No Regrets..... and I am finally getting used to the size (bigger than I was used to in my old MINI) after 10 weeks of ownership and 3,500 miles.

I love it.

 

The first gear ratio sucks and there is no power at <1500 rpm so it stalls / shudders etc. at low speeds. Like MINItitan says, you get used to it.

 

That just increases the throttle response, right? So all you have to do is put your foot further down and you've essentially pressed the sport button without tightening the steering.

 

If that doesn't feel the same (and I'm pretty sure it doesn't.) you may be in the market for a Sprint Booster. Does it work with the CM yet? In any case, I love mine. Definitely not the same as mashing the pedal harder. I tried that more than once before biting the bullet and spending $300.

 

+1

 

Nope. On page 59 of the manual:

 

What exactly is "more spontaneously" in this context? For reference, here's the definition of spontaneous: "performed or occurring as a result of a sudden inner impulse or inclination and without premeditation or external stimulus."

Sounds like MINI-speak for "more gas for less pressing." Unless somebody can explain to me what increased throttle response or "more spontaneously" means in the actual process of the gas going into the combustion changes, I think it's most likely that it means that the computer changes how the pedal responds.

And yes, there's the burble. You can't get that just by stomping on the accelerator. But that's not performance-related, so far as I know.

 

The point of my response was directed at the assumption that the Sport button ONLY affects throttle response. It does, indeed, affect more than that including the steering.

To interpret the phrase "...engine responds more spontaneously..." is anybody's guess. However, considering the drive-by-wire throttle, I would muse that the standard map of the throttle pot's current resistance to determine throttle position (needed elsewhere in the engine control) is changed (compressed) so that less "press" equals more throttle when the Sport button is pushed. Note that throttle position may also affect other software settings/thresholds so the effect of the remapped throttle may trigger other systems to perform a bit differently. I'm certainly not skilled in the various ECU systems operation, however.

But, to YOUR point, the use of the word "spontaneous" IS a bit curious! They could have easily used the phrase "...the throttle is more responsive...". To me, "spontaneously" implies a situation in which the throttle might suddenly do something unexpected!

 

My A3 has dsg. It feels like a manual to the passenger more than the driver. Even though it's lightening quick and smooth, thinking it's the same experience as driving a manual is delusional. It's still so disconnected in fact that I never use the paddles. I really don't see the point for everyday driving. Now don't get me wrong, I'd rather have it than a regular automatic or CVT, mainly for the fact that it does "feel" like a stick the way it shifts and reacts. But it still has major lag in first, and it still shifts differently than you want it to, and even using the paddles isn't close to driving a proper stick.

Personally I'm always torn between the two and tend to switch back and forth when buying cars. When I have auto, i sometimes like it and I sometimes wish I had stick. And vice-versa when I have stick.

 

Ahh. I guess the series of replies got a little confusing. The person I was responding too wanted the throttle remap of the Sport button without the tightened steering, so I was suggesting simply throttling harder, since (aside from the steering), all the sport button does is increase throttle response.

LOL, yeah. "Spontaneous" throttle is not something I want. "Responsive" or "peppy" or "hair-raising" might be OK, but I'd like my throttle to be reliable and not take off on its own.

There probably are other subtleties, since the engine noise does change and create the "burble" (which means a richer mix, right?). And if you have an automatic, I think it changes the shift point. But I've found with the manual that there isn't a huge difference for me in the throttle between hitting the Sport button or leaving it off and hitting the pedal more aggressively myself.

 

One of the interesting mods I have made to my R53 is the aftermarket MTH ECU files. With a laptop, I am able to save the factory ECU settings and lay-down substitute files that have had tuning changes made to them. The A/F maps really do improve performance (mostly flattening the torque curve and slightly shifting it down in RPMs) but the other modified settings affected things like the DSC thresholds. This last change was, IMHO, one of the best changes made to the R53.

Of course, "DSC Off" does help launch the car better as a minor slip of the tires does not cause ECU/engine intervention. But then you have to remember to turn it back on again to take advantage of its safety features once you are motoring along. The MTH software (settings) increased the threshold values which trigger the ECU/engine intervention. This means that a little more slip is allowed before DSC activates. Just this simple change had a great effect on the "spirited" drivability of the R53.

Now, if MINI would allow the Sport button to shift to higher DSC thresholds, THAT would be a terrific change! Yes, I know I can just switch "DSC Off" but with my feeble (spelled "o - l - d") brain, I never remember to turn it back on. At least restarting the car does this.

