I am curioius about the sport mode for the justa Cooper. Does it matter how much or little you use sport mode? If I use it all the time will that hurt the car or void the warrenty?

 

It does not matter and no, there are no warranty concerns to be worried about. All it does is give you quicker throttle response. Pushing the sport button is something I do at start-up every time.

 

There are ways to automate that check out the Modifications > Electrical section.

 

But for the manual transmissions, the only change is the steering input, correct?

 

No. The sport mode affects the accelerator in that it is much more sensitive. I hardly ever use sport mode as all I have to do is push the pedal quicker and farther down to get the same response. But I know there are those who love it.

 

Count me as one of those who like it, if not love it. Rev-matching on down-shifts is much harder with it off.

 

Oh yeah....forgot about the heavier steering. Even with the sport button, it seems lighter than my R53 was. I have to have the heavy steering.

schatzy62, I know of the mod, but just haven't gotten around to that yet. Something I definitely want to get.

Slave, I also have trouble rev matching without the sport button. I often stall, but that's because I'm used to the sport button.

 

Thanks guys. I plan on using the sport button quite often. Good to know there are no issues.

 

Yeah, the sport button doesn't give you extra power, it just makes it easier to use the power that you already have.

I know the OP has a manual, but for those who have auto, the sport button will change your shift points also. The only drawback there is that once you are up to cruising speed, the sport button will cause your RPMs to be higher than necessary by keeping you in the power band. On my auto, I usually use sport around town, but once I'm cruising at a constant speed, I turn it off, and the car will upshift and cruise a lot smoother at a lower RPM range.

Jon

 

I basically always use sport mode. I can't rev match shifts properly without it and I have almost stalled a bunch of times starting from a standstill with it off. I also find the non-sport mode just makes the car unnecessarily sluggish feeling.

The only time I turn it off is for long highway cruising. I find the steering too "darty" otherwise.

I'm pretty sure I am taking a fuel economy hit - I mostly drive in the city and the MCS and JCW have that setting to add lift-off throttle popping, etc. What I would like is a setting to have the sport-mode throttle all the time, but leave the popping and steering as non-sport-mode. The JCW already makes tons of exhaust popping with sport mode off anyways.

 

slam me .. or don't bother cuz I don't plan to read replys here

BUT

IMHO the sport button is the most useless, pure bling, ric*er thing MINI has ever put on their cars.....

Do you go faster? NO .... you can reproduce what the SB does to the accel' by pressing harder.

Do your turn faster? NO

does occasional use mean you are actually disconnected from your car beacuse there are multiple performance profiles?

When I want to change the driving profile I move over to the Mini, or the Miata or in an extreme a 599

 

The problem is MINI seem to have gone to the extreme of making you have to press too hard on the go pedal... probably for fuel economy reasons.

Have you driven a recent R56 MINI and compared it to a car with a mechanical throttle by chance? I figure you have as I think you have an 07 MCS.

Not sure what this means.

Did you post this rant purely to show us a pic of you (??) standing next to a Ferrari? Or was it to suggest that some car companies go to the extreme of variable electronic settings (Ferrari). Just curious.

 

I have a 2012 MCS, and I always push the sport button when I get in, for me there is a noticeable difference in throttle response between the two modes. Granted I have not really been able to wind him up since he is still breaking in but motoring around town there is a difference.

@Subzero, that is a great tip that I need to remember. I haven't had him out on the interstate at cruising speed, so haven't experienced the high revs. Thanks!!

 

I think we know the answer to this....and he may not respond again in this thread, but you can guarantee that he has looked at it more then once.
I have two letters for guys like him A-- H---. [IMG]


My daughter has a Ferrari too she just leaves it in "race" mode. She doesn't mess around. [/IMG]

 

Well I have to say on our '11S and '12 JCW. Auto/6 spd there is a huge difference with it on or off.

On my jcw I have turned it off while cruzing in gear and throttle drops off hugely not to mention the difference in the steering, press it and the car totally buttons down. Completely different response, not just press the pedal harder. It's like walking then breaking into a sprint or being locked into runners blocks cocked and ready to go into a sprint. Imop that is.

Not to mention the crackle and pops in sport mode....

 

I notice the difference, the car gives move gap with the SB on, and the exhaust note is different. But to answer the OP's question, I think its fine to use it all the time, you are just gonna lower the gas milage.

 

I use it all the time, the car just doesn't feel right without it. They should just do away with the button and leave the car in sport mode all the time.

 

Agreed, and add an economy button instead.

 

I always use it on the highway because I like the heavier steering, and I think it makes it a hair easier to rev match downshifts too. It can be a bit jerky on and off throttle though.

 

I can see absolutely no benefit in eliminating either mode. I use both.

 

FES Auto Sport module, done. Never even have to think about it anymore.

Hell I can't even drive the car without it being in sport mode. I'll stall the thing trying to pull away from a stop sign.


You all just don't know about real throttle response. Go drive a BMW 2002 with a well setup pair of Webber DCOE's... Drive by wire is the future, but we're worse off for it... I've yet to drive a car with DBW that I actually liked...

 

You automatic drivers, correct me if I am wrong as I only drove an auto for a test drive, but in Sport Mode the auto will not shift into 6th and that's why the higher RPMs.

As to stalling or rev matching in SP or not, it's a matter of practice. Either mode works for me...but I do tend to break the tires loose on takeoff more in SP, especially when starting on a hill (I don't have LSD), which again is a matter of practice since I don't use SP very often. IMO, it's a matter of what you get used to. For me, if I am accelerating quickly, I have the pedal to the floor and am headed for the red-line anyway, so the SP wouldn't do much for me.

I don't think you are getting the most fun out of your MINI if you don't visit the red-line often. It also helps keep your engine clean. As Bill Cosby once said, "You've got to burn the gunk out of it."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-JQksYxgM0

 

I see you have auto.

My MA told me to stay out of SM during the break-in period but not really sure it matters.

Here are my observations:

With auto if you are in SM it will never shift into 6th so it leaves the RPMs up high on the highway. However you can get to 6th by then switching to manual mode and shifting up.

There are 2 ways to get to Sport mode (DS) You can move the stick to the left or use the button. Using only the stick changes the shift points but does not seem to change the steering.

I temporarily use the sport mode on highway for passing - There is a scary lag or delay in throttle response in normal mode.

Other than changing the shift points and loosing the lag when you stomp on it, I can't distinguish how the accelerator is changed in SM?

Note I have justa Clubman