I had my Mini 2005 MCS Chilli fitted recently with a JCW kit in Australia, and the BMW dealer said all the bits removed were my property. However, when I picked up the car they said the cylinder head and supercharger would be re-manufactured (???????????) by BMW and then used again and actually belonged to them.

John Cooper Works (in UK) said all parts belonged to the car owner when ever they did the conversion, as did BMW in the UK, so I am curious as to what happens in the USA, as they are Mini's largest market,

Email messages:

JOHN COOPER WORKS
If the kit is being retro fitted by your local dealer then there is no exchange system. You should be able to keep all parts removed.

BMW GROUP UK
We can confirm that within the UK, a customer maintains ownership of the parts after installing the JCW kit, if they desire to do so.

BMW AUSTRALIA

1. In regards to the parts that have been removed from your MINI it is within BMW's Policy that the parts remain with BMW.
The parts are then sent back to England where they will be made into spare parts.
The reason we do this is so we do not have parts that are on the general market that can be modified etc.

2. BMW Australia is a part of the BMW World wide exchange program in which exchanged parts are then sent back to Germany and fully remanufactured and are sold on that basis with a further 2 year warranty

3. As you can appreciate the retail value of your JCW kit is subsidised so BMW can take back the cylinder head, and supercharger and in turn send these parts back to Germany.

Subsidise? 2nd hand engine parts with no history? remanufactured? exchanged parts?

It cost me $10,100 total AUD for the "fit" (just under $7,800 USD) which is not a subsidised kit+fit in my opinion.

Sorry for the scroller, but please, what happens (who owns) the parts removed in the USA when you have a JCW kit fitted, and what is the normal cost?

Down-Under Mini Mad John

 

If you want the used head and supercharger most Mini Dealers in the U.S will ask you to pay $1000 for the Head and $500 for the SC. You'd be silly to do that though as these parts can be had on E-Bay for far less. Turns out that the dealers are dumping almost brand new heads and SC's on E-Bay that were take-offs from JCW installs. If you need these parts get almost brandnew stuff on E-Bay

 

dealers. i hate them all.

i'd try and fight this. call JCW themselves over in the UK and see what they can do for you.

 

How strange that JCW in UK, and BMW (UK) both say all parts belong to you.
My son, a lawyer, says it is cut and dried as I was told before I agreed to the "fit" that all removed parts would be mine.

What are people actually charged in the USA for a JCW kit fitted?.

 

In the US both the cylinder head and the supercharge carry a core charge. So when the kit is purchased and installed they are expecting those 2 parts back.

 

In Germany the dealers don't want to keep the stuff !

If you don't fetch it, even the injectors, air filter housing, etc. they will throw it away. Or if anyone asks about it give it to him for free !!!!

These parts are not getting re-manufactered, this I can tell 'cause I working very close to BMW/MINI here.