I have been thinking about buying an 06 JCW but one of the things I was sorry to see as standard equipment was the 17" wheels. In talking to many other MINI owners this seems to be a hold up for them as well because there are no good tires in a size, that works well on a MINI, in Stock class. I would be most interested in one of the ST classes but I view the 17's as a waste of $$.

I think it would benefit MINI if they at least made the 17's as a delete option even if they never planned to ship a car to the U.S. with the 16's unless it was ordered that way. This way you could order the JCW, select delete 17" wheels, get the 16" Bridge Spokes that are standard in Germany, and maybe save the customer a couple hunderd $$ and sell a LOT MORE MINI's, that will win a lot more Stock class autocross trophies.

Speak up if you agree and let's see if we can't get MINI U.S.A. off their butts to help us out.

 

205/40/17 works great and several tire manufactures makes them, also Pirelli makes 215/45/17 in R compound very expensive at about $235 per.

 

Add my vote on the issue. Hate the all of the 17" wheels that they have to offer. The rest of the world gets the 16" Bridge Spokes, which are still a little on the heavy side, but not the US? What gives?

I'm also a little pi55'd that you have to add the "Preformance pkg." or the "Checkmate pkg." to the already expensive JCW pkg. bringing it to about $8,000 USD. And for that you get 17" lead wheels? It is ludicrous. They won't get my money, thank you very much!

They say vote with your money, well I did. I just put a deposit down today on a new '06 MCS and passed on all of the overpriced JCW garbage. I'll add aftermarket pieces later, same preformance or better, less money.

 

I thought maybe I had missed something but I searched TR's web site and none of the better "R" tires are available in the 205/40/17, 215/45/17 or 215/40/17. Most serious autocrossers are just interested in Kumho 710's and Hoosier AS305's or possibily the newest Avons for stock class. The 2nd or 3rd or possibly 4th rate Pirelli's are available in the 215/45/17 if you're willing to give up on the best tires and the gearing advantage the shorter tire would have and pay more for it as well. That's why Autocrossers NEED to have the 16" wheels as an option.

 

I agree. I had thought about making the jump to a 06 JCW MINI. But I am not happy about the 17" wheels and all the extras that bump up the cost of the JCW car. The sad part is I worry that a 06 MCS will be bumped into the same class as a MCS/JCW.

Good thing I love my 03 Cooper.
I drive HS in the DC area. I very strongly believe that if your on the course longer than the other drivers your having more fun.

 

I passed on the JCW for my 2006 MCS for the exact same reasons. I held the order up a couple weeks until the dealer could confirm the bridge spokes could not be ordered 'ala carte'. I didn't like being held hostage for the sport or Checkmate packages, forced to buy some 17's I didn't like. I wish either the bridge spokes could be ordered or the JCW brake package could be deleted.

 

Yes you must have missed it, I use Hoosier 205/40/17 which I got from Tirerack, here is a link to some Kumho http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Compar...None&x=55&y=14

Link # 2 http://www.bobwoodmantires.com/hoosier/hsrdotradial.htm

Link # 3 http://www.bobwoodmantires.com/toyo/toyo.html

 

Sorry no Hoosier A3S05's at the linked site and the other tires are 2nd to 4th rate and even if the HOO's are available you would still be better off with the shorter 215/40/16, 710's.

 

The 205/40/17's are a road race compound(R3S04). Not the best choice if its cool. Not to mention they are a skinnier 205 compared to the current Hoosier A3S05 in 205/45/16. Some charts show them the same width as the A , but, I am told by Hoosier that it was a mis-print on the width on the chart and that there is a tolerance that they are allowed to go between.

 

Since when is the JCW in a stock class?

 

Its a factory option for 2006. So, it will be in stock class for 06.

 

Thanks, I was actually wondering which stock class will it be in?

 

The only reason 17's are required is for clearance of the front calipers in the JCW brake kit, I believe. You could still order a stripped S with LSD a la carte and 16" wheels, then have the JCW engine kit installed by a dealer. Assuming you don't want the Sport or Checkmate packages, then this would actually be cost effective. No idea whether a dealer installed kit would put you in a different class, though. Probably not, assuming it's an 06.

