R53. ... JCW v Cooper S with JCW kit

R53. ... JCW v Cooper S with JCW kit

Author
Discussion

djo69

Original Poster:

75 posts

131 months

Saturday 20th May 2017
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I've previously owned a JCW gen 1 a long time ago and now want to get another. I should have never sold it.

But... I have 2 back to basics questions.

What is the difference between a JCW and a Cooper S with JCW kit? I see both advertised and the latter is always slightly cheaper.

Also, why do some JCWs have the Speedo and Rev counter on separate dials behind the steering wheel, whilst others have everything on the central large dial.

The one I owned had it behind the steering wheel, which I liked, but is there a difference ?

Thanks

E-bmw

9,105 posts

151 months

Saturday 20th May 2017
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In answer to your first question, there shouldn't be. One is done at the factory, one is done at the dealership.

WRT speedo, you mean the chrono pack (2 dials behind the wheel, oil/temp/fuel instruments in the middle of the car) this was available on pretty much ANY gen 1 mini as an option & can (I think) be retro-fitted.

illmonkey

18,112 posts

197 months

Saturday 20th May 2017
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JCW kit is the body kit, so side skirts, front bumper and grill and rear bumper. Like so:



Now, these cars with the kit should have the OEM exhaust, but obviously some people also buy the JCW exhaust (at original purchase or after some time). It's also worth noting that a retrofit black hex grill can be fitted to a non JCW-kit car, it's about £100 and a an hour with a dremel to cut it to shape, it replaces the metal grill on the bonnet and bumper.

This is the JCW exhaust on a NON-JCW kit car:



You can also get a car with the JCW performance with the standard body kit, this will be 210BHP, with a reduced pulley, sticky belt, different inter cooler (bigger), different sparks and JCW exhaust. These mod's were added after the factory build. All should come with a certificate saying it's a JCW.

The same performance gains can be obtained for under £500. Where as the kit can cost into £1000's as it needs to be potentially painted etc. MY suggestion would be to get one with the kit, that makes them look better, and set about upgrades as and when. Or if not comfortable, get the fully fledged JCW with JCW kit.

I concur with E-bmw regarding the speedo. The chrono pack basically put some crap dials in the centre and moved the speedo to the steering wheel column. (so does the sat nav as it also replaces the speedo).

Edited by illmonkey on Saturday 20th May 12:55

CarsOrBikes

1,135 posts

183 months

Sunday 21st May 2017
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Factory JCW kit was 200, later 210hp I think with the JCW body kit too, the JCW retrofit kit was also 200 then 210hp, and the Chrono kit gave you oil temp and oil pressure gauges in the centre dash. The 200 kit was a head, cat back, supercharger with smaller pulley, remap, intercooler cover and serial number, the 210 kit was an airbox and injector too. You might get close power for £500 but it won't be as reliable or in the same place, or for as long I would guess.

If you think having an oil temp gauge or pressure gauge is crap, you probably haven't seen how high the oil temp gets in these, they're actually worth having

I think the JCW styling kit doesn't actually look that great, the engine kits are about 5k if I recall, purists will want the factory option, always the way I think.

mon the fish

1,412 posts

147 months

Friday 26th May 2017
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The bodykit wasn't called the JCW kit until the R56 - it was known as the Aero kit on the R53.

R53 JCWs done at the factory (last year at the factory) came with the JCW brakes. No other difference AFAIK

ftypical

457 posts

117 months

Thursday 1st June 2017
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<removes anorak from cupboard, dusts it down and puts it on>

Originally, the R53 was just that. You could then go to John Coopers and have your car fitted with John Cooper Works, or John Cooper Motorsport parts.

Then, BMW formalised their relationship, and it was possible to order John Cooper Works parts at a Mini dealership and have them fitted there. Either before, or after the car was delivered.

Finally, BMW bought out John Cooper, and turned John Cooper Works into a model designation. Then, you could order a JCW R53 from the factory.

In the first two instances, you could order any/all of the JCW catalogue. This included the body kit ("Aerokit"), wheels, brakes, suspension, seats, steering wheel, gear knob, handbrake handle, exhaust back box, intercooler duct, numbered 200 kit (supercharger, cylinder head, plugs, injectors, intercooler cover, back box), numbered 210 kit (as 200, but with the addition of the air box).

In the third instance, the car came with the 210 kit, the brakes, and the suspension. Everything else was an option that could be ordered as part of the original build, or fitted later.

Hence: a Factory car may be more expensive than some non factory cars, but it is dependent on the exact spec.

But, if you could get hold of a non-factory car that had the JCW parts fitted by JCW before they were bought out, you could be on to a winner.

If you could find a car fitted with JCM parts by JCW, you have a rare beastie. They used to do a JCM engine rated at 280bhp. Other parts were in keeping...

<returns anorak to cupboard>

mon the fish

1,412 posts

147 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
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Also all JCW stuff on the R53 was dealer fit, until 2005/2006 when the engine kit became a factory option, with the brakes fitted there at the same time.

I ordered my car on 31 July 2004, specced to come as a JCW. It left the factory like every other Cooper S, then at the dealer they fitted the JCW 210 engine kit and JCW wheels in December. I collected the car 31 Dec.

The brakes became available early 2005 - I sent my car back to the dealer to get the brakes fitted once they were available.

So AFAIK any Aero kit on an R53 was painted by the dealers bodyshop, and fitted by the dealer. Same as the roof graphics.

ftypical

457 posts

117 months

Saturday 3rd June 2017
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Well, no. You used to be able to order the Aerokit painted. In later years the parts only came primed.