The kit should also be available in the UK within days. This news comes directly from the John Cooper Garage in the UK. The Automatic JCW engine kit will be available as a dealer installed option (like the standard kit before it) however there’s no word on factory installation yet. Expect the price to stay the same ($4775 plus installation in the US).
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<p>Works for the Auto? Let me know if anyone is going to order this. I just ordered an 06 Royal Grey/Silver Roof with JCW kit and suspension for delivery by Xmas… can’t wait.. my 2nd one.. but this time the Works.. complete… are the 18″ wheels worth it?</p>
<p>6-speed of course.. i was wondering about the auto on WHO would be interested…</p>
<blockquote>
<p>are the 18″ wheels worth it?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Tough to answer that. For some of us they are. For others they aren’t. I’ve had mine now for 4000 miles and love them. In fact it’s the single best accessory I’ve ever added to my MINI. You can read more in my 2005 MCS One Month Review under the Reviews section on the right side of this page.</p>
<p>To quote the Brothers Gibb:</p>
<p>Tragedy:
When you lose control
and you got no soul,
It’s tragedy.</p>
<p>Is something wrong in RSS file? This news appear three times in RSS feeding. :o</p>
<p>i’m happy to chime in on this subject.</p>
<p>i am #1 on the list for this kit as i currently have the jcw suspension and brakes on my car. i always intended for the car to be a full works car and i am stoked at this news to say the least!</p>
<p>as for the 18″ wheels, i had them as well…sadly, the emphasis is on had. living in nyc i did my best to be as careful as possible with road conditions here, but this weekend after losing both my front tires to cumulative damage (aka bulging) after only three months…well…i had to say goodbye to them and sell them. i am now running s-lites again. i will say though that having had them they are amazing and i would tell anyone who lives in a well paved area to get them without hesitation.</p>
<p>i’ll be sure to post a review of the works kit once i get it installed.</p>
<p>cheers – dl</p>
<p>Three of my customers call me each month waiting for the official announcement.</p>
<p>I’ll believe it when Scott from MINI Peabody calls me … “imminent release” has been going on for months now 🙁
Even if it is released in UK, rumour has it that emissions testing might delay release in USA.</p>
<p>Anyone order from Long Beach Mini? Good or bad experience? </p>
<p>Anyone have the Webspokes -Run-flat perf.? 18″ are going to put me over the top of my budget.. and want to see if it will be really worth it…</p>
<p>RS, I have the webspoke 17s with the Dunlop perf. runflats.</p>
<p>The wheels look amazing in person. No photos do them any justice.</p>
<p>Is it worth it? Well, it’s a lot cheaper that a set of JCW 18s ($500 with the sport package, that is). I’d say it gives an excellent feel of the road, but doesn’t ride too harsh, either. The 18s would tip more to the performance side, but get ready to feel all the pebbles.</p>
<p>I live in DC proper, and the maintenance of our streets leaves much to be desired. There’s no way I would go for 18s.</p>
<p>I have no direct evidence of this, but I’d imagine that with the 18s, the gain in grip is negligible, as well as the gain in harshness. What would put me over the top for the webspokes is 95% of the perf. of the 18s AND they weigh less AND have a better ride.</p>
<p>What would put me over the top for the webspokes is 95% of the perf. of the 18s AND they weigh less AND have a better ride.</p>
<p>Just to clarify the weight difference is one pound between the two. And, as surprising as it sounds, the ride difference is hardly noticable. </p>
<p>That said the price difference is large and the range of tires that fit the 17″ wheels is broader. Those would be the two largest benefits in my eyes for the 17″ Web Spokes.</p>
<p>Gabe, that brings up a question. Can you find any snow tires or all-seasons for your 18s? Are there any? Or will you be using the S-lites?</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Gabe, that brings up a question. Can you find any snow tires or all-seasons for your 18s? Are there any? Or will you be using the S-lites?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I’ll just be using the s-lites + all-seasons that came on my car from the factory. I ordered my MCS with the S-lites and heavy all-seasons specfically because I wanted the biggest and toughest wheel combination when going to battle with Chicago streets this winter. I haven’t even looked for winter tires that would fiit the 18s. I imagine one would have slim pickings.</p>
<p>David/Gabe,</p>
<p>One thing to consider about the Web Spokes is that they’re currently having a lot of problems with them. I love the look of the wheels, but if I had to do it over again, I’d never order another two piece wheel set. MINI has now recognized that there is a problem with the wheels, but has put a hold/freeze on replacing them until they can figure out what is going wrong.</p>
<p>I’ve just had my car returned from the dealer a couple of days ago. I took it in because one of the Web Spoke rims was clicking and clunking so bad that I really thought that it was going to fall apart on me.</p>
<p>At first the dealer told me that they were aware of the problem but there was currently no resolution for the problem and that MINI wouldn’t replace the rims at this time. Later on I got a call back from the dealer stating that MINI had agreed to replace one of my Web Spoke rims because it was so bad that they wanted to send it off for some testing.</p>
