Hi,

My wife has an Cooper (2014 R56 with 6-speed manual, non-S). I have a question about possible shifter modifications.

Since the day she bought it, she has complained about inadvertently selecting reverse when she wanted first gear. I have driven it quite a bit, and I have to say that I agree that it is way to easy to put it in reverse by mistake. We live in San Francisco where stop and go traffic on a 20 degree incline is normal, so this is a major frustration. Having no reverse indicator light, or gear indicator of any sort just compounds the problem.

At first, I insisted that we would just get used to it, but 9 months on it is still a problem. Not quite as often, but my wife and I are both fed up with this design. We have both driven manual transmission for a lot of years, but always with shift pattern where 1st was up and left (Honda, GM, etc). We like everything else about our R56, but increasingly she misses the feel of the Honda shifter.

Does anyone know of an aftermarket shifter or mod that introduces a button or collar to block the transmission from shifting into reverse. I know this existed on an older BMW that I drove a few times. If not, has anyone ever tried putting a stiffer spring into the reverse gate? I tried searching for this question and turned up a few discussions about the Cooper S having a very stiff spring that the driver had to overcome in order to shift into reverse. I do feel a spring in our Cooper, but it is very soft and doesn't stop me from sliding right from Neutral into Reverse at a stop light.

I have seen the Cravenspeed shifter retaining clip that is supposed to offer a tighter feel with less play. Can anyone comment one this part? Does it help at all with the ease of shifting into reverse.

Thanks for reading!
James

 

I don't know of any aftermarket products but try this until you do find something.

When you go to put it in gear, push in the clutch, find 2nd gear and then move straight up to 1st gear and go.

 

Thanks for the advice. I'm trying to modify my driving technique to suit the car, but 20 years of muscle memory is difficult to overcome. I'm sure I'll get used to the Mini shifter at some point. My wife has a different opinion ... she thinks the feel of function of the shifter is a total killjoy and doesn't want to adapt to it.

 

Especially when trying to get into gear quickly...

 

I installed an inexpensive (less than $20) backup alarm on my R56 several yrs ago and it beeps briefly anytime you put the car in reverse to remind you the alarm is working. A side benefit is that it tells you that you've engaged reverse when you were really looking for 1st gear. I agree the MINI shifter is a little vague when selecting 1st gear (especially if you're in a hurry in stop and go traffic).

 

I have noticed the same trouble hitting reverse....unless I'm actually TRYING to hit reverse, then I try 2-3 times before finding it LOL

I do what this post suggests....pull all the way down & to the left into 2nd & then push straight up into 1st