I just bought a 2004 MC40s, 916/1000, twelve thousand six miles, ....Normally I'd keep searching to find this answer, so please forgive if it's been answered a hundred times, but I don't have a lot of time before I bring it back to the dealer with a hit list (Wednesday) and I'm straight out until then...
Is it normal, when it's stopped on a steep hill for it to bog down in first and stall? Am I doing something wrong? I thought I was in 3rd, but wasn't. Was the strangest feeling, as if it lost compression or something. I had a friend who's a wicked sports car freak, and the same thing happened to him, so it's not a dumb blonde thing....
I was hoping to get some kind of info or answer on this so I didn't get that "she's just a dumb female" look when I go to the service dept to explain it... is there something that I'm doing wrong... just as an fyi, I have owned a supercharged car before, though nothing like this (was a Tbird supercoupe) and I've owned a few turbo charged cars, and I learned to drive in a car that was a standard (27 years ago), and have owned mostly standards, so I have some clue.
OH and I LOVE this forum...so so much info... been trying to decide on snowtires, whether to go driveflats or buy a donut and go regular snows and wheels... Such a wealth of info, can't wait to wade through!
Oh, do have a pic of my new baby, Gabriel (corny, I know, but I feel so safe and the car is just so adventurous!) up if anyone wants to check him out... I've never had so much fun driving, EVER!!
...and are there really clubs to join? I'm in Massachusetts....

 

hmmmm... does this "boggin" problem you speak also occur on roads that are flat and not just on a steep incline/decline? If so, you probably exhibit the same problem my car has where it could be at a light or stop sign idling and the car starts to buck, almost as if it's about to stall. Then after about 10 seconds or so, the engine clears up and starts idling smoothly again. I have heard of various other people who have similar problems and they noted that the car would shutdown when this occurs. My workaround has been to just apply a little bit of throttle to keep the RPM up and it'll eventually subside. From what I've read thus far on this topic is that a possible resolution to your problem would be to have the ECU updated with the latest software and hope this relieves the problem. Otherwise, welcome to all the subtle quirks that is a MINI.

GotMINI

 

Can it be the DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) cutting power?

I wonder if you're tires are losing enough traction while you're trying to pull away, that it's causing the DSC to cut power to the wheels, which will in turn, limit wheel spin.

Try this same hill with the DSC turned off, and see what happens.

If you spin the tires a lot, but don't lose any engine power, then I would assume it was your DSC interfering. If that is the case, I would check your tire tread, especially on your front tires. Maybe it's time to replace them!

Good luck.

 

Huh, my friend though about the traction control, too...but didn't try it out. No, my tires are brand new, so I don't think it's that.

When I first drove the car, I kept pulling over and kept starting off in first... definately was "odd" feeling, I guess I was expecting more of a quick start...but if I remember correctly (now this was back in '90) the supercharged car I had before tended to just pull away steadily, and not chirp the tires...

I'm thinking that it is just the way I was driving, as I haven't really felt that again. I just got the car Friday night, and I've worked 50 hours since then, so I haven't had a lot of drive time... just about 100 miles (yeah, I have two full time jobs... this car is to replace my "realtor" car I totalled, fell asleep on the way home...it was an automatic, and boring as hell to drive, a Solar Yellow Matrix, which I was "known" for... well they can't miss me in this car, either!)

Thanks so much for your quick responses... I'll get some more driving time in before Wednesday, and see if my driving/feel for the car improves so that Gabe and I get to understand each other better.

Funny, this is the first car that I've ever owned that seems to just do what I "think"... kinda like my horses that I've trained... very intuitive!

 

I'd go with the DSC; if I forget to kill it mine cuts in just turning from my residential street onto the main drag. That's if you're taking off briskly. Or, you may just be trying to be too gentle. Remember there's almost no torque, and the power doesn't come on until you get the revs up.

On your other question, got to http://www.mini-mama.org/. That's MAMA, the Monadnock Area MINI Association.

 

I find that my natural (learned) instincts and the traction control react at almost the same rate, and do almost exactly the same thing, so my gentle lift when I feel traction loss is added to by the DCS computer noticing that there is traction loss, and it too lifts for me - which is pretty much exactly the wrong thing as far as I am concerned as the lift is doubled, and really I am in a hurry. I now keep my foot planted and let the DSC react for me, or I turn it off and deal with it.

As for the bogging - my wife complains about it every time she drives my MINI and I figure its down to the differing styles, she lets the clutch out with almost no revs and then burries the throttle in the capret, expecting it to pull cleanly from ~600rpm, which it simply will not do. I tend to slip the clutch a lot more, generally leaving the line (when DSC is off) with 4K or more on the clock. Even during 'normal' take-offs I use more revs that my wife.

Talking with her, I feel that it is because the Supercharger makes the engine feel much larger than it is, especially once you are over 3K revs. Her expectation is that there should be a mountain of low-down torque based on the freeway experience, however the reality is that the engine appears to need a fair few revs to get it off the line AND get the supercharger spinning.

 

Welcome.

First, no that is NOT normal. Having had the same car, mine never did that. Take it to the dealer and explain the problem

Second, you might want to check out http://www.mc40.com/

Beautiful picture. The previous owner did the same thing I did, just kept the 33 EJB sticker. Wise choice!

Good luck!

 

Thanks again, everyone, for your responses... I haven't had that happen again, and I think that he's "teaching" me how to drive him... funny how you adapt to what works.
I'm still gonna have the dealer check it out... it's "on the list". I REALLY need an owners manual...
what happened is that I traded in my Corolla S at a dealer that has a mini dealership in Boston, and I got full price for my car (was only 3 months old), where the dealer in Boston wouldn't give me crap... that's why I'm at a small disadvantage, having taken delivery at the Toyota dealership. They knew even less than I did about the car.
Oh, well, read and experience!

Hey, thanks so much for that website... gonna check it out.. been wondering if I could find out who owns the other 999... though I saw one had been totaled, how sad...