I got the car brand new after ordering, arriving on January 19, 2012. At the age of 17, I started working over everything I could given my limited income and car payment, focusing predominantly on performance. After a number of problems from tuning, I sold most of the power-related parts including the tuner, and moved in a different direction - handling and overall driving dynamics, along with an appearance unlike what I've seen on a MINI. With the OEM Brembo 4-pistons refinished (along with the exterior mirror caps) in Lamborghini Verde Mantis - commonly found on the Huracán - the theme was set to blend European touches with Japanese ones, considering the origins of the exhaust, seats, and wheels. Finally, after 5 years, the build is essentially done for the time being, except for small tweaks such as ride height, spacers, and the like. Although much quicker in its first iteration, my JCW truly is the whole package now, much more than before. The suspension setup is perfect for attacking the canyons here in Orange County, and the seats are luxurious enough to elicit compliments every time the car must be trusted with a valet... while also holding you firmly in your seat through the bends. While many friends and acquaintances have churned car after car since I began my journey with mine (and though it's sometimes been tempting to pick up a new project), it's been unbelievably rewarding getting to build something so individual and so capable. Other than labor done by me, the car has been worked on by European Auto Source (friends and former colleagues), TAG Motorsports, and Bulletproof Automotive.