F56 JCW buying advice

[Happybiker80]

Coming from an F series m135i I'm not too familiar with Mini's so hopefully you guys can point me in the right direction. I'm stuck between these 2 cars:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403217...


https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202402096...

My preferences are pre OPF and as much spec as I can get. Media Pack XL, HK, Heated seats a must.

Unfortunately the first ad doesn't list a lot of the options I can make out, the main differences I see is the '18 plate has a sunroof, rear camera and I'm guessing the newer 8 speed gearbox. It doesn't have heated windscreen which is a pity.

The older car has a really high spec, additional options above the red car are:

Driver Assistance Pack (not fussed)
Active Cruise (not fussed)
LED cornering headlights (would be nice, are LED lights standard on JCW's)
Variable Dampers (not sure they're necessary?)
Heated windscreen
Auto-Dimming Door Mirrors and Interior Rear View Mirror (is this standard?)

Which do you think would be the better buy, I was initially drawn to the older one because of the high spec but the later one still has a good spec plus a sunroof and is 2 years younger.

[Happybiker80]

Thanks for the replies, just downloaded the spec from MDE decoder and the red one has a decent spec so I might look into that one.

[Happybiker80]

Seats are sports seats according to the vin decoder. I hadn't noticed the bumper paint, now I'm a bit unsure... Hopefully it's just the photo?

[Happybiker80]

They are indeed S481.

[Happybiker80]

nickfrog said:

My advice would be to check the FSH is actually FSH. It rarely is. Easy to do on the idrive screen.

I would also check that approved cars are not better value as they will include a proper warranty which you can extend relatively cheaply.

All JCW have fixed LED light as std.

Shame to get a JCW without JCW seats.

It's showing 3 green entries on the idrive, last done 3k miles ago. I had a quick look at approved used and there's a couple of manuals but most of the other cars don't have heated seats... Prices are not that much higher for AUC.

Now I've seen the JCW seats I want then but there have to be some compromises buying used.

[Happybiker80]

nickfrog said:

If it's all green and as per schedule then all good. I would try hard to buy AUC if the price delta is not that large although if heated seats are a deal breaker hats fair enough. On leather I can see it but on alcantara or cloth it's probably not too bad unless of course you have early morning starts.
HK does add a little presence but it's still not great in the scheme of things.
I had a nice drive yesterday with the seats down as I was transporting a bike. The exhaust pops and bangs are ridiculously loud. In a funny way, not particularly harmonious just surprising in volume.
Sorry for the random musings.

So far the only thing that's off-putting is the front bumper colour mismatch which I can't verify until I see it...

How big a bike will fit in the back? Although my wife has a Sportage which carries bikes with a tow bar mounted rack but it would be handy to fit one in the boot if needed. The biggest bike I have is a Large Orbea Rallon.

[Happybiker80]

I'm now starting to consider manual cars, partly because there seem to be more available and I've read about a few early 8 speed cars that have had issues with the box.

How many cars are affected by the issues and when was the 8 speed box introduced, Dec 17 from what I've read? Can you tell by the gear selector which box is fitted? AFAIK the 6 speed is not affected?

My first choice was auto because it's my daily driver but I'm willing to look at either, I'd happily buy a manual or 6 speed auto from a private seller if the price is right.
This car is private and March 17 build, good spec and private, worth a look? Would this be 6 speed?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404158...

Edited by Happybiker80 on Thursday 18th April 08:36

[Happybiker80]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403027...

Thoughts on this one, manual, sunroof, adaptive suspension, media xl, heated screen and seats, HK etc.
Private sale and ad says 1 owner but pictures from a dealer... It was only on 12k miles on its 6th birthday looking at old MOT's.

[Happybiker80]

Someone put a deposit on that this morning unfortunately.
I'm talking myself into buying a manual privately now, the red one has a good spec and I've spoken to the owner, just waiting on him to send the service history.

[Happybiker80]

Olivera said:

To the OP - might be worth looking at an LCI car, in my experience they are better built and rattle less.

I have heard some say that and some say there's no difference, hard to judge unless you've driven both and I guess it probably changed year on year.

It also narrows down the field even more and puts me into the PPF era which I don't want, very small window of LCI car's without PPF exhausts.

The red manual is still my top pick.

[Happybiker80]

PT1984 said:

This is not a plug as it’s no longer ours. But this is a good one. Totally reliable in our ownership. They redid the wheels and it’s probably a solid 9.5/10 condition now.

https://www.cambridge-miniworks.co.uk/details/spec...

That's not far from me and I'd consider an S but no heated seats unfortunately.

Do they sound similar to the JCW at all?

[Happybiker80]

Yeah it is nice and I know what you mean, we had a Guiletta with 1/2 leather and it was actually fine in winter.

How many owners has it had and what's the service history like?

[Happybiker80]

I think if I didn't get a JCW I'd always regret it, finding one with a Pro exhaust seems really difficult but a nicely spec'd manual would be great.

[Happybiker80]

So the car I was most interested in has an iffy service history...

March 17 1 mile (PDI)
March 19 4242mi (oil service I guess)
Jan 22 10429 mi (Oil service, micro filter, spark plugs, brake fluid)

Despite being 10 months late it's showing as amber on the idrive, I thought it would be red but then?

Supposedly another service was done by Cazoo a year ago when it the current owner bought it, I'm not sure there's any proof of this.

It's having another service at Mini this week at 18500.

So it's super low miles and even without the Cazoo service in 2023 this one is only 3 months late...

I can't decide what to do, it's done really low miles and has such a good spec but that second service was late even if it had only done 6000 miles.

Am I being silly worrying about this?

[Happybiker80]

Hard to judge but I think it's priced well thanks to the low mileage and good spec. The advert is poor and doesn't list the spec which is really the selling point to me: media xl, sunroof, HK, HUD, lounge leather, heated seats and windscreen, PDC front and rear, camera, adaptive suspension, visibility pack...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403027...

I'm not worried about warranty as I won't be adding one. I'm wondering if the latest service which hasn't been done yet will show as red or amber.

[Happybiker80]

Just received the service report from Cazoo in March 23.
They changed the air filter and a tyre.

[Happybiker80]

Doesn't look too bad but not keen on black cars and no media xl would but me. Much lower spec overall than the red one although price does reflect that.