I had this dilemma as well when I started searching for my perfect MINI. In the end I just couldn't bare to spend the extra $6k on the JCW. I know you get a lot for the money, but I originally started considering MINIs because I didnt want to pay the price for a used 135i. I decided I could get a new MINI with everything I wanted for less. So in the end I was happy with the MCS power and handling and I ordered all the options I could ever want and only paid $27k. I am happy with the decision.

If I had no commitments in front of me I probably would have sprung for the JCW. But I am getting married next year and the MINI was a treat to myself after college and landing a sweet job. I didnt want to stress the fiance anymore with an above $30k price tag.

 

There sure ain't nothing wrong with a Mini Cooper "S" I'm sure you will really enjoy driving it and if your not going to track your car you are not going to need to modify it at all.

I got my JCW in October 2008 and my only option is Sport Suspension. I leave it totaly stock and really enjoy driving it. I do miss cruise control though. Your "S" will be loaded with options so you will really enjoy your new car. We want to see some photographs.

 

They make cars wiithout cruise control !?

 

I just bought a pre-owned '09 JCW with 8k miles. I looked for about a month with the intent of buying an S model. I looked at S models and also saw a few JCW's for sale, but most were priced more than I wanted to spend. I drove several S models and then noticed a JCW and decided to test-drive it. Once I drove it, I was sold! The engine has much more power and feels very alive. With the sport button on, there is no lag and the car feels terrific. The exhaust sounds excellent, and I absolutely love the occasional exhaust "pop" you get when you shift. The suspension is not too stiff, just about perfect (I have the standard JCW set-up). The wheels are nice looking too. I really only spent about $2500-3000 more than the comparable pre-owned "S" models I was looking at, so I feel it was well worth it. Plus, I wanted one fully equipped (except Nav) and that's what I got (original MSRP was $37K). Love the Bluetooth, Satelite radio, xenon, rain-sensor, moonroof, comfort access, etc.
So, if you can find a JCW at a decent price, I would highly recommend it.

 

lol - not quite. you'll need a tune to get JCW power - and then you are running your engine at power levels the JCW has been beefed up to handle and the S engine hasn't.


Thanks for that pic. you nailed a pet peeve of mine. Everytime someone tells me they can care less I let them know they must care about it then.
This pic explains it well.

 

ohyea, OP - If you are even considering you may want more power and can afford the extra money definiately get a JCW. The S is a great car that power wise will satisfy 90% of the people getting one. The JCW is for the others that want more and can afford.
Remember, the JCW is about more than just extra HP.

I've owned both so I think I know what I'm talking about.

 

If a person buys a brand new "S" and modifies it. """GOODBYE WARRENTY""" If I was going to modify a Mini I would just get an older supercharged one that does not have a warrenty anyway.

Or just get a new JCW and enjoy it. Oh! I did.

 

 

Not anymore. For pre-2010's, the multifunction steering wheel was optional, so if you didn't get it, there would be no way to control the cruise control. Now that the MFSW is standard for 2010, all MINIs have cruise control.


This coming from the guy who has (or maybe had) a TON of mods on his R56.

I agree, though. If I needed more power, I would have bought a higher trim level rather than screw with the warranty.

 

Still have em

 

I thought you were going back to stock so your sisters/nieces (?) could drive it. But anyway, you get my point.

 

That's just the suspension

 

Gotcha

 

I went with the 2010 JCW now the waiting begins

 

What is it's production week?

 

I'm rather surprised that they are still accepting orders for the 2010 models. I think that they shutdown for the new model in Mid August, so as I say, this surprises me.

 

the owners lounge gives me the production number
current status: scheduled for production
I called 1-866-ask-mini and they said vehicle is being assembled and completion
day is July 12th

not sure where to find the production week

 

That should be week 28

 

hmm.. that doesn't make sense. scheduled for production means it hasn't gotten onto the assemble line, yet completion date July 12th? I'm pretty sure that is today.

Maybe they don't update between "scheduled for production" and "produced but not shipped".

 

Your first statement is absolutely true...but I'm not sure about the second. The part about the S engine not being able to "handle" the tune.

To be sure there are beefy parts in a JCW engine...but I don't imagine that MINI would sell their own warrantied tune for the MCS if they thought it was going to provoke significant failure rates. And I haven't seen rampant reports of tuned MCS (either stage 1 or otherwise) that have come apart at the seems?

 

ScottMD,

I think what he was referring to was not necessarily the JCW tune from Mini Cooper JCW, but the after market tuning where they get another 20 hp or more, by just a tune. Some of these guys are claiming 240 + on a cai, exhaust, tubes and tune out of a 172 hp Mini S. That could start to cause a strain on parts. Of course there would be no warrantee from Mini/BMW unless it's your brother in law that's the S/A.

 

I never said your S engine was going to blow up. But run both the S and JCW at 240lbs wheel torque and you can guess which one will last longer ( not to mention the clutch and trans)

 

Motormouth, Totally agree, your point is just what I had mentioned, as in with the strengthened internals of the JCW engine, let's face it, it will handle more power. Mini/BMW did their homework on that one, plus they were protecting themselves on the warrantee issue.

 

Yes, during the 2009 model year, unless you got a certain package the cruise control, multifuction steering wheel, you paid $250 extra for it. And, there were some dealers that either forgot to order the multifunction steering wheel, or just cheaped out. That's how some of the MCS and JCW's got here without cruise control.