[WORKSRACER]

Whats your opinion on the JCW tune kit is it worth the extra dollars or for the same sort of dollars better fitting a after market kit better? I found a company in melbourne that is called QSZ and for the same sort of dollars they can give me 265bhp(wow).
Is the JCW (210bhp) kit going to give better resale of is it just another option at the counter?
cheers
michael

[n00b]

If you do a search on this topic, there's heaps of post. To sum it up:

* If you want factory warranty intact and even cover your mods then hand over $9k to your dealer.
* Do another search, to bring it upto 210hp can be done for as cheap as slightly over $1k. 15% pulley + MTH software + CAI. Add an exhaust if you wish.

Go over NAM and search for the pics of JCW head. Those pics should be enough to convince you whether it's worth it or not while on the topic, mods won't entirely void your warranty but might have some effect. When they discover I had mods on my car, all they did was declaring my clutch is no longer under warranty but I had heaps of other stuff done. Go figure why they void my clutch warranty and that only happens when I had 3 weeks of warranty left!

[Rakey]

the answer is yes

[charlied]

The advantages are:

It will not affect your warranty
You can finance the conversion with your purchase
The overall price includes fitting
It will not affect resale
It is a good building block for obtaining even more power

The disadvantages are:

Outrageous cost
If you end up wanting more power and tune it even more you will then end up ruining your warranty anyway!


Catch 22 my friend but I wouldn't go for anything less personally

[CCLSC]

YES, it is!

[St00ge]

Quote: Originally Posted by dairyboy

Go over NAM and search for the pics of JCW head. Those pics should be enough to convince you whether it's worth it or not

why is that?

[Todd!]

Quote: Originally Posted by WORKSRACER

Whats your opinion on the JCW tune kit is it worth the extra dollars or for the same sort of dollars better fitting a after market kit better? I found a company in melbourne that is called QSZ and for the same sort of dollars they can give me 265bhp(wow).
Is the JCW (210bhp) kit going to give better resale of is it just another option at the counter?
cheers
michael

Everything QSZ sells will be available through other places around the world for much more reasonable prices - if you go this option you will also be able to choose what CAI's, exhausts, etc. you will get rather than just having JCW or whatever QSZ recommend.

I dont know of too many standard JCW cars, so what is the point!?!

Todd

[St00ge]

there are some warranty safe stuff that you can do tho. alta CAI, MTH tuner file, and any catback exhaust shouldn't **** off BMW service personnel, unless they're tight arses, in which case, take it to Peter Kaiser. He's very helpful, and won't stiff you for such tiny mods. And anyway, these mods are basically a building block for any mods like pulley, cams, heads, injectors, etc

[MINI-Morgan]

The works is only worth the money if you are concerned with keeping your engine warranty and you want the badge. Other than that you can spend the same money getting some serious power, new breaks and suspension to make it even more fun all round yet still managable.

[minigolf]

I'd possibly consider getting JCW fitted from factory if speccing a new MINI, but I wouldn't retrofit on my current MINI. Too much dough, for not enough show IMO. Mind, I am waiting for my warranty to expire before I fit a reduced pulley, so go figure.

[MINI-Morgan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Max

Yes if you can afford that sort of money

tbh its worth driving a few other conversions before you decide to part with half a year's savings....

...that said, it's very well engineered - but a bit lack-lustre in terms of raw performance compared to what's available from a host of other worldwide tuners, for the money

NOTE: This is Max giving a BIG thumbs up to JCW btw

Hey, even Tonyt3 bought another JCW, and he's even more sceptical than I

But him tracking it alot means any engine problems that happen will be sorted by Warranty...

[RedUn]

i'd rather buy a pulley and save 3400 quid for any engine repairs tbh

[bimini]

can of worms...

I think its a personal thing. As others have said, you can get the performance a lot cheaper.

Pro's : performance, fitted by dealer or at factory, covered by warranty, recognised performance package...ie expensive but easy piece of mind. Perhaps easier to get insurance as well...ie your high street insurers may know what a JCW is because its on their list as opposed to someone 3rd party.

Con's : cost & ....logo and as others have said, you may find you want more, which throws all of the above out of the window

The one thing is that although it seems the tuners do a very good job of backup, selling cars with engines fettled by a 3rd party always raises an eyebrow unless the person buying it knows exactly what they're buying.

That said, i'm not so sure that the JCW kit actually holds much once depreciation really kicks in.

[Babes]

If i was in the UK I would probably go for one of the aftermarket tuners, but here in Aus with little to no alternative I would stick with JCW, dont regret mine at all and is comletely stock JCW. Know of others who have put on after market reduced pulleys etc through reputable tuners and have ended up taking it back to MINI to fix. Mine was $10,500 when i fitted it for the 200bhp kit, so to me $8,500 for 210bhp including JCW brakes is the bargain of the century. At the end of the day it's personal choice, i would suggest getting together with the clubMINI guys in Sydney and going for a cruise with both JCW and aftermarket, the make a decision.

[TallAndy]

I got mine for £3400.00 why did I choose works:

• My insurance premium remained the same (no increase)
• Warranty
• Heritage
• Ease of resale
• Peace of mind

Me being 24 if I tuned my car 3rd party and informed my insurance company the premium would be too high, as it stands with the works its the same as a normal S.

[Tit]

Quote: Originally Posted by RedUn

i'd rather buy a pulley and save 3400 quid for any engine repairs tbh

what he said....

*runs and ducks for cover!*

[roland2003]

Slightly off topic I know ,but customers are telling us they are getting cheaper insurance quotes for cars with GTT220 than they are for a standard car from Adrian Flux & Co. Wev'e been recommending A.Flux for modified Renaults for the last 12 years, seems they could be the guys for Minis too.
Regards Roland GT Tuning

[CDMINI]

Forget the performance comparison to after market and $'s. "Showroom stock", IMO, is the most valuable commodity in resale either NOW or in 20 years. That is where JCW has the advantage, especially now installed at the factory. But the BIG question is can any MINI be worth 30K $ US plus on resale? I don't really think so, that is where you throw $'s down the drain on performance modding basically a 22K car. but in 20 years, who knows? That JCW or even a regular MC or MCS MIGHT be very valuable, if still in showroom stock condition. That condition is the hard part.

[JCWMCS]

I think price is high however when you consider your warranty implications with non approved performance mods maybe its worth it. Our JCW has a number of other modifications; brakes, inter cooler, CAI, suspension etc and all warranty issues have been fixed including replacing the sun roof because they couldn't fix the rattle.

Dash and rear hatch rattles were also fixed and they could have easily blamed stiffer suspension for all rattle problems however the dealer (Sydney MINI Garage) fixed them under warranty.

If we had fit an alternative performance kit I doubt they would have been so co-operative.

[MINI-Morgan]

Quote: Originally Posted by JCWMCS

I think price is high however when you consider your warranty implications with non approved performance mods maybe its worth it. Our JCW has a number of other modifications; brakes, inter cooler, CAI, suspension etc and all warranty issues have been fixed including replacing the sun roof because they couldn't fix the rattle.

Dash and rear hatch rattles were also fixed and they could have easily blamed stiffer suspension for all rattle problems however the dealer (Sydney MINI Garage) fixed them under warranty.

If we had fit an alternative performance kit I doubt they would have been so co-operative.

Doubt it would effect it actually. The dealers just see money signs when you walk in and say Warranty! That means they get to charge BMW for some more labour and a better christmas party