RE: Mini Cooper S JCW (R56): Spotted
Discussion
I have a later N18 engine JCW Clubman quite a rare car to be fair.
Two years ive had it and done 25k no issues, used 2L of oil in that time MPG is good and its fun to drive and my other cars include a Lotus Elise & a Seven.
Far more interesting and fun than other hot hatch's, didnt want a earlier N14 engine though to be fair
Two years ive had it and done 25k no issues, used 2L of oil in that time MPG is good and its fun to drive and my other cars include a Lotus Elise & a Seven.
Far more interesting and fun than other hot hatch's, didnt want a earlier N14 engine though to be fair
I wouldn't touch one of these with a barge pole. Shocking reliability in my opinion.
...and the latest one. Pot ugly.
The MINI is now a caricature of the car it once was. It's like the designers have no idea what to do with it - so design any old monstrosity that vaguely looks like a classic Mini.
So many better cars for the money - and RELIABLE!
...and the latest one. Pot ugly.
The MINI is now a caricature of the car it once was. It's like the designers have no idea what to do with it - so design any old monstrosity that vaguely looks like a classic Mini.
So many better cars for the money - and RELIABLE!
All I will say is, do not buy an R56 Mini Cooper S (or JCW), unless it's when they updated the engine, I believe was .
I had nothing but problems, timing chain, lack of warning lights before it's too late.
Worst one was that the Mini's don't have a temperature gauge, light came on and it was too late when it did... head gasket had gone!
Mini won't accept the issues either, shocking.
I had nothing but problems, timing chain, lack of warning lights before it's too late.
Worst one was that the Mini's don't have a temperature gauge, light came on and it was too late when it did... head gasket had gone!
Mini won't accept the issues either, shocking.
We tried one and the engine was screwed, was a Cooper S and the ride was appalling due to RFT's on 17 inch wheels and Sports Suspension, its not an easy combo to live with, I like Minis but would want a less harsh setup, maybe switching to normal tyres would have made enough difference.
Looking for a weekend/track car three years ago I noticed early R56 were falling into my price bracket but found them dull to drive even before I found out about the issues with the cam chain, fuel pump, coking up and the piston skirts failing if you remap them.
Late, low mileage R53's kept popping up on my searches so I drove one and it was a revelation. I found a low mileage 05 and have gradually improved it with a reduced supercharger pulley, intercooler, exhaust and manifold which have made it quite rapid along with a set of coilovers and swap to set of the later R56 front brakes to eliminate brake fade.
I wouldn't swap my R53 for an R56, not even an N18 engine one.
Late, low mileage R53's kept popping up on my searches so I drove one and it was a revelation. I found a low mileage 05 and have gradually improved it with a reduced supercharger pulley, intercooler, exhaust and manifold which have made it quite rapid along with a set of coilovers and swap to set of the later R56 front brakes to eliminate brake fade.
I wouldn't swap my R53 for an R56, not even an N18 engine one.
I bought a R56 Cooper S with full JCW kit, okay so this car but very close. If you look after these then they are okay and you must buy on condition & history. When I got mine I budget for new guides & chain, water-pump etc. They are so much fun to drive, even the laughable torque steer brings out my inner child.
A lot of these succumbed to engine failure, timing chain issues because BMW/Mini stated that you only needed an oil change every two years which is bloody madness. If you are meticulous about cars then these are a great buy and they still look fantastic even now, especially compared to the F56 IMO. I love my electric blue one and it gets more driving time than my 996
A lot of these succumbed to engine failure, timing chain issues because BMW/Mini stated that you only needed an oil change every two years which is bloody madness. If you are meticulous about cars then these are a great buy and they still look fantastic even now, especially compared to the F56 IMO. I love my electric blue one and it gets more driving time than my 996
The price gap vs a standard R56 Cooper S was a surprise to me. An 09-plate JCW was for sale for £1k MORE than the ‘standard’ 62-plate Cooper S I bought 2 years ago. I don’t regret buying my ‘standard’ Cooper S: N18 engine so should be lower bork factor, newer with less miles, not on 18”s which I saw as a bonus.
Love mine despite a coolant leak (oil filter housing gasket and oil cooler seal) costing me a few hundred to resolve. Days are limited though as the kids moan about legroom every time they’re in it.
I didn’t think the JCW differences made it worth the extra, but its always diminishing returns with top-end models.
