Well I know I personally love driving my stick cooper, but I do think my next one will be an auto just because I could use letting my gf drive it and I wouldn't have to worry about the clutch going out (have had a bad pressure plate since 4500 miles, but is finally getting replaced with 13600 miles) and I think those paddles will keep me plenty happy

Is there any additional wear by using the paddles often? I think I would tend to use them a lot, especially downshifting for turns

 

You've been motoring and using the paddle shifters to get milage that bad
Ive gotten 38.5mpg combined highway and city with normal driving up to 70mph. Worst milage so far was 33.5 using the sport mode and shiftters

Any one know who makes the Aisin Mine came from France

 

What can I say, I've got a depleted uranium foot... (1.67 times denser than lead. )

 

It will get better after 10K

 

The only regret I have about my auto is that I wish it got off the line quicker. This 1 second delay before it really kicks in drives me nuts! (no pun intended) Everyone keeps saying the car learns your driving habits and adjusts accordingly. If that's the case, I have the dumbest Mini ever. Other than that, I dig it.

What are these paddles everyone keeps talking about? My 03 doesn't have paddles, only the shifter moving to the right for SD.

 

I've driven manuals most of my life, felt that it was a necessity in every Mustang I've ever owned. My big trucks have been a different matter since I use them to haul horse trailers and having an automatic in the trucks took one less thing to think about when towing 8,000 lbs. Now that I'm living with MS, the automatic made sense in the MINI. I love the option of just putting it in basic mode, or being able to use the paddle shifters. And if the day comes, which I hope it doesn't), I can put hand controls in it for the brake and throttle.

 

I'm assuming you've got an R50 then (First Gen non-S). The R50s are equipped with a Continuously Variable Transmission, or CVT for short. The CVT is essentially a rubber band on a set of cones (gettin real simplistic here ). There are infinite "gear" combinations, but the manual shifting gifts you a sense of gears by having preset computer controlled shift points.

Autos on the first gen S and all of the second gen MINIs are Aisin automatics, which are traditional autos and have the added bonus of paddle shifters.

 

You can keep the 6 speeds I'll take the automatic. It's as much fun and alot less trouble. The only difference is the loss of HP through the tranny, so add a few more mods.

 

To the OP, it is all about the paddles, use them. In full auto when you want too and in D/S auto-manual with the sport button.

Why do you think those Ferrari's have the paddles, they are faster and fun.

 

I commute on the busiest freeway in the whole country, 405.

so automatic was a must, and I'm very happy with them, except rare occasions that I drive flat-out

but yea, steptronic is still plenty of fun

 

Not to disparage automatics, because I can definitely see the advantages of having one (although I love me some manual). However, there's a big big difference between an auto with paddles, and the paddle system on a Ferrari, which is really a manual transmission.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro...l_transmission

Again, that's not to say I don't like well made paddle-operated autos, but there are a lot of them out there that are just awful, with response times well over 1 second.

 

I haven't regretted buying an auto for one moment. The MINI auto is unlike any of auto out there. In fact I mentioned to my husband the other day that the sound and feeling of the car shifting down feels and sounds like it's a stick.

As for the other comments on it chugging gas I have an S and I've been averaging 31 mpg in combo driving. Considering I was driving an 16 mpg SUV, I think it's great. No complaints.

If you need a change of pace, go for the paddle shifters and/or the sport button.

 

or the vanquish ;0

 

No remorse here, I'm always using the paddles or the shifter.

Does anyone else use the paddles while in SD? The gear stays until you shift rather than the car's computer shifting the gear if it's too high on RPM. (I wonder if I'm harming the transmission?)

 

I'm gradually working my way towards a Clubman S, but I decided to test the "Mini" waters first by trading my 01 X5 with a 5sp standard transmission for an 03 MC w/ a CVT auto transmission. I thought I'd give an auto tranny a try. I realize this isn't the same as the Aisin autos, but regardless, it's convinced me my Clubman will be a 6sp manual.

 

I think most people with Automatics like them cause that is what they chose, but at the same time on a MINI an Auto is usually a comprimise due to many reason ie: can't drive 6 speed MT, not comfortable with MT, or maybe the wife, the kid, the GF, the hubby, etc, or just a bad hip, older, kids (steer with left hand whack the kids with right w/ auto) convinience (only drive in traffic doldrum of suburbia never a mountain road or track) But if you know and are able to drive a MT and enjoy "Motoring", there's no substitution* to your first decent "heel-toe-shift" or running up the gears on a straight from 2nd to 6th like Hans-Joachim Stuck.

*ok the prancing horses' F1 tranny or even Bimmers new version of SMG on the M3 are a substitute if on TRACK MODE.

 

Understood... but just for the record.... comparing the CVT to the Aisin is like comparing an 82 Oldsmobile to a MINI.... they are both cars. But that's where the similarity ends...

 

BTW, are there any options at all for replacing or covering up the auto shift ****? The chrome strip on mine is cracked badly & is annoying as all hell. I suppose I can get a piece of vinyl from a sign shop & cover it up if I wanted to. Just curious if there are such animals as auto shift **** options out there.

 

Not a fair comparo at all

As a former '02 R50 CVT owner, I can tell you that the AISIN in my Clubman S is like the difference between night and day....Not even close!

You owe to yourself to test drive a Clubman S automatic. I am sure you'll agree with me

 

You beat me to it.

 

I might get a manual in the future for the fun factor, but I really believe that the automatic transmission can shift faster and with more accuracy than I can. (I really am not very good with a manual and am learning to get better with the MINI's paddle shifters) I don't track my car, I'm not a racing driver, and for the time being, the fun button is all I need.

 

There are - with limitations. You can replace the auto **** with any **** that will fit - but doing so will eliminate the "lock out" feature and the related button. In practice, this isn't a big deal to me, because the electronically controlled tranny doesn't do self-destructive things (like shift into reverse when moving forward) even if you tell it to by moving the lever.

I've been running this buttonless **** for the past couple of years and probably almost 40,000 miles with no ill effects...



Whalen ***** *mostly* fit, but will rotate when installed, because the locating pin that keeps the **** from spinning is 90 degrees off on the autos vs. the manuals. And Doug Whalen won't make auto ***** due to liability concerns.

 

FWIW, I have a manual S and believethere is no way you can get the same driving experience in an auto, even using paddle shifters. Now that experience can be good or bad depending on conditions, but I have never regretted getting a 6 sp manual. Even been working on heal-toe shifting for fun. So, yes, you should feel remorse from my perspective. You asked.

 

This. I really agree with this. My MCS is manual and I don't even notice it anymore. My left foot and right hand just work in-sync with the engine noise. I could tear our the tach and speedo and be +/- 5mph from my current speed at any time.

I owned an 03 325xi (e46) before my MCS and it was steptronic. I got so bored with it in less than a year I had to get rid of it. So glad I went with the MINI and knew I was getting a manual from the beginning. I had definite buyers remorse with the BMW.

Nobody drives my car anyway so that is a non-issue. I've owned it for 6 months and 2 people have driven it, 1 being family.

 

Remorse?

NEVER!