John Cooper Works R50 Sound Kit - Anyone got this & Current price?

[G17RDY]

Hello,

So i am looking at the Mini website this morning, and came across something which i had saw before but never really registered with me.
I've an R50 cooper, and although i would love a JCW - i just don't have the cash.

So when i saw that the sound kit, which consists of Performance exhaust and air box, as well as some fancy JCW engine and rear badge, i thought hey, that's interesting.

Now i know i could save a little bit of cash, and go get a playmini exhaust & K&N filter / induction kit, and i may still do this, but i'm a sucker for factory original & or Factory parts.
And, i would never stick a JCW badge on the car, unless i had some JCW kit or other on the car.

So after all that, and thanks for sticking with me at this point, my question is....

Does anyone out there have this option retrofitted or otherwise on their cooper??
&
How much would i expect a dealer to charge me for this?

All the Best
Gordy

[Craig]

I had this on my second cooper and it should cost about £750 fitted. If I'm honest it's not great value as it only gives about 7bhp and a playmini, induction kit and a remap would cost less and give more power ;)

Up to you tho cos I understand people like jcw stuff


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ELFMAN]

Get yourself a decent Exhaust System in the first instance - I fitted a Magnex System to my first MINI (2001 COOPER - there weren't a lot of Tuning parts available for the new MINI back then), and it gave it loads more character for around £300.00, and there are lots of good systems available now.

Don't get me wrong, I like the JCW gear myself - I upgraded my R53 S with JCW parts and have done the same with my R56 (check the spec below) - but only if they significantly improve the Performance/Handling/Braking, in which case I don't mind spending the extra cash over the 'Non-MINI' aftermarket parts (I was fitting the JCW stuff to fairly new cars, still within MINI Warranty, so the JCW parts gave me some extra peace of mind - if the car's outwith the Warranty, that aspect doesn't come into it), but it's always been my opinion that of all the JCW 'Performance' Upgrades, the Soundkit doesn't make ENOUGH of a difference for the extra outlay required.

I would agree with Craig, in this instance shop around and save some money! :thumbs up:

By the way, well done on not putting JCW Badges on if you don't have the gear. I've GOT the gear, but have left the badges off.... I'm weird that way. :smilewinkgrin:

[ianking]

I had this fitted to a mini that I used to have.
I thought it was great as I am also into the factory style OEM options.
I also had a playmini exhaust fitted to a different mini and it only lasted 2 weeks on the car before I removed it and sold it as it just wasnt for me.

When I got my JCW sound kit Im sure I paid about £550 fitted as it was on special offer. Worth phoning round several dealers and seeing what deal they will do you.

[ELFMAN]

Ian, wasn't your Playmini System modified in some way, like a single box or something, making it a bit louder? Forgive my wonky memory if I'm wrong! I know Crombers swears by the Playmini on his COOPER and I loved mine on my S.

You're right, it's worth asking around for a deal on the Soundkit, but it still strikes me as a lot of money for what's essentially a cosmetic upgrade with a very small power gain...

[G17RDY]

Some great info and advice there guys, thanks.

I'm definitely a sucker for original mini parts etc, and just cannot bear the thought of parting with my cooper for anything, even if someone handed me a brand new JCW as a straight swap, crazy but i would turn around and get back in my cooper.

I really want to keep it as original as possible, and don't really want to go down the aftermarket modification route, as sensible as it may seem at times, it has to be mini all the way!!

I will be calling round the dealers shortly, although DP Hamilton is where my allegiances lie! Well maybe not depends how much £££££ they want!!!

I absolutely wouldn't badge mine up as a JCW unless i had the kit to back it up, still i feel though it is slightly cheating by just getting an exhaust and air filter, its not really a full blown JCW is it?
Still its the closest im going to get with my current cooper, and this looks like it could be the beginning of the many future planned JCW upgrade parts!!!

[ELFMAN]

Douglas Park in Hamilton's where I bought all my MINIS and where I get all my parts/work done. Davie the Workshop Manager is a good guy - tell him I said that and he might give me a discount on my next visit! I fully understand you going down the 'JCW' route - it gives you more peace of mind and makes the car a slightly easier proposition if you ever come to trade it in - but remember, like any 'modified' car, you won't get the money back! But that's not the point - it's the extra FUN that's worth the outlay.

I had a COOPER from Oct 2001 to Dec 2003 and loved it, but I loved my COOPER S even more! The S ended up with lots of JCW Upgrades (210BHP Engine, Brakes and Suspension, to which I added a Playmini Manifold and System and a GRS Intercooler) it was a fantastic car which I had for 5 years and I still miss it, although my R56 helps console me!

Back in 2001, the wee COOPER was so new and so different to anything else on the road at the time, it turned more heads than a Ferrari -hard top believe now, but it was true! It was a great drive too, but once you've tried the power and torque of an S..... (I had come from a tuned Peugeot 106GTI with about 170BHP, so I missed the grunt).

That was one of the reasons I traded up to the S, rather than spend too much on my COOP (it only ever had the Magnex Exhaust system - I tried an induction kit, but took it back off as the car went better with the standard airbox!). You just couldn't get big power from the COOPER, wheras the S had it all to start with - all the fun of the COOPER, but it just flew... then you tuned it! But I'll always remember the R50 as a cracking wee car which was quick through the twisty bits and had enough under the bonnet to make that straights bearable. It was my introduction to the New MINI, and I'm still hooked! Have fun whatever you do with your COOPER and hope to see you on some runs this year.

By the way, good as the COOP is, if someone offers you a brand new JCW as a straight swap - TAKE IT AND RUN!!!!!

[G17RDY]

Yeah its DP Hamilton that have have bought my last two mini's from - Usually deal with Alfie (Cracking chap)

I'm no stranger to modifying - Back in the day, when i had my Saxo VTR - I spent loads of dosh on it, like a custom cold air induction kit, dimma body parts, scorpion SS exhaust, and many many more.
I was almost on the brink of sticking a VTS engine in the Saxo, but traded it in for a Z3!

The real problem is, I love my cooper, i hear what you are saying about the cooper S - the wife has not long got rid of her Clubman Cooper S - and boy it was a flying machine, feeling that supercharger kick in was sheer bliss. And i also had a Checkmate, so i know what the S offers, and sensibly, it is a great base to start from.

My current cooper is like one of my kids now, i couldn't possibly part with it, i picked it up with a fantastic spec, aero kit, bullets, HK stereo, front spots, darkened glass, etc - it was a demo car originally, and although i am the 4th true owner, its mine and i just want to get it to as good a standard as i can - But try and not deviate from the factory original!
Which is why i guess i want to stick with JCW parts!

My plan is to keep 'Blue' forever - And buy another Mini eventually - When i can afford it i would love to have a GP.

So in all seriousness - I wouldn't give up 'Blue' for anything - i just want to treat him to a few new wee fancy bits!!!!