Almost 2 weeks since purchasing 2013 MCS, BRGII, manual, Bonnet stripes. Wanted one since was a kid and finally did it. Still haven't pushed the sport button; no time to go for a real drive. Saturday, for sure. Watch out. Loving it.

 

I almost never use the sport button. I think I should use it more but there is not a lot of places I can go thst fast in Honolulu.

 

It is the second button I push when I get in my MINI? Right after the start button .......

 

I have mine modded to come on automatically when I start my MINI.

 

I don't use it when I am on Interstates. There are other threads about fuel consumption in Sport Mode with arguments that it does consume more and arguments that it doesn't, but I think it does and the effects of Sport are wasted on the freeway. The other place I tend to not use it is when I am driving in my neighborhood where there are 25 mph speed limits. It seems with that type of driving I get that loud backfire-like pop more often and I hate that especially when neighbors look to see what is wrong with my car. I do use it every chance I get on the twisty curvies!

 

The sport button makes your car more fun to drive, and probably drinks more gas. I would use it:

- When I'm on twisty, curvy, country roads.
- When I want to enjoy the driving . . . sorry . . . MOTORING experience

I would not use it:

- On my way to work
- On the open highway
- Around town
- When I'm trying to get good gas mileage

 

This is a good concise summary of what I was trying to say. Wish I had said it this way.

 

I'd think the drive up to Camp Smith would be a great place to use the sport button.

Interestingly, when using it when running my Coupe in a normal driving mode it seems to use more fuel. That being said, when using the sport button and pushing Betty hard, she actually gets better mileage. Strange, but true.

After running Betty hard, she tends to run smoother as well. I believe someone made a point on here once that "these cars are made to be run hard". I think that running them hard is what helps blow the carbon out...

 

The sport button gives you a different throttle map, making it more responsive and it tightens up the steering

If you have an automatic transmission, the sport button will affect the gas mileage, as it alters the shift points so that it stays in a lower gear and keeps the revs up.

Dave

 

I also get better gas mileage when using the Sport button in my auto Justa, while doing runs. But I attribute that to the lack of stops, the long stretches of constant speed, and the engine being warm.

My best mpg was while driving straight highways, under 75 mph, without Sport. I could get up to 40 mpg for looooong stretches. Can't do that with Sport on, in the same exact circumstances. (a 2,000 mile trip gives you lots of time to experiment)

I gained 3 mpg up in the mountains while doing the run, with Sport on, but that is measured against my normal city driving :-)

 

I'm with allgrainer.

My checklist:

Seatbelt....Check
Start Button....Check
Sport Button....Check
Find good song...Check
Drive=

 

OK. Way too serious. Sport button for fun, right?

 

I find it easier to drive in traffic with sport mode on. Also less prone to stall in hot weather.

 

I second this procedure--don't leave home with it (on)!!!!

 

+1

Better throttle response, better steering response, and I don't see any effect on gas mileage....
I don't see the down side just push it

 

Yeah, the second thing i do is push the sport button, usually while saying to myself "I think we'll have some of that..." I have a very short steep driveway on a busy four lane, so I need the extra oomph so I don't get run over

 

The sport button is always on, a MINI is almost undrivable without it. I have a mod to automatically push the button, but I haven't installed it in the new JCW yet.

 

If your JCW still has the N14 engine. Go get a Alta AP. I brought one for my 07 MCS a couple of months ago and made a night and day difference in throttle response and now a huge difference with some mods now. I can't drive my Mini without it. I used to always push the sport button when I get in my Mini. I didn't really care for the heavier steering, but the lag in response drove me nuts. My cousin has a Coupe and even with the sport button I managed to stall it a couple of times. I gotta be a bad driver or just too use to my Mini or something.

Sent from my iPad using NAMotoring

 

Speaking of the mileage question in sport vs normal, I set my computer to show current mileage and switched from normal to sport trying to keep the revs equal and the mpg dropped in sport. I know its not very scientific. I think I will try a run of maybe 20 or 30 miles with the cruise set in normal mode and repeat it at the same speed in sport mode resetting the average consumption each time and see if there is a difference. Other than these crude tests, if I leave sport on for a full tank, my consumption seems to be worse than if I stay in normal for a full tank. I think the fact that I detect a drop in mileage in sport might actually be that I tend to drive more agressively when it is on.

 

This is my checklist too!

 

+1!