I know that Mini did away with that ever cool pop and gurgle exhaust sound in 2007, but did it return in the 2008 MCS and so on?? Was 2007 the only year it was absent? Bottom line---which years does it exist? I love it and am looking to find an MCS under 15k and can find some '08s with, but there are some '06s with low miles much cheaper. If the '08 does not have the exhaust, I won't buy. Haha

 

Yeah no pops and burbles in '08 either

 

Not what you're looking for, but my 2012 JCW Coupe has the computer-controlled exhaust gurgle and pop added. I wasn't told this when I bought the car and thought I was hearing back-firing the first day I owned the car.

 

I may be wrong, but I believe it is a feature that is absent in the n14s but they brought back in the n18s. So 2011 and up should have the popping back.

 

I could be mistaken, but I thought they had a software update for the N14s that would give a little pop on decel.

 

I have a 2012 JCW (N14) and mine will pop and burble all the time.

I just got the car back from getting walnut blasted and having the ECU updated and it pops (even more than before) while changing up through gears even without the sport button on. Even more so when changing down.

Now I wish I didn't get both done at the same time so I could determine which of the two made my car sound so much better...

 

Hmmmm? My 2007 R52 JCW has a fantastic Pop and Gurgle...

...and of course my '04 R53s Pop and Gurgle (the JCW a little more, I attribute that to the JCW exhaust)

Motor on!

 

That's the older supercharged motor.

 

I have a 2012 and will only pop and gurgle in race mode

 

Uh oh. I have the same vehicle and don't like hearing that you've had carbon build up issues. Before I had the R58 I went through hell with carbon build up on a 2007 R56 S type.

When I bought the R58 I was under the impression the new N18 engine addresses the carbon build up issue by changing the way the oil vapors are exhausted, and how much of this dirty air will get sucked into the top of the valves. I've stuck with premium fuel and even added Techron from time to time to assure detergent is swishing around in there, but I know that with direct injection the top of the valves never get washed.

What has been your experience? I've got 66K on my 2012 and so far the only big issue I've run into is a bad fuel pump.

 

The '12 JCW still used the N14 engine, so not the same as your R58's N18 engine. That being said, they still see some people need the walnut shell blast with the N18's. Only not as often.

 

2012 JCW still has the N14 engine. You can tell by the cover on the top of the engine. I was at the dealership and had them take a look at the car as I'm just about to go out of factory warranty and I think they did it as a good will gesture. I didn't get to take a look at them before they were done. The car has 75,000 km on it currently.

I've been through a water pump, two timing chains, a friction plate and something regarding pumping the oil throughout the engine in the last 3 months or so. I'm hoping there's nothing else that pops up. But I bought it as a CPO from mini. Hopefully all the maintenance that I'll be doing on it will help it out in the long run.

But it crackles and pops like crazy now. I'll likely take the resonator off when it warms up here.

 

Crap. I tried to investigate this when I bought it and was led to believe it is the N18--that they had just changed it over. Just popped my hood and I see, sure enough, it's the N14 and not the smooth cover. What an idiot. For two years I've been thinking I'm immune.

I think I spent $700 to get my '07 blasted and crapped out anyway not long after.

 

Just forget the r56 and get a 06 r53, it will pop and burble all day and break down a lot less.

 

Sounds good to me!!! ;-)

 

This. Although, the R53 burble is much tinny and less burble than a R56, it sounds worse IMO. Now a Milltek exhaust changes the story

 

My 05&06 R53's have the original burble and pop unlike the next generations which sound more like backfires of old cars. They could not duplicate the original burble and pop so they just programmed it to simulate.

 

Well my scorpion pops quite nicely, check my videos

 

the pop and burble is my favorite feature on my R53 (2005)
I actually thought something was wrong with the car, and so did many owners. I saw a TSB about it, can't seem to recall, but stated that this was normal.