More Details on the JCW Brake Kit

<p>For the 16 in wheels that fit, do you mean R94…or is it supposed to be the R84 16 in. X Lite that’s standard on a MCS? I couldn’t find the R94 in the list at mini2.com (FAQ on factory wheels)</p>

<p>That is the official text from the documents that come with the brakes. I would assume it’s just a typo and probably should be R84.</p>

<p>Anyone heard whether the replacements pads produce less dust than the stock ones? It would be nice to find out that spending that much got you a cleaner wheel w/ less upkeep as well</p>

<p>Glad to know you can break up the set…. and get some good pads for it.</p>

<p>Anyone know about this wheel – new design or typo? No mention of it in the ’05 accessories brochure. The part number doesn’t match that of the R84 (silver and white) either.</p>

<p>Original MINI 16-inch alloy wheel (6.5Jx16 inch IS48 styling R94) Part number 36 11 6 768 977</p>

<p>While it is nice that BMW/MINI published a list of the wheels that are certified to fit, there is a whole universe of aftermarket wheels available. It would be better if they published a fit template that could be downloaded and printed.</p>

<p>Separately, I wonder what the IS (as in IS48 of the wheel 6.5Jx16 inch IS48 styling R94 certification statement) stands for. Could it be a standard wheel cross sectional measurement? Any wheel experts out there that can shed light on the issue?</p>

<p>Guys,</p>

<p>I have no idea if it’s a typo or not, but it’s definitely not my typo. I even scanned the document in and sent it to Gabe – they printed it as R94 on the sheet. Hmm… perhaps I oughta email JCW and ask directly. They’ve been pretty good about responding within a day or two in the past!</p>

<p>They probably got the information from past MotoringFile news items! I’ll let you all know when I hear back from JCW… nothing quite like the horses mouth!</p>

<p>From my experience I’d say both are a bit high. I’ve seen the JCW engine average around $5500 installed. The brake kit I’d imagine would be $1300-$1400 installed.</p>

<p>Those are very high prices even considering where you live. The dealer is obviously trying to make some $$$ off of you!</p>

<p>I paid $5500 for my ’03 JCW kit, well actually a little more with tax.</p>

<p>I don’t think I would pay more than $1500 at the very most for the brakes. They’re not supposed to take that long to install.</p>

<p>Thanks for the info on the brake and engine kits. I will shop around and let everyone know how much I end up paying for them.</p>

<p>By the way – anybody installed the JCW sports suspension yet? My dealer (the same guy that appears to be gouging a bit for the brake and engine kits) says it rides significantly rougher than the stock Cooper S suspension – and of course there was not a car I could test drive with it.</p>

<p>Sparky,</p>

<p>They are making a lot of money on those kits. The difference between an ’04 install and an ’05 install is 1 hour according to the JCW brochure and the BMW pricing in the release notes. Even at $110/hour they are charging you $265 more than they should.</p>

<p>Gabe,</p>

<p>Will you be loading the Install Procedures (.pdf) for the JCW Brake Kit in your How To Guide Section?</p>

<p>Charlie</p>

<p>Woah what kit…….</p>

<p>but for 1000 $ there is any kit…brembo,tar-ox etc etc….what is the best???</p>

<p>Regarding the JCW BBK not including braided stainless lines- personally, I’m glad that stock rubber ones are still usable with the JCW kit.</p>

<p>Braided stainless looks good and gives a firmer pedal, but it also holds dirt and grit. If that grit gets between the braid and the underlying plastic, it’s difficult to clean out, and it can abrade the plastic- perhaps even wearing through it. Unless braided stainless jacketed hoses are checked regularly, they can potentially fail. I’d also be worried about the underlying plastic stiffening up and possibly getting brittle in cold weather. I suspect these long-term durability concerns are the reason JCW did not include stainless hoses in their BBK.</p>

<p>There’s a reason why some parts are labeled “for off-highway use only.” Granted, most times that label is primarily for lawsuit avoidance, but sometimes it’s there based on valid engineering concerns. Track-only vehicles get torn down and inspected much more frequently than street cars, so this isn’t much of an issue for them. Race vehicles are closely scrutinized specifically so things get caught before they fail. Not so with most street cars, unfortunately…</p>

<p>As long as there is an aftermarket upgrade path for those who want stainless hoses and are willing to accept the added maintenance they entail, the path JCW took in keeping the stock hoses was the right one. It gives us, the owners, the option to choose the hoses that best suit our own needs.</p>

<p>=)</p>

<p>Brian, thanks for the info. I hadn’t thought of the added maintenence required.</p>

<p>edge, matt,</p>

<p>Thanks for your comments regarding the JCW suspension. The dealer I ordered from said he test drove both standard Cooper S and JCW sport suspension equipped cars through a slalom and road course and the standard car actually outperformed the JCW suspension car because it was too stiff and didn’t put power down as efficiently. Having had corvettes, bmws, and mustang gts in the past – I’m not too concerned with ride harshness, but the wife and daughter will have to ride with me occasionally.</p>