LA traffic isn't even that bad in manual.

I do it every single day.

You just have to want to drive manual.
If that desire dies off, then so does the manual.
We're witnessing it first hand.

 

You're absolutely right. I've been in LA for 10 years and have had plenty of manuals. And I'm sure I would have bought a manual Mini had it been more readily available. But in those 10 years autos have become so good that each time I get one I'm amazed at how good it is. And then I think about the traffic and the lazy gene kicks in and I figure the auto is the answer.

But I still am far from 100% sold on autos, that's for certain.

 

Just chiming in that my local dealer now has a F56S manual. MINI of Valencia if anyone wants to test drive one...

 

There were at least three manuals at the dealer in northern San Diego on Saturday. Test drove both a manual MC and a manual MCS. Ordered the manual MC on Sunday. Today, Monday, my manual R56 MCS is for sale. Somebody's going to get a good deal

 

Bob Smith Mini finally got one in this weekend, though it's supposed to be sold to someone tomorrow. Got to finally test drive one though! Will post my thoughts on it in a separate post

 

So give us the run down on the manuals!

 

I enjoyed driving both manuals very much. When I bought my first Mini (09 MCS) in October 2008, it was my first "sporty fun car" since my very first car I bought back in the mid 70's (a Mustang II with the 8 cyl 302), and it took a couple of years thinking about a Mini to actually order the car.

Fast forward, almost six years later, still enjoy driving the car. Every day I get in it, I enjoy the drive. But, six years older, while I enjoy the twisties, I don't drive the car as hard and fast as when it was new (never really drove it all that fast except the first Mini Vacation In Vegas I went to, and it was a pretty empty deserted road, and all the Mini's went very fast on the drive to Nelson's Landing -- speeding tickets are just too much money nowadays in CA).

Started thinking about a new car last year. Wanted something small, but fun, and liked the idea of a turbo for that extra bit of power. Went and test drove a couple of other non Mini cars last year. All of them were more or less "yuck", and "I like my Mini".

So, Saturday, while waiting for the oil to be changed, took both the base and S in a manual for an all too short drive. Sure, would have liked to have had both cars for a couple of hours, and go on some San Diego twisties, but wasn't going to happen. So in terms of "tell us about the drives", not much to tell. Because of the fires here a couple of weeks ago, the typical test drive road where you can push it a bit in the curves, is not being driven right now (Harmony Grove road for people familiar with the area). So, the biggest "push" I did was basically hard turns onto the freeway ramp with no breaking and throttle being applied (i.e. the type of turn you do for someone who's never been in a Mini and their thinking "aren't you going to slow down or brake for this turn???" -- "why, no, I'm not" you silently answer, and then they grin coming out of the turn).

Both cars gave me what I wanted in that turn, Both cars gave me the response I wanted to the throttle. Both cars shifted up and down the way I wanted. Sure the S has more power. But the base is now a turbo, and both cars were fun and put a smile on my face.

Others, probably more hard core car enthusiasts, or long time Mini owners, have reported disappointing reviews. And for them, they are right. For me, and those who are ordering, have bought, will order, will buy, we will come away liking the car and being happy.

I have a hard time spending lots of money on something that's going to basically go to zero over a long (or short time). I have an even harder time on spending a lot of money on something that costs a lot of money compared to other products. It took years of thinking about my first Mini. Took months from test driving it, having that grin, and thinking "that's a lot of money". Finally, my wife helped push me "just order it!". Glad I did.

So, the fact that I test drove on Saturday, and ordered on Sunday, is huge. It means, for me, the new F56 is a great fit. It's still tough to be loading it up and seeing where the price is ending up for a "justa", but it's not a "justa" anymore. It's the three cylinder version of the S w/o the S badge or the S front end that you love or hate. It's still turbo fun, big grin in the curves, and when loaded up by using the $3200+ you save over the S, it's a pretty cool techno geek car that's going to look sharp on the inside and be fun to drive.

Not sure how much I answered your "give the rundown" on the manuals. I think you need to take your own test drive, and find your own answer, which no matter whether it's yeah or nay, it will be the right answer for you.

P.S.> The gearbox feel (clutch, throws, let out point, etc) was great. Different than the R56 manual, but easy to adjust to without really even thinking. I think the biggest pleasant surprise was the available torque / responsiveness of the 3 cylinder -- for me six years older, and almost six years of driving the R56S, I'm ok with the less horses in the 3 vs 4).

 

You know, I had this same conversation with a BMW salesman a few months ago. He's a Porsche-owning friend, so he understands the sports car mentality. He told me his dealership will order a manual for a customer, but not as a "spec" car. He had none at all on the lot.

I personally hate automatics. My first Bimmer was a '69 2002, and ironically it was an automatic, for the usual reason that Hubby commuted to work in a large city. That was over 40 years ago, and I never liked that car mainly because it WAS an automatic. I now live in the middle of some of the best twisties in the country, and there's no way on earth I'd willingly order an automatic. They'd have to chop my left leg off, first!

Yes, I'm NOT NORMAL. But isn't that the MINI theme these days?

 

Bought my F56 justa from Mini of Valencia as did my wife and her 2011 R56s. They didn't have an actual manual F56 justa on the lot so they drove to Long Beach dealer and drove one back to Valencia while I waited...

 

Now that's service!

 

I almost bought that mini. Was it the Blazing red with black wheels?

 

No, it's the Deep Blue MINI with white roof,bonnet stripes and mirrors in my sig

 

Sadly, VW ended production of the mighty micro bus a few months ago ... RIP.

I live in the L.A. area and have three manual transmission cars and never have an issue driving them here. The fun factor just wins over the hassle any day!

I can tell you that at the moment, South Bay MINI in Torrance has DOUBLE DIGIT F56 Cooper S Manuals IN STOCK. I saw a black, 3 Thunder Grey, a Moonwalk Grey and a Blazing Red there over the weekend. Worth checking out for sure! There were Cooper Manuals as well.

 

Mrdi
Took delivery of our MCS manual last Saturday.
But we live along the Coast, so, bumper to bumper is
not a daily requirement.

 

Its the same up here. I've asked our MA if they have any manual Coopers to test drive and he hasn't been able to find any.

 

When I lived in SF, it was nearly impossible to find a manual Cooper S on the MINI of SF lot. They would tell me they had to practically be special ordered and they rarely traded with other dealers for vehicles.

I also remember a service advisor there telling me once that they had to replace a clutch on an R56/S that had 180 miles on it! Crazy with all the hills and stop signs and parallel parking on steep inclines. I certainly don't miss that part of SF

 

Brilliantly put - 3 cyl version of the S with more $$ left over (to customise your ride or spend on other things!)

 

Here! Here! Fully agreed The other day I drove my wife's R56S after driving my F56 justa for two weeks. I swear to you I was like "where's the pull?" The F56 justa feels like it pulls harder from 2500-4000rpms , It's hard to believe it only has 160 or so ft pounds of torque. It's only .1 liter less than an R56s with one less cylinder ... Hahaha And the exhaust note of the F56 justa is pure music, I really want to get a better exhaust for it when they come out. I feel the aftermarket will be stronger for the justa this time around....