Okay, I'll admit it, I'm no Schumacher when it comes to driving a stick. In fact, I've only been driving manual tranny cars for a little over a year now.
However, during that learning period I had a chance to drive several different manual cars, from Jeeps to Pickups to several econoboxes and one Porsche, and I think I can safely say I'm a fairly competent shifter with experience rowing through the gears of a variety of different cars.

Now is it just me, or is the MCS the hardest freakin' car in the world to start up a hill? I find I have to shut off the ASC and really rev the little guy up to keep it from stalling when starting up a hill or steep drieveway. In fact, the MCS is the only car in which I've had to employ the parking brake when starting up a moderately steep incline. Without doing this, I find it really difficult to find that smooth-start zone between stalling out and spinning the wheels. I've also found that it's not the easiest car to launch smoothly on flat surfaces either, there sort of seems to be a little "pause" right after I ease off the clutch and the car starts rolling, it almost seems like it loses power for a split second off the line and then slowly but surely begins picking up speed again.
Has anyone else experienced this? And if so, is there an explanation? Or could it be that maybe I just kinda suck at this?


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2003 DARK SILVER / WHITE MCS.

 

No probs. at all in my S. Maybe your car has an issue, not the driver.

 

I can see your point, and there certainly does seem to be a certain degree of revving required to get a goot launch, but I think it's something that you just get used to, like the clutch feel or steering, or anything else. these things just vary from car to car, and if you are noticing it excessively, you're probably just hinking too hard. Just drive the car a while, and you'll find that you notice it less and less. That, or drop some cash on a chip upgrade, a new intake, exhaust, and throttle body, and she'll go like snot right off the line every time.

 

I think that what you're experiencing is the fact that the MCS does need to be reved a bit more than many other cars to "launch". You will get used to this. But there may also be an issue with your car. Do you know if you have the most recent version of the ECU software? This revision (32) -- when I had it applied to my July-build MCS -- definitely changed the way the car handled off the line. It gave a much smoother launch...not necessarily more powerful, but smoother (it also fixed the cold start problem).

Since the throttle on this car is electronic, the clutch-gas feel is at least partly attributable to software (the clutch is still fully mechanical, so I say only "partly" attributable). I would expect that BMW will be making some ongoing changes to this as time goes by since you're not the first person who's noticed that the MINI "feels" different in a not altogether positive way.

 

I can sympathize Calvin77. I get the same problem from my MCS. One thing I've found that does help is to heel/toe this car ALL the time. From a standstill I keep my right heel on the brake and my toe on the accelerator. Tap your toe to rev it up a bit, release the brake and engage the clutch. Vroooooooo! Seems to work for me. Much easier than using the parking brake on a hill.

And Verruckt's right, and that's how I plan to kill my issue... ahhh to have chip, exhaust, intake, pulley, headers...

R

 

>>I can sympathize Calvin77. I get the same problem from my MCS. One thing I've found that does help is to heel/toe this car ALL the time. From a standstill I keep my right heel on the brake and my toe on the accelerator. Tap your toe to rev it up a bit, release the brake and engage the clutch. Vroooooooo! Seems to work for me. Much easier than using the parking brake on a hill. :smile:

Lolo

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Picked up on 12/3/02 one All Black MINI.
...and on the eight day the MINI was created, and it was good.

 

Well I hear ya but I got to tell ya I think it is "just you" ... but not in a bad way. I haven't owned an automatic in over 20 years. All the cars (and trucks) drove different tranny wise. Migrating to MCS was from a Miata - which I still have. The Miata and the MCS trannys drive WAY different, especially at startoff. But I don't think either is broken...they're just different.

First thing I was told when I got in a Cooper for a test drive was "it needs a bit of gas and clutch slipping to get off the line." A statement I've found very true. So true that my first start whenever I take my Miata out looks like I've never driven a stick. Invariably I pop the revs up and chirp the tires 'cuz I'm driving MCS'ish. By the first stop sign I'm back in the groove.

I'd also ask how many miles you have on .... I've found that the clutch was a lot smoother after 3000 miles, 1200 mile breakin was just gettin started there. I park in an underground garage with a stop at the top of the ramp. Trust me, you'll find the groove...

 

>> Okay, I'll admit it, I'm no Schumacher when it comes to driving a stick. In fact, I've only been driving manual tranny cars for a little over a year now.
>> However, during that learning period I had a chance to drive several different manual cars, from Jeeps to Pickups to several econoboxes and one Porsche, and I think I can safely say I'm a fairly competent shifter with experience rowing through the gears of a variety of different cars.
>>
>> Now is it just me, or is the MCS the hardest freakin' car in the world to start up a hill? I find I have to shut off the ASC and really rev the little guy up to keep it from stalling when starting up a hill or steep drieveway. In fact, the MCS is the only car in which I've had to employ the parking brake when starting up a moderately steep incline. Without doing this, I find it really difficult to find that smooth-start zone between stalling out and spinning the wheels. I've also found that it's not the easiest car to launch smoothly on flat surfaces either, there sort of seems to be a little "pause" right after I ease off the clutch and the car starts rolling, it almost seems like it loses power for a split second off the line and then slowly but surely begins picking up speed again.
>> Has anyone else experienced this? And if so, is there an explanation? Or could it be that maybe I just kinda suck at this?
>> Just kidding, of course!! Keep practicing, you'll get the hang of it. I drove manual Preludes for years before my MCS, and it took me a while to get used to it. Just hammer it a teeny bit off the start
Katie

 

My wife and I have driven nothing but small-displacement sticks since age 16. Both of us stalled the MCS on the test drive. No trouble with the MC but the MCS is one delicate flower.

