TPMS anyway if I am selling as a set.

 

Rock Auto sells the VDO TPMS sensors for $45 a pop. Worked great if you go that route vs. MINI branded TPMS sensors ($$$). GL.

 

I don't think I'll waffle on this anymore. The stereo was one of the most disappointing aspects of my Clubman, and I don't want to repeat that over a few hundred bucks.


I'm not really interested in lowering it beyond how it comes, so I should be good there. I'll definitely have a second set of wheels, but they'll be another set of 17s with snows on them. Hopefully going with the 17" wheel option will help some in the comfort department too.

Haha, yeah, this R will hit 60 from a standstill in a hair over 3 seconds. I don't think there are many FWD cars that can match that. I can live with the reduction in hp/tq. I'm not so sure a JCW (at least not a stock one) would keep up with it through the twisties on most roads - since it's got some suspension upgrades, Pilot SuperSports, a pretty awesome front diff, and a haldex controller on top of the go fast parts - but I'm looking to reel it in a bit so that doesn't really matter. My biggest hope is to put clutches that can't hold, broken drive line parts, and 22mpg behind me for a while :-P Too much $$ for my blood for a DD. The turbo lag on this car isn't really as bad as you'd think, but having power at any revs sounds like a nice thing too from where I'm sitting.

I do really miss the MINI community. Even just the casual waves on the road. It's truly a plus all on its own!

--Matt

 

Well, we went for a test drive today. The dealer ended up having a 6-speed JCW, instead of the auto we were going to drive (some luck eh?). My kid fit no problem with my wife in a comfortable spot. The all season tires on it did "wet paper bag" the situation a touch, but were sufficient for getting in a good drive.

The leather JCW seats are definitely way over the top, and I won't go for that. I liked the feel of the gearbox (even in spite of the stupid armrest being in the way). The clutch was way light compared to what I'm used to, and engages right off the floor, which I can get used to.

I like how the car drove. Turn in was crisp and positive. The car had a bit of a tendency to oversteer in a hard corner, which I thought was jaunty and fun. The motor seemed to be sufficiently peppy. Plenty of torque all over the place. The exhaust sounded great in sport mode. The default sport suspension is very refined, probably more comfortable than the setup on my R on most of the roads we drove.

I'm thrilled. Going to see about getting the ball rolling on selling my R and hopefully getting one ordered in time to take advantage of the $1000 off deal (probably more like $750 or $500 based on the presumed delivery time). We'll see how she goes :D

--Matt

 

Congrats! Maybe your dealer can find one already optioned as you like to make that $1000 discount! My 2015 was, I think, the first in NC last April. It came with the Auto, which I didn't really want, but with the $1000 discount they had last year and a price reduction since it was a mid year 2015 model, it was a wash. I do like the frost white interior though and I love my leather seats in my JCW, but again, wouldn't pay the extra $1000 or $2000 for them, but again, the dealer worked with me and I have been very happy!. No issues and almost at 20K miles already!

 

Still trying to work out provisions with a buyer for my R, so I haven't placed my order yet. Hopefully soon though *fingers crossed*!

I did get outside to wash/decon/clay/wash/seal/wax my current car today though, taking advantage of the nice cool overcast conditions.



The Wife's Countryman got the same treatment last week, but needed a LOT more effort to get the paint decontaminated. Ended up having to go with a combination of autoscrub and clay to get all the little yellow dots out, even after hitting it twice with Sonax Fallout Cleaner. That silver white paint is pretty high maintenance :-P

--Matt