Hi everyone, I'm new to all these Mini modifications and would like some help. I recently picked up 2 JCW, both 1 gen. 1 is an 03 JCW and the other is an 08 Sidewalk JCW. My 08 has some exhaust leak somewhere from what it sounds like when driving the car and some rattling and I would like to see if anyone has gotten and aftermarket system to replace the factory JCW system. I've check around the site and didn't see too many options, mostly expensive options too. Could anyone point me to a decent price range for header and exhaust system for around $1000 or less? Thanks you

also could anyone point out how to tell the different brake and suspension upgrade for JCW. Apparently my 08 has a sport package, JCW upgrades, weather package and I would like to know how to tell. I can tell the JCW parts but not the rest. Thank you again

 

Hi and welcome to nam. A great place to learn about your Minis and what mods you are going to make. (Everyone gets the mod disease here!)

Give us the year and vin and I will check it and post it for you, if you would like.
The vin will tell you all the factory installed options, or look it up yourself:
http://bimmer.work/

If you post your results, we may be able to tell you what you want to know on your car.

 

Thank you, I tried but it's not letting me add the whole vin number. I also tried the last 8 number that that doesn't work either. Hopefully you can help me out.

2008 Mini sidewalk
WMWRH33548TU81564

 

You could also use the build date and get accurate parts numbers. The build date in on the driver's side door jam.

 

A new stock header is more expensive than a performance header, but you can find used headers on car-part.com for reasonable prices.

Milltek makes an R52 exhaust as well as their hard top option, both are going to run you around $850 plus shipping, but carry lifetime warranties and sound fantastic.

Milltek R52 Exhaust

 

All on the 08: 1.) the exhaust is different than the R53 version as there is a section that is flattened out and U shaped to get over part of the suspension just in front of the rear tires. 2.) Yes, the 08 vert does have a few vibrations. Check out posts on the R52 forum. 3.) On the brakes, pretty sure you have the JCW red calipers on the front and the standard R53 on the back. 4.) JCW springs were port installed and would be red. With the sport package I am thinking your springs are compressed to decrease height by 1/2". A VIN check would confirm 5.) Below is a VIN decoder site that will list how the car was built. 6.) Drive your 03 that I assume does not have LSD and then the 08 that does (part of the JCW factory package) and chime back on your impressions on torque steer; 03 vs 08.

https://www.bmwvin.com/

 

On the Cabrio the only exhaust that fits right is the Milltek due to the bracing.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/millte...52-cabrio.html

You only need to replace the header if there is something wrong with it. So if it's not leaking stick with it.

If you do end up wanting a header another cost effective option is the Flashpoint
https://www.waymotorworks.com/flashp...eader-cat.html

 

Here is the info from BMW vin decoder:
Vehicle Identification Number
WMWRH33548TU81564 Vehicle History CARFAX Vehicle History Report Type RH33 Model Cooper S - USA Development Code R52 Chassis CABRIO Steering LL Doors 2 Engine W11 Displacement 1.60 Power 125 Drivetrain FRONT Transmission MECH Color Astro Black Metallic - A25 Upholstery Leder English/panther Schwarz - LNPN Production Plant OXFORD Production Date 2008-07-05
Standard Equipment

226 Sports Suspension Settings Sportliche Fahrwerksabstimmung 255 Sports Leather Steering Wheel Sport-lederlenkrad 3AB Body Coloured Mirror Caps Spiegelkappen In Wagenfarbe 441 Smokers Package Raucherpaket 470 Child Seat Isofix Attachment Kindersitzbefestigung Isofix 481 Sport Seats F Driver/front Passenger Sportsitze Fuer Fahrer/beifahrer 493 Storage Compartment Package Ablagenpaket 508 Park Distance Control (pdc) Park Distance Control (pdc) 546 Revolution Counter Drehzahlmesser 563 Lights Package Lichtpaket 657 Radio Boost Radio Boost 736 Second Radio Remote Control Key 2. Funkfernbedienungsschluessel 823 Hot Climate Version Heissland-ausfuehrung 845 Acoustic Belt Warning Akustische Gurtwarnung 853 Language Version English Sprachversion Englisch 876 Radio Frequency 315 Mhz Funkfrequenz 315 Mhz 992 Number Plate Attachement Management Steuerung Kennzeichenbefestigung
Options

