Buying a JCW. Things to look for?

[Dijital]

Hi there. First post on PH. I've been told you guys are in the know!

I'm looking to buy a Mini Cooper S JCW registered between 2004 and 2006. I need some help from someone who knows about the different factory options that were available at the time. I'll warn you now: I'm being quite fussy and there may be very few examples that meet my requirements:

- Full JCW 210bhp engine upgrade
- Harman Kardon stereo
- Under 40,000 miles on the clock

What I'm wondering is:

a. What was the full list of JCW performance upgrades (if we forget aerodynamic addenda)?
b. Were there any options that affected handling?
c. Was the 210bhp figure the sum total of all of the upgrades, including the JCW exhaust?
d. Are the optional Recaros actually nice to sit in for long periods? Are they good?
e. Is the limited slip diff a JCW option or do all JCW cars have an LSD?
f. Is there any way to verify the authenticity of the Cooper Works certificate?

Any wisdom you can impart will be greatly appreciated!

[Dijital]

Chr1sch said:

Have you bought the recent evo by any chance? - its their recommended purchase for 8-10k....

@Chr1sch - I decided about a month ago to buy a Mini Cooper S as a second car. The article in evo helped me confirm my decision, and persuaded me to hold out for a suitable JCW example.

@RKDE - Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. You obviously know your stuff. Out of interest who did you have your insurance with? Did you have to go with a specialist insurer after you started swapping the factory parts out?

[Dijital]

MrTickle said:

Good question on the suspension - is there an easy way to tell what type it has?

Also, I wouldn't know how to look for the JCW "half diff" so is there a way to tell?

It's not going affect my decision but I was wondering: does the Harman Kardon stereo have a 3.5mm aux-in socket?