I can't find ANY R56 owners comments/reviews on the JCW suspension kit. Do any of you have it and what do you think?

 

I kinda do....JCW shocks and strut brace, but with Mach V springs, and 22mm ALTA rear sway bar.

 

You can also find a review at motoringfile.com. Its from Gabe a regular on that site. He says its money well spent.

 

But he is a Mini shill, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

Yeah, that's all I have to go with. I'd like to hear how he feels about it now after driving it all this time...

 

he really hammered on the kit for being so stiff on the road and so expensive compared to aftermarket solutions and gave it 3 out of 5. He loved it on the track, but most of us are not lucky enough to just be driving on a track every day.

 

thats true, and we have talked about it before in PM, but I think with the progressive springs and heavy rear sway it's pretty different from what the factory intended the JCW suspension to feel like.

Do you ever track/autocross it? Any opinions on how it compares to other factory options or coilovers?

 

mind you I've had some suspension issues. I just installed the the JCW suspension kit.

It rides great. very supple and well damped and elminates body roll in turns. Also, lateral body roll in lane changes is keep in check...you can zip through traffic like your on skates.

BTW I read that motoringfile article...I am clueless to why he thinks this suspension is rough...he also has 18 on this mini.


BMW has done a great job in balancing the ride and handling. It feels like a well refined taut suspension you'd find on a premium sports car....i.e. any BMW.

 

Gabe wrote a follow-up review and gave it a 4 out of 5. He said for the first review he discovered that the dealer inflated his tires to 40 PSI and that is why he thought it was rough.

I believe this is the link with the updated comments.

A lot of the general feel is also tied to your specific wheels, tires and roads you drive on. My 17 wheels (at 15 pounds) with non-runflats tires are a lot smoother than my old 16 OEM wheels with runflats.

http://www.motoringfile.com/2007/09/...ion-long-term/

 

Great feedback!! I plan to have the kit installed next weekend.

 

Never track it, yet, but definitely many spirited drives. I originally had the JCW rear sway bar in, but it just wasn't enough so went with the ALTA 22mm(middle setting) which brought it to how I like it....And I also have a carbon fiber rear chassis brace which surprisingly helped quite a bit, making it turn better and it looks sweet.........Very fun to toss around in turns

 

I have had the JCW Suspension on with OEM 17 Inch Runflats, Goodyear GS-D3, and Falken 615 Auto Cross Tires.

Ride Quality is a 10. The ride quality was nearly the same a stock with the Runflats and when I changed to the Goodyears the ride quality was better than stock.

I have run the JCW setup at Willow Springs Big Willow and Streets as well as auto cross and feel the suspension is an 8 in performance. I did a ride along with a Cross setup and it is better but costs 700 dollars more.

If money is no object go with Cross but if not go JCW because the balance is great you will never regret it. I have had many american and import tuner cars and feel the MINI S with the stock suspension is very poor but with the JCW suspension the car feels like it should have from the factory. I love my Mini but despite Mini owners believing the car is a great handler stock that is just not the case. It may feel like it gets around a track stock because of its feel and size but the truth is the lap times just are not there when compared to other 25-30k tuner cars. Maybe if I started with the Sport Suspension I may feel better about my Mini when it was stock but I don't know.

Hope this helps and one last bit of info. Change the OEM Tires out before anything else as this will make more difference than any suspension.

High End Tires For Performance/Daily Driving BridgeStone RE-01R 165
Mid Grade Tires For Performance/Daily Driving Goodyear GS-D3 155
Low Cost Tires For Performance/Daily Driving Falken YK-452 125 These tires will perform like the 17OEM Runflats but ride very smooth

 

Great feedback on the JCW suspension. I am getting mine installed next week. Did you also add any camber adjustment capabilities beyond the standard stock adjustments? (camber plates, etc.)

Thanks.

 

When you put the JCW Suspension on it will give you a little more negative camber than stock due to the lower ride height but not much. For almost all driving styles this will be all that is needed. You could go with the Ireland Fixed plates because they will give you about 1.25 negative front and you can add a little negative rear camber with the stock control arm. This setup is all that is needed for a really well setup car for occasional track use. If you are going to track the car regularly the Cross system has built in adjustments and would be a better choice for someone very interested in track days.

 

I am an occasional track guy. About two times per year. Sounds like you hit the track a bit more often than I do. Just wondering, are you using the Ireland plates?

