Am looking at buying a 2004 MCS JCW (manufactured 11/03). The Vin number says it's an MCS alright but wouldn't tell if it's a JCW. How would one know if the JCW you're buying is legit? One thing, it doesn't have the red brake calipers usually seen in a JCW.

 

hi there, JCW was dealer installed up until some time in 05.

Dealer Installed kits did not come with JCW brakes "Red calipers" so there are JCW cars out there with stock silver brakes.

 

Also, any MINI dealer should be able to look up the maintenance history of any MINI based on the VIN number. I mention this because you may want to make sure this was a dealer-installed kit.

I have heard of at least one person who "self-installed" a kit and had the MINI dealer just load the ECU software. And, while this may be a perfectly well done install, I would rather trust a MINI service facility to do the work. Just my preference, you understand...

So check the VIN against MINI maintenance records to verify who did the install and when it was done.

FWIW,

Theo

 

what do you mean *legit*? the tuning kit and the brake kit are separate things. the later build cars have the brake kit as mandatory, but not the earlier ones

most cars come w/ the certificate that tells you whether it's the 200hp or 210 hp, and if it's dealer-installed, there'd be signature or stamps or whatever on it. even if it's self-installed, it's still *legit* and has to be programmed by the dealer after the install

w/ the exception of the gp, jcw cars are mcs w/ an option, not its own outright model. it won't say jcw on the registration or anything

 

I think he means, how does he know for sure all the components are there. It would be pretty easy to stick on a JCW exhaust, an emblem on the intercooler and two badges and call it a JCW; how would someone know if it had injectors/software/pulley.....

The advice on dealer records is good.....

 

Thanks for the replies, guys. LannyMCS got it right. It's easy to place the emblems and badges and all. JCWs are a rarity here in Manila, so i guess i just have to check with the dealership.

For one, the exhaust doesn't have the growling sound heard usually in youtube clips of JCW exhausts. It actually sounds the same as my former stock MCS.

Also, the JCW i test drove had the 2nd gear reaching approximately 110kph before i shifted to 3rd. Can this be done by a stock MCS? I wouldn't be able to compare as my previous MCSs had automatic transmission.

 

The JCW exhaust is actually as quiet if not a bit quieter than a stock MCS exhaust. This would be especially true of the '04. Also, the JCW package has no effect on the potential speeds in each gear; the stock MCS transmission is untouched.

One thought -- if the MCS has had the JCW software loaded, you should hit the rev limiter at just over 7,000 rpm instead of 6,850.

Again, the maintenance history is your best bet to understand what has been done to this MINI.

 

Great to learn this. Thanks, Theo. The rev limiter applies at just over 7000. The MCS JCW being offered for sale is just too hard to resist.

The car was imported here in the Philippines practically new and since there is not even one MINI dealership here, the car gets maintained by private but still credible shops who specializes in Euro and BMW cars.

What could go wrong if i just buy the car without checking the dealer about its history?

 

Well, checking with a dealer will not prevent anything from going wrong, of course. But it would be good to know any work that was done on the car.

For instance:

1) Were all the service intervals maintained?
2) Were any TSBs applied...specifically, the coolant overflow tank and the PVC valve?
3) When was the JCW kit added? How old is the JCW belt? Has the belt tensioner been replaced?
4) Other stuff?

Also, you don't indicate the number of miles/kilometers on the odometer. The higher the number, the more this information may be of use to your buying decision.

Does the MINI also have the JCW intake? If so, you would see a JCW logo on top of the intake box and see a small vacuum tube leading into the front of the intake box.

As someone mentioned earlier, you should be provided with a certificate that verifies the installation by the dealer and has the JCW Kit Number ("S-number") on the document. This number should match the number on the the silver intercooler cover.

One last thing...the "Yo-Yo". Some of the late '03 and early '04s exhibited a "bucking" upon full throttle acceleration in 2nd & 3rd gear as the RPMs passed through the 3K to 4K range. My MCS did this and even the JCW ECU software was unable to mitigate the issue. I had to address the yo-yo by sourcing vacuum to the supercharger bypass valve from an alternate location. This is known as the "Vacuum Gain System" and is described in detail elsewhere on NAM.

Good Luck!

Theo

 

A new question in this thread.

If you have a choice in buying a factory 2006 JCW vs. a dealer-installed MCS with full JCW pkg, with $2,000 difference (generally same option packages), which one would y'all recommend?

How can you tell a factory JCW from a dealer-installed JCW?

I have a 2003 MCS with lots of mods and 37.5K miles, and would like to replace it with a bonafide 2006 factory JCW. Any guidance and advice would be much appreciated.

 

Factory JCW vs dealer installed JCW? Makes no difference, either one is "bonafide"

If you can't tell the difference from factory installed or dealer installed, why the preference?

That being said, the factory installed JCW Kit has the resonator pipe welded to the rear exhaust, where the dealer installed version is clamped . Other than that, they are virtually identical

 

I have a 2006 factory-installed JCW car (for sale) which I took delivery of in Aug 06.

For MY2006 only, the JCW Package was a $6,300 option that consisted of the entire engine upgrade 208hp (head, SC, exhaust, CAI, etc) plus JCW front brakes with RED calipers and limited slip differential. All 4 disc brakes got upgraded JCW pads, but only the front brakes were painted red unlike the 2009 factory JCW which has brakes at all 4 corners painted red.

The JCW Package REQUIRED either the Sport Package or Checkmate Package (which included everything from Sport Package and more) because both of these packages featured 17" wheels which are necessary for the bigger brakes.

It is hard to tell visually except for the red brakes..............but if you have access to the window sticker or if you run the VIN you can get the options that the car originally came with.

 

True... although red JCW front calipers still doesn't prove it's factory-installed, since the JCW brakes were available via the dealer too. Mine has them.

However, a 2006 R53 JCW that doesn't have the red JCW front calipers definitely isn't a "factory" JCW, unless of course it was upgraded with aftermarket brakes, in which case it doesn't prove anything.

 

Isn't the JCW exhaust different at the back too? Where the stock MCS goes thru one resonator and then the other, the JCW splits before them and one pipe goes to each resonator, right?

That's how my '03 works anyways......also, doesn't the JCW intercooler have an extra row of tubes?

 

I believe you're correct on that.No, the JCW does not have a different intercooler - they only replace the intercooler cover. The regular MCS one is black, the JCW one is silver (with a JCW logo on the driver's side of it).

You're thinking of the GP Intercooler, which does add 2 more rows, and has a matching intercooler cover that is textured black (not cheap plastic).

 

TO: JCWGrover, minicoopermike, Edge, and MINIdave

Thank you very much for the helpful insight. I got the answer I was looking for.