My wife has a 2011 MCS auto. I had a 2006 WRX until a lady ran a red and totaled it so it's getting turned into a FFR Project 818. I'm now looking for a lower priced car for DD and winter driving while the 818 is being built.

Found a 2005 MCS for $9k with high miles (145k). Haven't seen it in person, but the car looks to be in good condition. It's owned by an 85 year old gentleman who has trouble getting in and out of the car and wants to sell it.

Here's the part that baffles me. It's listed as "a JWC (John Cooper Works trim package) Rare Automatic transmission". I texted the guys grandson back and forth and from what he says it has the 210bhp (really 207, I know) kit installed. He said it also has a shift kit installed and factory looking wheels. The shift kit supposedly makes it shift harder. I can only imagine if this was offered, it was a torque converter/valve body modification.

Google leaves me in the dark as to whether or not the JCW package could be installed on an auto in 05 (or anytime at all, really). The grandson is out of town and I haven't called the grandfather yet (got his number from the grandson, grandsons number was listed in the ad). The grandson doesn't recall seeing any JCW badges on the back or on teh supercharger or valve cover. They weren't the original owners and don't have the original window sticker. Said he raced his friends 08 MCS and beat him, but I never put any faith in those stories.

KBB puts the price right for an 05 with the JCW package. If it's a plain S, no JCW package, the value drops $3k. If it is a JCW...cool. If it's not, I don't really feel like getting ripped off.

When I call the grandfather, I'll ask him for a VIN so I can check it up at the local dealer.

Any insight?

Here's 1 pic from the ad. It would be fun, since my wifes is blue/white, this would be the evil twin in blue/black.

 

High milage on an automatic that has never been serviced is a risky purchase. I'm not too sure about the shift kit, but who knows. Maybe the trans needed to be rebuilt and he had a specialist modify the trans. If so, when? Miles since rebuild? My 2006 trans only lasted 52k miles before catastrophic failure. Unfortunately, this happened 3 weeks ago! The only signs of failure were slipping between 3-4th gears. I have a complete write up under 'stock problems/issues'. This is a great post to read if you are buying "any year" MCSa. Yes, they still use the exact same transmission!

With that said, my new trans made the MINI exhilarating to drive again. In either case, I would highly recommend getting any service records and reading through them thoroughly. Service your trans regularly, hope that you will catch small problems before they become big problems.

Yes it is possible to install the JCW kit on an automatic. From what I know, you could only order a JCW from the factory in 2006 and it had to be manual transmission. I should know, I tried to order an automatic JCW. Couldn't, so I bought an 2006 MCSa and had all JCW parts installed by the dealer: supercharger, head, injectors (since upgraded to 450), intake, exhaust, brakes, suspension, strut brace, GP under body panels, and that's just the mechanical.

It's rare, because most enthusiast frown upon the automatics. Truth is, I kick the crap out of manual's all day long. MINI and non-MINI alike! Grant it, I'm not stock anymore.

 

Thanks for the reply. I finally got the VIN and have asked the dealer to send me any service records they know of.

I thought that the JCW package was dealer installed from 02-04, and factory installed from 05 up? That's all I could find in my quick searching. Any reason why it wouldn't have the JCW badges on the engine? I haven't seen engine pics yet. When I see it in person, is there anything to look for that identifies it as JCW? I believe blue colored injectors was one.

 

You could be right about ordering in '05. I believe the badge only comes with "full JCW package" (head, supercharger, intake and I believe exhaust). Since I ordered the complete kit (soup to nuts), my certificate and badge were included in the documents. I would assume the kit does not include the JCW head and supercharger due to the lack of badges. However, if he has the original JCW certificate(s) that should confirm it's a full JCW.

 

Gen1 jcw kits were indivdually numbered....so if it has it, it has the plate under the hood.
My gut feeling is "the shift kit" is just their way of justifing a bad shift tranny that slams into gear. Having been around since i got my car new, i don't think i have ever heard of an auto shift kit....could be wrong, but the tranny is used in different makes....so possibly the shift kit was common on the other makes that have the Asin auto tranny.
Look at motoringfile.com.....
The old articles in the archive will provide a definitive answer if a the auto/jcw was a tru option, or a kit bolted onto an s to make an auto s, with a bootleg jcw.

