I was at the dealer today talking to my MA about ordering a 2016 JCW and he said MINI has taken the sport suspension away (options are standard or dampeners only). Have any of you heard this?? I knew they took it away from the Cooper and Cooper S but I thought it was standard on the JCW.

 

The sport suspension is standard on the JCW; dynamic dampers are the option. Go to MINIusa.com and look.

Call another dealer; I don't believe it.

 

Thats what I said! He told me you can never trust MINIUSA website....... His example was on the website you can still build a Paceman......

 

I can't believe they'd do that! I love my sport suspension....could care less about the DDC, plus it costs more.

Actually, if I'd have known what I do now I likely would have gone with the JCW pro-coilover suspension from the get go. But when a new model first comes out information on add-ons is not easily obtainable....my MA never even mentioned any of the pro-optional equipment.

 

I asked about the global announcement of the new clubman ALL4 including an optional sport suspension and MINIUSA said it is not available in the US. BMWUSA just made a move in the opposite direction making M sport suspension AND adjustable dampers standard on the new UKL platform xdrive X1.

You can contact them via email from MINIUSA.com. They have always responded to me.

 

Thanks for the advise I will definitely contact them as I am hoping to order within the next week or so.

 

Sports suspension is standard on JCW but discontinued for the regular S and non-S models. In other words, sports suspension is now exclusive to JCW. The salesman was probably confused about differences between models.

http://www.motoringfile.com/2015/05/...jor-surprises/

 

Motoringfile is a very reliable source, but that article is a year and a day old, yes? Consider this currently on the Hardtop 2door build configurator:

"If you love the sporty look of the John Cooper Works line, but don't need the extra horsepower, the John Cooper Works Exterior Package is just what you need. It even includes a no-cost sports suspension option, for a more John Cooper Works-like ride."

And the article does confirm who the real customer for MINIUSA is; those who want a simpler ordering process would be the dealers. From my experience, it is not from the complexity of options so much as from the software the dealers must navigate. I've ordered twice and it took several tries each time for the dealer to match the rather simple configurations I wanted.

 

And if you look at the "This Package Includes" list, there is no mention of it. The MINIUSA website has a long history of being inaccurate and out of date. The arbiter should be the official order sheet (like this), which the dealer has and usually isn't public but sometimes gets leaked online.

 

Sport suspension is no longer available as an option. What is Mini thinking?

 

MINI is thinking that it saves them money. People have been ordering the option in such low numbers that it doesn't cover the cost, and it would save money to not offer it at all. At least it is still available in the JCW.

 

I don't think it's just about saving money, but agree with the low numbers.

Seems like all I heard was how harsh the sport suspension ride is, when potential buyers discussed placing their orders for the SS as an option, or even in the JCW without the DDC, and that's just plain hogwash! I absolutely love my sport suspension....I've driven much harsher rides, and I could care less about having DDC.

I've always questioned why so many JCW specific features were readily available to non-JCW MINI's anyway! There has to be some brand identity! Too many MCS's are dressed up as JCW's imo, always have been....if you're not a knowledgeable buyer, you might think you are buying a factory JCW, when it's just a modded non-JCW.

I think MINI is making sure the JCW is farther removed from the MCS. (At least from the factory)

 

I emailed Miniusa and they confirmed that the sports suspension is still standard on the JCW!!

 

The sport suspension for non-JCW's was only cancelled in the US so I don't see where money is being saved.

 

I figure that when they went with the adjustable dampers option it got too confusing to continue to offer the SS too, and more people are probably interested in a softer ride option than a harsher one. JCW appeals to a different type of buyer.

 

JCW gets three options for suspension: standard is the sport suspension, DDC is an extra option, and you can also specify at no cost, the suspension from the Cooper S.

The configurator has not ever been accurate nor will it ever be. The ordering guide is, however, THE document to consult as it lists all the current codes, dependencies, and options available. Dealers don't pass this out to anyone who asks, but you should have it present when you and the salesperson are figuring out your order.

 

I just posted a new thread today about my new JCW convertible but it probably would have fit better here. This is what I noticed about my new JCW with dynamic damper control vs. my old S with sport suspension.

".........I just traded in my 2015 S convertible with the sport suspension and picked up a new JCW 2017 convertible with the dynamic damper control........The new 2017 JCW convertible is a nice car and has a quieter and much more refined driving feel .......... but it seems to lack some of the sporty feel of the old car. Yes I can put the new one in sport mode, and it does make a difference, but I somewhat miss the old, less refined, ride of the other car. I don't know if it's because the new one has the dynamic damper suspension instead of the dedicated sport suspension, or something else, but it doesn't feel quite as sporty..........I expected a huge performance difference with the new car but it just doesn't feel that much faster or sporty. Is it because it is now a quieter more refined ride? I don't know.........."

I hope this helps instead of adding more confusion.

 

Mini's deletion of sports suspension as an option is not about reducing confusion or Mini saving money. Rather, it's about us spending more money -- a lot more money -- to get it. Now, sports suspension is not a $500 option (like it was before). Rather, it's really now a $6,500 option because you have to order a JCW with a $6,500 increased base price to get it. And yes, the difference in handling is notable. Very sad.

 

I posted this on your other thread too: consider a rear antisway bar. I think you would like it if you liked the other car's Sport Suspension and you'll still be able to adjust the ride. They are pretty cheap, I added one on my 2007 for $300 installed.