Ok not sure if this has been covered, and hope its in the correct section but...

what is the difference between a cooper S with the upgraded JCW kit vs a JCW? I was building them both on miniusa and can't see a difference? If there isn't a big difference, I can build my cooper S with a lot more upgrades + the JCW kit and it be less than the stock JCW that mini has to offer?

the actual performance kit.... so boosting a cooper s to the ~208hp or a stock JCW with ~208hp

Any thoughts/inputs?

 

JCW is more about performance than the body kit if that is what you are referring to.
If not there are a lot of extra touches on the JCW that jack up the price, but I don't think I'm alone when I say that anyone with the cash would order a JCW over a MCS with JCW parts

 

oh not the aero kit sorry. ill edit my first post. the enging/performance kit.

 

The JCW Kit for the S only boosts the HP to 189. So you need to go full JCW if you want the 208 from the factory.

 

Here would be your answer from someone wiser than I :D

 

Is this the only real difference? So the JCW kit for a cooper S only boosts the HP 17hp? where as the JCW model gives the overall new hp of 36hp more than a cooper S?

So not sure with the 2100 is worth 17hp?

I'll appologize in advance if the questions seem noobish. Just trying to make sure I get my facts straight before settlinge between a JCW with fewer upgrades or a Cooper S with the JCW performnce kite and more upgrades.

 

If you go to the Mini web site, and look at the "Feature Chart for All Models", it also says that the non JCW Minis come with a

"...6-speed manual Getrag transmission or 6-speed Aisin (Automatic) transmission..."

But the JCW versions come with a

"...6-speed manual high-capacity Getrag transmission..."

The JCW are also slightly heaver than their "S" and "Just a Cooper" versions as well, but that is expected I guess.

URL = http://www.miniusa.com/sections/comp...INIcompare.pdf

 

Actually I was in the same boat as you. I was thinking about

(1) 2009 Convertible S with the JCW Stage 1 Kit
(2) 2009 Convertible Factory JCW

What I decided is that if I were to get #1 above with all the options (see my signature), I would be satified, however if I were to purchase #2 with all the option that I wanted, it would have cost me over $6K to $7K more (if my memory is correct). I thought of saving that $6K and doing something else with it, so I went with option #1, but I maxed it out with all possible options.

I'm happy as can be, and I made the right choice in my opinion!

 

Interesting chart. Solves most of my questions. I didn't know that you couldn't get the same power from a stock JCW and a cooper S with the JCW Stage 1 kit. I guess now I have to consider the 17hp increase and if its worth the 2100. or I could save the 2100 and spend it on something else like suspension or something. I wonder if the dealer would have a cooper S and a cooper S with the JCW Stage 1 kit on location so I could compare the 2... see if I can feel the difference between the stage 1 kit and the regular S

 

You have to remember, that it may 'only' be 17HP, but that is a 10% upgrade. Remember, MINIs don't come boasting big HP numbers, so an 17HP upgrade is pretty big.

 

I highly doubt you'll find a new S with the Stage 1 Kit on the lot, as the Stage 1 kits are special ordered based on the VIN of the vehicle, and the dealer does the install. You might be able to find out that may have been sold to them, or returned from a least.

Also some other difference between the "S" and a "JCW".

• The JCW comes with a stick shift **** with red numbers, while the "S" are white numbers.
• The JCW isn't available with LSD but the "S" are as an option you can order.
• The JCW packages are slightly different than the "S" packages, or it was when I last checked (I recall the JCW didn't come with the alarm, but the "S" package include it). You best bet is to print out the complete specs and compare them line by line.
• The JCW has a much better sound exhaust and has the pop and burble from the Gen 1 Minis. You only get that on the "S" when your purchase the JCW Stage 1 Kit, but it isn't the same as the JCW, but close.

I can't think of anything else at the moment, but there are more I'm sure.

 

You also have to remember that alot of that increase in hp and torque occurs in the upper rev range. So, if your dealer is a bit reluctant to let you rev up to 6500 rpm on a test drive, you probably won't notice the difference between the two in the lower rpms. The good thing about the JCW tuning kit is that you can add it anytime. Why not just settle on an S with the cosmetic and functional options you want for a few months? Let yourself know the car and how it drives. You'll probably end up changing the tires and wheels first before anything anyways. And then get the JCW tuning kit. You'll really appreciate it afterwards cause you'll know for sure where that kit is improving your ride. If you get it right away, you might end up scratching your head questioning if it was worthwhile since you never had a base to compare it to. Just my 2 cents.

 

This is a copy paste from an earlier thread. Thanks to the OP:

There are two different ways you can 'JCW' your MCS. It's not that confusing if you read the site but I'll explain anyway. You can buy a MCS and then buy the JCW Tuning Kit. This kit consists of an ECU upgrade, slightly less restrictive exhaust and new airbox this amounts to an official HP figure of 189.

Then you have the JCW car. This is a different car, yes kind of like a 3 series and an M3 except the JCW car isn't quite as comprehensive a package as an M car. With the factory JCW car you get even more aggressive ECU tuning, a full turbo back exhaust system, upgraded pistons, upgraded transmission, upgraded clutch, the airbox from the Stage 1 kit, anthracite headliner, new JCW door sills, speedo that goes to 160 instead of 140, your choice of piano black or fluid silver interior surface, shift **** with red numbering, 17" JCW Challenge wheels with Bridgestone performance runflats and 4 piston Brembo brakes in red with JCW logo. All this adds up to an official figure of 210hp. The engine in the JCW factory car is essentially the same engine as in the MINI Challenge race car.