 

Cool - I didn't realize it changed DSC settings too.

 

I drove both the manual and auto CMS before I got my CMS ALL4 with auto. I was not impressed with the manual. I drove a MCS several years ago and loved the manual, not so with the CMS. I know how to drive sticks, in 45 years I have only had three autos (Range Rovers and a Blazer), my last two cars were Subbie STI's with Cobb Access Port tuning. I am planing to get the Alta AP for my CMS as soon as they have a tune for the auto. It will solve many of the "economy/emissions" problems that occur in most OEM maps.

 

The manual gets better with time as the clutch wears in. I have to say, I am having so much fun driving this car now I can't believe it. Glad I stuck with it as a new manual driver. The other day I let my friend drive it and he had a blast and said now he knew why I wanted this car. He is a really smooth shifter. In fact, he showed me how to shift without using the clutch - as a passenger I couldn't feel anything and never would have known he wasn't using the clutch if he didn't tell me. I won't be doing that any time soon, or ever. But he had no trouble shifting at all - very impressed and also helped me a lot. But the way he could handle the car... let's just say it's broken in now. Fun fun fun. Love the manual.

 

AS my Auto CMs sits at the dealer worked on, they gave me a manual clubman as a loaner. Its more fun to drive the manual, but its really hard on me all day long driving around in bumper to bumper traffic. Glad I went with the auto.

 

There may be some variation from car to car, but I find myself agreeing with the posts that say that you find it a pretty smooth, responsive car to shift once you get the hang of it. I really think it's just that the throttle is less responsive than you might be used to, so as you're pushing it in and letting the clutch pedal out, it's very easy to under rev.

If you really throw the thing around, it shines.

 

our dealer only had an automatic to test, they didn't want the actual cars being sold going out on test drives, so i tested the manual on a clubman, and had the same feel as the CM to me... needed to give it just a little more throttle than my instincts told me, but got used to it pretty quickly.

 

I still haven't got used to it yet. Using the parking garage at work is not a problem when I climb up to the 3rd level in 2nd gear. Coming back down though, I have to slowly give gas, even in first gear, to keep the car from stalling. The speed limit in the garage is 5 mph and there are people walking from or towards their cars. When the car shudders, it sounds like cry from abuse.

My other option would be using the clutch, but I try not to.

 

LOL~ I understand how people find it impressive, but I'm not sure that guys find it attractive. I believe my then husband felt emasculated 4 years ago when I drove home a manual Audi S4 on my own.

 

Maybe the lawyers were hedging their bets in case of a an audiesque accelerator issue in the future: "We told you there was more spontaneity in the car if you hit the sport button, we aren't liable for the sudden acceleration and rear ending of the car in front of you"

 

I'm really enjoying one result of the sad occurrences of the earthquake and tsunami - MINI/BMW making lemonade, that is, pushing the manual transmission experience. There are CM in the showroom all sporting MANUAL IN TRAINING signs. There are little magnetic stickers with a shift pattern and "MANUAL" as well as other efforts to convince people to consider learning how to drive a stick. Doormats tout "BECOMING A MANual" and so on.

Here's some more MANUAL info from my club:
http://www.norcalminis.com/2011/09/w...bly-means.html

 

That's funny. Nissan went the other way - I saw an ad for Nissan touting their shift-free acceleration, showing the tachometer and then a full coffee cup presumably as the car is accelerating. I can do that with my manual CM - I just keep it one gear and keep accelerating until it redlines

 

I originally bought the car with the intent that it'd be my daily driver. Given my previous fractured heel injury and DC traffic, i opted for the automatic.

I'm having a lot more fun in it than my 370z (which is manual) which is my "fun" car, and if I could do it all again, I'd probably trade it my 370z for a manual mini, and buy some random other car for my auto daily commute (maybe an older used mini ).

 

The one concession I made for my wife on my 2011 R57 was getting an auto. I thought it'd kill the fun of the car, but it's actually pretty fantastic. The paddle-shifters are abot as silly as I expected, but the tranny is very very smart.

 

I gotta say, I'm attracted to a girl that knows how to drive a manual transmission. I'm going to be teaching my wife how to drive our new CM.

Someone mentioned the Manual in Training magnetic labels earlier. Does anyone know how to get one? They're fairly large. I was hoping to slap one on the boot when we're learning. They seem like fun little signs.