Don't get me wrong - I love my new MINI S Hardtop (Green Park edition). Despite the fact that it came without the ordered bonnet stripes (separate post), I am generally very forgiving about problems as long as they are addressed. But there are two mechanical issues I noticed in my first 48 hours of ownership and before I approach my MA about it, I thought I'd share here to see if I am just over-reacting to what's normal for the car:

1) I noticed on very dark roads my adaptive headlights "turn" to the right when I turn the steering wheel in that direction, but don't seem to turn to the left at all. Is that normal?

2) I've been driving standard shift for twenty years but suddenly feel like an amateur. I always seem to either not find the gate to reverse or perhaps it takes more pressure to get through that gate than I am used to with other cars. Tonight I was sitting in the road for a full minute before I could get into reverse and back up the driveway. Am I just a wimp, or is the reverse gate a tough one to notch through?

 

Just wanted to say, while I really can't help with the headlights, reverse could be difficult but only when I was rushed.
But what I do want say, is saw a green park S yesterday, great looking car.

 

I don't know much about newer MINI's, as I have a 2003. But about the reverse situation...yeah I'm there too.

I bought my car 6 months ago, and this is my first manual car. I too have problems reaching reverse, and it really pisses me off lol. The previous owner even had to show me how to get into it without problem, but it's still happening. Sometimes I think it's just me, and I'm not doing it correctly, but my husband tends to have problems with it too, even in his own MINI (a 2004).

So maybe it's a MINI thing? Not too sure about that, but I feel your pain! I back into my garage everyday when I come home, and when I'm sitting in the middle of the neighborhood street fighting with this gear, I am always so afraid of someone whipping around the corner (as they always do) and plowing me and my baby :(

 

My First Mini was an 2003 BRG Justa, sport package, loved it, then a 2007 S,, great car but not the same as the justa. Should take delivery of 2013 justa baker street. Backing up is generally not a problem (deadend and we are close to the end).

 

Reverse took a while to get used to. When we got the first R56, I was never quite sure which direction I was going to start moving. I'm used to it now (5 years later), and its not longer a problem.

I found it helped to kind of slap it over into reverse, it takes quite a bit of force.

 

On the adaptive headlights, that's how they should work. Full left and right would be nice, but they don't want you blinding oncoming cars.

On the reverse gear issue, it will get a bit easier as you break it in. I've never had a problem with it, but other people that drive my car have a hell of a time. Especially after installing a short shifter. It's pretty amusing to watch.

 

I do the same with my 06 MCS, since its my first manual and its the only way i can reliably get into reverse. Even still, i have unintentionally gone into first or reverse one or two times but caught myself. I always wondered why reverse couldn't be to the right like in the justa or to the left and back instead.

 

My 08 Justa is left and up and also not so easy if I'm in a hurry. I try to be quick but not fast. My problem is I tend to get lazy going from second to third on occasion and grind a bit of coffee.

 

But I wouldn't be blinding them unless I turned into them, right? And I suppose that would mean, inversely, that English-registered vehicles with adaptive headlamps would have left-tracking but no right-tracking?

 

My adaptive headlights (on my 2012 MCS) will arc left as well as right. There's some road speed that must be attained for them to arc left though, they won't turn left when stationary. Left curves at road speed are followed.

Reverse does take a firm movement to overcome the spring; it reminds me of the push-straight-down lockout of early VWs, about that strong. Besides the spring, what sticks out the most at our house is that we have three stick-shift vehicles, each with reverse in a different spot on the "H", and all have "custom" shift ***** that offer no clues :-0.

 

Maybe it's because I got used to "slapping it over into reverse" on my old vehicle even though it was to the right and down, but I don't have a problem hitting reverse when I want to. My problem is on rare occasions I hit reverse when I am trying to hit first. Also, for the first 1000 miles or so, I had trouble telling whether I was going into the 3/4 gate or the 5/6 gate. I am much more comfortable with it now that I have 2500 miles on the clock.