Fast, Fun & Affordable: The R56 MINI JCW Review

Today I'm looking at a perfect candidate for your first performance car. The legendary MINI John Cooper Works. I've previously reviewed the earlier supercharged R53 generation car, but now I'm looking at the later turbo R56 to see how it stacks up, and whether it is worth buying.

#MINI #JohnCooperWorks #R56

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[miramarcars]

This exact car was mine FROM NEW! So wonderful to see it again!

[tommymician]

This is why I love your channel, James. As you said, variety and a focus on car enthusiasts. Not reviewing brand new supercars or stupid crossovers or classic million dollar exotics, but rather all kinds of cars that are PURE FUN yet affordable to the average, hard-working petrolhead.
Keep doing what you're doing man, love from Portugal!

[paulciprus]

Have a 2007 R56 Turbo ...big front mount..all the turbo piping has been changed...no cat ...Borla exhaust...lowered...big brakes...hot tune from M7 Speed...carbon GP wing...and carbon everywhere...21psi...240 hp..N14....run like a top...have had it since 2010...105, 000 mi...ice cold air...changed T-stat...pass axel..easyjob...oil sep...this frikin car is a blast to drive...plus reliable...never had an issue that stranded me...short throw shift..I love this car....Paul.

[roborb]

Why I like this channel, Jay PUTS emphasis very on THE wrong words OFTEN. HE also tends TO also say HIS words CONFUSINGLY back to FRONT and HIS sentences also TOO. Lovely STUFF!

[brianiswrong]

Never knew about the potential timing chain worries.
Thanks to all the watchers who have pointed this out, knowledge is power when buying a car.

[jakethegsd]

I love my N14 engined JCW Coupe, it's an absolute riot. It's standard apart from a resonator delete, but it's got such character. Still turn around and look back at it when I park it up, that's when you know you've bought the right car. 😊 (Same colour scheme as this R56).

[garymcavoy]

I have a 2013 R56 JCW with the revised N18 engine and encountered none of the problems many are mentioning and I’m on 60k now. It does like to chew up wheel bearings however to be expected with the amount of B road blasting you do and changing a wheel bearing on these things is a pretty simple job for any diy mechanic. It’s an awesome little car which I can’t see me parting with for some considerable time

[keephimst]

Bought mine 10 years ago 90k later still a hoot to drive!

[jcooper_]

Love my Cooper S, but I made sure to buy one with the later N18 rather than the N14 that's found in that JCW. Touchwood nothing has gone wrong on it for now, but I'm keeping an eye on it like a hawk! Lots of fun, easy 40MPG+ on a longer run, and they corner amazingly. Just make sure one you look for has had no expense spared with the maintenance.

[diggydigs]

just want to say you are the only car reviewer where i watch half during my shower, and then the next half on the following day shower. keep up the great work.

[shankarbalan]

Well said Jay Emm. Everyone and their Grandad talk about Mini and it’s Go Cart handling. Well, I ve driven some go carts. And I own an R56. Yes indeed, it is a great handler. But it decidedly isn’t a go cart.

[wadehampton]

Great review James but always worth noting that the later N18 engine was much better than the N14 in the car you've just been driving. Revised pistons & rings, uprated timing chain tensioner and, crucially, much altered PCV (positive crankcase ventilation system) which went a long way towards curing the oily intake valves and high oil consumption which bedevilled the earlier version of the Prince engine. The N18 was fitted to all Cooper S models in 2010 but didn't make it into the JCW until later in 2012.

[commercialking]

Lovely review! I'm a former 2012 JCW Clubman owner and when I heard your bit about the insurance cost and the parts availability, I laughed! My car was in constantly for repairs and the F'n cost was the reason I sold mine, but it was wicked fun when it worked. My Mini and I had some adventures we did.

[alextorkelson]

Absolutely top tier review of one of these, feels like the type of reviewer that has 1+ million subscribers

[graigchq]

Nice one James, you just helped convince me to keep driving my 2010 Cooper S, and not give up on her. Had her 5 years, depreciated in value right to the floor, but I can confirm as you say in the video, it's a lot of fun. Done a few laps of the Nurburgring, on the way back from a road trip to monaco and all the way back to Bristol, and she's done that journey 3 times now, never missed a beat.

They have their issues, and some stuff is twice the price you'd pay for a Fiesta or MX-5, but the mini really is an amazing car. Minor mods bring any Cooper S above 200 HP, and honestly, unless you're on a track, that really is plenty, and long journeys they hold 35-40Mpg, what's not to love!

[TroyHR]

As a 2nd gen MINI N18 owner myself. I think they are potentially the best combination of comfort/performance of the current three generations of MINI and I do love mine. The 2012 and later fast 2nd gen MINI's are generally much better engine reliability wise (so much so, i think the true value of them has been impacted by the reputation of the pre-facelift cars ability to throw timing chain sized bills often). But, the rest of the car is more or less the same and oddly for their weight they are very hard on their consumables, can/do leak from pretty much everywhere and service intervals are really every 5000 miles (oil is literally black in roughly this mileage even with fairly sedate driving, drink oil too so its very important to check levels regularly). I would strongly advise only to buy one as a primary car if you must have a 2nd gen MINI and as others have suggested look for one that hasn't been run on a tight budget in its life (you will need an annual oh S*** fund, regardless). If you just want the MINI experience buy a 3rd generation F56 may cost more to get into one, but will be cheaper and less agro in the long run (and they hold there value, really quite well).

[nzmctk]

Amazing cars great handling and nippy, sadly they’ll cost more in repairs than fuel, tyres and brakes together per year. (Speaking from experience)

[MDUBZ-]

Even the later n18 engines have some flaws. The timing chain issue is seemingly resolved, but they can still burn oil at an alarming rate “ they all do that sir”: BMWs tolerance is 1L every 1K miles: i drive mine quite hard and I use somewhere between .3 and .5 per 1K miles. I bought a 2013 JCW last January as my station car (it’s on about 50K miles now). So far I’ve ditched the run flats and changed the suspension after the front shock starting spewing oil (took the opp to upgrade obviously £1K ), and changed the PCV which is known to split (can be done for £20-70 depending on how heavy handed you are - cost me £70 🙄) burns less oil, but still gets through it. The oil buring is an irritation to an otherwise fun car, but if you dont mind checking every couple of weeks its not a problem (dip stick is very difficult to read though - which doesn’t help). The boot is useless as are the rear seats tbh but most of the time it’s only me in it. Child seats are a pain as they place kids forward so there is even less leg room. wouldn’t want one as my only car but as a fun thing to jump in every now and again. recommedned tyre pressures are 37psi which makes it feel like your driving on ice ~32 is much better.

[bostonbikebits]

I bought one after watching this video. Mine is a bit uprated with a front mounted inter cooler and a few other mods. It had very low suspension when I got it which was no good for the crappy roads around Lincolnshire. It is now back to standard height. It is an absolute hoot to drive and being nearly 60 with donkey's years of no claims bonus insurance wasn't too bad. I don't do many miles a year, which helps a lot. My dyno sheet shows 221 bhp and 318NM torque - up from 208 brake and 280 NM for the standard JCW. Thanks for the review, James, it helped a lot in my decision making.

[FurkanCemTurfanda]

Love my Mini! I'd recommend them to anyone looking for a unique hot hatch.