All the other accessories you see like the JCW aero kit and JCW suspension are extra and you'll need to pay extra if you want them. One way to tell the difference between a Cooper S with JCW tuning kit and a factory JCW car is if you stand behind the 'S' you'll see the Cooper S badge where it always is and the JCW badge on the opposite side of the boot, if you stand behind a factory JCW it will only have a JCW badge and that will be where the Cooper S is normally.

The Sport suspension has upgraded sway bars, springs, and shocks.

Oh sorry a couple more things, the JCW factory car also gets DTC(Dynamic Traction Control) and EDLC(Electronic Differential Lock Control). EDLC is an electronically controlled substitute for LSD which uses the new bigger brakes to apply force and help cornering under high speeds. According to preliminary reviews on motoringfile it works very well.

Reed the reviews on Motoringfile.com

a modified turbo (bigger internally) than the standard MCS.

R55 and R56 JCW cars can not use the 15" or 16" snow tire package***
MINI recommends using 205/45r17 snow tires on the existing 17" rims or
purchasing rims and tire pressure sensors (approved rims
R97,R104,R108,R110 AND R112).

I have driven a Cooper, Cooper S and I have a JCW. There is absolutely a night and day difference in performance when going from a Cooper to an "S" to a "JCW"

 

What does just adding an aftermarket intake get your w.r.t. HP? Is it dangerous to do this without ECU tuning at the same time?

 

It's not really dangerous to add a CAI without an ECU flash, it just won't be as optimized. Adding a CAI really doesn't yield much of a HP gain. I'd bet no more then 5HP.

 

hmm wow. thanks guys for your inputs.

1) adding the Stage 1 kit afterwards sounds good but the reason I would like to do it all at once is so it becomes a montly payment and not a 1 time fee of the ~$2100.

It does seem nicer to have an upgrade tranny, pistons and all that good stuff so I will have to do a little more comparison to see what I can get with both a cooper S + Stage 1 kit and a JCW

 

For those of you comparison shopping between the two, consider this:

When comparing, try (as much as you can) to ignore the options in steps 5 & 6 in the MINIUSA Configurator.

Why? Because every one of those options is dealer-installed instead of factory. If you are trying to get the most for your dollar, but you don't want to "miss out" on an option later that you wish you'd bought, then focus as much of your buying dollars on steps 1-4 as possible.

That way, down the road, if you didn't buy one of the step 5/6 options, whether it be 1 month after you bought the car, or 3 years... you still can, because it's still available from the dealer! However, for steps 1-4, you generally only get one shot to choose those options... when you are placing the original order for the car.

I hope that makes the decision process a little clearer for some.

 

The 2009 S speedo goes to 160.

 

Onefish2's quote of someone else is almost right. I did not have the time to wait to build a JCW, so I got fully loaded S, which I later added every piece of JCW performance equipment, including stage one, brakes, suspension etc. If not for timing eBay bids in the UK and the Marketplace, it would have been significantly more expensive.

You can get your MCS well over the 208HP for less money than the JCW, but will it be worth the risk? I know plenty of shops that will get 50+ HP alone on an ECU tune, but you run the likely risk of thrashing your engine and having no warranty coverage.

The price difference for the JCW is more than worth it. You not only get the engine upgrades, but the braking, which can run you a minimum of $1600 alone from Morristown.

Here is my only word of caution. The JCW does NOT come with an upgraded CAI box. It has a larger inlet tube yes, but the box itself is functionally identical to the MCS (panel filter vs. the cone filter of JCW kit). In addition, the JCW comes with blank rotors not the slotted/drilled that come with the brake package. It also does not come with the JCW suspension, it is the same Sports Suspension as the kit in the MCS.

 

That begs the question- for a 'Just a Cooper S' which is a better option now? The LSD or the DTC where the EDLC will kick in when necessary?

 

It doesn't even come with that. It comes with the base suspension. Utterly stupid decision on their part for the "high end" model. The Sports Suspension is an extra option, as is the dealer-installed JCW suspension.

In my opinion the factory JCW model should at least come with the Sports Suspension as standard.

Selling the high-end version of car on the basis of it being a "go kart" handler, and giving it the lowest performance suspension, is just plain asinine.

 

That is a very good point Edge. While you might be able to get some of the step 1-4 options done at the dealer, you'll be paying an arm and a leg (and in your case, the other arm, the other leg, and your torso) to get things added later.

 

While we can all gripe about what is, what is not, and what should have been included, the question at hand is the value. That is in the eye of the buyer. If the thread starter does not think 6K is worth it, so be it. To me, you cannot phyiscally, or fiscally, add a larger turbo, exhaust, tuning, inlets, transimission, headers, and BRAKES, for less than 6K. It is just not going to happen not matter how you do the math. Perhaps if you do all your own labor and pay for the ECU tuning, but good luck with that. Nevermind adding all the finish parts (speedo, sills, ****, dash, badges).

That said, you could get more power and brakes for a lot less, but again, that whole warranty thing.

 

I don't plan on doing much afterwards. I want to keep the car as most to stock as far as performance goes. I currently own a civic and get tired of messing with it. I want something reliable with some zip... thats why I am debating between a cooper S with Stage 1 kit or a JCW. It seems the JCW is going to be a lot better but I will have to see what the options are after I customize my cooper S some more.

 

Compared to the Civic, unless it was the Si, the Mini S will already be a significant upgrade in terms of power and handling. You would be better off spending the money on accessories/parts you like vs. either the JCW or stage one. Test drive all three if you can and go from there.

You will not go wrong with either choice.