Thanks for your comments @chrunck ! That's good to hear on the bumper! I do agree that having that extra pop of color to help tie in the front bumper ends is a nice visual cue. I really like what they did with the new Countryman front end to be honest. I also found that YouTuber 'The MINI Vlog' with the guy who won the contest to buy the Serial #0001 GP3 car... Great channel and he's answering a ton of questions I had on the F56 platform. He also had a video about blacking out the belt-line which I knew was possible, but it was nice to see him do it on the JCW and his GP3 both. I've tried doing a chrome delete on an E39 in the past, and it was a huge PIA! I gave up and ended up buying the proper black trim from a wrecked 5 series. But the MINI belt-line trim looks pretty easy in comparison.

TBH, I'm not one for short shift kits (I actually enjoy the long truck driver throw!), but I definitely will install a clutch stop. I used to have the Po'boy clutch stop installed on all of my Z3's. Hopefully MINI has the same kind of threaded insert on their floorboards.

P.s. Photobucket still hasn't responded to my customer service claim yet, so no new MINI pictures yet -

 

I am Facebook friends with "The MINI Vlog" and he does some great stuff. He definitely deserved 0001.

Burger's BMS clutch stop works for the F56 but you have to canabalize the old clutch stop to do it. The thread I followed can be found here (outside of NAM). I have owned a number of BMWs (e30, e34, e36, e39, and e46) in the past and moved to an F56 in 2015 when I realized the trend of BMW becoming boats, and now I have put a cumulative 80k miles on my 3 F-series MINIs and could not be happier. My 2015 S is pretty modified and if I haven't done a mod, I have considered it; so please feel free to ask me If you have any questions.

 

Thanks for all that man! I've spent many years and posts on the bimmerforums and elsewhere, and I'll never buy a car that doesn't have a good great forum support community. I was especially fond and supportive of my E36, E36/7, E36/8, E31 and E38 forums. Looks like we've crossed paths on at least the E36 and E39 chassis!

I was shocked and in awe when I saw MINI Vlog's first video pop up in my YouTube feed... I was jaw-dropped saying how the heck did he get S/N #0001! I would have figured that car was going into a museum or was already allocated to somebody high up in BMW etc... So cool for him, especially since he's a vlogger. Looking forward to binge watching his channel.

Copy that on the clutch stop...that's a done deal. Which leads me to the CDV orifice! Thanks to your link above, I saw an offshoot thread about its removal on the F56... That will also be coming out within the first week of ownership!

Thanks again for your willingness to help out a fellow MINI owner and former BMW enthusiast!

 

As the GP3 gets converted and my Cooper is too expensive to spoil it in public traffic jams. I decided to rewrap my M2 and test the new Rebel Green design foil. The M2 was initially white what safe me 1000 Euro for the stabilizer and coils. I think you did everything right when the person who wrapped the car wants to buy it afterwards. My best BMW ever, the price jump to the CS useless, as 50 hp more your Grandma can code. Complete relaxed supremacy, opposite to MINI all E-devices work problem-free.

My Boston Green Z3 MCoupe however was the best driving shoe ever, you sat directly over the rear axle, and basically the same engine did 280 hp where you get now 450hp.

Three german amateurs once started at the 24H NoS with basically a stock Z3 M Coupe, and finished 9th place overall, jump II was renamed to "Grafen Sprung".

 

C'mon Clutch, spruce that bad boy up a little bit. Put some flames on the sides or something. At least a red hood stripe. It looks like something they deliver pizza in with a Dominos thing across the top!

 

You shouldn't throw stones with your sticker tuned station wagon
But fascinating how your taste is, I had no doubt.

 

Hey Clutch, great minds think alike I guess... we both had green Z3 M Coupes... and I made a petition to my BMW dealer to contact BMW AG and see if they would be willing to create a special run of 200 M2's, 100 6 speed and 100 DCT, all sunroof deletes, with Oxford Green exterior paint, and Amaro brown interior... similar to the rare Elekta M5 touring run in the 90's. But of course the dealer had no interest, and told me to just buy an M2 and wrap it... like you've done. But for the money, I wanted the official color code sticker in the engine bay!

Regardless, kudos to you, thanks for posting the photo of my dream M2! For now, my dream Rebel Green MINI JCW will have to do!

 

Finally got my photobucket back up and running! Here are some shots from the fateful day:

 

Hi,

I'm a complete newbie here (first post), but having just ordered a custom 2021 build (4 door hardtop S), I have a few insights on the web site quirks and how dealers can help you out.