 

PS
the dealer should be able to pull a vin of the options ordered, and any mx history....

 

Thanks for that info. I had specifically asked him what a shift kit was since since I usually hear that term (well, sort of) applied to manual short shifters and bushings. His response was (verbatim)

"the shift kits were made for automatics to make them shift harder and better even when downshifting, since they are not manuals...just like somebody older cars...it makes it a real drivers car".

I've heard of valve body jobs and torque converter swaps, but not shift kits.

Called the dealer the kid said it was sold from new. They pulled a carfax and said it was sold in Illinois, not Indiana, and they never had it. It was at a local dealer at one point at whom I have some friends so I pinged them for info.

A hard shifting trans: Is that related to the issue linked to above, or is it completely different?

 

Well, I stand corrected. A google search revealed they do make a shift kit for the Aisin trans. I'm not exactly sure what it does, but it says "Reduces/Corrects/Prevents Harsh Shifts, Cut-Loose, Rough Coasting Downshifts, Slow Pressure Rise, TCC slip."

 

The "kid" seems to be doing more of the selling...
Wonder if it is HIS car....just saying the 85 year old was the driver to try to get more $$ for it........
in all honesty, the jcw kit is nice, BUT 90% of the prtformance can be had for 30% of the cost of the oem jcw kit...so unless you want it for collector status or factory warrentt when new, i would not pay extra for it. The car is too old for tge warrenty, and to high a mile for a collector.....
if somone spent $$ to try to make the tranny shift different, i would bet the car has had a hard life....tge auto tranny is not perfect, but unless someone is tracking/racing the car , it is fine imo...i do drive the stick though....
If you fond a 05 or 06 auto s(if you want the auto), make sure it shifts well, and put a pulley, exaust and tune, you have most of the performance, maybe more if it was a strong runner for less $$ than the markup....injectors only add a tiny bit of fuel...enough for the oem to go from 200 to 210 hp...so not a huge deal...so then you only lack a tiny bit of porting on the exaust valves....the big brakes and suspension were options on a gen1 car, and suspension would be toast with 90+k anyway....

 

madmike007 were did you order your car from? Canada. you can't get a JCW engine kit or a back up camera in the states in 05 or 06. Did you add them on later?

 

Huh?!
they were 100% avalable in the US.
The std jcw kit (engine) was ended in 2004...in 2005+ cars it was the jcw210 kit...added the injectors and a cai, plus a slightly better tune for 210 hp rather than 200....
And if refering to tge auto on the jcw....if i remember right it was ok'd in late 2005.....
And if it was dealer bolt on...still an option, the backup was still ok with stock s bumper....

 

Ordered my MINI from Hassel (Long Island, NY) and had all service and JCW upgrades performed by Habberstad (Long Island, NY). Everything from JCW carbon fiber dash to GP under body panels.

I have a complete custom interior, with aftermarket audio system (AVIC) which has the back up camera plus a lot of other cool gadgets.

Bottom line, there is nothing you cannot add post assembly line. Albeit at a hefty cost.

 

Then you must have a different type of dealers than Califronia has. Then I ordered mine in Jan 05 they told me I was available but not in the automatic. It took intil Aug. I have every option available at the time. All JCW but the engine. So I did it myself. Now I have 220Hp & 198Tq. As far as price I paid alot also.

Here's what it looks like now.

 

Checkers looks great!

 

Thank you, but like you said all it takes is money.

 

Checkers looks great. What kind of intercooler is that.

 

I got it from Mini Mania, but they don't carry it anymore. It's water to air.

 

It looks awesome. Does it really work? What differences did you notice?

 

It's real hard to say. 2 weeks after I got the car I took it to the shop and had them start making change. My first addition was ported head, header,cam, intercooler ecu upgrade and exhaust.