JCW Tuning Kit? What are your thoughts?
 

First let me start by saying that I am not interested in any other tunes from other manufacturers as I want to keep the factory warranty in place. I am going back and forth between a used JCW Clubman and a Clubman S with the JCW Tuning Kit. For those of you that have the kit how much did it change the character of the car? This would be my DD so wont be havin the exhaust flap open all that much. In regular flap closed mode how much louder is the exhaust over the stock S exhaust. Also, how much louder is it in the car? I think the kit adds the "engine" sound through the speakers. Anyone who has experience with the kit please let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

Love mine....A rarity to find these days.

The JCW tuning kits sounds best (better than stock) when flap opened in sport mode- enhanced popping sounds.. When flap opened in Green & Mid mode it tends to drone a bit which you will hear/feel in the car.
It didn't seem much louder to me with the flap opened in sport mode inside the car expect for the actual popping,

They good thing about the JCW Pro kit is the software update, which gives you some hp more (around 15hp+) .
If the exhaust is open maybe even 10 hp more ( turbo spools lighter).

The Coopers S comes closer to the JCW, however the programmed top speed stays Cooper S Standard.

It's good to remember that the factory JCW has forged rods and pistons, and the normal S with a tune will not. So if you want to tune and get more power down the road, the factory JCW will be a better starting platform, by a big margin.

According to RealOEM.com the rods and crank are the same between the S and JCW engines, pistons are not.

S pistons and rods:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_5576

JCW pistons and rods:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_5576

I'll check with my service tech, he's the one that told me that. Still, the point remains that starting with at least some forged components is better than none. If you want to go over 300, it's best to forge the whole bottom end.

Correct, the rods are the same.
The pistons are also the same, but only in price, different compression.

I just added one to my 2016 2D S. I was on sale at about half price and they cut the installation price also. Dropped it off in the morning and picked it up later that day. So far it has been a great addition.

100% inaccurate.

For 2g cars:
Neither piston is a true forged piston as tuners think of them. Both have the same construction method, material, and design with only compression ratio different (and 1/2 of .5 static compression difference is from the head gasket difference).
For 3g cars:
Engines in the two are extremely similar as part of the BMW modular series, however, mini claims 10.2:1 for the JCW and 11:1 for the S versions of the respective B48s. Head gaskets are the same, cams are the same, turbos are the same. The only differences as far as can be found without tearing both down are pistons and programing.

The 11:1 engine is going to feel better given the same boost levels, trading more torque to below 3,000 for a little less torque above 5,000.

Pick your poison, test drive both, they'll feel very similar but slightly different.

Here's comparison of the fJCW, S and tJCW.
http://www.motoringfun.com/2015/11/09/dyno-comparison-2016-f56-factory-jcw-and-2016-f56-s-jcw-tuning-kit/

I have the NM module and the JCW PRO exhaust on my 2016 F56 JCW. It came stock with the standard JCW exhaust and I had the pro added later. I took to Mustang Dyno in Shelby County and there is an 8 horsepower increase with the flap open on the exhaust. It is producing 269 HP. and 285 FT. LBS. torque on the low setting of the module. I have run it with TORCO and on the high setting and the butt dyno advises that is is producing additional horsepower and torque, but I have no idea how much. As an FYI, I have taken the mini into my dealer with the module still on the mini and they have performed service work and done warranty repairs with no questions ask other than how much additional power does it produce. Since your original post was some time ago this may be too late to provide any useful information.

I just had my BimmerCoded S with a Dinan Elite tune and Remus Sport exhaust in for regular maintenance last week and the techs didn't mention anything about the mods. From what I understand, unless there's a broken part and they think a modification is the cause there won't be any issues with them working on the car or the warranty being voided.

Mybe...... but with the discussed JCW tuning kit, you won't have any problems at all, including a unique exhaust system. As you said, as long as you have no burned piston, they don't care.

Only issue I've had with two different dealers regarding the presence of my Dinan box is all the techs want to drive the car to see for themselves what a difference it makes. And it does.:nod: