Enough waiting already! Anyone have any inside info on when it will be released for sale in the US? :evil:

 

When I placed my order with my Mini Dealer, they said they expect the parts to be in before the end of May. I called them last week to see if they had an update and they asked me to call back on Firday this week.

 

Let me throw a few questions out there on this subject.

1. JCW is at $6000.00 for the kit and installation to gain about 200hp. You get a pulley, head, ECU, exhaust system and some stickers. Plus the all important warrenty. But is it really that important?? How many problems do you think will occur with this upgrade?? I only see problems with the install happening. Not the kit having problems. Very few IMHO otherwise they would not offer it. And it ends at the mileage and age when the car was purchased, it doesn't start again at zero when the JCW is installed.

2. Why would you spend that much when all you need to do is spend about $1100.00 for the pulley and ECU?? Plus no more than $700.00 for your choice of exhaust systems. Does anyone know what kind JCW is giving??

3. MINI-Motorsport (Randy) does the pulley and ECU alot cheaper and I believe you get the same HP for alot less. True no warrenty but do you really think that something will go wrong if he is doing basically the same thing as MINIUSA JCW. I don't and he has tested his upgrade and its proven. JCW has also but it sure does cost alot more.

Just my thought. And yes I did get the MINI-Motorsport upgrade and now I really haul ***. :smile: And again this is my opinion.

 

>>And again this is my opinion.

Having already made your choice, are you really looking for answers to your
questions or would you just like to debate your opinion of warranty vs. aftermarket?

 

>>When I placed my order with my Mini Dealer, they said they expect the parts to be in before the end of May. I called them last week to see if they had an update and they asked me to call back on Firday this week.


I've also been told "end of May" by several dealers.

And regarding aftermarket tuners vs JCW, go thru each possible scenario. If you go JCW and blow your engine (or supercharger or head or ???) for whatever reason you'll be VERY glad you bought JCW. If you go aftermarket and blow it you'll be VERY bummed you didn't go JCW. If you go aftermarket and nothing happens you'll feel like a genius. If you go JCW and nothing happens you'll recoup your cost difference at resale anyway.

Moral: whatever you do, don't blow your engine!!! :smile: And if you do blow it, just make sure you had gone w/JCW before you do

 

Well said SCA! :smile:

 

You know we don't know each other from a hole in the wall. How someone decide's to spend their money and the reasons why they do it is a very personal thing I suggest you keep your critisms to yourself. I will upgrade my cars the way I want for the reasons I have and you can do whatever you want with yours.

 

>> If you go aftermarket and nothing happens you'll feel like a genius. If you go JCW and nothing happens you'll recoup your cost difference at resale anyway.
>>


I have to disagree with that statement. THe JCW kit is so overpriced to MOST (but not all) people that I doubt you'd get more than "a little more" for a JCW MINI. Again, just my opinion.

 

>> JCW kit is so overpriced to MOST (but not all) people that I doubt you'd get more than "a little more" for a JCW<<

Actually, with the headwork, which seemingly no one has mentioned, it is not such a bad deal. I spent way more than $15-1800 on headwork 20+ years ago on Rabbits. The port/polish plus software tuned to it, with development work not done on regular MCS, IMHO, is worth it. Warranty is nice, but the development done@ "ring, etc. obviates the need for the warranty. My M5, Z8, or the M cars I had in past haven't blown-up either, but not for lack of effort on my part

 

Diggy -- very good point about the new head. That makes the total costs for JCW and aftermarket much closer (particularly w/head labor included).

Again, Randy et al are doing some great work, no doubt about it. And it has been VERY tempting to go with that approach. Personally I'm still not 100% decided (just about 90%). But some people just don't want to have to worry about taking a big hit if things go awry and BMW won't cover the costs due to the tuning bits. And here in California we have to worry about passing emissions testing as well, as an added Golden State bonus. It just depends on what you can afford and how much risk you're willing to take.

 

>>And here in California we have to worry about passing emissions testing as well, as an added Golden State bonus. It just depends on what you can afford and how much risk you're willing to take.
>>

And here in San Diego, due to street racing, they WILL cite you and CAN seize your car for any performance modification!!! (Wheels, ride height, exhaust, intake, etc...) :evil:

 

damn. i didn't know CA was that strict about mod's!
wow!

 

Sorry guys new to this discussion, but understanding is the the JCW kit also removes the existing supercharger and installs a new larger one. Does anyone know if this is confirmed, can't seem to get to much information over here in OZ either.

Ta

Swifty

 

>>Sorry guys new to this discussion, but understanding is the the JCW kit also removes the existing supercharger and installs a new larger one. Does anyone know if this is confirmed, can't seem to get to much information over here in OZ either.
>>
>>Ta
>>
>>Swifty

Swifty: It's not a larger SC, but one with a smaller pulley and apparently ceramic (or something) coated vanes that maintain a higher boost w/o leakage.

