I picked up the 2011 S today, let the research and mods begin BUT will have to start a new thread in the none JCW Garage. Thanks again for input and will hopefully be back one day with a JCW!

 

Congrats and have fun!

 

I just bought a 2013 white silver/red top from fellow NAM member for 19k with 24k miles and extended warranty. Private seller is the way to go---or a dealership that has no clue what the difference is between JCW and MCS.

Has the important options i.e. H/K, comfort. I slapped in red leather black cloth front seats and did rear seat delete.

Also, my dealer gave me the bi-xenon black headlights for being a valued Mini customer. I won't even tell you how many I have owned.

 

Congrats!!

 

Have a 11 JCW. The timing chain was replaced free by the Mini dealer at 30k. Car runs like solid gold. Over 70k.

They replace the guide with an improved one. The N14 engines are basically good. it's a Peugeot engine. Peugeot's been using them for years in their turbos. N18. Still a Peugeot engine.

All turbos you have to baby them with oil. Top them off. Time them out. Just good turbo hygiene.

I wouldn't get an MCS. Stick with the JCW. Better engine, brakes. If you have to buy a turbo sports car and tweak the ECU just to get car to be the turbo sports car you really wanted to own.

 

Where are you located?

 

I live in Salt Lake City.

 

Here are two pics from this morning

 

Chili white. That's my wife's Mini.


Hey if you're saving pennies. Avoid the mod stuff. Just creates a sink hole of money and not always the best for engine longevity.

 

PW on Black is a classic combo, looks great As long as you're happy with your MINI that's all that matters, not whether it's a justa, S, or JCW.

 

Not to buzz kill you. Sweet lookin MCS BTW - but in Cali they nail you hard for those tinted windows. CHP will make you pull the tint. Mine has that dark tint but also has Texas plates

Everything's legal in Texas.

 

Thanks Joey I've moved on from the MCS to a 13 JCW with ~30% tint all around, and I'm constantly worried about being pulled over for it. Knock on wood, no tickets so far. But my roommate has a MCS with something like 15% all around and I know she's gotten a couple fix it tickets from LA area cops.

Funny you mention texas plates, I temporarily put on my front plate on the MCS to drive in Dallas/Austin because I heard cops were very **** about front plate. I was glad to have the tint there when I visited in August, that's for sure.

 

yeah if the DPS or Texas version of the CHP wants f with you - they'll pull you over for no front plates. $250 fine.

So I have one lol

Other than that tint away in Texas. Hide a drug dealer. Hide a murderer. They don't care. lol

So you got the 13 JCW? Would have been my choice if I knew better. I actually liked the interior trim better on the 11 and other options that I got - so I bought. Car is in the shop now for engine seal, flywheel and clutch.

So glad I got the extended warranty. These cars are nightmare revolving doors for repairs. Love how they drive. But really not well built. lol The insurance company is losing a fortune on MINIs. lol

 

Yeah, sold the MCS when I moved out of WI since I didn't want to bring an 8yo rusted midwest car out to california. Found the JCW in Seattle, only 8900 miles in last May and shipped it down to CA.



It was sold by a small independent dealer and they didn't know the car had a full clear bra on hood/front bumper/side mirrors plus door edges, handles and trunk loading strip. Took it to the dealer for a checkup and they told me the car has extended maintenance program (but not the extended warranty) til Oct 2019 so that's pretty nice. Clutch included too. I'm happy I got the N18 engine, hopefully it'll last me a good long time .

I've been lucky so far with repairs, the MCS had its fair share of issues but this JCW has been problem free. I bet everything will start showing up just after warranty ends this October...

 

Sweet looking JCW

Not to be a downer but I would seriously try to find an extended warranty on it.

I think you can buy after the fact.

Or sell and buy one with extended warranty. 10K - 25K is the honeymoon period. Sh*t happens after that. lol

Don't think. Just do it.

 

I know for a fact I can buy the MINI extended warranty up until my current standard 4y warranty ends (this October). Otherwise there are third party ones that I can probably buy whenever. I'm almost at 24k miles!!

 

Dude don't f with it. Just buy the Mini extended warranty ASAP. Trust me. You'll deeply regret not having it. Deeply. As in the car is almost worthless because you'll be shelling out so much in heavy repair costs - you'll have to fix to sell it.

It's a cool car but the engineering and quality is jacked up. I wouldn't diss it but best to say the Minis are temperamental. Totally affected by how you treat them and service them. Especially the turbos need babying as in topping off with oil and timing out. I use to time out 3 min. But now 6. Also run top tier gas. And guess what? Changed my plugs the other day after 30k. Totally clean. No carbon buildup.

Get the best extended you can find. And the best dealer that takes it.

 

Add a vacuum pump to the list. Given that the aftermarket unit is around 140 plus install (30 minutes for a DIY), replace it by 80K or sooner if the interior of the motor is really dirty.

It sounds like the OP is not a DIYer, true? If so get an extended warranty for either the N14 or N18, that will define most of your repair risk.

The N14 is a higher risk option.