The online builder is definitely stuck in 2020, and does not accurately or consistently reflect all options. For example, I could not get it to consistently offer me a six speed manual (sometimes it showed up as an option, and sometimes not!) but the dealer easily added a stick shift to my order.

I ordered the Piano Black exterior (and also black door handles). On the dealer's lot was a 2020 "Coral Red" model, a special one-off build (only something like 300 made). It had black MINI badges on the hood and rear. I asked about getting those too (in the interest of blacking out most/all chrome). It could not be ordered from the factory, but the part is available in the US. When the car arrives in a US port (LA), MINI USA will install that badge (paid for it on the dealer build sheet). I'm currently checking into whether I can swap out that one annoying horizontal chrome strip on the front grill in favor of the red horizontal piece on the JCW package. The manager is looking into it, and is pretty sure it's possible. If not, lots of aftermarket manufacturers sell a comparable red piece. Lest you think I'm a total imposter (going for the JCW look), I also am getting the JCW Tuning Kit (exhaust and chip). I assumed I'd have to buy the kit it from the dealer and pay for installation after I take delivery of the car (JCW option is not available in 4 dr). Turns out it's another unlisted option. I'm getting it from the factory, installed as a factory build, thus avoiding the dealer-level technician/labor charges. I guess the bottom line is that your options may not be as limited as the build site may indicate. It's well worth talking to the dealer about what you want, as many unlisted things can be done by the factory, the MINI USA import port facilities, and the dealers themselves. Hope this was a little bit helpful.

 

"Isle of Man Green"

 

It is a station wagon (my wife loves 'em). But I had a JCW Coupe for 6 years and I wanted a fast but cushier ride this time. I would've probably gone with a BMW if I had not been able to fine one of these BMW/JCWs at a nearby dealer. I had an '88 325is Coupe it was badass. I loved that car.

 

And San Remo Green coming this fall to the standard 4 series! They finally got my memo... Too late for them...I'm going MINI!

 

Clutch, what's up with those seats? You need to take the ones out of your GP3 and mount them in your M2.

 

Yeah same seats I have they're great. I like 'em better than the Recaros in my last car.

 

For seats, there is a standard procedure!
Buy RECARO Pooles!

Even the GP3 Vision design team used this. You can strip the seats further down to the shell, and cover with suede, or leave them as they are. The new M Performance bucket seats M3/M4 are for sure over 10.000 a pair, so I give my seats to HERMES and safe still a lot.

The seats color "Victory Green"

 

Nice, so you could move them to the M2 if you really wanted to.

It's just weird seeing the base sport seats we had in our diesel F31 in the M2. I wouldn't want the new carbon performance seats that are optional in the G80/G82, my kids would scuff up the back of them in no time with their feet. It's bad enough they stick their hands through the CS's seats and poke me thinking it's funny.

 

Would have responded to this sooner but time has gotten away from me. I have been off of bimmerforums for a while since I sold my last BMW in 2015. It's crazy how small the world is with the internet now. I agree with you though, without the kind of support and community BMWs and MINIs have, I would not purchase them. I absolutely hate having to watch youtube videos to see where things are supposed to unbolt, etc. And the amount of misinformation in those videos is terrifying. Again, welcome to the community; I am proud to say it is a really good one. To me MINIs bring back that old e36 feeling, handling with actual enthusiasm, which current-gen BMWs seem to lack.

The CDV is not nearly as frustrating on the F56 than the old e39s especially. I do suggest you give yourself a week before just ripping it out. The fact that there are not a huge number of posts about it really go to show how it has been implemented more effectively and the difference it makes is not as important.

 

Thanks for your additional comments! Yes indeed, I usually watch 3 or 4 videos on YouTube to get the bigger picture on how to repair or remove something on a BMW...there are some seriously scary people on that platform however that I would never let anywhere near my cars! 10 years and 26 BMWs later though, I'm fairly confident in my repair/refurbishment skills, and know what things I can do, and what I should farm out. When possible, I also like to give back and write up a DIY.

The only car I ever ended up removing the CDV on out of my fleet was the 2000 M Coupe shown in my original post. It's an easy affair, since you can just replace the clutch slave hose with one from a 3.0i model, and not install the orifice fitting.

