We each have our reasons for having an automatic MINI, whether it is city traffic, the need to share the car with a spouse (that's me) or plain old preference. It is "not the preference" of many people here, but that's just fine, they dont' have to drive them!

For starters, I'd be interested to hear experiences with the sport button on the R56. I really like the feel of it above, say 30 mph, but for the first couple of gears it revs just too high, like 3500-4000 rpm before the gear change. Am I just that conservative of a stick driver that this feels (and sounds!) weird?

I was going to put this in 2007+ for what could be pretty model specific discussion, but I figured there would be others who could use the support group.

 

Shifts at 3500-4000 RPM and your complaning? Unless the redline is alot lower on the R56 that sounds like a low shift point in the sport mode. When I drive my automatic R50 it shifts about there in normal operation. Then about 5200-5500 in SportDrive, and when I shift myself, i shift out of 1 at 2k, and then around 4k from there on up.

 

I had the same reason for getting an Automatic. My wife has driven a manual before but where we live our neighborhood has a pretty steep hill on an intersection street that we cross over to get in and out of our neighborhood. I know my wife would just have too many problems getting started when coming to a stop on that hill (plus I didn't know about the capability of the MINI holding ground for a couple seconds to prevent backward rolling). So I got the Auto in my 2007 Mini (3 weeks old). I've only played with the sport mode one time so far doing the manual shift and was impressed with the power. I am not real happy with the slight hesitation with the auto when first starting. I've noticed that when I get into my wifes 2006 Civic, the throttle is a lot more responsive so I'm gunning it more often. I will have to give the Sport button a try just to see how it runs.

 

Not complaining, just commenting
And I come from a weak 1-cylinder background , but yours sounds awfully high. I know to some extent I just don't know what power "sounds like".

It feels a lot different when you're farther through breakin. I am very happy with the feel now. Hopefully that'll happen to you too!

 

I've had a few R56 Cooper automatic loaner cars...two of them for a week or so. I have to say I love it!!! I didn't have a chance to master shifting in manual mode, especially using it in conjunction with Sport Mode, but it was fun trying!!! Lots of combos/options there for the serious driver.

I think I would tend to use non-sport mode for daily driving and better fuel economy, especially since the nifty Prince engine pulls very nicely when shifting at 3K rpms. Sport mode seems to bump shift points to 4K rpms which is a little high for daily commuting but just about perfect for a spirited drive.

 

I have the automatic transmission in my 06 MCS and love it. When trying to decide which transmission I wanted in my MINI, natrually I drove both the straight gear and the automatic. To me, the auto gives the driver the best of both worlds. Even in the full automatic mode, I can still downshift or up shift using the paddles on the steering wheel.

I'll use the full automatic mode for highway driving or when I'm in an area where I know there will be alot of stop and go driving. When I'm driving the backroads I'm usually in the manual mode.

If I remember correctly, my MA told me when in full auto mode, the car actually starts out in 2nd gear. This could account for the higher rpms before it shifts over into 3rd gear.

One thing that I read in either Motor Trend or Car and Driver which were testing the 07 MINIs. It was stated that the automatic MINI was actually faster that the straight gear model when put through their test course.

Another thing I know for a fact, when in manual mode, it kills you gas mpg. I just can't keep my size 12 off of the gas.

 

I have found sport mode to much for stop and go city driving. It keeps the revs up and in a lower gear than I like. In the full manual mode and sport mode, it seems be about 1K higher in revs which I believe is normal.

Heck, I'm having enough trouble keeping it under 4500 for the break-in period as it is.

It is fun when I'm out on a twisty and cruising up one of the canyon roads, throttle response is quicker.

I enjoy the normal automatic in the city and sometimes I do a manual shift using the paddles. Scooter seems to find M4 (4th gear for manual owners) as it's sweet spot. When I did my test drives back in April before I ordered, I found the 06 Cabrio S automatic likeed the M4 sweet spot, too.

I do use the manual mode and the paddles over 60% of the time, it's fun.

Either way, auto or 6 speed, they are both fun to drive. If I was going to track the car all the time, I would have went with the manual, I like the paddles and auto, fits me fine.

My wife needs the automatic, I tried one springtime to teach her to drive a stick with one of my Alfa Romeos, almost caused a divorce. I love her to much to cause that much stress in the family or to scooter if he was a 6spd.

Don S. (old81) & scooter

 

FYI - I did my first fillup with good old Conoco 91, my computer said I'm averaging 30.3 mpg. Not bad with my 60% manual mode. Consider I was previously driving a Jeep V6 and V8 as my daily drivers.

