...but this may be the first vehicle in which I may have considered opting for the automatic.

Seriously, the takeup on this clutch is horrible. Having to give this amount of throttle to avoid shuddering on engagement is going to lead to increased wear.

In other news...the Mini WRC team places 6th owing to the factory clutch.....LOL.

 

I would not say the clutch is horrible, but it is a very different feel than most I've experienced.
The clutch pedal is light, so it comes up fast, while the gas pedal needs to be pressed a bit harder = an uneven foot movement. Engagement is definitely something you have to think about. I believe the hill assist tends to engage even on the slightest incline & holds you too much, too long & creates the need for more gas. It's as if you are fighting the car to get it going. I wish you could turn hill assist off to feel the difference. ALSO, having Sport Mode on seems to help significantly.

 

I agree that it needs a relatively high rev in order to get into first, but I'm starting to find a sweet spot around 7mph where it will let me drop it totally in without lugging. The goal is to have the clutch pedal in its engagement range for the shortest time possible, right? So over-revving your way into first is just as uncomfortable about under-revving. I think once you find your sweet spot at about 1600 rpm and the speed that matches (I think it's about 6-7mph) it's not bad.

I'm going to focus on getting it in a little lower, 'cause burning clutch all the way to 7 or 8 mph doesn't make me happy.

Also, on the subject of hill assist, that messed with my head the first few times because I forgot I had it. It makes me feel like I'm already in gear when I'm not, so it led me to under-rev the engine a couple of times. After a couple of tries, I learned to ignore the fact that the car wasn't rolling naturally and focused on getting into gear as if I was on a flat, and boom! it worked great.

One more thought: this kind of thing is the reason I got the extended warranty and maintenance. Typically, those kinds of plans aren't a good investment (after all, they have to be selling them at a price that allows them to turn a profit, or they wouldn't offer it). However, given all the new engineering combinations in this car, I thought it was a good idea to insure against the potential that there were flaws in the design. So if I burn the clutch every 10,000 miles, MINI owes me 9 more clutches.

I've heard anecdotally of a few problems with the clutch, and while it could simply be that some new owners are ham-fistedly clutching incorrectly, it could also be that the clutch isn't quite properly designed for the weight of the car and the speed the high-performance, high-rev engine needs to run at to get all that weight moving.

 

My original '02 MCS was even worse. Take off was more abrupt and I really had to gas it from take off to be smooth. While I have some takeoff issues with the new car, it's improved and once moving, the clutch action is much smoother.

 

The clutch in my CM is completely different from the clutch in my previous Clubman, it's much lighter. A MINI with an auto is sacrilege.

 

I test drove the manuel and auto and the auto was slower to acclerate and just the power felt slower as well. The manuel felt more responsive and yes it's liter you might just have to get use to it.

For the wrc jcw mini, they didn't place 6th, the highest place Daniel Oliveira made it to was 7th and finish 29th b/c of mechanical problems to secure the final manufacturers’ championship point for his team not a great debut we will have to wait to Rally Argentina hopefully a better race.

 

My Update regarding the clutch today is I feel much better about it, I took a drive this morning & it felt fine with some easy acceleration. I look forward to reporting back when I can really get on it after the 1200mi break-in

 

I was thinking about this thread as I was driving around today, and I'm definitely able to drop it into first at around 1600 rpm/7mph with no lug or weird vibration, and it really doesn't feel like I'm on the clutch for very long in the process.

After the break-in period, though, I'll have to learn how to get the car to leap out from a stop. That might be more difficult to do without burning the clutch.

 

Are you using the sport button? That lugginess is one of the reasons I run with my sport button on all the time - I find it much easier to control the throttle when starting in first gear.

 

After driving my CM for about a month, I think it isn't really isn't the clutch but a combo of the throttle response and the tall 1st gear. The CM is at less than 1000 rpms until you hit almost 10 mph it seems. It's like starting out in 2nd all the time in most cars, if you imagine this while driving it's a bit easier to keep it from stalling / lurching. I'm not sure why they geared it this way, I guess to improve gas mileage?

 

we have an Auto CM ALL4 and love it! we never have to put it in sport cause there isnt really a need... this thing scoots from the moment i get into the gas! My own Prius eater! watch out! lol

 

I was definitely watching the speed vs. rpm today, and it was at 1500 at least by 7 or 8 miles an hour and would happily be in gear. Good torque starts at 1600. You definitely do not have to get to 10 to get it in gear and have some pickup.

 

OK I wasn't watching too closely, so looking at the gear ratios you should be at around 9.5 mph at 1500 rpm. 1000 rpm is 6.3 mph. Still a bit taller than I am used to... my last car was at ~2000 rpm at 10 mph.

 

Cool. Thanks for doing the math. I was just looking between the tachometer and the digital speedometer, so my estimates are much rougher.

 

yeah no worries, I've just noticed it in different situations over the past month, pulling into my office ramp I have to go to 1st where I was in 2nd before, clutch in while in slow traffic, etc. Not a big deal but takes some getting used to.

 

I definitely am. I read that tip on the forum earlier. I think part of my problem as well is I cycle between the Mini during the day for work (I am preparing advertising for my business to go on the countryman for mobile advertising), and an e92 M3 6spd. But, having said that, and like many others who have driven many different manual/clutch combinations, this one still has a screw loose.

I have asked a friend with a shop to find out if there is indeed a clutch delay valve that can be bored out. If I find out about that, I will report back here.

Now, clutch aside, I have to say this is a pretty enjoyable vehicle, but it is a little bit of an ergonomic nightmare. But, then again, that is part of the charm.

 

If you drive it enough, all other vehicles become the ergonomic nightmares.

 

DOn't take it the wrong way, but there are certain things that won't change. For instance, you have to reach a bit to get to the window buttons. Certain beverage containers can actually trigger the seat heater button because the cup holders are too close to the center console. Ideally, the CD intake slot would have been moved farther down in favour of elevating the climate control buttons since the latter are arguably used more often than the former.

Again, it's not harsh criticism of the brand at all, but nothing is ever perfect and dialogue like this can be informative for prospective buyers as well as for the brand itself. After all, if it doesn't kill you, it only makes you stronger.