Add JCW to my 8,000 mile S or buy a new 2004 with JCW from the factory

[TeamF1Jr]

Hello Everyone,

I preface this question by saying money (loosing a few thousand bucks) won't break your bank.

Here is the question:

I currently have a 2002 Cooper S with 4,000 miles on it. By the time the JCW kit comes out it will have approximately 8,000 miles on it. Would you add the JCW kit to your 8,000 mile Cooper S or sell the car and get the 2004 model with the JCW kit on it from the factory??

The reasoning for buying the new car are:

--all the quirks and bugs of the 2002 will be non-existent, hopefully, when you get the 2004 model
--all the options (harmon kardon, DVD nav, etc) you passed up on to get the first car on the block back in 2002 are now available to you on the 2004 model
--you won't get beat up too bad on the resale of your 8,000 mile Cooper S since the price was reasonably low to begin with

[ram_one]

If $$ is not a concern, this is a no brainer.
Get the 2004.

[kshapiro]

I dunno...something special about having a 2002 "S" since so few of them were made, comoparetively speaking. Mine was made on March 1, and is one of the first 500 "S"s in the world...that's somewhat distinctive enough for me to keep her. Besides, I now have all of her bugs worked out. What makes you think a 2004 MINI will be any more trouble free than any other car our bretheren Brits make?

[Spy Car]

What makes you think the JCW kit will me ready by the 2004 model year?

But seriously folks will this ever be a factory option? If so it ought to be less expensive that an after market kit. I guess a lot of us stateside are wondering if we will ever see a JCW kit over here. I not sure if the Works group being so closed lipped recently is helping boost the confidence of those of us who have been looking foward to their offering.

As to the question, I think I would hang onto the 2002 unless there was some good cause to switch. Either way you have an MCS to enjoy now and what's better than that?

[Coati]

Have there been any more peeps about whether this kit will be CARB-legal?

[CUTiger3]

As stated above, get the 2004

[Tone]

Personally, have cancelled my order for the kit to be fitted on this car. In view of the delays will wait until the next car, when torque/bhp curves, full list of extras, and its reputation will be available

[MGB Boy]

My thinking is with SpyCar on this one, I'm not certain it will ever be a factory option for U.S. customers. A dealer option? Yes. A factory option? I'm not so sure. Someone from the UK can correct me, but I believe the current Works conversion for the Cooper isn't available as a factory option in the UK, it's either dealer installed or Cooper Garages installed, but not factory installed, so there's no reason to expect the S conversion will be different.

Plus (and I admit that I don't have nearly enough facts/knowledge to back me up on this one) my gut instinct is that factory installation of aftermarket bits like these (even factory approved aftermarket bits) might mess with MINI/BMW's corporate CAFE fuel economy numbers, insurance cost models, and other such regulatory things in ways that a dealer installed kit would not. Even if they are "factory approved" aftermarket bits, they are still aftermarket, but once you have them being installed at the factory prior to delivery to the dealer, they are essentially "factory parts", not "aftermarket parts". Just a wild stab in the dark, mind you. Could be proven dead wrong a month from now.

-Ricardo

PS: While we are on the topic, last week I sent a note JCW venting my frustration at the lack of information about the S Works conversion, and also at all the dubious information which has been floating around in the vacuum created by the absence of official info. I explicitly identified myself as a U.S. (potential) customer who is willing and waiting but trying to decide if he should save his pennies for something else. The response I received was:

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:47:27 -0000
From: "John Cooper Works" <info@johncooper.co.uk>
Organization: John Cooper Works

Thanks for your email

I understand your frustration all will be revealed in March

Best regards


JCW

[HarborMINI]

Don't know if anyone on this thread has seen this, but appears to be the first "real" info on the JCW upgrade:

http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...._code=01513784

Cheers from the U.S.

David

[Pav]

Quote:

Originally posted by kshapiro
What makes you think a 2004 MINI will be any more trouble free than any other car our bretheren Brits make?

, so does that mean you won't be interested in the JCW kit?

Back to the main question, I would upgrade the current car, for some reason it feels good having one of the 2002 cars, as mentioned above. Or maybe get both, so you can compare them?!

On the subject of the kit being fitted at the factory, I don't think this will happen for the reasons mentioned above. It will be a dealer-fit option in the UK as far as I know.

We will all know in a matter of weeks. Geneva starts March 6.

[911ETR]

Who said the JCW was a factory option? I was under the impression that it was a dealer add only. Like the bodykit and such.

[cordial]

I'm so pleased with my S that I will retro-fit the JCW kit.

Even if money is no object, who likes wasting it? Yes, it is a no-brainer....