HRMINI

Hey Gang, I'm pretty sure I never said anything out loud, or maybe to your faces, but in the back of my mind, I "probably" questioned the smartness (that is a word, right?) of buying a MINI with a slushbox automatic. Now I know the CVT in the "justa Coopers" are somewhat suspect. But the non naturally aspirated version isn't bad.

Allow me to explain:
Our little Clubbie is visiting his buddies over at the Flag checking out why H2o is getting into his boot. As a loaner, the Flag gave us a nice little Royal Grey MCS. Good enough so far. Until Regina tells me "It's an automatic". Yuck!

Well, I drive it home from our shop Tuesday night. Hmm, pretty peppy. Not bad at all I think to my self. So last night I start reading in the owners manual about the paddle shifters. So this morning, I pop it in manual mode and start paddling my way to work. N..I..C..E..! It's a lot of fun. Almost as much fun as the 6 speed. Almost. The shifting is pretty impressive. I've driven a Porsche with the triptonic (or whatever) and it's better. Of course it was about $30K more than our cars. I'd really like to run the car through it's paces, but it ain't mine and I (may be the only one that) respects that. BEsides, I can't afford to fix someone else's car! I think it would be a lot of fun on the Fall Colors Run and the like.

So, if I ever offended you by making fun of your clutchless MINI, I beg your forgiveness. Even if you didn't know I was mentally pointing and laughing. Seriously, a few miles in a paddle shifter equipped MCS might just put a smile on your face. It did mine!

I agree with Dale that the MCS with an auto is a lot of fun to drive. I test drove one and the first thing I did was put the trans in sport mode and used the paddle shifters. It was a blast using them to shift and not be concerned about the clutch.  :icon_smile:

I did end up buying a MCS with the 6 speed manual and I would not trade that in for anything  :055:

I do wish that my Nissan Frontier was an auto instead of another 6 speed since that is my daily commuter  :icon_frown:

Be safe this big snow weekend and see ya soon, Brian

It is great on the Dragon too!  Just a little thumb or forefinger slows you down or revs you up with two hands on the wheel.  No wonder I could stay within the lines so well.  By the way.  You do not have to keep in manual mode.  The paddles will override the automatic in a flash if you need them.  Also for those who love the feel of the knob under their hand, the manual feature allows you to upshift and down shift with the knob as well.  By the way, it shifts faster than the push in the clutch method.  Yeah, sport mode is the bomb!

Another feature: if you accidently leave in manual mode, the car is smart enough to know you are stupid and will shift for you after giving you ample time to catch your mistake.  Can't say the same for the Camry that I drove home in 3rd gear for thirty miles and wonder where the 1/2 tank of gas went  :icon_lol: 

I've had both the manual stick and the automatic MINI now.  I like them both.  I love the fun of shifting but I hate to sit with my foot on the clutch in the tunnel traffic. 

I know alot of you think the automatic is just a point and push the gas machine, and it certainly can be.  Or it can be a completely different animal.

I like to see the feedback given I don't have one.  As for clutches, traffic creeping does make it a bit of a pain.  One thing I do is leave mine in 1st gear and let it pull itself along at 5-7 MPH.  I keep a short distance behind the car in front, especially when I'm in the traffic line to get on base.  This helps to alleviate the constant clutching.

Most of the time when just tooling around town I prefer to shift with the knob V/S using the paddles.

Before you return the Automatic, be sure to try the Kick Down.  What is the Kick Down you may ask?  Press the accelerator to the floor.  Once there you can kick it down even more. Make sure your feet are close enough to the pedals because this is going to set you back in your seat a bit.  It is just a bit of fun they added to the automatics.  Let me know what you think.

Dale, if you really need to see what the auto can do, just give me a shout. I have one and enjoy it immensley. My classic is also an auto, it dosen't have paddle shifters, but manualy shifting the little bugger is fun also. You can realy wind up an old A-series motor without much effort.

LOL!  Apology accepted, Dale.  I lived in DC when I first got Scoopie, and KNEW I needed an automatic because of all the lights, stop signs, and wayward pedestrians.  Now that I live in MD, it's almost the same.  However, I drive the beltway daily in my commute 2 work, and traffic is full of stops/starts--I would've had two knee replacements by now w/a manual!

It took my brother to show me how 2 use the shift paddles when he came 2 visit from NJ about a month or two after I'd bought her.  My SA at Tate MINI was pretty useless  :009:, and barely showed me anything about the car, other than the signals and some other nonessential info any one who'd owned a car would instictively know.  I loooove my a-u-t-o-matic!!!  :054:

We know that you are just jealious, its ok you can say it...  I just know form a maintinence prespcetive it makes my life easier....  you can barrow mine anytime...  but you just have to drive it here ;)

OK; I've read about this, just unsure of exactly when u're supposed to apply this technique.  Are we going from a totally stopped position and then suddenly flooring the accelerator?  :103:  Could u kindly walk the uninitiated thru this kick down process?  Thanks!   

Kick down is a feature built into all automatic transmissions.  It can either be controlled through vacuum modulation (old school Turbo 350 and Turbo 400 GM transmissions), or it can be controlled through the TV/pressure cable (which may no longer exist and may be regulated by the computer in a fashion similar to the drive-by-wire throttlebody).  If the transmission detects a major throttle increase, and the lower gears won't over-rev the engine, it will gear-down for a faster acceleration.

 :shock:   :087:   :017:   :icon_exclaim: ... JJF, u're my hero 'n all, but I have no idea what u just said ... LOL

Just read the first sentence.   :icon_mrgreen:

Right, I got that part.  How does one engage in this kick down, tho?  You didn't answer that question ...  :102:

You don't have to do anything special to apply the kickdown technique.  It's an included function.  Only paddle shifting or manually using the shifter requires driver intervention.

OK.  So, whenever I'm using the paddles, I stand on the gas pedal and it'll do the kick down thing, right?  Just wanted to be sure I had that part right.  Floor the accelerator pedal and hold on, basically.   :icon_razz:

That should be it.  I'm not sure how the paddle shifting will affect the kickdown feature or vice versa.  That one might require a little more research, unless someone else chimes in on this.

Violet, I believe the kickdown is going to work for you either way.  It is handy when you are already going pretty quick and just need that little extra to get around some one.  Or of course if you want to just goof around and push your passenger back in his seat while you grin giddily from ear to ear.

HA!  I like that last bit, 2FUN4ME!!!

JJF:  Thanks, hon.  I'll try it this wkend when the roads are dryer ... just in case ...  :003:

not sure that it works when in Manual mode but i have never tried, it basicly does the task of down shifting for you...  when you are in automatic mode, it will shift to the lowest possible gear for maximum power, i have a feeling that it would do the same in manual mode as well but like i said i have never tired it, usually pretty high in the powerband already.  But i have learned that the throttle positioning is pretty good for this car, always seems ready to put the motor in the best position for your need.

Ohhhh ... u know what?  I believe I've experienced that already!  There have been times when the car has revved in low gear for a longer time than I like, so I'll hit the pedal and she'll 'lurch' forward and then upshift.  I'm not one to tap my brakes whenever someone in front of me does (I'm not that close), so I'll just decelerate and she'll downshift.  However, when I'm in stop-&-go traffic sometimes, that's what happens.