Mini Cooper S or JCW (2005) ?

[PompeyPaul]

Hi guys,

As the title suggests really, I am looking st getting a mini. I want it for fun driving on B roads, as well as driving to Le Mans next year and a trip or two to "the ring."

In your (compared to me) expert opinions, would I be better going for the JCW, or would I be better getting a Cooper S and adding a tuning package like the GTT220 onto it? From reading it appears that the JCW on paper at 210BHP, but are rarely over 195 when put on a rolling road? Obviously the GT220 would get it somewhere close to 220BHP, but at a cost of around £1,200 with VAT.

Also, do both the S and the JCW have the "popping" exhaust sound, or is it only the Works?

Advice greatfully recieved!

Thanks.

Paul

[SlowlnFastOut]

PompeyPaul said:

Hi guys,

As the title suggests really, I am looking st getting a mini. I want it for fun driving on B roads, as well as driving to Le Mans next year and a trip or two to "the ring."

In your (compared to me) expert opinions, would I be better going for the JCW, or would I be better getting a Cooper S and adding a tuning package like the GTT220 onto it? From reading it appears that the JCW on paper at 210BHP, but are rarely over 195 when put on a rolling road? Obviously the GT220 would get it somewhere close to 220BHP, but at a cost of around £1,200 with VAT.

Also, do both the S and the JCW have the "popping" exhaust sound, or is it only the Works?

Advice greatfully recieved!

Thanks.

Paul

It depends what you want really, as you say most JCWs dont make quite the power they are supposed to. You can make more power than a JCW with relatively few modifications to a standard Cooper S. The upside of the JCW is obviously its all BMW approved and it will come with a JCW exhaust, airfilter, head and injectors (if its a facelift). If you do go down the route of modifying I wouldn't bother with GTT as they are overated and overpriced. You will see good gains from a reduced pulley and Intercooler on a standard car and for fitting I would reccommend either:

Minicraft in West Sussex - http://www.minicraft-sussex.co.uk/

or

1320 in Cambridge - http://www.1320.co.uk/default.aspx

Both are experts and you will see more power than the GTT kit for a much smaller outlay.

The popping is the car throwing fuel at the cat which results in a popping noise. This occurs on both standard and JCW facelift cars which are cars produced after 54 plate. The earlier cars do not pop.

[PompeyPaul]

Thanks for that information, great to know! I have just spoken to Trevor at Minicraft as Sussex who was amazingly helpful and offered loads of advice on safe and sensible mods, top man!

He is about an hour and a half away from me, but I am going to go and see him tomorrow for a chat and have a look at his demo car which is currently running 240BHP which has the various mods available, which will be really useful to see!

Paul

[PompeyPaul]

I have just been hunting the classifieds a bit and found a few possibles....

1. www.pistonheads.com/sales/3171955.htm

2. www.pistonheads.com/sales/3216390.htm

3. www.pistonheads.com/sales/3157966.

4. www.pistonheads.com/sales/3220901.htm

5. www.pistonheads.com/sales/3174039.htm

Any views greatfully recieved, either on this topic or via PM

[coogy]

I just had Trevor sort me out a new clutch and flywheel on my 04 JCW. Reccomended, top bloke, doesn't try to sell you stuff but offers insightful, honest opinions.

[s m]

SlowlnFastOut said:

The popping is the car throwing fuel at the cat which results in a popping noise. This occurs on both standard and JCW facelift cars which are cars produced after 54 plate. The earlier cars do not pop.

We have a 55 plate MCS which does the snap, crackle and pop on the over-run. After one service it was more pronounced to the extent I enquired about it and was told ( by the mechanic ) that they'd done a software update as part of the service.
I'd recommend switching to non-runflats - it has improved the mpg figure quite markedly as well as the handling feel and ride quality ( it's on 16s )

[Steve UK]

We looked at JCW but eventually gave up as I found it hard to ascertain if it was genuine or fitted after, still confused by it. If it was converted after it might not have everything you might expect? LSD? Brakes?

We bought a standard face lift 2005, still standard and still happy with it

[PompeyPaul]

SlowlnFastOut said:

The popping is the car throwing fuel at the cat which results in a popping noise. This occurs on both standard and JCW facelift cars which are cars produced after 54 plate. The earlier cars do not pop.

Is that inclusive of a 54 plate, or after that (I.e 55 onwards)?

[steveball]

If the clock is in the roof lining its a pre-facelift so any that don't have the roof mounted clock will pop. Open the bonnet and on the outside of drivers side will have a build date, think the change over was july\aug 04.

[coogy]

Mine pops and its a Jan '04 JCW