mini cooper jcw project

[nomercy]

I am looking into buying a jcw mini as a fun project car to use as a daily commuter?
The little engin and cart like handeling makes it idea, but I really really like the drag scene and want some advice...???

R53 or R56, the R53 has a much more advanced tuned platform internationally and seems to be the more powerful car at this moment. Tstock meens nothing to me as the car won't stay stock for a day)...

Are there good tuners in RSA for Minis as there doesn't seem to be a big following of them in RSA, who are they and do any of you have fast tuned minis or know of some people who do, would love to get in touch with them...

If I can get close to 300bhp I'd be more then happy, would kill some GTI's ( I hate those cars but its a great tuning platform for commen people...

Thanks guy...

 

[Dean ///M]

Find me a good tuner too.....

 

[MikeBMW]

I'll tell you when/if I eventually find time to finish mine :biglol:

 

[Mac55]

I know Steve's auto clinic does a few upgrades for the R53 like a pulley upgrade the have a nice inter cooler upgrade and obviously things like ecu, exhaust ect if you can find someone else please let me know also wanna start thrashing corsa opc's and polo gti's

Good luck :thumbs:

 

[Willy]

SAC is expensive.

Import parts yourself and take to someone who knows what his doing, not just a pert fitter.

And with 300 hp, you are fisrt going to spend allot of cash and you are going to kill allot more than GTis.

 

[dvst8]

www.outmotoring.com - For Performance Parts

www.xcede.co.za - For Tuning

Above worked on my ex MCS.

:thumbs:

 

[nomercy]

Seems the mini is a very hard platform to mod, not a lot of tuners??
Tunetech looks like they have done a few and have done big turbo upgrade...
Xcede does sw on them and vanderlinde developments does some harware so will look down the local routes then the import scene...

 

[Jerez]

300 bhp is a big ask. If you remember the cooper S GP had on 8 bhp more than the worked JCW mini and that was achieved through a faster spinning supercharger, revised intake system, uprated injectors, freer-breathing exhaust) with a more efficient intercooler and reprogrammed engine management, and all that from the factory.

Your first issue on the R56 is a remap, not sure if they developed an after market remap due to the push start button .
I tried all Aeneas for my wife's card should have just purchased the JCW tuning pack before collecting the car.

Perhaps you could star with an r53 JCW , then strip it of its rear seats and passenger seats, some ultra lightweight alloys - in other words- if you can shave 50kgs off the car you may do a 0-100 in just under 7

 

[nomercy]

So what do you think the r53 is a better platform then a r56?

 

[Jerez]

IMO, with whats available , you're better off doing that

 

[Mike1]

Okay let's put this nicely.

Mini's are easy to mod, but only to a point. If I were you I would spend that money on one of the 2000 limited edition GP works cooper S models.

In standard for that car will make an M look stupid In the bends, in most places actually and having driven several of them I know this from first hand experience.

With the GP works you are halfway there already so change SW, pulleys and intake, then lose the JCW exhaust, it's really not all they make it out to be.

Getting power out of the R53 is easy and safe, I have driven modded S's with 180kw that are extremely fast and reliable.

Once you get past pulleys, software and zorst then you start paying big money for small power improvements.

In tems of modifying the R53 is a much better base than the R56 and is more "MINI" in all aspects.

Mike

 

[Jerez]

Okay , the GP works cars only got 8 bhp on the standard Jcw car which is 210.
You said fun project didn't you?

Then get a 70s mini, and 2 hayabusa engines... Nuff said, that's based on a fun project
Using the skinned out GP is an expensive way to start a project.
Just get a non S shell and strip it out.uou get the picture

 

[moranor@axis]

Mike i think you over estimating the mini a little bit :rollsmile: if its that quick the Nürburgring times would also reflect that...

 

[Mike1]

Sean, the first time I drove the GP Works was from hout bay to the dealer in foreshore. The owner was in his E46 M3 following me.

Sharp tight corners, narrow roads and poor road surface there was no way any M3 would keep up, that mere 8bhp difference is the difference between a fast hot hatch and possibly the best FWD car currently on the road.

Unless you have experienced it you wont understand, there is no Mini currently available except maybe for the new works that is better. In fact I have never driven any other FWD car with such precision and utter balls to the wall power and useability.

8/10 it will give a M a mighty wake up call, especially in the bends.

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:fencelook::joy:

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Now you got me going :roflol:

 

[dvst8]

Personally i would not waste the xtra cash on the GP edition.

You could get a standard S and make it way
quicker on the straight as well as around the ccorners. The standard S is a good enough base to start from.

I agree there isnt much available locally, but ibfound importing parts a breeze.

My mini was i think the car i enjoyed most, the research and development was loads if fun.

Was thinking about getting another one to start playing again.

 

[Jerez]

@ dvst... Agreed

 

[nomercy]

I'm not big on racing around bends and track, mabe just because I haven't done it yet...?

On the other hand I love drag racing, legal and not, and know the mini isn't the best platform for drags but its something different and something I can have fun with on a daily drive, I have another car 996 turbo for topend and going flatout as fast as I can...

The GP mini's are very expensive, I settle with the std JCW and see what I can do! I'm on holiday so won't start anything till the new year, but plans are...
Go FBO and see where it gets me, then look into building the engine and a bigger turbo and mabe nos, we'll see..

Anyone know what JCW mini's do on the 400m and some proberly tuned ones that make descent power, mods???

 

[moranor@axis]

im sorry mike but i just dont see it not trying to take away from the mini but the M3 is in a different league...

I could also claim wins Vs the M3 in my broken e46 323i, but I know fact it was because the M3 driver it was not willing or capable of pushing through the corners... sure as hell does not mean my e46 is an M3 killer :rollsmile:

 

[msm]

The M3 is definitely in a different league compared to the Mini BUT the Mini driver would be the one with a bigger grin on his face ... Those things are just sooooo much fun.

I'm also deciding on a new toy car next year, if I don't get a bike. :fencelook: So far it's down to the R53, R56 and Golf GTI - the latter being on the list due to them being such a nice base for modifying. I also think the R53 has more options available simply because its been on the market for longer. Most people don't mod newish cars - once they're a few years old, then only do you see them modded.

 

[moranor@axis]

The M3 is definitely in a different league compared to the Mini BUT the Mini driver would be the one with a bigger grin on his face ... Those things are just sooooo much fun.

I'm also deciding on a new toy car next year, if I don't get a bike. :fencelook: So far it's down to the R53, R56 and Golf GTI - the latter being on the list due to them being such a nice base for modifying. I also think the R53 has more options available simply because its been on the market for longer. Most people don't mod newish cars - once they're a few years old, then only do you see them modded.

go for the mini :rollsmile: GTI is for boring people :fencelook: