Hey!

I am officially the owner of a 2003 Mini Cooper S with a lotta upgrades, and am damn proud of it. The mini is the car I have always wanted and since I never owned a great car before -- this would be my first forum as well, so I am a newbie in all aspects of the word.

So... Help would be appreciated!

You're going to laugh, but the mini is the first manual car I've bought. I love cars and driving fast, but was always a spectator -- now, with the mini, I can partake instead of just look!

So in the spirit of being honest, my boyfriend is teaching me how to drive stick now, and I'm doing pretty well, but just wanted some tips and pointers specific to the mini on what shifting techniques were best and all that good stuff.

Also, just looking for information on basic upkeep and things like that. I def. want to learn ALL i can about my mini.

Thanks guys, looking forward to being as educated as all of you !!

 

Welcome to NAM!

Don't ride the clutch and be as smooth as possible.

 

We'll make a deal with you: You post pics of the new car, and we'll provide you with some tips on operating a MINI w/manual tranny.



Welcome to NAM !

Our MINIs are both CVTs so I can't help you with your question. But I drove nothing but manuals for 25 years and the trick is all in the timing and coordination of your shift lever and your feet. Once you get some practice, it'll be so smooth, a blindfolded passenger would never know you were shifting manually.

Find the clutch engagement point and then practice, practice, practice (that's the fun part !).

Again, welcome to NAM !

 

Welcom to NAM. I don't think shifting in a Mini is really that different than shifting in any other car (except for the position of reverse) Hopefully the owner's manual was in the glovebox when you got your Mini. If so, there is lots of info on maintenance in there.

Congrats on your new Mini

p.s... I don't know where you are from but check out your local Mini group's NAM boards & go on some rides with them.

 

Congratulations! I'm teaching my wife to drive our 2007 S .Take it slow stay off the hills at first.We all had to learn ,soon it will be second nature.Good luck.

 

Welcome to NAM!! Don't ride the clutch and practice, practice, practice!!!
In no time at all it will be second nature to you.



06MCS/DS/B/Bbonnetstripes/Whelen8ballshiftmachine

 

Congratulations on taking the plunge. My MINI is my first manual as well, and I am loving it! If you don't already know, I highly suggest doing some research or asking someone who knows to explain exactly how the manual transmission works. I think that will help you understand why riding the clutch is bad and other things that might not be good habit. For me, it helped to get a mental image of what was happening. And of course, practice a lot in parking lots where you don't have to be nervous about cars behind you. You'll get it before you know it. Good luck and have fun!

 

Read your owners manual! Know that Minis use synthetic oil and must be topped off with the same type of synthetic oil between services. So, I suggest checking your oil level and tire pressure twice a month. If you have an MCS w/17" wheels, check tire pressure weekly.

You'll get the hang of driving a manual and most likely really enjoy the shifting aspect. I've owned lots of different cars--all with manual transmissions-- The mini has been the most fun yet.

Welcome to Nam!

 

Welcome to NAM. Please post picture of your new addition.
Happy Motoring.

- KP

 

Welcome to NAM, knoteynada! Congrats on your MINI! I, too, have a 2003 MCS...best car I've ever owned!

All of the driving suggestions above are great. I suggest looking for the club in your area, going to a get-together, and asking the MINI folk for tips on driving your manual. Fortunately, the MCS 6-speed manual tranny is a very easy one to shift!

In addition to maintaining your engine (checking fluid levels, etc.), be sure to visit the Detailing 101 forum here to learn about keeping yours pretty!

 

You guys are great! thanks for all the advice --- and i will do my part and put up pictures soon! yea, i'm learning to drive on my boyfriend's mitsubishi eclipse, so i'm hoping it won't be too different... and that reverse is hard to get used to.

I was reading online and it says you should shift gears at 3,000 rpms for better fuel efficiency -- is that the same for mini's??

i'm not into excessive mods to any car, and the mini is so perfect already, i really dont see anything i need to change (i'm thinking headers, exhaust and intake sooner or later).... what kinds of stuff makes a mini look and feel sexy??

haha, i'm already addicted to this site...

 

You want some help picking mods ? Cooooooooooooool !! Post some pics and then we'll give you some opinions on what would look and/or feel sexy.

I've done over 25 purely aesthetic mods on my car, SO FAR. I've done a couple to the PW MINI, too. To see a few of them, click on my gallery link.

 

Best advice I can give:
If you aren't shifting, your foot doesn't belong on the clutch pedal.

You can glaze a clutch alot quicker than you think!

Best of luck and welcome to the fun side of driving!

 

thanks for the reply! just wondering, why do I need to check my tire pressure once a week?

 

It's a good way to keep them from wearing out needlessly to maintain the proper PSI. Also, properly-inflated tires give you better mpg.