Just received my 18x7 JCW wheels/tires from Classic Mini replacing last years 17x17.5 Antera 309s. They may be boat anchors but they sure are PURRRRTY. Will have to drive on them for a while to determine if lowering is an option. The roads in Upstate New York are not the smoothest.









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Greta...DS "S", premium, cold, 18 inch JCWs, DSC, fogs, lapis blue leather, chrome mirrors, chrome interior trim rings, UUC Shift ****, Alpine 7998 Head-unit, Lightning Audio Storm 5.25 Components, 10" sub & 500 Watt amp, Rouge Cold Air Intake

 

looking good bonz!

 

Sweet!

What tires are you running with those?

 

Thanks. Running the factory Dunlop SP Sports for now. Classic Mini quoted a package price that I thought was hard to turn down so I didn't.

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Greta...DS "S", premium, cold, 17 inch Antera 309s, DSC, fogs, lapis blue leather, chrome mirrors, chrome interior trim rings, UUC Shift ****, Alpine 7998 Head-unit, Lightning Audio Storm 5.25 Components, 10" sub & 500 Watt amp, Rouge Cold Air Intak

 

mind sharing that package cost?

 

1900 bucks including shipping. All I had to do was adjust air pressure. That was the same price as JCW wheels with Toyo's (which list for over 100 less each than the Dunlops) but with me having to take the wheels to get the tires mounted. I also am weary of having no spare. I have already had a flat this year on my Exployer that could not be fixed using a mobility kit but lucky for me it came with full size spare.

 

What's the off-set on those rims? 18 X 7 any special spacer to prevent any rubbing issue?
For MCS owner that had H-Sports springs and sway bar any recommendations with the JCW
rims prior to purchase?.

 

1900 is a great price! Good deal!

As far as rubbing, I have no problem now even without the retrofit kit. Next week after lowering the car with Alta springs and H-sport control arms to adjust the camber, I'll know if there's a rubbing issue. I have my fingers crossed!

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>>What's the off-set on those rims? 18 X 7 any special spacer to prevent any rubbing issue?

No rubbing issue for me either even without special spacer but I do not know the offset of the wheels but as compared to to s-lite I just took off they seem to be similar.


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Greta...DS "S", premium, cold, 18" JCW"s, DSC, fogs, lapis blue leather, chrome mirrors, chrome interior trim rings, UUC Shift ****, Alpine 7998 Head-unit, Lightning Audio Storm 5.25 Components, 10" sub & 500 Watt amp, Rouge Cold Air Intake

 

>>1900 is a great price! Good deal!
>>
>>As far as rubbing, I have no problem now even without the retrofit kit. I'll know if there's rubbing issue next week after lowering the car with Alta springs and H-sport control ars to adjust the camber. I have my fingers crossed!

Dave, please post results ASAP, I am just itching to get a set of H-sports springs for Greta.

 

>>Dave, please post results ASAP, I am just itching to get a set of H-sports springs for Greta.

Patient, bonz!

I have to fix the exhaust first. Because the exhaust tips are touching the lower part of the bumper, I have to somehow lower the exhaust hangers. As soon as I finish with that, springs and control arms are next.


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hey dave, i sent you a long PM with my tips for the spring install...
no 'thank you' or any sense of appreciation?

just buy longer hangers for your exhaust... easy does it.

 

>>hey dave, i sent you a long PM with my tips for the spring install...
>>no 'thank you' or any sense of appreciation? :smile:

>>just buy longer hangers for your exhaust... easy does it.

I extended the side hangers with a nut on each side and freed the center hanger. Problem fixed. :smile:



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So far, no rubbing with Alta springs and 18" JCW wheels. :smile:

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bonz- your ride looks great!

thanks, dave. oh geez. Good job on the install.

The hangers work ok without the center 2 hangers, but does it
shake/move around at all? the Milltek was hitting my rear aero
bumper if I didn't add the center 2 hangers when I pushed up
on it.

 

>>The hangers work ok without the center 2 hangers, but does it
>>shake/move around at all? the Milltek was hitting my rear aero
>>bumper if I didn't add the center 2 hangers when I pushed up
>>on it.


Thanks, kenchan! I'll look for a set of longer hangers to replace 2 center ones. :smile:

 

>Thanks, kenchan! I'll look for a set of longer hangers to replace 2 center ones.


No problem. If you have an Autozone nearby your place, I used P/No: 17219. :smile:

bonz- your car still looks top notch!
Are you gonna lower it like dave's IB/W?

 

Thanks kenchan, I am very pleased with the outcome. I liked the looks with my Antera 309's ( liked the deep dish look that very few mini's have) but these JCW wheels seem to fit the look of the car better.

As for lowering the car .... Left my company car in the garage for the last couple of days and took Greta on a 500 mile road trip to the adirondacks mountains, lake placid, keene valley ect...... I think I will be holding off for the time being. The roads in upstate new york are not the best and I feel the ride quality would definately suffer. If you have a differing opinion I am open to hear them.

Dave, that stop that the Mini dealer is trying to sell along with the wheels is according to my service adviser is not to prevent tire rubbing but suppose to keep the wheel sensors in line??? Does your flat tire sensor or abs light come on for no reason ? This stop is suppose to fix that problem. To be honest with you I have yet to see this problem but who is to know if the sensors are not reading when they should. Will ask more questions when I am at the dealer on tuesday.

Later

 

bonz- your car looks good with the Anteras but it looks even better with the
JCW's. :smile: As far as lowering goes, the H-sports made the car settle better
on even the larger bumps. The factory springs are linear rate and the rebound
is too fast. with progressive rate (H-sport rears), the ride sits much flatter
over bumpy terrain and initially softer with less rebound rate than factory.

It is actually more comfortable and has less jitterness with the H-sports. :smile:

I hear this is somewhat typical of european cars, that the non-factory
springs have softer initial bump.

 

Thanks again for your input kenchan. The h-sport are again on my potental short list of up coming mods.

 

>>Does your flat tire sensor or abs light come on for no reason?

I don't have a problem with lights coming on. Someone from the local dealer told me that the manufacture initially thought the car might need it. As it turns out, the retrofit kit might not be neccessary at all.

After a few days of driving with lower springs, I really like the more aggresive stance of the car while surprisingly providing the car with a similar ride quality as factory spring. :smile:



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Thanks for the updates.