With JCW, the dealer takes the replaced parts -- for a factory credit which they have worked into the price. The parts are returned to the factory and if it's a new Mini the parts are kept, if the Mini is used the parts are destroyed. Dealer indicates the credit is about $1,800 CDN ($1,000-ish USD). Going the non-JCW route means you can sell your parts and recoup some $$.
____

'05 BRG/W::MCS::JCW+Suspension+Brakes::Cordoba::
HK::Chromed-In+Out::WoodDash::Anthracite-Up+Down::
BlueToothTelephoneArmrest::17"Alloy::iPod::FogLamp s::
AuxDrivingLights::HeatedMirrors+Washers::BigGrins

 

The JCW is more than aftermarket. It always will be. Although in reality the price is not way above aftermarket. Some will claim a $400 pulley install will get you most of the way there, which is true. But with all power jumps the first few hp is cheap and it gets more expensive to add on to the power. It is much more expensive to get a 15 extra hp from a 230hp Mini than it is to get it from a stock Mini. For many people the pulley is great, cheap and gets them most of the way there.

For me, my JCW is somewhat of an investment. There is the age old fight of going aftermarket or factory. Aftermarket will always win in price. But I intend to keep mine for some time and would like a great collectors piece as well. When the Yenko Camaro came out in '69 you could go aftermarket cheaper than purchasing the Yenko and get the same amount of hp, but 40 years later the Yenko is at least triple the value of a '69 Camaro that has been modified like crazy. Obvioulsy I don't think the JCW will get the same value ratio as a Yenko, but this is just one example of countless and countless examples between long term value of aftermarket and factory. The JCW is relatively rare, about 1,000 in the US for the last two years, so I think it's long term value will be good, especially with the engine change. So we will see. I really wanted a factory performance coupe. Not everyone does, but I did.

 

dgszweda1

Thanks. That was, for me at least, a helpful and interesting new perspective on the whole topic. Makes me want to do JCW even more now.

 

It's power versus power. To get 200hp and/or 177lbs of torque aftermarket-wise, it'll only cost under $2k. Heck, with a 19% pulley and exhaust ($1100 total?), you'll have more torque (and thus more everyday fun!) than a JCW. But enough beating a dead horse for me.

 

I'm willing to pay a little more for the JCW options, I like the idea of going with factory approved equipment. My next MCS will be a full blooded JCW car, for now I've recently added the JCW exhaust, JCW intake and 15% pulley and couldnt be happier.

 

I've got a modded Audi S4 (been modded since day 1 to around 320 bhp/370 lb/ft torque) and none of the upgrades are OEM-sanctioned. The car is now 4 years old and it has been totally reliable; not one problem (apart from new wiper blades ). But, "you pays your money and you takes your chance".

For me, any upgrade I make to the MCS will be JCW......if I didn't have the finances to do so I would certainly go the aftermarket route. Do I feel ripped-off with the relatively high JCW prices.....in one word no. Each to their own.

 

This is what I did. My previous Mini was modded with the usual aftermarket mods, and they were great and reliable. No problem at all. And it was definitely cheaper than JCW. But this time around I am going all JCW. I am going to try to get the suspension early next year on top of my already '05 210bhp JCW kit. Is it crazy? Maybe, but I am not looking at performance per dollar ratio but a full factory spec tuned car. Again the suspension is not the cheapest either or maybe the best, but it is factory tuned, which is what I am going for in this one.

 

For me, I am very happy with the JCW kit . I've had it for over 14 months and 22K miles with nary a problem. Yes, it was a lot of money compared to equivalent aftermarket pieces but the entire package is very refined and powerful. Plus I like knowing it not only carries the BMW warranty (important as I drive 50+ miles daily) and was tested under all conditions but that it is also an exclusive, numbered kit which was developed by a group of people who know the MINI and Mini better than anybody else (arguably). There is a direct link to the classic Mini racing heritage . Meeting Mike Cooper and his team in person a few months ago on my UK trip and sharing our enthusiasm with them for the kit, MINIs, and Minis made it all the more special and worthwhile .

However, there are definitely some strong and relatively inexpensive aftermarket parts out there which can replicate the performance results of the JCW, but in some ways will not give you the same feelings :smile:.

I plan to have a full JCW car at some point (suspension, brakes, tuning kit, etc), even if it takes me forever that's what I want.

 

I will give it this that my suspension is pretty coarse and I have a current case of the stumbles. The suspension is Konis and Hsport and handles very well bvvut the bumps suck. The stumbles I think are from revision 39.The car is fast and pulls strong

 

i agree the jcw mini will never be worth what a Yenko chevy or even Shelby mustangs or factory hot rod mopars------but it seems that the jcw equiped S is bringing extra $ at trade or sell time....my S has some aftermarket goodies on it it runs great and handles like a dream but to have a full jcw car is a very nice thought possibly in the future

 

Apparently you could be happier b/c next time you're going to full JCW route.

 

I will only be happier because I wont have to do the install

 

You can only be as happy as the dealer servicing your JCW when it needs servicing. Sure it's a factory option but when there's only one dealer and no compettion within 200 miles they take the "Rhett Butler" approach to customer satisfaction. In the case were I live the service and follow through after the sale are to be desired.