 

Have no fears,Calvin! ... you're bound to get the hang of it soon ... different cars work in different ways and sometimes that means breaking habits or making new ones; I've always had cars that would allow me to work the pedals with my whole leg - all my joints could move (even in my Bugeye) - but years ago the first time I got the opportunity to drive a Lotus Espris, I thought I was gonna die ... the only things I could move were my ankles and toes - it all works out with extra concentration but I was using muscles I'd forgotten about (and had a hard time walking when I got out of the car!)
Practice makes perfect - and an "S" is a really fun tool to practice with!

 

I live in Florida so there's not many hills, but I've had no problems the times I have encountered them (mostly pulling out of angled parking lot driveways and such). My last stick-shift was Nissan truck, and the MCS doesn't have the load-hauling torque of that 2.4L, still I do find the MCS to be easy to get going up hills. Good thing you don't drive a Honda (aka torqueless wonders).

 

>>I can sympathize Calvin77. I get the same problem from my MCS. One thing I've found that does help is to heel/toe this car ALL the time. From a standstill I keep my right heel on the brake and my toe on the accelerator. Tap your toe to rev it up a bit, release the brake and engage the clutch. Vroooooooo! Seems to work for me. Much easier than using the parking brake on a hill.
>>
>>And Verruckt's right, and that's how I plan to kill my issue... ahhh to have chip, exhaust, intake, pulley, headers...
>>
>>R

That heel/toe technique is the opposite of how I was taught and of every description I have ever read. Toe on brake and heel on gas. That is why the aftermarket gas pedals have a wider bottom: to get your heel on it easier. Have I been doing it wrong?



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It's all about feel and reach. If you can reach better with toe on brake and heel on gas, go for it. Personally I can apply more force with my heel than my toe. And with the accelerator pedal being electronic, the toe is suited perfectly for it; doesn't require force to apply. But if you are hard braking into a turn and need to rev, I'm sure as snot not going to trust my toe to apply enough pressure as I over rev with my heel which is inevitablly pushed down by reaching my toe over.

Make any sense?

R

 

>>That heel/toe technique is the opposite of how I was taught and of every description I have ever read. Toe on brake and heel on gas. That is why the aftermarket gas pedals have a wider bottom: to get your heel on it easier. Have I been doing it wrong?
>>
>>
>>
... no 'right' or 'wrong' - just what ever fits the car ... in a Classic Mini, the big toe goes on the brake and the little toe goes on the gas ... kind of a rocking thing ...

 

>>It's all about feel and reach. If you can reach better with toe on brake and heel on gas, go for it. Personally I can apply more force with my heel than my toe. And with the accelerator pedal being electronic, the toe is suited perfectly for it; doesn't require force to apply. But if you are hard braking into a turn and need to rev, I'm sure as snot not going to trust my toe to apply enough pressure as I over rev with my heel which is inevitablly pushed down by reaching my toe over.
>>
>>Make any sense?
>>
>>R

By the same token, I am not going to trust my heel not to over brake when I blip the throttle and cause me to lock up in a corner. We are actually describing two different situations: a launch and a downshift, but using different techniques is too much to remember.

Go here for a description of what I was taught:

http://www.turnfast.com/tech_driving..._heeltoe.lasso

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I agree, this car is impossible to get up a steep hill (over 20%) smoothly. I've driven a lot of manual transmissions both here and in Europe where the hills were a lot steeper with no problems, but so far, no matter what technique I use, the outcome is always in doubt ( not a comfortable feeling, with some idiot in an SUV 6 inches away from your rear end). I also see the lag that was mentioned in first on level surfaces. Since I haven't reached 1,200 miles yet I'm hoping some of the posts about the situation improving with more miles are correct, but for now I'm avoiding major hills. Anyone in places like San Francisco have comments ? Thanks, Brian

 

How about turning off the ASC/DSC?

There's another thread on the topic on this forum. Here's my attempt to put it in this post:

Page Title

 

calvin,
Sometimes I've felt that there was a little lag on takeoffs. but after having the car for a few months, I don't feel that anymore. and when I do, i realize it's coz I didn't give it enough gas on take off.

As far as the uphill starts, I stopped on an empty road on day (about 20%) and practiced my uphill starts. I didn't need the parking brake, but still felt that the car needed an extra hard gas pedal push to get started. I'll try turning off DSC like some people suggested.

 

it is all about DSC. It limits the ability of the car sometime, that is why.

 

I've driven a variety of manuals and I have to give this one a little more gas to avoid the pause/lag. It's hard to gun it from a complete stop because the DSC will kick in and cut power. I want to try the heel/toe thing, but it's kinda hard in heels - need to get some better driving shoes!

 

I am sure your 17 S lites dont help much - I noticed significant bog compared to my X lites.

I have no problems with hill starts - I was always taught to use handbrake anywase -Sort of related I found the MINI one of the easiest cars to do blip whilst braking on down shift using toe covering both throtle and brake - I used to make a pigs ear of this on every car I tried (including an M5 I stacked into a tire wall tring to "perfect the technique ...oops)

But if this makes you feel better I have lobed the car in reverse accidently a bunch of times while in a hurry after being sat for a bit in traffic - most dsitressing when a mac truck is behind you

 

I turned off DSC and tried some uphill starts. It was noticably better, but still needed a good push on the gas pedal

 

You've never driven an E-type, have you... lol... Chevy Tahoes aren't too easy on hills either, insanely heavy clutches. Not as bad as the E-type, though...

 

I've heard with the run-flats there is often a lag from a complete stop. I've never had different tires on the front so I wouldn't know otherwise. ??

 

So use the hand break. It's what it's there for! If you had learned to drive in the UK you would have been taught that this is how you set off when facing up a hill!