Around town I wasn’t sure if the JCW MCS much faster than my own MCS with 15% pulley, Supersprint exhaust and JCW intake. Once out of the city however it became obvious that the JCW is simply a beast with power every where in the rev range. Seamless power at that. Enough to make you wanna squeeze down the throttle any time any where just for the helluva it.
Gone are my annoyances about the manual climate control. The knobs still feel cheap, but the system is dead simple and easy to get comfortable with. Even the black 18″ JCW wheels are growing on me. With the red/white color combo and white stripes they give the car a very racy look.
With the USGP over, it’s off to northern Wisconsin which means I’ll have plenty of time to practice that internal cruise control!
As a current owner of a JCW and waiting for my eventual r56 JCW I will be interested in the full review at the end of your trip to see what you think of it. I must admit though I am jaded, we love our little JCW bullet.
So jealous…..damn.
Have fun!!!!
Great pic, Gabe. It looks right at home there (IMS backstretch, right?). Good luck with the internal cruise control, though. Ten (fake) bucks says you get a ticket. It’ll be great fun, I’m sure.
John
You are devious, Gabe, giving us three paragraphs at a time. Your devious plot is working, since I am looking forward to paragraphs 7 through 9 now. 🙂
i love the design of those wheels, but if it were my car i’d get the silver ones
Well, I have had my JCW MCS for almost three years now and I think it just keeps getting faster and faster. I want to mention that I have met a lot of people who have upgrades (pulley, intake, exhaust, ECU, chips, etc.) and they always say that JCW is a waste of $$. I recently put that to the test. I had this cocky MCS owner with every standard upgrade known to man (I mentioned them all above) that wanted to race me. Sure I said, and boy was that a waste of my gas….i was looking at him in my rear view mirrror when I hit second gear.
I hope that people will finally give JCW some respect after Gabe is done with his review.
So, is this a JCW review, or a poor excuse to drive an JCW MCS for free from MINIUSA?
Dang, I gotta get my own website.
all the best
shua in sea
Question… I have a 2003 MCS, and would like to know whats included in $5000 cost of the JCW kit if I go to my dealer to do the install.
Is it only engine upgrades? Or suspension/brakes/wheels too?
Tnx.
The JCW engine kit is the engine only–where are you getting it for $5000? That’s a very good price. The brakes and suspension are roughly another 1500 each. The wheels are seperate too.
I’m doing the suspension and brakes next week; the engine kit this fall.
Gabe, forgot to ask…The JCW you’re driving obviously has the JCW brakes, but how about the suspension? If it’s got the JCW suspension, how does that compare to the stock MCS suspension? I’ve read where it makes the ride better, worse, or roughly the same, but everyone agrees the handling is improved.
cct1 – Thanx. I thought it cost about $5000 for the install.. guess not 🙁
>If it’s got the JCW suspension, how does that compare to the stock MCS suspension?
I wish I could tell you but MINI USA didn’t provide a JCW with the suspension installed 🙂 I’ve driven one for about 20 minutes and recommend it based on that experience. But I couldn’t tell you how it would feel day to day.
Not sure where I wrote about it but you can probably find it via the search.
My JCW runs only 20MPG on town/freeway (mixed), as compared to regular Cooper at 30MPG. Was it wasting too much or normal range? Please advise.
“Around town I wasn’t sure if the JCW MCS much faster than my own MCS with 15% pulley, Supersprint exhaust and JCW intake.”
Dump those boat anchors for some lighter 17’s & it’ll be much MUCH faster.
Bill, are you talking about Gabes new 18’s that he just got?
>Bill, are you talking about Gabes new 18’s that he just got?
I’m sure he’s talking about the 22-23lbs R105 18″ JCW wheels that are on this test car. The weight is important but I’d venture to say it’s not as important as getting rid of the runflats.
DAMN!!! Wish I had won the raffle for the JCW’s at MOT.
Sorry I missed you at the MINICCI / D&R USGP cook out!
I hope you enjoyed the race as much as MrsDiff and I did!
Brian and CCTL,
Regarding what you get for your ’03 MCS JCW upgrade.
Got my 6’03 MCS from Habberstadd on LI, NY. About 9 mos later paid the $5k parts plus close to $1k labof for 200HP kit available at the time. This consisted of header(port/polished), new cat back exhaust, replaced supercharger as stock one’s blades weren’t cereamic coated and might have over heated and 15% reduced pulley. OVeral – lots of money per additional poney but conventional wisdom -particularly for folks like me planningn on low mileage and long retention of the car – bette path than acheiving similar performance improvements coupled with likely warranty issues. About 6 mos later added or about $500 the JCW210 airbox and larger fuel injectors – not much bank for the buck but at this point in for a penny in for a pound on JCW – got JCW Strut Brace too.
Last mod – a week ago was when I broke down and went with DYI MTH software tuning. This was best improvement for the dollar. Advertized HP improvement based on Stock JCW performance package as base is 230 hp (crank) with smoother and better low end torquel. Highly recommend MTH for any Mini owner – for those of with JCW powertrain improvements well worth the investment.
Note that in intervening years I uderstand that JCW package may now be factory installed, that all MCS may have coated roters in Supercharger so JCW mod may not require replacement of this piece. Also that JCW CAI and Injectors may have become standard part of JCW kit. As far as I know suspension, breaks, seats, sill covers, branded dash and other such JCW do-dads are still add ons you can order with car or have dealer add on later. Since i have super sport suspension my wife will barely get in the go-kart as it is – might do JCW or other aftermarket suspension if I began tracking it. Same with breaks -from everything I’ve read – uprated breaks, lines, fluid only really needed to prevent break fade on track – hasnt been an issu for me in local driving no matter how hard I’ve pushed her.