After leaving the doctors office today as I turn the corner in the parking lot ....BAMMM! This pepper white Roadster is lying there. As soon as I saw it I knew this is the color I am purchasing. The contrast of the Black and the pepper was beautiful. So I take these crappy pictures with my phone and head 17 miles up to the dealer to finally test drive and order one and my dealaer was too busy showing a customer their new car so as I was about to leave I see a Roadster pulling up to the dealer and it was the same one I saw at the doctors office. So I start talking to him about it and he said he saw me looking at it at the doctors. He was a Mustang guy also. In his late 50's or early 60's. Nice guy. I couldnt wait for the dealer so I left and now maybe I will look at a JCW. He says his is probably the first one on the east coast. I wish my camera could have done justice to it but it looks a million times better in person and I think the black 5 star rims would look killer but not part of the package.

 

Nice car! That being said, is it me or do those door guards not line up with anything? They aren't parallel to the rocker panels NOR the belt line.

 

Congrats on the decision...funny how things work out some times. Now, go pull the trigger on that beautiful Roadster

 

I noticed that too. They don't appear to be level.

 

Yeah, that guy installed those himself. He is in his 60's.

 

Pepper White what kind of a color is that and what makes you think it has good contrast with black?

The Bullet (matt black 5 star) wheels are a no cost option on the JCW. Also the Silver Challenge (on that car) are a no cost option too. The JCW comes standard with high gloss Black Challenge wheels which IMO would look GREAT on Pepper White.

My car so you don't think I'm dishing on you.

 

Both look pretty nice IMO.
Silver wheels or black, either is nice.

 

More pics.... See what I mean about wrinkles in the leather! Cloth for me.

 

Oooooh, those are the new Recaro seats! Never seen a 'real' picture of them before!

Also, he's got something stuck on top of the airbag cover, it looks like. I don't know exactly how that cover moves in the event of a deployment, but no way would I add weight to it.

 

I am trying to figure out who has more stickers... my baby sister or the owner of this Coupe

 

Yeah, he went a little crazy.

 

Now I'm going to ask again. Is the JCW worth the $4000 more for little HP?

 

It's more than a few horsepower. Besides the 27 hp., Brembo brakes, different clutch, beefed up transmission(to handle the extra hp.), different exhaust, all tuned to work perfectly together. I thought I wanted the "S", until I drove both back to back. That showed me what I wanted. I think that's what you have to do.

 

Congrats on finding your color!

If you want the best acceleration and braking offered by a factory MINI, you definitely want the JCW.

If just having a fun little car is your goal (leaving the fun-with-horsepower to your Mustang), don't get the JCW.

If your focus will be on handling, the JCW gets you nowhere there, and I'd put that money towards aftermarket suspension stuff.

Don

 

So anyone know how this guy managed to get a JCW Roadster before most dealers even can? Not to mention the Recaro seats that everyone was told there was a delay on? Is this guy a MINI Big Wig? Any why is it bastardized with all those stickers and the crooked door guards? FOR SHAME!!! lol

 

That thought did cross my mind as well. How did he get this as we are all waiting. So many questions...

 

It really comes down to power for me. "Seat in the Pants" power. Handling, braking just is not that important to me. It's power when I need it to pass cars on the highway. I travel on a highway here in NY where the average speed in the left lane is 80! with 85+ most of the time. The Taconic Pkwy is a NASCAR drafting commute every morning and I'm driving a 2000 Jeep Cherokee as a commuter now doing those speeds. I've had most every powertrain a man could ask except a Ford GT (which by the way is my dream car and if I sold my KR I could get one with the cost of this also) but I like having power at a touch of the gas. I have owned a Subaru WRX and thought that 4 banger was awesome. Also a Dodge Caliber SRT4 which was fast also amongst 14 Mustangs with 3 being Shelby's and a Cobra. I'm not trying to match that power but just want something Fun and Fast. So if the S is not that far off exceleration wise as a JCW, I'll just settle for an S. But for $4k if I don't feel a huge difference in acceleration then I have my answer.

 

Whose ever car it is, it's his and he has the right to do
what he wants with it. That's what makes part of owning
a Mini fun. You can do what you like.
It'd be a pretty boring world if we all had the same ideas and thought
processes.
Individuality my friends.

 

And to my knowledge he has has this for quite some time now. I talked to my dealer today and he said this guy has the first JCW on the East Coast.

 

Well, the JCW will be faster, no doubt. But it's a lot harder to answer the "enough faster" question for sure.

I think to answer that you will probably need to personally drive both. The performance you are after isn't just the 0-60 or 1/4 mile times, it's more like the 60-80 or 70-85 performance.

I'm still taking it easy on mine, but just buzzing around secondary roads etc. it honestly feels quicker than my 370Z did. Yeah, I know, on paper the 370Z is much faster. But the Z always felt slightly sluggish unless you really got on it. Maybe it's just how the accelerator curves are set up, but the MINI just feels better.

I will say that if handling is down on your list, the MINI is at a disadvantage since that's one of its strong points. You don't see a lot of people buying MINIs so they can go fast in a straight line.

All that said, I've never felt the 'S' was underpowered on the highway, and that includes my previous generation 'S' which had less HP than today's S does.

I suspect all this isn't much help, sorry.

Don

 

Oh, and btw - braking is always important! Especially when doing 85 on a crowded highway...

(The JCW brakes are fantastic IMHO)

Don

 

Oh please, take the door guards off right now. Right now!

 

If this was my car I would do the following:
- Take off all stickers and door guards
- Restripe the car with the vinyl folded into the panel seams so it looks like one continuous stripe instead of a dozen small ones.
- Drop the ride height about an inch or so.

Bam, perfection.

 

Here's the thing Don. I dont quite understand people who say the "handling" is one of the strong points why people buy minis. I mean people aren't professional racers doing 90 miles an hour around a hairpin turn everyday. Like I said I daily commute 80-85 mph on a twisty highway for those of you who know the Taconic parkway, 287, Bronx River Pkwy, the Saw Mill Pkwy and the New York State Thruway here in NY and out of the 20 new cars I have had since 1999 from 25-90K it's all good. I mean there is a difference and I get it. I have been chased by a new york state trooper for 15 miles at 120 mph on a Sunday morning with my WRX but most people are not in a NASCAR race everyday. I take exits at 60 mph with my Jeep and find it ok. I understand the Mini is like a go-cart and thats one of the reasons I want it, but almost every car today handles pretty good and most people can't even feel the difference between a JCW and an S in everyday driving. Be that as it may I will drive both and my foot will tell me which one to purchase. Back in 06 I purchased a brand new Mustang V8 with 300hp. Today's V6 has 305 HP so power it is for me and not for a straight line either. I have that one in my garage. I want power and fun and I think either Mini will make me happy. I would love to see a more powerful one also like the Saturn Sky Red Line which had 260 HP.

 

Dont you think these wheels would look killer on a PW roadster?