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Looks sharp! Welcome to the club, you've got most of the necessary upgrades covered already too, good deal. I recommend blacking out the front-end chrome as much as possible (especially around the headlights) and/or applying a set of vinyl headlight protectors. The bugs go crazy for the brilliant reflections produced there and their guts will eventually give your headlights that cloudy amber look. The reflections from the steep windshield angle will still lure them in, but their guts will be resigned to the glass and the A-pillar. I just realized we almost have the same car.
Nice car!
A follow-up question I have (or maybe one you should ask the PO).
Was the ECU flashed for the JCW tune? Which version (200HP or 208HP)? If it's 208 were larger injectors installed?
For the cam gear, you can adjust the cam timing which moves the peak torque to a higher or lower RPM. I've always found my '03 200HP JCW to be completely gutless below 2500 RPM and I'd be curious to see how much top end would be sacrificed by backing off the cam timing a few degrees to give it a little more on the bottom end.
It's rare to see one in black. Leave the chrome and don't fall into the "killallchrome" pit that everyone else has. You have a beautiful MINI. Leave it that way.
it's rare to see one in black. Leave the chrome and don't fall into the "killallchrome" pit that everyone else has. You have a beautiful mini. Leave it that way.
Nice car!
A follow-up question I have (or maybe one you should ask the PO).
Was the ECU flashed for the JCW tune? Which version (200HP or 208HP)? If it's 208 were larger injectors installed?
For the cam gear, you can adjust the cam timing which moves the peak torque to a higher or lower RPM. I've always found my '03 200HP JCW to be completely gutless below 2500 RPM and I'd be curious to see how much top end would be sacrificed by backing off the cam timing a few degrees to give it a little more on the bottom end.
This car wasn't a jcw from factory, nor dealer installed. It was tuned by "Behe". Good info on the cam gear, thank you!
Originally Posted by cooper48
It's rare to see one in black. Leave the chrome and don't fall into the "killallchrome" pit that everyone else has. You have a beautiful MINI. Leave it that way.
I didn't realize black was rare. I'm in Dallas as well! Well, a part of me does like the blacked out look. But, you are correct. Everyone has done blackout. Which is why I haven't done it, lol.
It's rare to see one in black. Leave the chrome and don't fall into the "killallchrome" pit that everyone else has. You have a beautiful MINI. Leave it that way.
Indeed the chrome looks nice, I enjoyed the contrast when I first got mine, but the bugs love it even more. The paint looks remarkable, like the car was garaged its whole life! Why screw it up with bug guts every time you pull it out?
It may not be so bad if you're driving around in a deeply urban area, however things change dramatically in a rural or even a county/suburban area. Washing and polishing that chrome only to have every locust, dragonfly, beetle and cicada gravitate towards it head-on leaves a magnificent, creamy spread of insect peanut butter on pretty much everything, including the paint.
I'm speaking from experience after living and working in the DFW/ATX area... WB Mini (circa 2008)
as well as NC, MO, IL with plenty of road trip mileage logged to places far and near. Give it a year or two and you'll see. Even the hood ornament logo will make a mess!
09-27-2024, 09:52 PM