 

awesome feedback, thank you! I am thinking more and more JCW is the right setup for me. I will also replace all of the bushings front, back, and steering with poly to reduce the softness I can clearly feel in the stock setup. I think that mushiness is one of the things R53 loyalists loathe when they get behind the wheel of an R56/R55. I like knowing I also am less likely to hurt resale value with the JCW parts.

BTW what are your track wheels and tire size? My all-season tires are great for daily driving but I'm also contemplating getting a track wheel and tire set for some killer R-compound grip after this season is over.

 

Yes, I am running the Ireland Plates. I went with fixed rather than adjustable on a recommendation so I really do not have as much experience as some who have tried multiple setups. I am running Falken 615 215 45 17 but soon will be switching to Dunlop Star Spec. I don't run a full race tire like the BFG or Nitto because I like putting my tires on and running canyons and can get more runs than a race tire. Warning, The Falkens do ride considerably rougher than my Goodyear GSD3's and I don't recommend them for a daily driver tire. Rims are a tough call I run Kosei T1-S they are about 190 ea and weigh 15 pounds. If someone knows of a wheel under 170 ea that fits the R56 well and balances well that are 16 pounds or less that would be some good info.

 

on your wheel question no... I'm sure there is something out there but ultra cheap light wheels scare me... i've seen them explode on impact.

Not much out there beats the Motegi Trak Lite's at 14 lbs. for a 17X7 wheel, but they're closer to $300 each.

I had been thinking R-compound tire for autocross and the occasional track day but with autocross as priority I might be better off with super gummy summer tires like the Dunlop Star Spec's you mention above.

That's something I'll be pondering for at least a few months though. I think I need a few more autocross days to feel like I've learned enough to get more value out of further mods and stay competitive in a higher class.

Thanks so much for all the info =)

 

I just had the JCW suspension installed on my 2008 MCS on Saturday. It is a bit hard to explain but I think the overall ride has IMPROVED over my old stock (non-sport) suspension while giving me a much better handling car at the same time. I need to drive the car on some demanding mountain roads or the track to get a better handle on the handling but I am VERY happy with this upgrade so far!

This is just my 2 cents and your mileage may vary based on your specific road conditions and your goals. I track my car only about 2-3 times per year but drive very curvy mountain roads including the Dragon and I wanted to improve on the sway, slop and other issues I had with the stock suspension when pushed hard at higher speeds. Also, I have dealt with issues in the past (other cars) with aftermarket suspensions that didn't match up real well with the car. I think Mini did an excellent job with this set-up.

BTW, I am also happy with the small drop vs. stock (about 1/2 inch). If you want big drop then consider coilovers or something else. I also have 215-45-17 tires which helps close the wheel gap a bit as well.

Also, IMHO, (off topic a bit) I think the new 2009 factory JCW Mini should have come standard with the JCW suspension from the factory. Mini upgraded the engine to 208HP, put on massive Brembo brakes but just left the standard suspension as standard. This seems very strange to me. BMW doesn't do this with their M cars.

This, along with the JCW tuning kit, has transformed my MCS from a very good car into an even better car. Very pleased with both upgrades!

Going forward, I don't plan to do any other major performance upgrades. Maybe just a few things like a turbo gauge and I will be done. (& very happy!!)

 

What are dealers charging to install the JCW suspension?

 

I am glad to hear it is not just me. I thought the JCW Suspension rides almost as smooth as stock and in many instances the ride quality is better. I have a question for you? Does the JCW Intake sound any louder than the stock Cooper S Intake. Can you hear the turbo more or the diverter sound more than before you had the tuning kit

 

My hearing is not all that sensitive to turbo sounds but according to my 16 year old son, you can hear the turbo just slightly more than before the upgrade. I think if you are looking to hear much more out of the JCW intake than you might be disappointed. The biggest sound change is the growl of the exhaust. I think it sounds much louder and better than stock while others think it could still be louder.

 

Augie05 - Would you mind posting some pictures of your JCW post-JCW suspension install? I'm wondering how the car looks with the slightly lowered stance. Also - how well does this suspension handle quick transitions like expansion joints and pot holes? Thanks!

 

and slaloms and weight shift from hard acceleration and braking...

I wish someone around here had it on their car. I'd love to get a ride. MINI of Mountain View has hardly sold any and never equip cars on the lot with it. Doesn't help that they won't offer any discount on anything!

they wouldn't even let me test drive the new factory JCW car they had on the lot. Damn snobs!

 

Here is a straight on picture. It is a bit dark but the best I have right now of both wheels. This is a 2008 Cooper S... not a factory JCW. It has just over a two finger gap (my fingers) on each wheel. I personally think the gap looks perfect but I don't like the "slammed" look.