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I just picked up this 2005 Mini Cooper convertible from Los Angles California for $4000 and drove it back to Ohio. It has 112k miles and it is in really nice condition. It is the hood scoop model and is really fast!
Hi and welcome to the NAM family Shimaze!
Very good that you purchased an 05 R52 JCW! A great car! I hope it delivers all that you want from it.
What plans are in it's future?
These cars are so fun to drive. I have an 08 vert, which I never drive. it has 74K miles on it. I drive my 06 R53 JCW daily, so keeping it stock, power wise< which is plenty for me. It keep the handling, the way it was designed with the JCW handling package.
The strut towers should be braced, as they tend to mushroom, if you work the car hard, or have crappy roads. I am using the M7 brace and tower savers.
You convertible has extra bracing on the back and front, to stiffen the body.
Keep us posted!
I was just teasing about not knowing what JCW and John Cooper Works was. I knew that before I bought the car and is the reason why I bought this one. At first I did not notice the emblems and when I did, I could barely distinguish the front & rear emblems. Just to be sure that someone did not just put the emblems on it, I had the dealer send me a pic of the engine. Additionally, I emailed John Cooper Works with the VIN number and they said it was a JCW model and that it did have the LSD. The car was not advertised as a JCW model and the dealer had absolutely no idea that it had the JCW kit on it or what John Cooper Works is. And I certainly did not say anything to him. Had he known, I am certain the car would have sold for more than $4000.
The first thing I am going to do is address the strut towers. I bought the M7 plates and strut brace before I bought the car. I took it with me on the plane and I was going to install the plates before I drove it off the lot. I already knew about the mushrooming problem. But the mounts are going to have to be hammered flat and I didn’t want to do that before my trip back just in case it didn’t work out so well. I am going to use both upper & lower plates to protect the shock towers. I am also going to replace the original struts with either orange or red Koni’s although I am not opposed to spending a little extra for the yellow’s. My primary objective is protecting the strut towers and the convertible body. A convertible just isn’t the ideal platform for road racing.
I addition to new struts and plates, I will also install an undercarriage brace. I will likely go with the WMW brace or possibly the M7 brace. I may also install 50 series tires either in a 16” or 17 rim. It has almost new 215/45R17 now. The extra side wall helps a lot with pot holes. I may also install new springs with the new struts. But I don’t want to lower the car at all. If I put taller tires on it, that will fill the wheel well and give the illusion of being lowered. The Mini Cooper already sits low enough. I am not sure if has factory lowered sport springs on it or not.
I agree with Wayne, the JCW has enough power. Plus the air can only be squeezed so much before it causes more harm than it is worth. I may however put a lower temp thermostat in it. Cooling the engine down generally reduces the chances of detonation and would help with the increased boost. Although the general consensus, best I can tell, is that the stock 195 works best. I would have the computer re-programmed to account for the lower temps and turn on the fan sooner. Hot engines produce less emissions but cooler engines produce more power. At least that is what I believe. The only upgrade that I may consider is a long tube header if that fixes the P2096 code.
The only other things I want to do is replace the plugs & wires (making sure I use the correct cooler JCW plug) and install a more powerful coil. Other items on the list is general maintenance items such as a new belt, change trans fluid, and remove the supercharger to replace the oil and install a new water pump. I generally try to prevent problems before they start and when I go into something, I like to come out better than new and with all new parts.
Congratulations on finding your new MINI. Sounds like you got a good deal. Enjoy it. How was the drive across the country. That took some guts in a 13 year old new-to-you car.
sounds like you have a plan. But if the towers are mushroomed the front mounts are bent as that is what the mushrooming is actually from. So you will need new mounts. If you aren't going to lower it go with our IE fixed mounts as they are thicker so you won't need anything extra to prevent mushrooming, and they will give you extra camber to improve the handling. I'd match with out Koni FSDs.
Don't go with a colder thermostat they only cause check engine lights on street driven cars. Stick with your Original 195 thermostat and you will be fine. Going to the colder thermostat will actually loose you power as it will run too rich.
For plugs and wires we have a great kit, and just go with the stock coil there isn't power in aftermarket coils.