 

That's true, but for those of us that would like to autocross our cars that puts us in a modified class. In Europe the 16" bridge spokes are offered. It would be nice if we could get the same offer. I fear the 06 MCS with LSD will be in the same class as the JCW MCS. If I were to trade in my car I would likely just go with the MCS with LSD and then mod the car. The mods at some point may include a JCW package but they may not.

When I look at the support that Lotus gives the people that compete their car on a local level I am some what amazed. MINI started out as an autocrossers best wish because you could order the bits needed to make the car competive. MINI is now getting away from that process.

Almost 30k for a MINI a lot of money. Granted a very special MINI, but still a MINI.

 

Actually the 16" Bridge Spoke wheel is the only 16" wheel that will fit over the JCW brake kit. It was specifically designed to fit over the JCW brakes. And we can't get it seperately in the US, that stinks!

 

You can't do partial option package upgrades... if the only way the JCW was offered was with Checkmate or Sport package, you have to get those as well. So JCW must run 17's.

Compared to all other MINI options JCW is not a line item option.

It does make the choices interesting... 40 hp but not optimal tires...

 

Wow, didn't realize that. "Stinks" is an understatement. Way to alienate the competitive segment of the US market, BMW/MINI! A segment that can, if well supported, add huge PR and marketing value to the brand.

 

If they even offered an option to go with either the Bridge Spokes or the 17 as part of the package (much like the base other MINIs have an option) that would help and not cost MINI anything as they are offering a wheel that is in the inventory stream anyway. Another item does make that stream less manageable. But if it was done at the get go it would have followed the same logic that is in place. Now that everything is in place I have little hope for a change.
John

 

Actually, stock 16in MINI wheels do fit over the JCW brake kit. Phil Wicks ordered his '05 with the JCW brake kit and 17's, but it came from the factory with 16 in V-spoke. I belive depending on where the wheel weights are place, it will clear or it won't. Very strange.

As far as '06 JCW cars being able to autocross with 16's, there may be some hope. I was talking to a couple people at nationals about which wheel size we could use for the JCW. From the factory, no 16 is available. But it's my understanding that the owners manuel will state a 16x6.5 option unless the JCW cars get a seperate manuel. Unless someone makes a 225/40 17 for the new Miatas which may be likely, tire size would be very limited.

There was a crossfire that ran D-Stock with 18's on the rear (from the factory they come with 19's which have no R compound) because in the owners manuel it states that if you live in a snowy climate, you can run stock front wheels (which are 18's) in the rear. He got protested earlier in the season, won, got apealed, lost, and I haven't hear what came of it since. In the rule book it clearly states that that is legal though. Any one got more info on the rules?

 

The Crossfire was in Topeka, running the 19's (Michelin Pilot Sport Cups, the only 19 inch R Tire) Part of the aurgument against the crossfire is that you cannot get the car with 18's all the way around directly from the factory.

JCW is in a different boat... to get the JCW upgrade you have to order one of the other packages (checkmate or sport) that include 17 inch wheels, No Choice.

 

In 05 the JCW kit was dealer installed, and depending on which wheels he ordered they were likely dealer options as well. So basically the car came as a standard S with a box of parts in the trunk.

In 06 the car will role off the boat on 17's with all the JCW stuff installed.

 

I don't see how it's a different boat. Both cars don't come from the factory with the desired wheel size. Both cars mention the wanted wheel size in their owners manuel. My question is if any one knows more about whether a car can run a wheel that is mentioned in the manuel. Does it have to be the factory service manuel or does the owners manuel work? Hopefully JCW will remain on the exclusion list and this will be a moot point.

 

And you can't get a neon ACR or Celica from the factory with crash bolts either, but because they are specified in the service manual or in a TSB you can run them in stock. I'm rather surprised that the Crossfire issue didn't come down the same way, with 18" wheels on the rear being a specified configuration in the FSM.

 

Section 13. "Alternate parts listed in a factory parts manual are not authorized unless their use is specifically referenced in the factory service manual or in a service bulletin for the specific model."

I'm not sure why the Crossfire would have a problem with the above. If the FSM says you can run 18" wheels on the rear, the rule above states that it's ok for Stock.
But, unless MINI's FSM says to run 16's for a particular reason, they won't be allowed. Because as the above rule states, being listed in the factory parts manual doesn't cut it.

Brian

 

Regarding the dealer installed JCW Kit for the '05 and '06, I don't think the Brake Kit is included. The brakes, suspension and strut brace are ala carte.