It seems even easier on the F56, as you can remove the restriction orifice from the slave and you're done (after fill and bleed of course). I will definitely wait a month or so before deciding to pull it out. I think I want it gone just for the principal of it, more than anything. We purposely order our cars with manual transmissions and a clutch pedal so that we have that deeper interaction with the car. A restriction orifice in the hydraulic clutch line is akin to electric assist power steering... the result is added layer of insulation between you and the driving experience. The CDV is only there because the manufacturer wants you to 'sacrifice' your non-warranty consumable clutch material as opposed to having the ability to shock-load your warranty-able transmission (e.g. if you're constantly dumping your clutch like an idiot). Well, like 'Hoot' said in the movie Black Hawk Down, "This is my safety", my left foot is my transmission protector! Let me worry about the amount of forces and how quickly I apply them! I'm fairly certain being a 4 cylinder car, that the MINI manuals come equipped with a dual mass flywheel too, so there's another buffer point between the current gen cars and a 'classic' manual transmission setup... but I consider the DMF to be more of a comfort/luxury thing, in reducing the pulsations of a naturally unbalanced motor... The CDV to me however, crosses that line....so it must go!

 

BTW, I just received a VIN number, and the car should be completed by the end of the week! Whoo hoo!

 

Congrats! I'm also coming from the BMW world for the second time. I had an E90 when I bought my first F56. Still unsure if I will end up keeping my current E92 or not.

I do wonder how yours is so much further ahead of mine in the build queue. I ordered my JCW on 9/4. At the time of ordering, their portal was showing an early November build. I did say I was hoping to get the car in December, maybe my dealer assigned it to a future allotment.
へ‿(ツ)‿ㄏ

 

Yea, that is odd, considering I ordered mine on 9/19. My build header is below, and you can see I have a later order number than you. We actually received a build slot allocation before I even signed off on the paperwork that day... The manager said it usually takes a few days to get that far, but depending on what car you are trying to build and their current work cycle, sometimes you get lucky and they can fit your car in on the current run.... Having watched hours of MINI Oxford factory videos, I'm not sure what difference it could make, but maybe it has to do with what interior pieces they have in the queue or some other supply chain logistics. Either way congrats on your latest JCW, looking forward to comparing notes on our builds once they arrive!

BTW, I've had a 6 speed E91 wagon, a 6 speed E92 M3, and a DCT E92 M3.... all great cars in their own right. But I remember parking my M3 next to my 850Ci and was astonished how huge the E92 was! I'm really wanting to get back to a smaller chassis, and maybe I took that concept a little too far with the MINI, but I'm sure excited to make the move from boat captain to kart captain! The nice thing is though, if you do decide to sell the E92, that market is always 'alive'... whether 328i, 335i, or M3. You shouldn't have a problem finding a quick buyer.

 

Sorry for not replying to you sooner @ichthyosapiens, just wanted to thank you for taking the time to respond and providing some good info! I too got the port installed piano black gas cap, door handles, and F&R MINI badges. I wonder if the cars are shipped blank, or do they rip off the chrome badges at port? For as much as we paid for these black parts I'd like to think that if they rip off the old parts, they should thrown them in the boot so we can recoup some of our cost later! LOL yea right.

Let us know if you were able to swap out the chrome trim for the red piece... I might consider swapping my red one out for a piano black one to match the rest of the car, and I'm also going to look into what it would take to green vinyl wrap the piano black trim pieces anyway. I'm all about the monochromatic look, where reasonable. So I guess I'm going away from the JCW look, whereas you are going for it!

The one thing that would be nice to have factory installed (not port installed) would be the JCW pro coil-over suspension, where you could specify 10, 20, or 30mm drop from stock. I'd be happy to pay for that vs. DDC etc... I ordered mine without DDC to make that process easier for me when I install the KW/JCW coilovers.

P.s. at least here in my market area, they're calling that Coral red model the "Rosewood Edition" or at least one aspect of the options list is called Rosewood... not certain on that, or its intended market demographic!

 

They pull them off and chuck them in a bin. They figure the free labor for putting the new stuff on is worth not giving you the parts back. But you could always do them as dealer installed options and get the parts back but then you're at the mercy of how much your dealer charges for labor. But really, do you want the old parts back? I have the stock exhaust sitting in storage now from when my dealer installed the JCW one, should have just had them keep it.

 

Thanks for that info - I don't really want to store the parts per se, but I just figure if I'm paying $145 over and above the original price for the chrome gas cap (for example), that I might be able to sell the chrome one on eBay for a few bucks to get some of that money back. I also ordered the all weather rubber floor mats for front, rear and cargo area... are they going to toss my perfectly good carpet floor mats out too, or put them in the trunk so that (heaven forbid) I ever sell my MINI, that I'd have a nice set of new carpet mats to put in the car for the next owner?

 

I didn't think the floor mats were a port installed accessory, it should be the dealer providing them and hopefully won't be charging you for an install.