Im currently debating if I should trade in my 2013 MCS for a 2013 JCW. How are the differences between the two n18 engines?
Ive read some about it here in NAM but there isnt a whole lot about n18 JCWs. I know the suspension is the same, but the transmission and internals are beefed up. Still debating if its worth it.
opinions please....

 

I would say no because your probably pretty upside down in this car then youll be rolling it over into the jcw. Your probably going to lose money on the deal so i would say no.

 

+1

 

Unless u plan on racing ur mini, why bother. True, the JCW is a little beefier, but do u need it for the type of driving u plan on doing. U r also going to lose some bucks on the deal. I wud give it some serious thought.

 

That is definately the biggest downside. But money aside...

 

I wouldn't do it, you could use the money you would lose and add some on top of it and make yourself a JCW. Sure you'd lose the internals but it honestly wouldn't be worth being upside and adding the additional money it cost for a JCW

 

Try to sell your '13 MCS cause the dealer will try to rip you off. I'd definitely go for the JCW. I love it but I don't know if I'd need it for everyday purposes. That's why I modded my MCS to my liking.

 

How about a GP? I'm just kidding, I'd be happy with what you have.

 

Not worth the financial hit

 

That is an interesting set of responses. I recall a somewhat similar thread on NAM a few years ago and consensus was go for it the JCW was worth taking a financial hit. At the time of was more of the opinion of those who have responded to this thread. I am still of that opinion. I'd love to have a JCW, however I am not sure I want to stay with a MINI these days and I really love my car. There are a lot of very interesting options hitting the market in the next few years at various price points. I was lucky enough to work a good deal on my MCS which included $1K of sticker plus free Premium Package and 0.9% financing, and I am paid off in late 2015 or early 2016. Right now I am most interested in the Gen VII Golf R or the Audi S3 which should both be available late 2014 or early 2015. I am also toying with the idea of 2-3 year old, low mileage Certified Porsche Boxster or 991 when the time comes. The new MINI's just don't have the appeal to me that the current ones have.

Ultimately, this is dictated by your financial position and your desire for a JCW. Best of luck.

 

I guess that nobody has asked you what you don't like about the MCS, or what you think that the JCW will do better? Like you said, finances aside.....

Are there options on the JCW that you wish you had on the MCS, or a killer color (or do you regret the color choice on your MCS?)?

Have you driven the JCW? Is it the same suspension as your MCS, or did you want the stiffer/softer suspension?

A MINI is a MINI, I would not think that the JCW will be more durable because of the pistons (unless you will be tracking regularly), and I don't know if the resale value will be significantly different from a MCS in a few years either.

How do you plan on using your MINI? DD, occasional autox, track rat?

I can help push you in either direction, just let us know what you think about your current car and what you hope will be better on the JCW.

Have fun,
Mike

 

The dealer actually made me a really nice offer for my car. I live in Puerto Rico and MINIs go for a lot more here. Ultimately I'd end up paying $3k over the JCWs original price which is not bad considering.

I love my MINI, although I frequently wish I would've gotten the JCW from the start.
I would like to hit the track occasionally for fun and in 3 years or so when I can afford a second car then modify it for track days.
.
I drove the JCW earlier today and loved it. The suspension was the same (non sport) but for some reason the clutch was wayyy softer than my MCS.

Only thing I would kinda miss is the premium package on my MCS. Id be switching out commodities like rain sensor, autolamps, panoramic roof and the a/c control that make the interiors look nicer.

The thing is... I want the engine, the transmission for peace of mind and the brakes. My mCS has the JCW package so it looks kind of the same minus the breaks and black rims. I'm really having a hard time with this choice.

 

Been debating this decision since February, and I, too, wanted to see how much it would cost to turn my MCS closer to a JCW so I called up a local dealer just to get a rough estimate on the aero kit and they said $2k for aero kit, install $1800, and we had to guess on price for painting it cuz' their paint guy was already off when I called but we figured $500-1k. So roughly $4.5-5k just for aero kit. Now if you want the Brembo BBK, that is another $2k+install cost. As for engine parts upgrade, well it would just add up some more. Now financially, I will not be taking a hit and so no rolling negative equity to the new car. In the end, I just asked myself which would make me happier--a JCW. However, having to drive the wife's car while waiting for the new one is killing me already though. lol

 

Isn't 2014 going to be a new generation? Why not wait and get a '14 JCW?

 

Very likely the R56 JCW will live on a couple of years after the Justa and the S get their major (majorly messed up) makeover.

 

R56 jcw will cease production soon. The others however will continue for a few years.

 

You've heard this from a reliable source ? Not a big deal and the reason I jumped and ordered mine with I did, just have not seen this officially yet and would not be MINI's normal way of doing things.

And when you say the "others", I assume you're talking Countryman, Roadster, Coupe, and Clubman JCWs ?

 

If you plan on keeping a JCW stock sure, if you plan on modding a N18 engine than stick with the MCS imo.

 

So what i finally decided.

I wont change my car for the JCW on the dealer. Didnt really like the interior and a few other stuff I know I would regret.
However, I'm ordering one the way I know I'll love and will feel glad paying the monthly difference.
So what I'll do is sell my MCS while I wait for the JCW.

No financial hit.
Everybody wins

 

I think trading from an S to JCW is a reasonable idea, we did. We did trade an 08 for a 12 though, so the financial hit wasn't so bad. Trading a 13 for a 13 is probably a very bad idea financially. How much is the JCW worth to you?

 

Go to your local mini dealer and try to order a new R56. You can't they are switching production to the F56 platform at the end of this year.

 

Unless you are selling your car for exactly what you paid for it you are definitely loosing money. I'd like to see the math on this one.

 

I'm the long run I'll still lose money. Just not as bad as trading it in.

 

I did a similar trade, but my story is a little different. I traded my 05 Mercedes ML 500 for a 2012 Clubman S manual to see if I wanted to go back to a manual last November. I paid the difference in cash. It had some options I didn't need or like, so I ordered a 2013 JCW hardtop. I traded the 2012 for the 2013 and lost a couple thousand on the deal, but I had the exact car I wanted, which I also paid cash for. Had I had to finance any of this I wouldn't have done it. The JCW far exceeded my expectations. The clutch was the biggest difference. It is way smoother, and has what I call a way better friction zone, and softer pedal. Of course the power is unreal to me compared to the MCS. My whole point here is that when you have a car that is exactly what you want, you will be happier with it, and sometimes the loss of money isn't that important to you!

 

Well said