Love mine despite a coolant leak (oil filter housing gasket and oil cooler seal) costing me a few hundred to resolve. Days are limited though as the kids moan about legroom every time they’re in it.
I didn’t think the JCW differences made it worth the extra, but its always diminishing returns with top-end models.
J4CKO said:
We tried one and the engine was screwed, was a Cooper S and the ride was appalling due to RFT's on 17 inch wheels and Sports Suspension, its not an easy combo to live with, I like Minis but would want a less harsh setup, maybe switching to normal tyres would have made enough difference.
That setup (17", RFT with Sport suspension) is poor IME - was surprised how harsh it was on test drive. I've changed mine to 16" with non-RFT and it's like a different car. Wife recently swapped to an older 1-series with the M Sport setup and 18" with RFTs and it reminded me how bad my MINI was in comparison to how it is now!Sadly the editor has not done their homework.
The second gen R56 JCW is without doubt, prone to a endless list of issues.
The R53 JCW is a far better option if your wanting a pocket rocket. I should know I've got one.
Don't get me wrong, it's had it's fare share of repairs in the last ten years but much cheaper and less prone to breakages than the R56, especially the engine.
The second gen R56 JCW is without doubt, prone to a endless list of issues.
The R53 JCW is a far better option if your wanting a pocket rocket. I should know I've got one.
Don't get me wrong, it's had it's fare share of repairs in the last ten years but much cheaper and less prone to breakages than the R56, especially the engine.
I had one of these for almost a year (my 3rd MINI) and sought one out that had a replacement timing chain, thinking that would stop any issues. To be fair, I didn't have any problems with mine during my ownership and really enjoyed it (besides the ride). I only sold it when I had the chance to part-exchange it for an Aston Vantage. This is where the timing chain caused a problem..
I went back to the dealer a couple of weeks later for some minor warranty work on my new car. While I was there I bumped into the salesman who asked me if I'd heard what had happened to my old MINI? He told me they had sent the car out for a test-drive with their mechanic to see what, if anything, needed doing before sale (and they had already sold the car pretty much the day they took it in to someone actively seeking a car like my JCW). He saw the car drive down the road to the dealership and then just stop... The mechanic walked back to the showroom and explained the engine had just let go - the timing chain had snapped and caused some pretty serious damage to the engine. I think it ended up being a full engine replacement for them! I felt pretty bad, in case I had sold them a bad car, but the mechanic explained there would have been no real prior warning to it letting go. It certainly wasn't running noisily when I traded it. It did make me think that if I'd driven the car a few more miles before the trade in I would have been faced with a large and unexpected bill for engine work, and missed out on my next car.
So, I wouldn't have one of these again because of that risk.
I went back to the dealer a couple of weeks later for some minor warranty work on my new car. While I was there I bumped into the salesman who asked me if I'd heard what had happened to my old MINI? He told me they had sent the car out for a test-drive with their mechanic to see what, if anything, needed doing before sale (and they had already sold the car pretty much the day they took it in to someone actively seeking a car like my JCW). He saw the car drive down the road to the dealership and then just stop... The mechanic walked back to the showroom and explained the engine had just let go - the timing chain had snapped and caused some pretty serious damage to the engine. I think it ended up being a full engine replacement for them! I felt pretty bad, in case I had sold them a bad car, but the mechanic explained there would have been no real prior warning to it letting go. It certainly wasn't running noisily when I traded it. It did make me think that if I'd driven the car a few more miles before the trade in I would have been faced with a large and unexpected bill for engine work, and missed out on my next car.
So, I wouldn't have one of these again because of that risk.
Hmmm - I looked into these a few years ago - looked at 2-3 year old examples.
Road tested a few. Overall, it was a great car to drive for all the reasons well documented, but the ride quality was so variable between examples - all down to different brands of run-flats I guess. From tolerable to incredibly harsh and all stages between.
One particular one started up sounding like a poorly tractor - it eventually quietened down - I think this was timing chain tensioner issue at its worst... it was incredibly loud and rough sounding for a while. This was an official BMW-Mini forecourt - the sales guy didn't seem too bothered - he said "if something shows up in the inspection it will be fixed before sale" I wasn't reassured. Also noticed the interiors (driver's seat mainly) on many didn't seem to be standing up well to quite low miles. This all sort of put me off and ended up going off them for a bit.
Looking again, they do still look good... I can see me owning one at some stage but not sure it'll be a R56...