1CA Selection Cop Relevant Vehicles Selektion Cop Relevanter Fahrzeuge 2RM Alloy Wheels Night Spoke /rf Lm Raeder Night Spoke / Nl 2TA Limited Slip Differential Sperrdiferential 2VB Tyre Pressure Indicator Reifendruckanzeige 210 Dynamic Stability Control (dsc) Dynamische Stab. Control (dsc) 249 Multi-function For Steering Wheel Multifunktion Fuer Lenkrad 3AL John Cooper Works Kit John Cooper Works Kit 313 Exterior Mirror Package Aussenspiegelpaket 314 Heated Windscreen Washer Nozzles Frontscheibenwaschduesen Beheizt 345 Chrome Line Interior Chrome Line Interieur 4AV Interior Surface Sidewalk Interieur-oberflaeche Sidewalk 450 Height Adjustment F Front Passenger Seat Beifahrersitz Hoehenverstellung 473 Armrest, Front Armauflage Vorn 494 Seat Heating F Driver/front Passenger Sitzheizung Fuer Fahrer/beifahrer 520 Foglights Nebelscheinwerfer 522 Xenon Light Xenon-licht 534 Automatic Air Conditioning Klimaautomatik 550 On-board Computer Bordcomputer 645 Radio Control Us Radio-steuerung Us 650 Cd Player Cd-laufwerk 674 Hifi Loudspeaker System Harman Kardon Hifi-system Harman/kardon 692 Cd Changer I-bus Preparation Cd Wechsler I-bus Vorbereitung 7A1 Mini Sidewalk Mini Sidewalk 8SP Cop Control Cop Steuerung 895 Additional Ventilator Zusatzluefter 925 Shipping Protection Package Versandschutzpaket

 

Here is the decoder from: http://myminivin.com/
Type
Value VIN WMWRH33548TU81564 Type code RH33 Type COOPER S (USA) E series R52 () Series M Type CABRIO Steering LL Doors 2 Engine W11 Displacement 1.60 Power 125 Drive FRONT Transmission MECH Colour ASTRO BLACK METALLIC (A25) Upholstery LEDER ENGLISH/PANTHER SCHWARZ (LNPN) Prod.date 2013-01-23

Code Description (interface) Description (EPC) S1CAA SELEKTION COP RELEVANTER FAHRZEUGE Selection of COP relevant vehicles S210A DYNAMISCHE STAB. CONTROL (DSC) Dynamic stability control S249A MULTIFUNKTION FUER LENKRAD Multifunction f steering wheel S2RMA LM RAEDER NIGHT SPOKE / NL MINI LA wheel, night spoke, limp-home S2TAA SPERRDIFERENTIAL Differential lock 25% S2VBA REIFENDRUCKANZEIGE Tire pressure display S313A AUSSENSPIEGELPAKET Fold-in outside mirror S314A FRONTSCHEIBENWASCHDUESEN BEHEIZT Door mirror / driver's lock, heated S345A CHROME LINE INTERIEUR Chrome Line Interieur S3ALA JOHN COOPER WORKS KIT John Cooper Works Kit S450A BEIFAHRERSITZ HOEHENVERSTELLUNG Height adjustment, passenger seat S473A ARMAUFLAGE VORN Armrest front S494A SITZHEIZUNG FUER FAHRER/BEIFAHRER Seat heating driver/passenger S4AVA INTERIEUR-OBERFLAECHE SIDEWALK Interior surface Sidewalk S520A NEBELSCHEINWERFER Fog lights Code Description (interface) Description (EPC) S522A XENON-LICHT Xenon Light S534A KLIMAAUTOMATIK Automatic air conditioning S550A BORDCOMPUTER On-board computer S645A RADIO-STEUERUNG US BMW US Radio S650A CD-LAUFWERK CD player S674A HIFI-SYSTEM HARMAN/KARDON Hi-Fi System Harman Kardon S692A CD WECHSLER I-BUS VORBEREITUNG Preparation, BMW 6-CD changer I-bus P7A1A MINI SIDEWALK MINI Sidewalk S895A ZUSATZLUEFTER Additional fan S8SPA COP STEUERUNG Control unit COP S925A VERSANDSCHUTZPAKET Dummy-SALAPA

