The short version: this thing is a riot to drive.



Supercharged R53s make a noise nothing else makes  that belt whine stacked on top of a chassis that corners like a go-kart  and
unlike most surviving R53s, this one still delivers it, because the engine and the supercharger are both fresh. Lifted a couple of
inches on chunky all-seasons with the wheels pushed out, it looks like nothing else in the parking lot. Fresh drivetrain, sorted
chassis, new tires  and priced like a driver, not a collector car. It's a lot of fun for the money.



2006 MINI Cooper S Checkmate Edition (R53) with John Cooper Works engine and tuning  the last year of the supercharged Gen 1, and
a 2006-only special edition. (For clarity: a Cooper S Checkmate with JCW engine and tuning  not a factory JCW GP.) The Checkmate
came with Space Blue Metallic paint, checkered fender decals, Checkmate B-pillar badges, bonnet stripes, blue-and-silver leather,
front and rear fogs, DSC  and a factory limited-slip differential, which is the one that actually matters when you're driving it.
This car has been comprehensively gone through, not just maintained.



The odometer reads 103,196, but the engine has about 8,000 miles on it. I replaced it at 95,152 with a JCW engine sourced through
Detroit Tuned out of Germany. In December 2024 the supercharger was replaced with an ECS Tuning remanufactured Street Series unit
that carries lifetime replacement coverage  that warranty transfers the peace of mind, which matters on an R53. Done at the same
time: new water pump, hydraulic belt tensioner, all supercharger inlet and outlet gaskets, fresh supercharger oil, TPE
supercharger intake manifold ducts, and new SC tube clips.



It's running the milder 15% reduction pulley, not the aggressive 17%. I tried the 17% and it over-drove the blower hard enough to
hurt it, so I put the 15% back on. If you're buying a supercharged R53, that's the setup you want  enough to be quick, not enough
to be eating itself.



Beyond the engine, the list is long and it's all documented: Detroit Tuned Stage 1 brake kit with cryogenically frozen slotted
rotors and stainless lines, new clutch kit, Stage 2 front-end service kit with bushings pressed in, H-Sport front and rear sway
bars, H-Sport control arms, Powerflex rear trailing-arm and front sway-bar bushings, new power steering pump and kit, slave
cylinder line, and brake booster vacuum line. More recently: new upstream and downstream O2 sensors and a new MAP sensor vacuum
hose.



Inside, it has a new headliner  no sagging, which anyone who's owned an R53 will appreciate  plus a genuine chrome 6-speed gear
knob and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. The stereo is a custom system built around a Pioneer head unit feeding a Kicker
CX-Series 360W 4-channel amplifier with Kicker CS-Series speakers and KS-Series tweeters, plus a Kicker subwoofer  amp and sub
both mounted in the boot. It genuinely rocks.



Suspension is a proper enthusiast setup: KONI Yellow adjustable sport shocks at all four corners on H&R springs, with H-Sport
adjustable rear control arms, H-Sport front and rear sway bars, and Powerflex bushings throughout. It runs Petrol 17x7.5 wheels
with 1" hub-centric spacers, on Nitto Motivo 365 performance all-seasons (225/45R17), fitted new in January 2025 with plenty of
tread left.



It currently sits about 2" lifted. The idea was a rally-flavored Mini  a little ride height, wheels pushed out an inch on
spacers, chunkier all-season rubber. It suits the car, and it makes it far easier to get in and out of than a slammed one. The
lift is removable: take it back out and you're on the KONI/H&R setup at normal height. So whichever way you like your Mini, it
goes there without buying a thing.



It's also set up to carry things, which is half the point of a car like this: Thule roof crossbars and a roof rack are fitted and
go with the car, and it has a 1.25" trailer hitch. The rack and bars come off easily if you'd rather have the clean roofline back
 but honestly, they're a big part of why it looks the way it does.



Recent work / new parts: JCW engine, remanufactured supercharger (Dec 2024, lifetime replacement coverage), clutch, full Stage 1
brake kit, KONI Yellow adjustable shocks and H&R springs, front-end service kit, sway bars front and rear, control arms, Powerflex
bushings, power steering pump, water pump, belt tensioner, headliner, O2 sensors, Nitto Motivo 365 all-season tires (Jan 2025).



Condition: mechanically excellent, cosmetically a driver. No known mechanical issues. The body and interior show twenty years of
honest use  that's reflected in the price, and the photos show it straight. The money on this car went underneath it, not into
the paint.



Note: registration is expired, so you'll want to sort plates and insurance before driving it home, or bring a trailer.



Why I'm selling: My kids have left home and I don't need the vehicles anymore. No smokers; there is some pet hair. Comes with
keys.



Price: $8,900 OBO. Serious inquiries only, cash on pickup.



I have documented invoices for roughly $16,800 in parts alone  Detroit Tuned, ECS Tuning, Way Motor Works, OutMotoring, Precision
ECU  and I'm happy to go through them with a serious buyer. That figure is parts only; it doesn't include labor.



Meet in a public place, daytime. Cash or verified payment only  no shipping, no escrow, no overpayment schemes. If you can't come
see the car, it's not for you.



Contact through the Craigslist relay.

All information presented on this screen is the property of the original seller and/or Craigslist. We do not guarantee the accuracy of the information, which has been provided for the benefit of the original seller at the request of the buyer community.

Location

Year

Mileage

0-50,000

50,000-100,000

100,000-150,000

150,000-200,000

200,000+

Transmission

Manual

Automatic

Sequential

Missing Transmission

Title Status

Clean

Salvage

Missing

Other

Drivetrain

2006 Mini Cooper S Jcw Checkmate - New Engine & Supercharger, 6spd

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