JCW Accessories to Become Factory Options

Why do you think making upgrades more accessable to the client is bad for the dealer? There are many people who would love to purchase the works engine kit if not for the extremely long installation process. With most MINI centers running $90-120/hour for labor the hours for installation can get extremely costly. A $4500 works kit is a lot easier to justify than 6-7 grand. Granted the service department won’t be able to bill the time, but the sales dept will deliver many more works cars as a factory option.

I bet the dealerships are screaming bloody murder ofver this move. I sure they will have a lot of issues if Mini/BMW offer these kits below what they were making on the intalls.

i’d be much more inclined to get a JCW straight from the factory, now the big decision will be a ’06 or a ’07! hahahha

Let’s not jump too far into this. Integrating the actual engine kit into the (sub)assembly process might be too much of a production issue. Remember, MINI gets the engines delivered to them as sub-assemblies from the supplier (Tritec, including the ONE engine as well?). I believe the level at which the JCW integration would need to occur to support the existing Oxford production process would necessitate the JCW kit being integrated at the Tritec plant assembly process. Otherwise, the Oxford production process would need to be changed/expanded and would require Tritec to ship a stripped-down engine as well as the three current variants.

IMHO, I think it is more likely that we will see the JCW wheels, dash, seats (non-US), perhaps suspensions and other add-ons like those instead of the engine kit. And, as folks have mentioned, factory-installed engine kits would take away a revenue opprotunity from the dealer network.

Theo

I can just see it now, sometime in the future, the MINI model line up will go something like this: MINI Cooper, MINI Cooper S and MINI Cooper SS+JCW.

Well, if the factory logistics can handle a JCW “swap out” of suspension, seats, dash or whatever, then it would be just as easy to have an engine swap out. Yes, maybe the engines are stock when they get to Oxford, but I’d bet that they could handle bulk JCW upgrades there or nearby, allowing for another two options (S and non-S) at the point on the assembly line where the mill gets put in. So, better still allow for some labor.

This’d be great news if the JCW mill is factory installed – prolly allow for JCW cars to be considered “stock” (as available from the factory, not dealer). Very important for SCCA etc….

JMTC

Derek

If I ever could afford the JCW’s package I would prefer not to badge it.

I’m all for this.

In my mind, it’s a lot easier to justify a $5k option that is factory installed. It never made sense to me to have the car delivered, purchase a $4,600 accessory package and pay another $1k or so to have the techs dismantle your brand new car and replace brand new components.

If it’s 4k that wouldnt be too bad. How did you arrive at the MSRP? They are a bit more then the current MSRP.

Okay, got it. I think they will need to be careful about making the base price too high because it will start approaching the price levels of the entry level sport coupes..IE G35, etc.

If JCW is factory installed it will show on the VIN and will then be clasified as a sports car for insurance and your insurance cost increase will about equal out any savings on the fact that it is factory installed if you keep the car for a couple years. Of course your JCW kit will then be insured which I don’t think it is right now since it is not on the VIN.

My two cents: I think the dealers have been sticking it to us for awhile now. Everything that I have installed on my MCS (including alarm, aero kit, light kit, wheels etc..) , has taken me BUT A FRACTION of the time which the dealer “claims” and bills for.

If a shade tree mechanic can install an item in half the time the dealer bills us for … then you know they are installing the items even faster and making a boat-load of money from doing it. When the MINI hit the market in 2002, there were no JCW kits for them to install, and they seemed pleased with thier profits. I say what goes around comes around.

Additionally, I have always had a bit of a problem with a dealer tech (who may have limited supervision) doing fairly major engine work on a brand new car. Some will argue that they are as good as factory, and SOME probably are. For my money, I will take the skill, quality control, production efficiency, inspection process, torque accuracies, and overall better working conditions of the factory in Oxford over a dealer whose mechanic may or may not have the diligence, and talent to get the job done to “factory spec”. In my view “major engine modification” should not be a dealer added option. Let them install iPod adaptors and cup holders for $120.00 an hour.

My hat is off to MINI for seeing the need for factory installed performance gear.

If the JCW engine upgrade is made a factory option, MINI could outsource engine modification to JCW. Ship stock S engines to JCW directly from Tritec where JCW parts are installed then shipped to the factory. This wouldn’t add to the assembly process at the factory, but don’t expect it to be a lot less expensive than it is now.

If they make the JCW PKG a factory option i see it coming down to as low as $2500. You would be amazed how much money they save by making it part of the production process. If they ask any more than that it’ll be a rip off and many people think it already is at $5k! As stated above, SVT made a whole sub line on the Ford Focus plant to make SVT Foci next to the stock Zx3′s. MINI should have no problem doing something just as similar.

If the next JCW does have close to 230HP as being tossed around I would expect that AWD could become standard with that model.

I agree with Matt. I dropped a bundle on the JCW & JCW suspension. This will greatly reduce the value of my car. I suggest Mini make it up to us by offering future JCW upgrades at no charge (i.e. 210hp to 230(?) for ’06).

wow, thanks for info.