They have taken the hard line on aftermarket mods, and appear to be forgetting first years customers who were emphatic about their purchases, and waited patiently for teh dealership to be completed so that their orders could be placed. So much for keeping business in your town.

Even when it comes to rattles and squeeks , such as seat belt tensioners etc..., they are blaming aftermarket parts for it's (OEM parts) demise.

I trust my friendly aftermarket parts installer's the best....Me, and some good friends.

 

The Yenkos were built by a performance dealer. The Boss Mustangs are a better comparison, and they were modified by Kar Kraft for Ford before you got them. But there was not "Boss 302" kit that you could do like the JCW....

 

I agree with the Yenko comment. I am not sure if there is a real comparison to the JCW kits. I am not aware of a factory backed kit that is only installed at the dealership. The only thing that I can think that would be similiar is the late '90's early 2000's Camaro SS and Firebird Firehawk, that was built by GM, shipped to SLP to get retrofitted, and then shipped to the dealerships. The Ford Cobra and Saleen Mustang are similiar as well.

Dodge's Mopar parts come the closest to factory backed kits, similiar to GM Performance parts, but they do not come with a factory backed warranty.

But I think it still holds true that factory backed kits hold better value overall than pieced together aftermarket options, long term. The JCW kit is not long term yet, with only a few years being on the market. But taking a look at the Mustang world. A modded Mustang is a dime a dozen from the late 80's to mid 90's. Most are generally below the value of a stock example, and at best a little over the price of a stock. Whereas, a good Cobra example, fetches a much higher value than a stock car.

 

To go back in time, the 1967 Camaro Z28 and the 1996 BMW M3 Lightweight were delivered with additional performance parts in the trunk.

Toyota offers TRD parts (including superchargers for 6 cylinder trucks) through the dealership parts and service departments.

Some Ford dealers can order and install Ford Motorsport parts.

 

The Toyota TRD model seems to be the closest to the MINI JCW concept:

http://www.trdusa.com/warranty.asp

 

65 mustang fastback Shelby clone (excellent build) ~$20k
65 Mustang Fastback original Shelby >$50k (>$200k for an R)


So, the JCW will hold more value, but is that what you want? If I were going the collectible route, I'd get the Works kit. To preserve value, don't sell the OEM parts that slowed down your car before you add the mods. To have fun now, and save $now, and not worry about the value in the future, bolt em on and throw the old stuff away! (or sell, whatever)

Matt

 

Yenko wasn't a heck of a lot bigger than Helix when they started turning out the Corvairs and they were a Chevy dealership. 4 bays if my memory serves me.

I bet the JCW owners also buy those collectable coins off the TV.

I was in the UK recently and all of the mags there rave about the JCW putting it ahead of all of the high performance boxes and they have a lot more than we do. Then again those boys pay up big time on insurance if they mod themselves. Fight for your right to mod your car....it's coming.

 

Ok, read, read, reviewed, read....

so what is the big deal...do what you want and feel good with Right

so how far have the come?

looks like the winner is going to be Randy and his gang on my setup..

hummm

or maybe JCW .....

oh heck guess i better read some more

 

Phew! Quite a thread. I'm looking at JCW vs aftermarket as well - leaning towards JCW. What's holding me back (saving me for now) is that I have an auto, and the JCW kit isn't quite ready yet (it's certified by EPA, but BMW is still phutzing around). I'm also looking at Dinan again (warranteed, but unfortunately not thru all dealers), and at www.fireballtimracing.com. Jan says they'll have something out in a month or so that'll be warranteed by all dealers, and cheaper and better than JCW. Maybe a group buy will prod them.

 

I got lucky and bought the 05 JCW Tuning Kit for $600.00 from from someone that wrecked his mini.

 

I wouldn't trust everything that Jan says. He has been banned from two major MINI boards now, including NAM!, for his antics. Rest assured, he does have a financial stake in whatever he's peddling. Take his words with the same grain of salt that you take any vendor's... and you can't be burned, hopefully. In all truth, it's quite unlikely that whatever FTR can offer will have anywhere near the warranty support of a Dinan kit, much less a JCW one. In the end of the day, odds are it will still be like any kit from Webb, Mini Madness, M7/Cosworth, etc- comparable parts of comparable value, with comparable support. Of these, only Webb offers a multi-year warranty, but then again his are basically the most expensive... I personally love my Cosworth car, and it's plenty stronger than a JCW, for more than 1,000 less [installed] than a JCW.

 

I am thinking JCW more and more everyday (and i know what is going to happen at the end ).

 

I got mine Dealer installed April 05 love it 14K now, yes i could of gone aftermarket but i did not I have nothing against A/M parts each to their own...... If someone wants to go the A/M route you have my vote
they want to go with JCW welcome to the club.

I just annoys me no end when people snub nose me because i have a JCW MINI. what are they mad because i spent 6k on it or are they jealous i don't know and i don't care!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't Bee with Itch because a fellow MINI owner has a different colour than me, or that he/she has C/F everything each to the own.... Rant over

Can't we just all get along.......


PS: Sorry for the semi highjacking ScuderiaMini


See you all at the Dragon