Greetings. Some of the St. Louis Louis folks (Brad, Aaron, Mike, etc) may know me from BMWCCA track days at GIR and the St. Louis Euro Auto Show with my Carbon Black/Cinnamon E46 M3 Coupe. That car is on a lease which ends in October.

I'm about to pull the trigger on a JCW. My dealer has one allocation available and it has my name on it as of yesterday afternoon. The only possible wrinkle is that my BMW dealer wants to make an offer to sell me my M3, but I'm not confident a sweet enough deal is coming through for me to keep it.

Anyway, this is what I expect to be ordering any day now:
2009 MINI John Cooper Works
Chili Red, White Roof/Mirrors
Rooster Red/Black interior
Rooster Red Color Line, Piano Black Interior Surface
Cold Weather Package
Upgraded Convenience Package w/Armrest, MF Steering Wheel, Comfort Bluetooth
Auto A/C
Xenon Headlamps, Rear Fog Lamp, White Turn Signals
Chrome Driving Lamps

I plan to add White/Red Sport Stripes and checkered mirrors post delivery after I get window tinting and clear bra. Maybe a few other bits here and there.

Are there any factory must haves that I'm missing? Any other advice?

Dean

P.S. see my race photos at RaceTripper Photos

 

Hey Dean! That's one gorgeous M3 you've got. When I lived in your neighborhood I'd always slow down by your garage to see if I could get a peek!

I'd consider trying to sell it locally. Anyone who know Dean and has seen this car knows it's been well taken care of.

As far as options on your JCW, I'd strongly consider the JCW Aero Kit. It really takes the looks of the car up a peg or two. It's not actually factory installed though. It's installed at the VDC at the US port.

Let us know what you decide and post some pics of that M3!

One more thing... if you are at all considering the JCW Suspension, skip the sports suspension.

 

Hi Mike...you know we really miss seeing "Mini Me" on our walks. You're gonna just have to move back into the 'hood.

Thanks for the advice. I'd really like the aero kit, but it's out of my budget at the moment (already stretching as it is). I would have to consider dropping stuff like the Weather and Convenience packages, but since it has to be a daily driver for 4 years I'm not ready to give up creature comforts. But I may add the aero later (XMas bonus time?). OTOH: I suppose I can decide to add it after the order is placed if I get a windfall. MINI of St. Louis was telling me it's about $2700 with the kit and painting, labor, etc.

If I do not plan to do the full JCW sport suspension later, is the $500 factory sport suspension option worthwhile or not? I just don't yet know what I'm going to do. The JCW suspension may not suit me for use as a daily driver and for road trips (we travel about 4-5000 miles annually to attend ALMS races).

My BMW dealer says they can't even come up with a deal until the lease is within 90 days of ending, which means August 1. I told them to forget it. I'm getting the JCW (but I'm getting a new M3 in 4 years). So i'll be placing my offical order tomorrow or Thursday.

I looked into selling my M3. What I would have to do is buy it from the lease company (BMW FS), then pay the sales tax, and then resell it. That means I have to sell it for more than the residual and tax combined. What a racket for the state -- they would get sales tax twice on the same car) within a month. At last that's what my BMW salesperson says. I'll revisit that at the end of September when I get my MINI.

Anyway, I'm on my way to MINI nirvana. Let the painful waiting begin (although 333 HP will help to ease that).


As requested, a picture of my M3...

 

Yeah, you can definitely add the suspension later if you come up with the cash and the desire.

I'm not sure about the sports suspension since i went ahead and got the JCW Suspension on mine before it was delivered. There's a couple posts on Motoringfile about the JCW and the one they drove had the SSusp. not the JCWSusp.

Are you going to track the JCW MINI?

 

That is the plan. I'm still trying to see if MINI can substitute my run-flat perf tires for all-seasons instead. The Build Your Own wizard doesn't have the option, but their spec list says it is an option. I will get a second set of wheels to use for running hot. There is a chance I could even make it for the Frost on The Pumpkin DE. Brad said he would help me with the transition, with he being a MINI to M3 driver and me being a M3 to MINI driver.

Hmmm...I wonder of my Schroth clip-in 4pt harnesses can be used with the JCW. If so all I'd need is the proper 4 mounts for the car.

I'm gonna have to up my game if I wanna keep lappin' MINIs.

 

It's done. I have a production number. Build scheduled for 2nd week of August. The only change I made was to eliminate the Sport Suspension option and add the Auto A/C option (for a net change of $0).

I'll track it before deciding what to do with it (JCW Suspension, Strut Brace, etc).

Poor M3. I will miss it. Never even gave it a proper name.

 

i ams ure the MINI will make ya forget abt yr M3 in a very short time...

have you thought of a name for yr MINI yet?

 

So baby naming is part of the wait, huh?

I'm sure I will never forget the M3. It is quite a car, "brilliant" as the Top Gear chaps like to say.

 

Congrats RaceTripper!
It sounds like you have the MINI Owner "perma-smile" grin already : )

If you plan to run winter and summer wheels, keeping the run flats will make sense.
There's many options for a light racing rim and performance rubber out there, so check into that once you've run the car and see which options make sense.

The nice thing about the MINI is that you can buy more gear, since the car takes less room in the garage... win-win!

keep us posted,
motionmonk

 

Yeah, I was planning to wait until I have driven it a bit to decide what I do about wheels/tires. If the OEM setup is OK for daily driving, then I may just get a track set with R-Comps, but I have to see what size rims will fit the factory JCW brakes. I'd like to go smaller than 17" for the track.

I'm gonna have to learn to track all over again, going from RWD to FWD.