Code Description (interface) Description (EPC) S226A SPORTLICHE FAHRWERKSABSTIMMUNG Sports suspension settings S255A SPORT-LEDERLENKRAD Sports leather steering wheel S3ABA SPIEGELKAPPEN IN WAGENFARBE Mirror cap in vehicle color S441A RAUCHERPAKET Smoker package S470A KINDERSITZBEFESTIGUNG ISOFIX Isofix-System S481A SPORTSITZE FUER FAHRER/BEIFAHRER Sports seat S493A ABLAGENPAKET Storage compartment package S508A PARK DISTANCE CONTROL (PDC) Park Distance Control (PDC) S546A DREHZAHLMESSER Revolution counter S563A LICHTPAKET Light package S657A RADIO BOOST Radio, BMW Business/MINI Boost S736A 2. FUNKFERNBEDIENUNGSSCHLUESSEL 2nd radio remote control key S823A HEISSLAND-AUSFUEHRUNG Hot-climate version S845A AKUSTISCHE GURTWARNUNG Acoustic belt warning S853A SPRACHVERSION ENGLISCH Language version English Code Description (interface) Description (EPC) S876A FUNKFREQUENZ 315 MHZ Radio frequency 315 MHz S992A STEUERUNG KENNZEICHENBEFESTIGUNG Control of number-plate attachment

 

Thank you so much ItsmeWayne, Looks like it came with a lot of factory options. Is the "3AL John Cooper Works Kit John Cooper Works Kit" referring to the engine upgrades? Thanks

 

It means engine upgrades, suspension upgrades, brake upgrades, limited slip differential upgrade, etc.

 

The 226 Sport Suspension is different strut/shocks, springs and sway bars. Pretty sure the ride height is lowered b 1/2" as well. I have this on my car. For what you had to pay for the option new there were aftermarket packages that worked better and were a little cheaper. As you bought used as did I, we got a little better handling car then a stock R52/53.

The 3AL is the factory installed JCW package that has a different supercharger pulley, bigger injectors, modified head, different air box, LSD, sport exhaust and larger red front calipers.

 

How many miles on the cars???? Any pictures?

Welcome to the JCW club.

 

It also had a different supercharger and pulley then a S R52 or R53. It had 380 injectors and engine mgmt remapping.

 

Seen some comments that the internal parts of the SC by 05 were almost the same on the S and the JCW. The difference was the pulley and that is why the parts numbers are different.

 

The JCW superchargers were black on the inside. I was told they were different, but not really sure how different.

 

it just reached 70k miles, thanks and here are some pics from the previous owner as i haven't got time to wash it yet.

 

My 03 JCW with 37k miles

 

GAHH, THAT FD!!!

:drool:

 

Both nice looking cars. On the vert you have non chrono/nav as does mine. On a sunny day with the top down, trying to see your LED speed on the steering wheel gauge is a PIA. I had to keep looking at the center speedo dail. I am thinking about adding some tape strips on the wheel gauge to better judge.

What is the white car on blocks, a Mazda RX??

 

FD RX-7, with some modifications.

 

What's a non Chrono/Nav? i don't have a nav in the car and haven't had any sunny days to drive the car with the top down yet. Hopefully soon.

The FD RX7 is being put back together. I was upgrading a bunch of go fast parts on it

 

The Chrono or Nav package is where you have both a speedo and rpm gauge on your steering wheel. There is no big speedo above the center console. Like mine you have the single RPM with a LED read out that can have the MPH. I was out again today here with the top down. Got to start remembering where the RPM is when I am hitting certain MPH.

Always liked the looks of 3rd Gen RX7. By the time I could afford a nice one I had already moved onto other cars and now there is just not enough room for me to sit in one with my hip. Sucks getting old but the Mini fits my needs quite nicely. Sold my LS3 vette before Christmas. It was a beautiful car but the Mini is more fun to drive and a whole lot easier to get in and out of.