I am in the final decision making process... you' all been here or are about to be here so you know the terrible state I am in.
First it was what roof color, I never thought I would figure that one out, but I did
I thought I had it figured on the interior...space cloth, but I saw a lapis blue and wow, it looks so gaga good....

I want the higher HP withthe warranty, that means the WORKS package. so what do you think should the engine go through a break in period before installing the package, or does it even matter?

thanks for your help. I need you're guys, and gals strength to get through the ordering pattern. Maybe some day I will be able to aid someone else in return.
MCO forever! :smile:

 

I'm no expert, but I have been reading all the posts on the JCW and someone did mention that the best performing JCW car he drove was properly broken in before the package was installed.

Since I have to wait and see what the money situation is, mine will probably be driven for a year before I get any mods done. And I'm glad of it, because I really like how a MINI drives just the way it is - I like its driving character :smile:

Plus I want to see what happens with the other mods out there. After all, the warrantee only lasts so long...

 

If finances are not an issue, order it with the car, otherwise break the car in and then get the Works. Its not a small chunk of change to finance.

When I get my MCS, I am going to enjoy the cake and add the frosting later!

 

You will pay the EXTRA install prices later...

If you want to buy it seperately... contact me when you are ready.... and after you've seen the market... I can get that or any other system to you (JCW below retail)... But I would wait to see what other options will make themselves available and with what sort of warranties.

Remember... BMW+Dinan? JCW is similar but there will be more Companies working WITH Mini than just JCW.

 

The JCW is very nice but in all honesty the stock MCS "Lite" is a pleasure to drive day in and day out. When the JCW price drops to at least half of what it is today, then I'll be interested, for now it is a very overpriced option for what you get. I can do lots of better things with $6,500 than to bury them in car mods.

 

What if you got 10-20% off that $6500 tag?

 

>>What if you got 10-20% off that $6500 tag?

Wow! that's a very nice discount but still I am thinking more along the lines of $3,250 for the kit to get my juices flowing.

Thanks again!

 

Having gone the other route - put together perormance add-ons myself - I can say that the biggest thing I notice and the one that adds most to my smile is the new springs and swaybar. The JCW kit doesn't have that. Springs and swaybar won't hurt your warranty.

I'd recommend getting your stock car...break it in and then do the H-sport springs and the MINI-madness swaybar. See what you think. If you still want more HP, then you can consider the JCW or other ways. Even wiht hte JCW kit, you'll want to improve your cornering so you'll end up getting the springs and swaybar anyway!

my $0.02 worth

 

>>What if you got 10-20% off that $6500 tag?

What kind of discount can you offer? Do you work for a dealer? Feel free to PM me offline if you'd like - thanks!!

 

I would agree with others here, break in the stock car first. And who knows, you may even find that the power is OK the way it is. Possibly...

Good luck,
Red

 

I was considering getting the JCW kit too, but I have had 13000 miles to consider what I want to do to improve performance and have decided not to get the JCW kit.

Of course I would like to have some added straight-line accelleration, but what thrills me about the MINI is the cornering abilities, and even in stock form it outhandles nearly anything on the road. I'll probably start mods with swaybar and lighter wheels/tires and I might find that I am happy with those simple mods.

All that being said, if money were no object though, I'd slap the JCW kit into my MCS in a heartbeat.

 

Picoman make a good point. I also went H Sport Springs and Madness swaybar, WOW! About $800 installed.

Then, get the pulley and ECU, $800 to $1100 installed.

Catback, either NRP, Magnaflow, UUC, Borla: $650 to $1000 installed.

CAI: Pilo, Alta, Rogue/Madness: $125 to $250 install yourself.

You get about 200HP at the wheels with a suspension package that the JCW kit can't touch for $2350 to $3150. The JCW package at a deep discount would be more tolerable, but for $6500, you are in a whole new league of performance cars at that price point ($26.5k to $30k+). Don't get me wrong, I love my MCS with the Mods. that I have made, but the JCW is just too expensive for what you get at full retail. I hear the arguement that "I can afford it", then why for these people do you worry about the warranty if cost is not an issue? I was planning on the JCW kit if priced about $3500 to $4k tops. IMHO

 

Valid opinions one and all. and helpful thanks. I am taking a home loan out to cover the mini and keep myself in tax deductions for the next 15yrs. Yea I looked hard at the Z06, if its tax deductions I want, I just really enjoyed driving the mini. My colleages urge me to get a Z car, but I am sold on the MCS. Some of you know that feeling, THis is a really nice driving machine, I enjoy it better than the vette so thats why I am getting one.
So you undestand the extra $$ for the works isnt as bad as if I was doing a normal auto loan. I also thought i wanted a badged car...an original works... the mods with a warranty at this point will fit my budget. In any other case I wouldnt have the liberty to order this car that way.
Yet I hear the point made that the JCW may not be the best way to go to get a faster mcs. And as some of you have said, I may be happy with the little tyke just the way he is.

I wish Dinan would come forward with what he has to give us for these cars. That would be really hot and make my decision easier.

 

Oh But I would wait to see what other options will make themselves available and with what sort of warranties.
>>
>>Remember... BMW+Dinan? JCW is similar but there will be more Companies working WITH Mini than just JCW.

 

Check your mailbox for a PM

 

Dinan has been Threatening to do something with mini... but it is safe to say... it is only a dream.

BUT that does not eliminate other outside tuners that may be working exclusive deals with BMW/MINI....

remember... with a new brand, come other new providers.

Just keep your eyes peeled.

 

There are several pluses and minuses.

Pluses
If you can finance your car and use a second mortage to do it then get anything you want in the initial purchase and write off the interest. I'd order the upgrades that you would want including the nice R90 two pieced wheels, the Nav, the basic packages #1 and #2 if you like and the JCW kit. Whatever you think you would like. Don't order something you would not use or like though.

It's all under warranty- great.
It doesn't matter if you have already done break in- the first 1250 miles. If it did then the JCW brochure would say that was a requirement or even recommendation- it doesn't say anything- therefore we can deduce that it doesn't matter if the car is new or broken in. You still have to break it in new and whenever the JCW kit is installed.
It also doesn't matter for another reason- the JCW kit is separately installed- the kit is in short supply and you will not likely have it ready to install once the car arrives unless you are expecting the new car in the next few months or unless the dealer has already a kit waiting for you and they are willing to reserve it for your new car.
So one problem is getting the car- likely 2004 model and another problem is getting the JCW kit- there are only a few out there.

Minuses
There might be delays in getting the JCW kit in stock. So you do your normal break in of 1250 miles anyway.
The JCW kit will be a backordered part for your new car. You take delivery as normal but they add the kit when they get the parts in stock-whenever.

The kit is expensive and you could do better for less money but it is not under warranty.
The cost of the MCS with all these upgrades is quite a lot!
The kit doesn't do much for handling- no added brakes, no suspension, no lighter wheels, no header. It's missing alot so you might still have to do some additional upgrades at some point.
The kit doesn't have a loud exhaust- it's very quiet.

Dinan upgrades are still a bit off- 6 to 12 months maybe but they are rumored to exist. Might be very expensive.
Not sure about any MINI warranty but certainly a Dinan warranty.

 

Thanks everyone... the ball has been dropped and another EB/W MCS is headed for American shores. :smile: