Does your 2011 MC feel underpowered at all to you? Does it have juice when you need it like entering a freeway? How do the 15" wheels feel in terms of road harshness? How does it handle? Thanks!

 

My '09 MCa is pretty wimpy until you get it up to about 3400rpm then it comes alive. It has plenty of power for entering freeways and around town driving and I can keep up fairly well with the MCS of road cruises, but not all out racing. The 2011's are slightly more powerful so I would suspect similar performance. If you want real speed then get the 2011 MSCa; really big difference between the 2 of them.

S.

 

A few things, my 11 MCSa is almost a month old, I came from 12 years of driving a manual car. I apologize if I haven't read through this whole thread and reiterating some points.

1. I only use the manual shift mode in heavy traffic to keep it in second (or third), the car still automatically downshifts

2. While fun, I find driving aggressively enough in sport mode means I don't have to touch the transmission. It's fun I guess if you have never driven a manual but at the same time if you have, this isn't near as responsive so I just let the car do the deciding.

3. If you have taken any hpde courses, you know to keep hands on the 3-9 and not let go So in that sense, you could still use the paddle shifters.

My biggest gripe is that the paddle shifters aren't your normal logical layout. Left to downshift, right to upshift. All cars I have driven have had this layout. This on is just weird to downshift as you have to use your thumbs.

 

I think the shifting style of the paddles can be changed. I read that in some other thread. Maybe done @ Rassmussen Mini in Portland Oregon? My spelling of their name I am sure is incorrect.

S.

 

2010 Camden 50 here baby, couldnt be happier! LA traffic...Why would you want flappers, gears, shifters, clutches sittin in traffic on the 91 West at 5:00PM.....didnt make sense to me ;-)

 

08 non-turbo Coopie... A little lag here and there if i don't treat it right, but otherwise no complaints. rarely use the paddle shifters and manual mode because i suck at it, and i don't want to break anything.

 

I read a little bit back in this thread that someone had the dealer switch the wires on the left paddle so that it would downshift like most paddle shifters do when you pull on it. It sounded like a easy mod and it didn't cost very much. Look back over the last month, maybe two, if you want details.

 

Okay I'm going to call them and ask if they can do this.

It's really annoying. Thanks guys!

 

I used to think the paddles where mixed up as well, coming from Audi, but when you get into sportier driving it is much more logical. For example, if you brake your weight transfers forward, the most natural action would be to push the paddle/stick forward and vice versa if you are accelerating. Steptronic FTW!

Cheers!

 

There is a learning curve EagleBeagle, keep at it...I doubt you will break anything. Your MINI will go back to the gear it is supposed to be in if you let it rest too long, just let it do that...you'll get the hang of it!! Or if your like me and get tired of it in Manual Mode at your next stop take it out, not sure if it would hurt anything to do it sooner, but that's what I do.

 

Happy to help. Let us know if this works out for you. Keep motoring.

 

I am trying to get hold of a JCW Sound Kit for my 2011 MCSa. Does anyone know if they are available yet? My dealer can't seem to get any info, but noise on the internet and some contact with a dealer in CA indicates they are out there. I just want some additional oomph while keeping warranty. Any help?

 

btw my dealership will not change the paddle shifters.

They also advise I probably shouldn't. I saw the thread on here that shows how to wire things but I guess I just won't mess with it.

 

Isn't that the Stage 1 JCW (ie non factory) kit for the R56?

 

Yeah it's considered Stage 1: better air intake with cone, stainless exhaust with JCW tips, badges, and improved software maps. Expensive, but keeps the warranty intact.

 

2008 (new to me, put 1,000 miles on it thus far) Clubman S with automatic. This is the best automatic trans car that I've ever driven. I like to have the option of the sensible, economical function of the "D" setting, or the much more aggressive "S" mode.

If the car didn't have the "S" setting, I probably wouldn't be so enamored with the auto trans and would have gotten a manual (I've had a half-dozen stick shift cars, so I'm not averse to shifting for myself.

 

I agree that the auto transmission is great. I think having the ability to shift makes even the non-S mode fun, but in the S-mode -WOW. This is one of the most fun cars I've had.

 

Forgive me if this has been discussed before. I did a search on "hesitation" but found nothing in the thread.

I've got a '10 Clubman S automatic. I gave it to the dealership on Friday to have some minor warranty items addressed. They gave me a '11 Cooper S auto to drive for the weekend. The auto in this car is so MUCH more responsive in "normal" mode than mine is. The difference is night and day. There is almost no hesitation when depressing the gas pedal. In my car, I have to use Sport mode a lot of the time just to gt rid of the lag.

I know that they are two different model years, but I haven't seen or read anything about them changing the shift points or throttle response between the two model years. I've driven the car fairly easy in the beginning of it's life. Could the ECU's adaptive qualities be responsible for this difference and should I drive it more like I "stole it"? Has anyone heard of there being some sort of re-flash that could be performed to correct this? I'm planning on asking the service people these same questions, but would like to go in with some knowledge if at all possible.

 

Before I take the delivery of my 2011 Clubman S I had one 2010 ordered which came in with some issues and I refused to take the delivery and it had almost same configs (except the new stuff that you could only get on 11) I took both cars for the test drive and I can tell there is a noticable hesitation in the 10 comparing to 11 and I think part of it is the new drivetrain configuration for 2011s. I am not sure if you can improve it with factory settings but you may want to look in to Alta Accessport, I think they have lots of mappings that you can custom order based on what you want...

Good Luck.

 

Yeah, I've already decided that I'm going to order the Accessport as soon as I put the cash together. I 'm just wondering if there is a remedy as a temporary measure.

Thanks for the response. I just want to make sure that it's just not me imagining things.....

 

I notcie on my 2009 MCa that when u press all the way on the gas peddle that there is a point where it stops then if u press more it. ....clicks or thuds and then the peddle is fully pressed and the car will downshift like crazy no matter if u r in auto or manual mode.....anyone else notice tension in the gas peddle like that?

 

Hey, I am the one with the changed paddles

Mine works perfect and it has not affect anything at all, the work was done at an official dealer here in Greece, it cost about $25 and it is one of the best things I have done to my MINI. I advise you to search for some dealer who can do that (and take responsibility if they do something wrong) but in my case, the manager of the dealership had done this to his MINI, so I told them I want this modification and they were more than happy to do it for me.

 

Dealerships have a lot of individual discretion; so they tend to vary tremendously IMO.

 

That's the over boost function.

 

Yeah - all the non turbo's have overboost

But yes, sometimes my 2010 Justa is so peposo in D that I have to look to see if it's in SD!