Road tested a few. Overall, it was a great car to drive for all the reasons well documented, but the ride quality was so variable between examples - all down to different brands of run-flats I guess. From tolerable to incredibly harsh and all stages between.
One particular one started up sounding like a poorly tractor - it eventually quietened down - I think this was timing chain tensioner issue at its worst... it was incredibly loud and rough sounding for a while. This was an official BMW-Mini forecourt - the sales guy didn't seem too bothered - he said "if something shows up in the inspection it will be fixed before sale" I wasn't reassured. Also noticed the interiors (driver's seat mainly) on many didn't seem to be standing up well to quite low miles. This all sort of put me off and ended up going off them for a bit.
Looking again, they do still look good... I can see me owning one at some stage but not sure it'll be a R56...
Mr-B said:
"Think of it this way: it's going to be more grown up and liveable than an original R53 Mini, while also way better looking......."
Way better looking? No chance. Specsavers have a booking slot available. Every gen since the first have got uglier and uglier, this is no exception.
What the article ACTUALLY said;Way better looking? No chance. Specsavers have a booking slot available. Every gen since the first have got uglier and uglier, this is no exception.
“think of it this way: it's going to be more grown up and liveable than an original R53 Mini, while also way better looking, lighter and sharper to drive than the current car.”
I think you need to take a trip to Specsavers for a new set of reading glasses. The author was suggesting the R56 is better looking than the current MINI, not the R53.
d8ns18ly said:
I've got a 2013 R56 JCW and *touch wood* haven't had any reliability issues in the past 3 years of ownership, and it gets daily abuse.
Cracking little cars if you get a good example, just make sure you look out for one with full service history and you'll be fine!
Cracking little cars if you get a good example, just make sure you look out for one with full service history and you'll be fine!
+1 ... although only had mine a year so far. Just replaced the runflats and it's SO much more enjoyable to drive, should've done that as soon as I bought it.
bozzy. said:
Mr-B said:
"Think of it this way: it's going to be more grown up and liveable than an original R53 Mini, while also way better looking......."
Way better looking? No chance. Specsavers have a booking slot available. Every gen since the first have got uglier and uglier, this is no exception.
What the article ACTUALLY said;Way better looking? No chance. Specsavers have a booking slot available. Every gen since the first have got uglier and uglier, this is no exception.
“think of it this way: it's going to be more grown up and liveable than an original R53 Mini, while also way better looking, lighter and sharper to drive than the current car.”
I think you need to take a trip to Specsavers for a new set of reading glasses. The author was suggesting the R56 is better looking than the current MINI, not the R53.
I purchased a 13 plate (N18) JCW with 55K on the clock 6 months back, coming from a 14 plate fiesta ST-3. By the far the best car I've owned to date. I never actually got on with the fiesta. It was an extremely good all round package as all the reviews state, but it never put a smile on my face. I find my self actually going for drives for the sake of it in the mini...
As said mine is the N18 variant and I've yet to have any problems (albeit early days). I've put a bigger intercooler, intake, de-cat and map (263hp) on the car and it absolutely flys (~230hp tonne based on 1140kg). Just needs a decent set of coil overs and it will make a really nice drive.
If anyone is thinking of buying one PLEASE make sure you immediately ditch the run flats!! and definitely go for the N18 if going R56 and not R53 .
As said mine is the N18 variant and I've yet to have any problems (albeit early days). I've put a bigger intercooler, intake, de-cat and map (263hp) on the car and it absolutely flys (~230hp tonne based on 1140kg). Just needs a decent set of coil overs and it will make a really nice drive.
If anyone is thinking of buying one PLEASE make sure you immediately ditch the run flats!! and definitely go for the N18 if going R56 and not R53 .
I recently purchased a ‘06 R53 JCW S and drove a friends R56 last night as luck would have it, and I couldn’t wait to get back into my R53. The only thing I preferred over my R53 was the extra tech and build quality on the interior and the fact he had the panoroof, other than that the R53 was better in every way. Fair enough, mine is putting out a good chunk more power than an R56, but even the way the power is delivered in the R53 is s much smoother and progressive.
According to most people, a late R53 is the better one to go for if it’s a toy that you are looking for, where as the R53 is easier to live with day to day.
According to most people, a late R53 is the better one to go for if it’s a toy that you are looking for, where as the R53 is easier to live with day to day.
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