 

Just got the lastest Motor (performance Car Mag) and it again states the old supercharger has been replaced with a larger more flowing unit - will find more out and send passage.

 

>>Just got the lastest Motor (performance Car Mag) and it again states the old supercharger has been replaced with a larger more flowing unit - will find more out and send passage.>>>>


Yeah but people are just interchanging words here. See they take your supercharger out and give you ANOTHER one. But the "new" one just has a different "smaller" pulley installed. Did you ever play that game "telephone" when you were litlle? You tell something to one person who tells it to someone else, etc..by the time it gets back to you, it's a totally different story. Same thing here. Someone heard about a more powerful supercharger and thought it must be larger. Word got out and now half the people hear it's a LARGER supercharger. It's not, really it isn't. JCW even said so. It's the same supercharger with a teflon coating (which the stock S already has BTW) and a smaller (15% reduction) pulley.

I know someone else is going to chime in and say NO - I read it IS a larger supercharger. - But it's not true. Same size supercharger - smaller pulley...

End of story...please!

 

The only way I would consider the JCW would
be if they were all DONE by JCW. I am
not going to spend that much for someone to
use my car to install their first. No way, no how.

 

Yeah but people are just interchanging words here. See they take your supercharger out and give you ANOTHER one. But the "new" one just has a different "smaller" pulley installed. Did you ever play that game "telephone" when you were litlle? You tell something to one person who tells it to someone else, etc..by the time it gets back to you, it's a totally different story. Same thing here. Someone heard about a more powerful supercharger and thought it must be larger. Word got out and now half the people hear it's a LARGER supercharger. It's not, really it isn't. JCW even said so. It's the same supercharger with a teflon coating (which the stock S already has BTW) and a smaller (15% reduction) pulley.
>>
>>I know someone else is going to chime in and say NO - I read it IS a larger supercharger. - But it's not true. Same size supercharger - smaller pulley...
>>
>>End of story...please!

------------
FYI. The Eaton supercharger doesn't have (nor never had) teflon-coated rotors, stock or JCW. The coating has changed with improved break-in/sealing capabilities, thus less internal by-pass leakage and more boost psi.

SMKKVK

 

So I take it that nobody knows any new info about the JCW release date. Okay. Fine. That's all I needed to know. These debates are driving me crazy. :evil:

 

>>FYI. The Eaton supercharger doesn't have (nor never had) teflon-coated rotors, stock or JCW. The coating has changed with improved break-in/sealing capabilities, thus less internal by-pass leakage and more boost psi.
>>
>>SMKKVK


You may be right but I got that info directly from JCW (the teflon coatings) so take it for what it's worth I guess.

 

Release date should be mid-late June AFAIK. Warranty paperwork issues and supply/demand seem to be the biggest holdup. 300+ kits are ordered in US, 900-1000 worldwide. I'm waiting with the rest of 'em, but my other parts are piling up. Guess I'll break it in first, fit the Works/header/TB...
Hope that finally answered you query, and I agree about the debates. It's like comparing home cooking to a restaurant...never going to reach consensus. The Blower is the same, but it has ceramic coating instead of Teflon, tolerances are tighter, and yes, smaller pulley.

 

Don't know if you've already seen this, but there is a review/test of the JCW kit for the MCS in the June issue of MiniWorld. They do not give a release date but the article revolves around the official JCW press launch of the kit & states " the kit is on sale now" .
Mike Cooper is quoted as saying "Our tuning kit kit may sound expensive but if you were to lay our kit on the floor, you see what you are getting for the money. other tuners may change a pulley,etc, but we offer a replacement supercharger (he does not say a bigger supercharger like the articles author), cylinder head and exhaust. The article goes on to say " The power hike from the standard 163bhp at standard to 200bhp at 6950rpm doesn't look too dramatic on paper but, with your foot buried on the juice pedal (sic) the extra boost from the "bigger" supercharger feels impressive but not uncontrollable and the power increase is instant if a little jerky" (?)
Mike Cooper goes on to say that his "engineers had got around 230bhp out of the kit but it has been backed off to maintain reliability in warmer climates". The article lists the following performance;

"Top speed: 141mph (manufacturers figures)
Torque: 240NM @ 4000rpm
0-62mph: 6.7 sec
50-75mph: 5.6 sec"

If you can't find a copy of the latest MiniWorld at your local giganto corporate chain bookstore try EWA, I believe they are the US importer for Miniworld; http://www.ewa1.com/

 

Does anyone know why the JCW Kit is $6000.00 here from a Mini dealer and only about $4200.00 on the JCW web sit? That is 3010 euros form the kit and 584 euros for the install. This converts to about $4200.00. There can't be that much freight to get them to the US.

 

The $6000.00 is installed by the MINI service center. The $4200.00 is just for the kit w/o installation.