I do love the MINI.

 

Personally, I don't use transmission types as a criterium for friendship...y'all drive a MINI, right? Good enough for me.. So "shame" could be omitted from the title of this thread..

I think the CVT with the sport mode is cool. We have it on our Legacy wagon (looks like a grocery getter til you punch it). I don't use it much, but it's fun to have...

 

My experience is that in sport mode the car starts out in first. In manual mode the car wants to start in second. To increase your response time off the line try dropping it into first and turning off the DSC.

My only complaint about manual mode is the automatic downshifts. There have been a couple of times where I go to shift it down to second at the same time the car decides for me. I end up in first and the guy next to me looks at me if I want to drag.

 

I was being tongue in cheek and/or deflecting the trolls who would only have negative contributions . Any suggestions for a new witty thread title are welcome

 

I have a bad back and knee, my wife is a home health nurse so lots of city driving, and the demo i tested took away all my doubts completely. waiting for "Smudge" to arrive and the I'll master the manual stuff

 

3-4k isn't high at all for a shift point. I normally shift at 3k while I'm driving "normally" and when I get on it, I don't shift until ~6-6.5k but I have a full-manual MINI.

Fun times...
-Cody

 

I just bought my new 07 MCSa. I had previously bought an Infiniti G35 in October which was a 6MT. Since my wife refused to drive it I had an excuse to trade out early and into the Mini.

I would rather drive the automatic Mini than no Mini at all...

 

Thats the spirit!

 

we "only" have a 02 CVT. it was either that or a pickup

i love my CVT

 

Thats my CVT , no really, it is...with my Whalen and swapped shift boot

 

Whalen...SWEET!!!

 

My automatic up shifts at 7k and down shifts when i want.

 

I drove a stick when I was in my early 20's, I don't think I will ever drive one again. I wanted a Mini when it first came out, but it didn't have automatic back then, now I can finally get one! Also if I get a stick, wife won't be able to drive it Also it seems like in LA, everyone I know who drove a stick in their 20's, are driving a automatic now in their 30's.

 

I chose to go with the S 6 speed auto for a couple of reasons:

First, the car is my daily driver, and I see my fair share of rush hour stop & go traffic. Second, my wife can't drive a stick (and I can't see her learning any time soon), and she wanted to have fun too.

At first, I wasn't sure about having an auto, having driven sticks for over 17 years. The test drive sealed the deal. I've never driven an auto as slick as this. Sure, I'll yearn for the stick every once in a while, but the auto was by far the best compromise (and absolute heaven when stuck in traffic ). And it goes like absolute stink when you put your foot into it.

Since MINI Canada / USA will not bring the JCW kit for the auto over from the UK, I've been building my own...

 

I love my auto MC. I've had manual cars before. I can take it or leave it. Some of my friends, that's all they drive. They gave me the stink-eye when I showed them my auto MINI, but whatever. I'd still put it up against most of their cars and probably blow their doors off.

My other reasons for buying an auto match the others here. Stop-n-go NJ traffic. My wife doesn't drive it. Sure, I could have taught her, but she'd go back to driving her car every day and not get the practice anyway. So I got something we can both drive. If she can get it away from me, that is.

 

I love my auto MC as well. My dad tried to teach me to drive a manual when I was 17. It didn't go well. For whatever reason, I can't get going in 1st gear without killing it (and spare me the tips, I've heard and tried them all ). I do not and will never own a manual trans car, and I don't care what anyone thinks about it.

In the end, I live in one of the worst traffic areas of the country, with tons of hills. Even if I COULD drive a manual, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't WANT one.

My next MINI will be an 'S' and probably a cabrio...but it'll still be an automatic!

 

I currently drive a standard truck, which i have driven for 13 years. I am looking for a break and went auto, especally when i drove both and with the steptronic you get the best of both worlds.

Also who does not love finger tip shift control?

 

I have always owned and driven a manual transmission. When I drove the MCS, the sales rep was suprised when I said it had been years since I'd driven an automatic. He said normally it was the exact opposite. I just got tired of doing the one legged dance in crawling traffic (engaging and disengaging the clutch). I used to think if you weren't manually shifting through gears, you weren't actually driving the car. I'm over that. I'm not racing around. I'm just driving to and from work. Every once in a while, I try to step on a non-existant clutch and feel like an idiot. Oh well, it's called muscle memory.