<p>I’m more than sure that the other three are going to start doing the same thing soon. I really hope that MINI (and/or Ronal who makes the wheel) can get their act together and fix the problems (as the clicking sound is very annoying). They’re really going to have to eat it on this one I think as there are a whole bunch of folks on MINI2 and NAM complaining about the same problem and I fear that all of the wheels will need to be replaced.</p>
<p>Thus, I’d stay away from the Web Spokes until MINI/Ronal can fix the problem.</p>
<p>Just my $0.02…</p>
<p>Thanks Mike. So that’s the clicking sound I hear. I always thought it was gravel stuck in my treads (there’s some long-term road work happening at the entrance to my street.) I would always hear clicking on the road if I accidently spin my wheels on that gravel and I never thought anything else of it. Now I know one more thing to mention to the dealer. For now I hope it isn’t a problem that affects the integrity of the wheel, just the sound.</p>
<p>Thanks for that bit of info Mike… I wonder if I can change my order to stay away from the webspokes…</p>
<p>David,</p>
<p>Yes… That’s indeed the sound you are hearing. When it first happened to me, I too thought that it was a rock or a nail stuck in my tire. However, it turned out to be a much worse problem. From the threads I’ve been reading on NAM/MINI2, the clicking problem returns a few weeks after the rims are replaced. This is most likely why MINI has put a freeze on replacing them (i.e. it’s a waist of time and money to do so at this point).</p>
<p>RS,</p>
<p>I certainly would. I’m totally pissed at MINI that I paid all this money for the Web Spokes (the price of base 16″ rims plus the $600 upgrade charge to 17″ that’s built into the cost of the Sport package, plus the $500 upcharge for the Web Spokes on top of all of that = BIG BUCKS!) and they’re complete and total junk. Thus, if I were you, I’d stay far away from them at this point.</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I just order 2006 MCS with works package….</p>
<p>Going to change wheels to R99.</p>
<p>Coming in Dec…I am going to sell the S-lite. Should I order winter tires or performance?</p>
<p>Would would be easier to sell in Dec.
timeframe?</p>
<p>ordered from Long beach….</p>
<p>Rick</p>
<p>So, the MCSa works package, any specifications, and would this make LSD available on the auto?</p>
<p>I would expect there to be a remapping of the Auto gear rations in there too, I hope.</p>
<p>Oh and I really, really, want this.</p>
<p>Rick,</p>
<p>How was dealing with Long Beach mini? Do you have a production # yet? I have ordered the Works kit and suspension along with Cordoba leather… which wheel is the R99? Did you order any other accessories?</p>
<p>RS,</p>
<p>Dealing with LB was fine. I live in SD
so I just dealt with them on the phone.</p>
<p>Yes I have a prod. number…</p>
<p>I order Polished R99 from classic mini
last week. 75.00 a wheel cheaper.</p>
<p>I am getting CR/W with english leather,
crome interior, red interior, chrono package…</p>
<p>Rick</p>
<p>Just for the record, I picked up my 2005 MCS JCW with web spokes on 3/1/05. I now have 10,000 miles on the car and I haven’t had ANY clicking issues with my Web Spokes, at least not that I’ve noticed. I’ll try to pay more attention to it, but so far they’ve been good to me.</p>
<blockquote>I would expect there to be a remapping of the Auto gear rations in there too, I hope.</blockquote>
<p>Seth L, I HIGHLY doubt that any of the gear ratios will be changed – that would involve replacing the transmission. Adding JCW to the manual tranny MCS doesn’t change the ratios either.</p>
<blockquote>Just for the record, I picked up my 2005 MCS JCW with web spokes on 3/1/05. I now have 10,000 miles on the car and I haven’t had ANY clicking issues with my Web Spokes, at least not that I’ve noticed. I’ll try to pay more attention to it, but so far they’ve been good to me.</blockquote>
<p>You’re one of the lucky ones then. Mine only lasted about 1,500 miles before they started clicking. My MINI was built in Jan 05 and was delivered to me in April 05.</p>
<p>At the rate you’re putting the miles on your MINI, you may actually blow through your 50,000 mile warranty before your wheels actually start clicking. Undoubtedly, it will happen though. I only hope that it happens in time for you to get them replaced before your warranty expires is all.</p>
<p>BTW, the best way to hear it is to roll down your windows and then drive slowly next to a brick wall, etc.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’ve been a bit disappointed at the rate I am putting miles on, as much as I love driving it. Part of the reason has been a few long trips (including the Dragon!)… so I’m hoping it slows down a bit. I don’t think I’ll be driving as much in the winter, for starters. :)</p>
<p><blockquote>Seth L, I HIGHLY doubt that any of the gear ratios will be changed – that would involve replacing the transmission. Adding JCW to the manual tranny MCS doesn’t change the ratios either.<blockquote></p>
<p>Thanks, I phrased that wrong. I read from the review of the MCSa here at Motoringfile that the Sport-Manual mode of the auto changed to a five-speed map.<br />
Do you think this would change for the JCS MCSa (not the ratios, just the map).</p>
<p>“you may actually blow through your 50,000 mile warranty”</p>
<p>talking about Warranty.. has anyone purchased extended warranty or service? is it worth getting it?</p>